Free Arkansas

Northwest Arkansas is on the rise — and Bentonville is at the center of it all. In this episode, Andy McNeill sits down with Eric Howerton and Andy Wilson , the voices behind Doing Business in Bentonville , to talk Walmart, entrepreneurship, innovation, and the future of one of America’s fastest-growing regions. 🎙️ What you’ll hear in this episode: 📈 Walmart’s explosive growth years and lessons i...

Guest: Hugh McDonald, Arkansas Secretary of Commerce (former CEO of Entergy Arkansas) Arkansas is in an arms race for jobs ⚡️. Secretary Hugh McDonald joins Andy and Matt to talk about how the state is competing for data centers, reshoring manufacturers, and billions in new investment. From Act 373 to lithium incentives, aerospace growth in Camden to site development across the state—this is a ca...

What does it really take to start, scale, and survive as an entrepreneur in Arkansas? In this episode of Free Arkansas , Andy McNeill sits down with serial entrepreneur, investor, and Startup Junkie founder Jeff Amerine . 💡 From his early ventures in international telecom to building one of the largest entrepreneurial support networks in the U.S., Jeff shares hard-earned lessons, big wins, and to...

South Arkansas is on the verge of a lithium boom — and Lafayette County Judge Valarie Clark is at the center of it all. In this episode, Andy McNeill and Rep. Matt Duffield talk with Judge Clark about how multi-billion-dollar lithium projects from ExxonMobil, Standard Lithium, and Tetra Technologies could transform one of Arkansas’ smallest counties. From job creation and infrastructure upgrades t...

In this episode of Free Arkansas, Andy McNeill sits down with Todd Simmons, CEO of Simmons Foods — one of Arkansas’s largest private companies — for a deep dive into the intersection of business, community, and policy in the Natural State. From running a multi-billion-dollar food and pet supply company to investing in health clinics, scholarships, and arts organizations, Simmons offers insight int...

Congressman Bruce Westerman joins Andy McNeill for a wide-ranging conversation on immigration, the national debt, energy policy, and AI. They dig into Arkansas's economic growth challenges, the labor shortage, border security, and how federal policy impacts the state. 👷‍♂️ Immigration & Labor Westerman discusses border security, guest worker programs, and a new proposal for a restitution-...

What you need to know today: 🗳️ Fred Love Enters Governor’s Race The term-limited Democratic senator launches a 2026 bid. 🔫 Bryant Family Triple Homicide A man is charged with killing his sister and parents. ⚡ Second Lithium Deal Approved Saltwerx joins the lithium boom in Arkansas + why it matters. 🐕 Another Dog Attack in Saline County A woman was attacked weeks after a teen’s death sparked de...

🗳️ Arkansas GOP Moves to Close Primaries, Student Loan Contract Rejected, & EFA Funding Approved — June 23 ⚠️ Arkansas Republican Party votes to block Democrats from GOP primaries. 💰 Major hikes in candidate filing fees. 📉 Legislative Council nixes $1M loan forgiveness contract. 🏫 $90M greenlit for Education Freedom Accounts. 🐶 Saline County dog attack prompts meeting on animal control. 🚨...

In this thought-provoking episode of Free Arkansas, Andy McNeill sits down with Dr. Robert Maranto from the University of Arkansas to cover everything from school choice and education reform to postmodernism, bureaucracy, and campus free speech.🚨 Dr. Maranto pulls no punches. A self-described “center-right academic,” he talks candidly about:- Growing up working in his family’s business in inner-c...

☀️ Summer Solstice & Arkansas Headlines | Arkansas Daily Briefing – June 20, 2025 Happy Summer Solstice! It’s the longest day of the year in Arkansas — and we’ve got a packed Daily Briefing to match. Here’s what’s making news this Friday, June 20: 🚨 Fayetteville vs. ICE? A state lawmaker is asking the Attorney General whether Fayetteville is violating Arkansas’ anti-sanctuary law. The mayor s...

Today on the Arkansas Daily Briefing:🎯 Nearly $1M for Student Loan Help? A controversial $917K contract to help state employees navigate student loan forgiveness moves forward. The full Arkansas Legislative Council votes Friday.⚖️ AG Griffin: Don't Pay LawyerThe AG is asking the courts to block payment to a board-hired attorney who helped sue the governor.🚨 Prison Needs Fort Smith's Wate...

Good morning, Arkansas! From missing persons to political shakeups, school choice funding, and Razorback baseball in Omaha. Let’s get into it ⬇️ 🔍 MISSING IN ARKANSAS Arkansas ranks 8th in the nation for open missing persons cases — and over 100 children are still missing statewide. We break down the numbers, new alert systems, and how the state is modernizing the way cases are handled. 🗳️ SENATE...

📢 Today on the Arkansas Daily Briefing – June 17, 2025🧑‍⚖️ Library Book Law Back in CourtThe state is appealing a federal judge’s ruling that struck down parts of Act 372, Arkansas’ controversial library materials law. Attorney General Tim Griffin says the decision was overbroad and that the state has a right to regulate obscene materials for minors.⚖️ Corrections Board Drama Heats UpThe Arkansa...

