by Michael Hibblen | Apr 23, 2026 | Arkansas Health, Arkansas News
I covered the summit for a story in Talk Business & Politics.
Arkansas Minority Health Commission Executive Director Kenya Eddings welcomes participants at the 9th Biennial Minority Health Summit on Friday, April 17. Photo: Michael Hibblen
Many Arkansans need to make significant lifestyle changes to avoid heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the state and nationwide. Arkansas is also being severely impacted by a growing shortage of cardiologists, making it difficult for people to get needed care, especially in the critical minutes after a heart attack or stroke.
Those were among the key points discussed at the 9th Biennial Minority Health Summit, held Friday (April 17) in North Little Rock. Participants said minorities are particularly susceptible because of a range of factors. The Arkansas Minority Health Commission hosted the event with the theme “A Bridge to Care: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Heart Health in Minority Arkansans.”
Executive Director Kenya Eddings stressed the importance of a healthy diet, not using tobacco, being physically active and having access to healthcare. She said heart health is affected by every aspect of daily life and called healthy foods “the most important medicine” people can consume. As heart disease continues to grow, she said it’s also vital that everyone is tested for different types of cholesterol.
But where people live can make that a challenge. Speakers and panelists said many rural and low-income areas have become “cardiology deserts” requiring long drives to see a heart specialist. A declining number of hospitals is also making it harder to get essential care after medical emergencies.
The keynote speaker was Dr. Anthony Fletcher, an interventional cardiologist with CHI St. Vincent Medical Group and president of the Association of Black Cardiologists. He discussed how one of the most common causes of a heart attack is the buildup of plaque causing a blocked coronary artery, which is a life-threatening situation.
“With the appropriate intervention, that artery can be reestablished through the placement of a stent and flow restored and that heart attack can be stopped. But it’s important we do this in a timely fashion. It’s called door-to-balloon time,” Fletcher said, which needs to be under 90 minutes.
Heart disease, the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes, began to decline nationally in the 1960s, he said. “Unfortunately, the most recent statistics show there’s an upswing, and we attribute that to increased diabetes, obesity and hypertension.”
Fletcher said for much of the 20th century, it was taught and widely accepted that Black people did not suffer from heart disease. But data now shows “Blacks will succumb to cardiovascular disease at a higher rate than Caucasians, Hispanics and Asian Americans.”
The reason, he said, is that conditions like diabetes, obesity and chronic kidney disease are more common in Black people. They are also more likely to have a harder time getting healthcare and testing, which leads to a major expense for the state.
“For my politicians, my economists, my policy-makers, my insurance carriers, Arkansas spends $1.47 billion each year because of cardiovascular disease. I’m seeing hospital administrators here nodding. They know all about those dollars and cents,” Fletcher said. “When we look at the risk factors, unfortunately Arkansas leads the nation in the prevalence of these factors.”
He emphasized the importance of people being tested for blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose, while also being aware of any family history of heart disease, which Fletcher said can be a key indicator of the risk for subsequent generations.
Joshua Harris, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Well Fed Arkansas, spoke about the role a healthy diet can have in preventing heart disease. But many areas of the state lack stores that sell foods like fruits and vegetables, leaving residents with limited options like ultra processed foods that are designed to have a longer shelf life.
“Its been so processed that there’s not food left — they’ve lost their nutrients,” Harris said. “We created a lot of problems with food that didn’t need to be created.”
His group partners with UAMS and local communities to provide nutritional education and to host pop-up mobile markets at places like libraries and churches where people can get healthy foods.
Reflecting on 35 years
The Arkansas Minority Health Commission was created in 1991 and is part of the state Department of Health. Its founding executive director was Dr. Joycelyn Elders, who at the time was director of the department. She would later be appointed by President Bill Clinton to become U.S. Surgeon General. Elders was praised during Friday’s summit for her determination and tenacity.
Several of the commission’s subsequent executive directors reflected on progress that has been made in the 35 years since its creation, but said many challenges remain in assuring minorities receive equal access to preventative care. Tommy Sproles, who succeeded Elders and led the commission for a decade, said it was created because there were “health disparities that needed to be addressed in so many ways.”
