All articles tagged with #arkansas
Arkansas’ LEARNS Act reforms are linked to broad gains in student proficiency from 2024 to 2026, with overall proficiency at 42.2% in 2026 (up from 36.9%), math at 44.2%, science at 44.0%, and English/reading improving in earlier grades (third-graders up to 43% in 2026), plus strong performance in kindergarten–second grade. Gov. Sanders says the results show a scalable national template for education reform.
Arkansas captured the 2026 NCAA Division I men’s outdoor track and field title with 56 points, ending a drought dating back to 2003 and earning the Razorbacks their 11th outdoor crown; Georgia took second (49) and Tennessee third (46) as Arkansas, under first-year coach Doug Case, swept both indoor and outdoor championships.
An Arkansas judge dismissed the murder charge against Aaron Spencer, a Republican sheriff candidate, after authorities lost a dash-cam memory card that may have contained footage of the October 2024 fatal shooting of Michael Fosler. Spencer says he shot Fosler to protect his daughter from a predator, while prosecutors argued the killing was intentional. The dismissal comes as Spencer advances in the sheriff race, set to face Democrat Brian Mitchell Sr in November.
A judge dismissed the second-degree murder charge against Aaron Spencer, the Lonoke County sheriff nominee who shot Michael Fosler, citing egregious law-enforcement misconduct after the dash-cam video evidence was mishandled or lost; Spencer says he acted to protect his daughter from Fosler, who had been charged with sexual offenses against her, and the case was dropped weeks before trial.
Ava Kuszak lined a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th to lift Nebraska past Arkansas 5-3 in the Women’s College World Series, capping a comeback sparked by Hannah Coor’s eighth-inning solo shot and a 10-inning gem from Jordy Frahm.
Nebraska walked off Arkansas 5-3 in the 10th inning on Ava Kuszak’s 2-run homer, capping a back-and-forth WCWS opener. Jordy Frahm pitched 133 pitches to earn the win as Nebraska extended its winning streak to 27, while Arkansas saw a late eighth-inning rally undone before Kuszak clinched the victory; Nebraska advances to face Alabama, and Arkansas moves to the loser's bracket against UCLA.
Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek publicly urged ESPN and the SEC to change the 11 a.m. local kickoff for Georgia at Arkansas on Sept. 19, saying the early start would rob players of rest and recovery and amount to a welfare issue, not just a competitive disadvantage; he urged alternatives and cited the demanding schedule around that date, including a late Utah game and Georgia's following Oklahoma matchup, arguing well-being should come before media bottom lines.
No. 4 seed Nebraska faces No. 10 Arkansas in the Women’s College World Series opener in Oklahoma City, led by Jordy Frahm (USA Softball Player of the Year) as they navigate a bracket that includes Alabama and UCLA. Arkansas brings a 5-0 NCAA Tournament run and a strong lineup, while Nebraska’s transfers from Arkansas could provide insider familiarity. The game is at 8:30 p.m. CDT on ESPN2, with radio coverage on the Huskers Network.
NCAA Baseball Committee chair Michael Alford said Arkansas wasn’t chosen to host a regional after evaluating a full body of work that weighed strength of schedule, RAC rankings, and head-to-head results against other contenders (including Kansas, West Virginia, and Mississippi State). Despite Arkansas’ strong finish in the SEC and a solid late run, its metrics lagged some hosts (RAC and RPI considerations in particular), leading the committee to favor other sites. Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said he was surprised by the decision, which reflected the committee’s broader assessment rather than any single statistic.
Arkansas learned it will not host an NCAA baseball regional and will be sent to an away regional based on its NCAA ranking, likely between 17th and 20th, with possible destinations including Nebraska, Kansas, West Virginia and Oregon. The Razorbacks, 39-20, boosted by 18 Quad 1 wins and 20 SEC victories, saw the decision hinge on metrics like RPI, DSR and KPI, despite a strong Hoover performance and late-season momentum. Coach Dave Van Horn defended the year-long body of work, while players noted the motivation to play close to home. This marks only the second time in nine seasons Arkansas hasn’t hosted a regional (the previous being 2022).
A real estate broker alleges a Ravenden, Arkansas whites-only settlement run by a private group rejected her bid to buy land because of her Jewish ancestry, her Black husband, and biracial children, describing the policy as an all-white community and citing federal and state fair-housing laws. The group’s co-founder says the community is a “private membership association” with selective admissions; the complaint was filed in the Eastern District of Arkansas.
A St. Louis real estate broker sues Return to the Land, a Ravenden, Ark., whites-only community run by white nationalists, alleging racial and ancestry-based discrimination in violation of the Fair Housing Act and Civil Rights Acts of 1866/1871. The suit, the first civil action against the group, argues private-association provisions don’t shield the venture, while Arkansas investigators probe potential violations and the founders defend their right to freely associate.
Two high-speed police pursuits are highlighted: in Arkansas, a 3-year-old climbs out of a flipped car after a pursuit, and in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, a car goes airborne during a separate chase. The piece notes the dangers of chases, with 3,336 people killed in U.S. pursuits from 2017–2022, including more than 550 bystanders, contributing to reforms like the NYPD banning high-speed chases for low-level offenses.
The University of Arkansas has reinstated its men’s and women’s tennis programs effective immediately after donors pledged about $5 million in new funding (cash and commitments) to support the 2026‑27 season, with a longer-term goal of a $50 million endowment to fund ongoing operating costs. Athletics officials say the short-term donations create a viable path forward while the endowment plan aims for long-term sustainability. The move preserves 19 sponsored sports and comes after the university announced cuts earlier this spring, with campus leaders expressing support for the reinstatement and ongoing fundraising efforts to sustain the programs.
Buc-ee's announced six-state expansion to Arizona, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Kansas, Louisiana and North Carolina. The first locations open in Goodyear, AZ on June 22 and Benton, AR in Aug/Sep 2026, with Oak Creek, WI; Ruston, LA; Kansas City, Kansas; and Mebane, NC planned for 2027. The openings are expected to create jobs and attract the chain's devoted fanbase, known for snacks like Beaver Nuggets and viral treats, sparking excited reactions online while some commenters hope for a California expansion.