Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 10m

Trial begins for man accused of killing 7-year-old Pine Bluff girl on a trip with her family to Little Rock Zoo in 2022. Family's car shot at 14 times while exiting I-630; prosecutors say her uncle, who was driving, was target of attack that was culmination of gang feud.
#Arkansas

Capital murder trial for Bryant man in 2022 slaying of 7-year-old on family trip to zoo begins in Little Rock | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

A Pulaski County jury on Tuesday heard the hail of gunfire that killed a 7-year-old girl in front of the Little Rock Zoo over the Memorial Day weekend three years ago.

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 37m

Arkansas Dept. of Health official fired for saying Charlie Kirk "was shot doing his evil in the public" files lawsuit over violation of her free speech rights; says firing was result of "coordinated effort by senior state officials to punish her viewpoint and make an example of her."

Firing over Kirk comments violated free speech rights, Health Department officials says in lawsuit | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

A former Arkansas Department of Health official fired last month over reported social media comments about the assasination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has filed a lawsuit claiming the…

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 2h

Proof? We don't need no stinkin' proof ...

The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 2h

Seems like a president speaking directly to Hamas terrorists might be a bigger news story ...

Reposted by The Shumater

Lakeloonatic @lakeloonatic.bsky.social · 3h

Hey Arkansans, sorry for the late reminder but, personal property and real estate taxes are due today. Otherwise, you’ll be penalized.

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 2h

Not to mention that Indigenous people shot buffalo to sustain themselves; it took white people to mow them down for sport nearly to the point of extinction.

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 2h

Big ice storm, in Hell.

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 2h

Investing in the Argentine peso is very similar to taking your money to a casino ... except you don't get free cocktails.

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 19h

Transgender activist & icon Miss Major Griffin-Gracy dies at her home in Little Rock: “Her enduring legacy is a testament to her resilience, activism and dedication to creating safe spaces for Black trans communities and all trans people.”
#Arkansas
arktimes.com/arkansas-blo...

Trailblazing trans activist Miss Major Griffin-Gracy has died - Arkansas Times

Transgender elder, activist and icon Miss Major Griffin-Gracy died Monday at her home in Little Rock. She was 78. Her life was a careening history lesson in oppression and defiance.

arktimes.com

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 19h

235 Arkansas state employees furloughed due to federal govt. shutdown. 167 are federally funded state employees who work for Dept. of Military at Camp Robinson & Ft. Chaffee; 59 work for state health or human services departments.
www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/oc...

235 Arkansas government employees furloughed in executive branch agencies due to federal government shutdown | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

The number of Arkansas state government employees furloughed in executive branch agencies as a result of the federal government shutdown totaled 235 during the week that ended Friday, according to a s...

www.arkansasonline.com

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 1d

Pulaski Co. Sheriff Eric Higgins, who made headlines by letting Netflix producers into county jail to film his innovative incarceration plan, announces re-election bid: "I am running ... so we can build on the positive changes we’ve started and keep our families safe.”
#Arkansas

Sheriff Eric Higgins announces reelection campaign - Arkansas Times

Higgins, who made headlines last year in a Netflix documentary about the county jail, is seeking his third term.

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 1d

Hmmm ... what do 9 of the 10 most dangerous states have in common? 🤔

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 1d

Good gravy. Intermittent departures from bat shit crazy do not make someone "surprisingly enlightened."

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 1d

Arkansas Dept. of Human Services officials say it's "questionable" if state can provide SNAP program food assistance payments in November if federal government shutdown continues; department will refer recipients to food banks. Nathan Ansell reports in Dem-Gazette.

Legislative subcommittee questions DHS officials about SNAP availability in light of government shutdown | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Although Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits were made available for October despite an ongoing federal government shutdown, that assistance is "questionable" for November, two…

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 1d

DOUGH(nut) BOYS: Less-than-svelte Texas national guardsmen sent home after photo of them disembarking in Illinois leads to widespread social media mocking of Pete Hegseth ...
www.expressnews.com/politics/art...

'Fat troops' fallout continues as some Texas Guardsmen sent home

The switch comes after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said he was tired of seeing “fat troops” who give the military “a bad look.”

www.expressnews.com

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 1d

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 1d

In. Over. Her. Head.

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 1d

Perhaps Mike Johnson will change his tune on Obamacare subsidies being a "boondoggle" after voters who lose their coverage rise up and smite him ...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

Mike Johnson slams Obamacare funds as a 'boondoggle' as shutdown drags on

Johnson also addressed conservative calls to repeal Obamacare, whose enhanced tax credits form the main dispute between the two parties that led to the funding impasse.

www.nbcnews.com

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 1d

Nearly 9 of 10 students who got a school voucher subsidy in Arkansas last year hadn't set foot in a public school - demonstrating once again how the rationale that vouchers save lower-income students "trapped" in low-performing public schools is, in a word, baloney.
arktimes.com/arkansas-blo...

Report: 88% of last year’s Ark. voucher recipients didn’t come from public schools - Arkansas Times

A new annual report contains more info than in years past, but it’s still impossible to make apples-to-apples comparisons between schools.

arktimes.com

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 1d

GETTING THE HELL OUT OF DODGE? Former Razorbacks football coach Sam Pittman puts his Fayetteville house on the market 8 days after he was fired. Listing price is $4M for house he bought for $2.5M in 2020.
#Arkansas

Former Razorback coach Sam Pittman lists Fayetteville home for $4M

Pittman was fired by the University of Arkansas on Sept. 28. The 7,200-square-foot home previously belonged to basketball coach Mike Anderson.

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 2d

Donald Trump's Dept. of Agriculture nukes annual food security report in which Arkansas dragged along at the bottom; says information about people struggling to get access to food is "subjective liberal fodder."
#arpx

USDA will end annual report ranking Arkansas as hungriest state, calling it ‘liberal fodder’ | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Arkansas soon won't have to worry about being labeled as the hungriest state -- not because of a drop in the number of people who are hungry, but because the federal agency that compiles the rankings…

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 2d

Lonoke Co. man facing murder charge for killing man accused of sex offenses who kidnapped his daughter is now running for sheriff. Aaron Spencer says his campaign is about "restoring trust": "I have seen firsthand the failures in law enforcement and in our circuit court."
#Arkansas

Lonoke County man announces bid for sheriff while facing second-degree murder charge | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

A man facing murder charges is running to become the next sheriff of Lonoke County. Aaron Spencer, 37, of Carlisle, made the announcement Friday in a one-minute video on the Facebook page for his…

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 2d

Bribery works! Who knew?

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 2d

There's a better word. Starts with a "b" and ends with a "t," with "shit" in the middle.

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The Shumater @theshumater.bsky.social · 3d

Gonna need arch supports to last through American Pie ...

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