But getting adequate funding to advance its mission was difficult. While the Arkansas Legislature provided some money, he said it wasn’t until the state received its share of a national tobacco settlement from cigarette makers in 2000 — with some of that going to the commission — that solid progress could begin to be made.
Dr. Creshelle Nash, a former medical director for the commission, said the settlement provided funding for studies which provided data that was then used to establish evidence-based approaches for trying to achieve the commission’s goals. While some of the same issues identified 35 years ago remain today, she said “some progress has been made through a combination of advocacy and policy.” Nash also said the commission has provided a training ground for future leaders.
Former commission Executive Director Dr. Idonia L. Trotter Gardner praised former governors Mike Beebe and Asa Hutchinson for supporting initiatives that used federal funds to buy private insurance for low-income adults through the Affordable Care Act marketplace rather than expanding traditional Medicaid. That expanded coverage to 250,000 additional Arkansans, including many minorities who had experienced challenges in obtaining coverage.
Even after that, Melissa Laelan, chief executive officer of the Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese Inc., said the natives of the Marshall Islands was identified as a group that still faced significant challenges in getting the same care available to others.
“Children were sick and parents couldn’t get access to healthcare,” said Laelan. “We were having a lot of issues with students not going to school.”
In 2018, the Arkansas Department of Health, UAMS and Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families made a concerted effort to work with the Marshallese community to help people sign up for the coverage. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Laelan said the Marshallese suffered a higher death rate compared to the general population.
“Long years of not being able to access Medicaid was why they had a high rate of death,” she said. “We need to think about marginalized communities that are still struggling. Now people are being kicked off of Medicaid and SNAP programs. So as we celebrate this 35th anniversary we need to keep in mind what we can do to help these marginalized people.”
by Michael Hibblen | Apr 21, 2026 | Arkansas Business, Arkansas News, Arkansas Preservation
This story, published in The Glenwood Herald on April 17, is a good example of how much I enjoy the unique storytelling opportunities that are available while reporting for small town newspapers.
Building owner Ethan Blackman and Tasha Harris inside the recently cleaned out storefront where she will open her store Farm Fresh Beauty. Photo: Michael Hibblen
Soon the creamy smell of soap being made will be wafting through downtown Glenwood, Ark., emanating from a shop at 223 E. Broadway. It’s the expansion of a business run by Tasha Harris of Kirby who is opening her first brick-and-mortar store.
For 13 years, she has been making small batches of artisan soap from fresh goat milk. It was first intended for a son who had severe baby eczema. Soon she began giving it to other family members and neighbors with some, she said, eventually asking if they could buy it. Thinking she might be able to make a little money, Harris took some bars to sell at a farmers market in Waldron.
“I was so excited that I called my grandmother, my mother-in-law, and I was like, we made $60 today. It didn’t even cover our expenses, but we were so tickled that people would actually want to use our soap,” Harris said. “A lot of the people in the community use our soaps and we’re very grateful for them. Everybody in our family uses them. Our family also drinks goat milk, so, I mean, we’re a goat milk family, that’s for sure.”
She began traveling to events in states throughout the region to sell her soap and eventually launched an online store, shipping soap to customers all over the U.S. But when she recently saw an empty storefront downtown, she decided to end the driving and pursue her dream of putting down roots by opening a soapery called Farm Fresh Beauty.
Earlier this month, a crew spent a few days removing the old interior — things like cheap wood paneling, plaster over walls and lowered ceilings — to get to the bare structure so that she can begin designing how her store will be laid out.
Harris said it’s “exciting and nerve racking. It’s like, it’s all happening really, really fast, but at the same time, it’s just taking forever to get there. So I don’t know how you can feel both, but I totally do.”
She’s working with Ethan Blackmon, who recently bought the building, primarily to use a large warehouse in the back. The storefront, which he estimates is about 1,800 square feet, was just being used for storage.
The two recently walked through the building, marveling at its newly-exposed brick walls and original tin ceiling tiles.
