In this explosive episode of Arkansas 1st Reports, host Kandi Cox sits down with Laurie Gross, former Searcy County Election Commissioner, to unpack how Arkansas’s only paper ballot county—with a flawless 100% audit match—was sanctioned and banned for 14 years by the Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners. Laurie shares how a fully legal […]
Asking hard questions about how our schools handle the public’s money is not an attack on the school district or on public education in general– it’s about trust, transparency and making sure our tax dollars and our children get the protection they deserve. If you want Cabot Schools to succeed, the details matter. On May
In January of this year, I brought you the story of several Coaches at the Forrest City School who were not licensed by the State to perform their duties. Link to article – No Records Of License Or Waiver For Nine Forrest City Teachers / Coaches I wanted to do a deeper dive into the
I’ve got a question that’s been eating at me: Why in the world did we wait all this time to cut government spending, when every president since Lyndon Johnson has complained about it? Seriously. Every single one of them – Democrat or Republican – has taken the mic at some point and warned us about
On May 2nd Fort Smith attorneys Joey McCutchen and Stephen Napurano filed a lawsuit against Fort Smith City Administrator Jeff Dingman for violating laws in the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, (FOIA). Even though it is well known I want to point out in full disclosure that for several years I have partnered with McCutchen
Joe Biden has terminal prostate cancer, that’s what they tell us, and the announcement sounds like it’s a new development. It isn’t. Prostate cancer is a slow moving cancer, and the type labeled “aggressive” moves at the same rate as any other prostate cancer, it’s just harder to treat. That’s the baseline, Joe Biden has
I was able to obtain a letter dated April 1oth, 2025 from Deputy Legislative Auditor Matt Fink to The Legislative Joint Auditing Committee and the Cabot School Board informing them of the unauthorized withdrawals. On October 24th, 2023 an unauthorized withdrawal was made in the amount of $9,937.00 and then on June 28th, 2024 another
On May 9th, I brought you the story of Forrest City high school boys basketball coach, Marcus Britt, being arrested in Wynne AR on charges of driving on a suspended license. https://arkansas1st.com/state/forrest-city-basketball-coach-arrested-for-driving-on-suspended-license-marijuana-found-in-car/ Body camera video of the stop revealed Britt was in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The arresting officer stated he was doing
Politicians making promises they do not keep is a widespread and long-standing issue that undermines public trust in government. Here’s a look at why it happens, its consequences, and how voters and institutions can respond. The first question is “Why Do Politicians Break Promises?” The quick answer is the promise made with no thought
On May 8th, I brought you Part I discussing the new law. Link to article – https://arkansas1st.com/state/new-state-bathroom-law-part-1this-law-should-leave-transgenders-smiling-and-conservatives-pissed-off/ Basically, what the law says is that in Government buildings, to enter a men’s restroom, changing room and so on you have to be a male and to enter a women’s restroom, changing room and so on you
On May 12th, I brought you the story of the April 26th traffic stop of State Senator Gary Stubblefield by Fayetteville PD. Link to article complete with Body Camera video. https://arkansas1st.com/state/body-camera-video-shows-disturbing-incident-with-state-senator-gary-stubblefield-and-fayetteville-pd/ The body camera videos I provided in the article raised questions as to department Policy violations and special treatment given to Senator Stubblefield. I
Submitted by Sara Peppard This reflective paper explores my personal experiences growing up in Iran, immigrating to the United States, and aligning myself with the Republican Party, detailing the motivations behind my political beliefs. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), or Pasdaran, was formed after the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Following the overthrow of the
I was raised in a time when Sunday mornings meant something. Churches stood tall, not just as buildings of stone and steeple, but as beacons of truth, moral clarity, and yes – conviction. Somewhere along the line, though, we got soft. We traded the rugged cross for mood lighting and the full counsel of God
A quote from Judge Allen Dodson to the County Noise Ordinance 23-20 – “We will defend it and do what we have to do to protect our citizens’.” Keep that in mind and we will revisit his quote at the end. As you all know, I have been writing for some time about the noise
In this episode of Arkansas 1st Reports, host Kandi Cox welcomes Aaron Hansen of Saline County, who officially announces his candidacy for Arkansas State Representative, District 81, on the Republican ticket. Aaron shares his journey from autobody professional to grassroots activist, and now, conservative candidate. Together, they dive into key issues shaping Arkansas’s future: tax
Parents of K-12 students across the state of Arkansas have been stunned to learn everyone has the freedom to send their child to any school of choice within their district (if there is room), send them to a private school or homeschool them which comes with many additional options. The LEARNS Act, along with multiple
In an update to a previous story, Arkansas1st.com has learned the Secretary of State’s plan for elections considering the changes to voting machines required by President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) 14248. That EO, entitled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” had numerous provisions. One provision of the EO is especially impactful for Arkansas.
This is One Man’s Opinion, back for another try at pretending to be wise. Jimmie Cavin publishes an article that is factual and fair, and gets push back from some group that believes if an elected official is carrying water for you he can do no wrong. My BS meter pegged well past 100% on
Update: May 14, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. This story was originally published on May 14, 2025, at 10:49 a.m. On the same day, at noon, approximately one hour and ten minutes after publication, the investigatory documents were finally provided to an attorney for one of the Searcy County officials. The original story is below. ______________________
At Arkansas 1st, our commitment is clear: truth, transparency, and accountability—regardless of party, personality, or power structure involved. This is not a slogan; it is our standard, and we uphold it even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable. The recent article by Jimmie Cavin did not make accusations. Instead, it raised reasonable, necessary questions about the