In this episode of Free Enterprise Arkansas , host Andy McNeill sits down with Marshall Saviers — CEO of Sage Partners and co-founder of Natural Capital Partners — for a deep dive into what’s fueling the explosive growth of Northwest Arkansas. 🌆 What’s Covered: Why office space in NWA is booming — with record-low vacancy rates The rise of Centerton and outlying towns, and the infrastructure crunc...

It’s Friday the 13th, and we’re covering everything from spooky superstitions to serious headlines across Arkansas. 🐕Pitbulls are the culprits in 15-year-old's death in Saline County. 🪦 Little Rock is ordered to follow the law after removing a Confederate monument. 🚨 A murderer stabs two jail deputies with a homemade spear. 🏈 A Quitman coach suspended after locker room harassment fallout....

Today’s episode covers major news from across the state — from legal battles and political spats to tragedy and baseball.⛪ Ten Commandments Lawsuit Hits Federal CourtA group of Arkansas families is suing to block Act 573, the new state law requiring public schools and libraries to display the Ten Commandments. ⚖️ Newsom vs. Sanders: Homicide Stats and Political FireAfter Gov. Sarah Sanders critic...

Full Moon, Full News Cycle 🌕🍓 On today’s episode: 🍬 Arkansas becomes one of the first states approved to ban junk food, soda, and candy from SNAP benefits. ⚖️ Senator Fred Love’s lawsuit against Pulaski County gets tossed. 🗳️ Meanwhile, the race for Love’s open Senate seat is heating up — his wife ShaRhonda is running, but so is Rep. Tara Shephard. 📲 Watch your phone: scam texts are circulatin...

📢 Arkansas ranks 45th in child well-being — again. We break down the brutal stats in this year’s Kids Count report. Plus:⚾ Razorbacks are headed to Omaha after a huge win over Tennessee💰 Lobbyist spending hits a record $1.6M — and it wasn’t just about pharmacy laws🚨 Escaped killer Grant Hardin found just 1.5 miles from prison🗺️ Federal court rules Arkansas’s congressional map is legal⚖️ Audit...

From the ER to the State Capitol — Arkansas Rep. Dr. Lee Johnson joins Free Arkansas for a wide-ranging, no-nonsense look at the state of healthcare in Arkansas.📉 Arkansas ranks 47th in overall healthcare — and Dr. Johnson explains exactly why. From sky-high obesity and smoking rates to rural hospital closures and critical provider shortages, we break down the root causes and what can be done.💡...

Beige Book Breakdown, Medicaid Reform, Outdoor School, and More In today’s episode, we’re breaking down the latest Federal Reserve Beige Book report — and what it says about Arkansas’ economic outlook. Spoiler: we’re holding steady, but there’s plenty of warning signs. Plus: 📉 Arkansas businesses brace for higher tariffs and rising costs 🛒 Consumer spending shifts and retail slowdowns 🏭 Manufac...

Today’s top stories in Arkansas: 🗳️ Arkansas ranked #1 for election integrity 🌬️ Newton County bans wind and solar farms🌊 Conway County farmers warn: levees are failing⚖️ AG Griffin refuses race-based Ethics Commission appointment📉 Math teacher prep gets national praise — but scores still lag🦌 AGFC deer hunt permits now open 📅 Aired: June 4, 2025

Today’s episode covers the biggest stories happening across Arkansas — no spin, just facts you won’t hear anywhere else: 🚔 A massage parlor in Hot Springs raided in a human trafficking sting — part of what the AG calls “gray zone warfare” 🛒 16 people arrested in a retail theft sweep tied to big-box stores across Jonesboro 🌫️ Wildfire smoke from Canada brings breathing warnings and hazy skies to...

Omaha dreams, political shakeups, and a manhunt still underway — here’s what’s happening across the Natural State. In today’s episode of Free News Arkansas , we break down: ⚾️ UALR’s Cinderella run: Two big wins in one day, including an upset over LSU 🐗 Razorbacks roll through the regional with home run power and a dominant Gage Wood 🗳️ Two new challengers take aim at Rep. Steve Womack and Rep....

In this episode of Free Arkansas , host Andy McNeill sits down with Troy Wells, President & CEO of Baptist Health, for a wide-ranging conversation on the challenges and innovations shaping Arkansas’s largest healthcare provider. With 11,000 employees and 12 hospitals, Baptist Health plays a massive role in the state’s economy — and in the daily lives of thousands of Arkansans. But as Troy expl...

In today’s episode of Free News Arkansas – Daily Briefing (May 30, 2025), we’re covering the biggest stories shaping the Natural State: 🛑 $57 million approved for designing a new mega-prison in Franklin County — but lawmakers haven’t even funded the prison yet. What’s going on behind the scenes? 💊 Prescription drug giants CVS and Express Scripts are suing Arkansas over a new law banning PBMs fro...