“My crew had a little bit of time on their hands. I was like, yeah, we can go ahead and start on it, but it just worked out perfect,” Blackmon told her.
“I love it, and the best thing is all this natural light is so beautiful,” Harris responded, gesturing toward the front windows.
Looking toward the front of the shop as renovations are underway. Photo: Michael Hibblen
Now visible for the first time in decades is a sign on one wall from the period when this space was a shoe store. It says “self-service,” inviting customers to pick up shoes themselves rather than wait for a salesperson. The sign offers shoes for $2.88 a pair or two pairs for $5.
Blackmon says his family is from Glenwood and has memories of coming to the shoe store.
“My mom grew up, you know, not too well off and so they would come up here and take advantage of the two for $5 shoes. They’d get their new new shoes for school every year,” he said.
Harris and Blackmon looked at the floor and began deciding where to place counters and how she wants her shop to be laid out. Harris is extremely enthusiastic about what’s being planned.
“So we’re going to turn it into a soapery where you can buy all the handmade artisan soaps. You’re also going to be able to get different things like luxury robes, anything spa-like, you’re able to get it there,” Harris said. “We also have an entire men’s line. All kinds of shaving stuff. We’ll even carry the old-timey straight razors and the belts to sharpen it.”
Toward the back of the shop, customers will also be able to watch Harris and her sister-in-law make the soaps.
“We’ll do everything except milk the goats right there. We’re not going to bring goats in, but we are going to make everything back there from the lotions, soaps, everything,” she said.
Harris says her family currently makes 300 to 400 bars of soap a week. On her farm, she has 36 nubian goats and her mother-in-law does the milking. She says the production process has them going through about ten gallons of milk a week.
She’s aiming to open the store by the beginning of July. In the meantime, the key structural work that Blackmon will need to do is replace the roof. Wood that was once used for bowling alley lanes will also be incorporated into the shop. He said one of his hobbies is looking through online marketplaces for old material that can be reused and he found this wood which had been used for a bowling alley in Oklahoma City.
While Harris is excited about her future shop, she’s equally thrilled that it will become part of the revitalization of downtown Glenwood.
“I really feel in five to 10 years it’s going to be even bigger than it is now. So I knew that if I was going to do this, this is where I wanted to be,” she said. “I feel like downtown is really starting to come alive, and it’s just going to get bigger. So if I was going to get in, now is the time to do it.”
by Michael Hibblen | Apr 14, 2026 | Arkansas Education, Arkansas Politics
This story ran on the Talk Business & Politics website on April 13, 2026 and is the culmination of several local articles I wrote for Arkansas newspapers owned by Newsroom Ventures LLC.
Third graders at Centerpoint Elementary School in Amity, Ark., like other students in the state, will be required to demonstrate a basic reading proficiency to advance to the fourth grade as part of the LEARNS Act. Photo: Michael Hibblen
Three years into the implementation of the LEARNS Act, Arkansas educators are bracing for a new reading proficiency requirement that takes effect this year and will determine which third graders can be promoted to the fourth grade.
Standardized tests will be administered in the coming weeks at all public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to provide a high-stakes assessment that will inevitably involve some students having to repeat third grade.
Watson Chapel Superintendent Keith McGee says it’s the culmination of a hectic school year that has involved teachers and administrators assessing students’ abilities and providing interventions to those who aren’t reading as proficiently as they need to be.
“We’re just making sure that what we call the core instruction is at grade level and monitoring their progress, monitoring that daily instruction, and by making sure that we track kids’ daily work and their progress,” McGee said.
Through that data, he says the district, which covers parts of Jefferson County in southeast Arkansas, knows “a high percentage” of its third graders will pass the reading portion of the Arkansas Teaching & Learning Assessment System (ATLAS) test, while some will not. For those who are struggling, teachers have been reaching out to parents, while also working to convey the importance of passing the test to third graders.
“Our kids know that there’s a sense of urgency of their score, their grade level,” McGee said, “not where it’s an anxiety, but just an awareness that we’re going to get through this together, so that kids know that we’ve got to take this test seriously.”
