State briefs
Arkansas unemployment stable in July, remains at record low
LITTLE ROCK — State officials say Arkansas’ unemployment rate was unchanged from June to July, remaining at a historic low of 3.4 percent.
The Arkansas Department of Workforce Services said Friday that the state’s jobless rate in July is down six-tenths of a percentage point compared to the same month last year. The state says there are nearly
40,000 more employed people in Arkansas compared with July
2016.
Last month, the government sector lost 12,100 jobs in Arkansas, but most of those are attributed to summer breaks at public schools and universities. The largest job increase was posted in trade, transportation and utilities, which added
1,500 jobs. The state says jobs in construction rose by 1,100 last month.
The national jobless rate was
4.3 percent in July.
Arkansas gets first medical marijuana dispensary application
LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration says it’s received its first application for a medical marijuana dispensary license.
Department spokesman Scott Hardin told The Associated Press Friday that the application was submitted this week.
Hardin has said officials anticipate more applications will start arriving closer to the Sept. 18 submission deadline.
According to the Arkansas Department of Health, as of Friday morning there were 670 completed and approved applications from people seeking to use medical marijuana. ID cards will be issued about 30 days before medical marijuana is available for legal purchase in the state.
The qualifying conditions for those who want to obtain a user ID card include cancer and severe nausea.
2 women sentenced for defrauding food program
LITTLE ROCK — Two Arkansas women have each been sentenced to 18-months in prison for fraud in connection with the theft of money from a federal program intended to provide meals for low-income children.
A federal judge in Little Rock
on Friday sentenced 38-yearold Erica Warren of Little Rock and 38-year-old Alexis Young of Bryant after each pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
Defense Attorney John Wesley Hall called the case “really sad” and said he had hoped for probation for the two because both admitted their crimes and are single mothers.
U.S. Attorney Patrick Harris said in a news release that the two women conspired to taken nearly $254,000 from a U.S. Department of Agriculture program intended to pay for meals for low income children.
Arkansas Tech University expands free speech zones
RUSSELLVILLE — Arkansas Tech University’s board of trustees unanimously has approved to expand designated areas for free speech to accommodate a growing student population.
Baswell Techionery’s lawn, the student union, the steps of the Ross Pendergraft Library and the Technology Center can now be used for public speech and demonstration along with three previously established areas on campus, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported .
Arkansas Tech spokesman Samuel Strasner said various student and nonstudent groups were already using that area for various events.
The university’s campuses in Russellville and Ozark now have more than 12,000 students.
“More people need a little more space,” Strasner said.
University attorney Thomas Pennington said the university’s regulations on free speech are content-neutral.
The university attracted attention from members of the state Legislature in March when an LGBT student advocacy group hosted an event called “Sex on the Lawn.” According to the group, the purpose of the event was to educate students about safe sex, taking into account different sexual orientations and gender identities.
Some legislators proposed stripping funding for the university’s department of diversity and inclusion, because it was listed on the signage for the event.
Strasner said the legislators’ concerns grew out of a misunderstanding because the department didn’t sponsor the event. The department didn’t lose any funding.
The board of trustees passed a resolution March 15, stating that neither the name nor logo of the department could be placed on any materials advertising a student event. The resolution also stated that any events the department sponsored would require approval from the board.
Strasner said the changes are part of ongoing evaluation of policy regarding student activities to ensure students can exercise their constitutional rights without getting in the way of the university’s educational mission.