Requiring a basic reading ability is vital at this stage for students, Arkansas Education Secretary Jacob Oliva said in an interview with Talk Business & Politics Editor-in-Chief Roby Brock.
“If students aren’t able to be proficient readers by fourth grade and you start getting deeper into content and explicit instruction on how to read isn’t as prevalent, then school’s not fun. We don’t want kids to just go to school and not have fun because you’re struggling to read,” Oliva said.
While it can be difficult socially for students to be held back as their peers advance to a higher grade, the state Department of Education identifies third grade reading proficiency as a “pivotal predictor of future academic success,” including whether they will graduate from high school.
Oliva says the LEARNS Act now provides strategies for teachers and parents to implement an Individual Reading Plan (IRP) to try and avoid having to repeat third grade.
“If we see a student is not making grade level, well, what we’re able to do this year is maybe they need some short-term high impact tutoring, maybe they need to be in a summer program,” Oliva said. “So now we come together with a plan. You’re not automatically retained. What you’re required to do is have a plan on how we’re going to fill those gaps — and retention may be part of that plan — but it’s not the absolute.”
If the new reading requirement had been in place last year, test results show only 36% percent of Arkansas students would have been promoted to the fourth grade. But educators hope the new assessments and interventions will ensure that won’t be the result this year.
At Centerpoint Elementary School in Amity, which serves students from parts of Pike, Garland, Clark and Hot Spring counties in southwest Arkansas, Principal Erica Doster says reading is still being taught the same way as before the LEARNS Act was enacted. But she says new processes during this school year allowed teachers to do a better job of tracking which students were at risk of falling behind and provided time to offer extra tutoring when needed.
“What we did change is the way that we document those interventions and keep up with the monitoring of their progress throughout the year,” Doster said. “I feel pretty confident that we will not have very many kids — if any — that we have to retain.”
Doster says the school has been sending letters to parents notifying them if their children are at risk of being held back and what steps teachers are taking to try and prevent that. Strategies are also given to parents on how they can support reading at home.
“We have been keeping a close eye on a lot of kids, making sure that we’re providing the interventions that they need in order to be successful,” Doster said. “We have an idea of who is at risk, but of course we don’t know for sure until they take that end of the year summative test,” she said.
The state allows districts to administer the ATLAS test any time between Monday (April 13) and May 22. Students will need to score at Level 2 or higher in reading to advance to fourth grade unless they qualify for a “good cause exemption.” That includes students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, those with less than three years of formal English instruction, students who have previously been retained and those who have experienced an isolated traumatic event that directly impacted their assessment.
Doster has mixed feelings about the prospect of having to retain some third graders.
“It could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing,” she said. “I think what the LEARNS Act is requiring of schools, just to make sure there’s some accountability on providing those interventions and that extra help along the way to prevent that is what I feel like the purpose is. And so I do feel like that’s a good thing.”
Hazen School Superintendent Andy Barrett says he recently met with the staff of the elementary school in his district and was told no third graders appear to be on track to be retained because of the new reading requirement. Despite some hesitation from educators and parents about the potential for students to be held back, he says the change is needed.
“There’s been a lot of criticism of this requirement, but nobody can argue that reading isn’t a foundational skill we have to have across the board in education,” Barrett said. “And I think that obviously from where we stand in our state right now, we’re not doing a very good job.”
Arkansas consistently ranks near the bottom in national education studies. Barrett said he’s confident the process and options put in place by the state will be beneficial for school districts.
“If you have done all of the things that the state asks you to do, especially with the remediation and interventions throughout the year, and then some sort of growth,” Barrett said, there will be an improved outcome. “We’ve got to figure it out. It’s going to be a learning curve for most of the schools, including us, trying to figure out when and how to do things to get [students] to that level.”
Reforming education was a priority for Gov. Sarah Sanders when she came into office three years ago. The most controversial component of the LEARNS Act has been using public funds to create Education Freedom Accounts (EFA), which can be used to pay for private, parochial or home schools.
The Arkansas Legislature approved the plan in 2023 and will need to increase funding for the EFA program during a fiscal session that began on April 8. Sanders’ budget proposal would set aside up to $379 million for the program.
