Arkansas

An Arkansas judge has blocked a law targetting librarians over ‘harmful’ books

Published

1 year ago

July 30, 2023

An Arkansas judge has blocked a law targetting librarians over ‘harmful’ books

Nate Coulter, executive director of the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS), looks at a book in the main branch of the public library in downtown Little Rock, Ark., on May 23, 2023. Arkansas is temporarily blocked from enforcing a law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing “harmful” materials to minors, a federal judge ruled Saturday, July 29.

Katie Adkins/AP

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Katie Adkins/AP

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas is temporarily blocked from enforcing a law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing “harmful” materials to minors, a federal judge ruled Saturday.

U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued a preliminary injunction against the law, which also would have created a new process to challenge library materials and request that they be relocated to areas not accessible by kids. The measure, signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders earlier this year, was set to take effect Aug. 1.

A coalition that included the Central Arkansas Library System in Little Rock had challenged the law, saying fear of prosecution under the measure could prompt libraries and booksellers to no longer carry titles that could be challenged.

The judge also rejected a motion by the defendants, which include prosecuting attorneys for the state, seeking to dismiss the case.

The ACLU of Arkansas, which represents some of the plaintiffs, applauded the court’s ruling, saying that the absence of a preliminary injunction would have jeopardized First Amendment rights.

“The question we had to ask was — do Arkansans still legally have access to reading materials? Luckily, the judicial system has once again defended our highly valued liberties,” Holly Dickson, the executive director of the ACLU in Arkansas, said in a statement.

The lawsuit comes as lawmakers in an increasing number of conservative states are pushing for measures making it easier to ban or restrict access to books. The number of attempts to ban or restrict books across the U.S. last year was the highest in the 20 years the American Library Association has been tracking such efforts.

Laws restricting access to certain materials or making it easier to challenge them have been enacted in several other states, including Iowa, Indiana and Texas.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said in an email Saturday that his office would be “reviewing the judge’s opinion and will continue to vigorously defend the law.”

The executive director of Central Arkansas Library System, Nate Coulter, said the judge’s 49-page decision recognized the law as censorship, a violation of the Constitution and wrongly maligning librarians.

“As folks in southwest Arkansas say, this order is stout as horseradish!” he said in an email.

“I’m relieved that for now the dark cloud that was hanging over CALS’ librarians has lifted,” he added.

Cheryl Davis, general counsel for the Authors Guild, said the organization is “thrilled” about the decision. She said enforcing this law “is likely to limit the free speech rights of older minors, who are capable of reading and processing more complex reading materials than young children can.”

The Arkansas lawsuit names the state’s 28 local prosecutors as defendants, along with Crawford County in west Arkansas. A separate lawsuit is challenging the Crawford County library’s decision to move children’s books that included LGBTQ+ themes to a separate portion of the library.

The plaintiffs challenging Arkansas’ restrictions also include the Fayetteville and Eureka Springs Carnegie public libraries, the American Booksellers Association and the Association of American Publishers.

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Arkansas

VIDEO: Calipari, Aidoo postgame – Florida 71, Arkansas 63

Published

6 hours ago

January 11, 2025

Press Room

VIDEO: Calipari, Aidoo postgame – Florida 71, Arkansas 63

Watch the postgame press conference from Arkansas head coach John Calipari and center Jonas Aidoo after the 71-63 loss to Florida on Saturday afternoon at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.

Visit our homepage for complete coverage of Arkansas basketball, including everything you need to know from the Hoop Hogs’ game.

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Arkansas

2025 Small Works on Paper tour opens Monday at UALR | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Published

15 hours ago

January 11, 2025

Press Room

2025 Small Works on Paper tour opens Monday at UALR | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

The Arkansas Arts Council’s 2025 Small Works on Paper touring exhibition debuts Monday and remains on display through Feb. 16 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Windgate Center of Art + Design, 2801 S. University Ave., Little Rock.

A reception, 5-7 p.m. Jan. 30, will feature presentations by the 35 Arkansas artists whose 40 pieces, no larger than 18-by-24 inches, are part of the exhibition. Refreshments will be served.

Admission to the reception and the gallery is free. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, 2-5 p.m. Sunday.

The visual art exhibition is in its 38th year, spotlighting Arkansas artists who are members of the Arkansas Artist Registry, an online gallery maintained by the Arkansas Arts Council. Most works will be available for sale with all proceeds benefiting the artists. The exhibition will tour nine venues statewide.

This year’s juror, New Jersey-based artist Mario A. Robinson, reviewed more than 200 entries and chose the work of three artists — Jennifer Barnett and Derek Slagle, both of Little Rock, and Richard Stephens of Hot Springs — for purchase awards that will become part of the Small Works on Paper permanent collection. The artists receive cash awards that are equivalent to the value of their artwork.

“Weird Weather,” acrylic painting by Susan Chambers of Little Rock; “Good Days,” acrylic on newspaper by Alexia Lams of Pine Bluff; “Offerings,” watercolor and thread on paper by Rhaelene Lowther of Magnolia; “Hillside Hives,” pastel and graphite on brown paper by David Mudrinich of Russellville; and “The Old Neighborhood,” pastel by Dennis McCann of Maumelle, are part of the Arkansas Arts Council’s 2025 Small Works on Paper touring exhibition, debuting Monday and on display through Feb. 16 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Windgate Center of Art + Design. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)

The exhibition will be on display:

◼️ March 3-26 at the River Valley Arts Center, 1001 E. St., Russellville (rivervalleyartscenter.org)

◼️ April 3-30 at the Walton Arts Center’s Community Creative Center, 505 W. Spring St., Fayetteville (communitycreativecenter.org)

◼️ May 5-28 at the Ouachita Center, University of Arkansas Rich Mountain, 1100 College Drive, Mena (uarichmountain.edu/index.html)

◼️ June 6-28 at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 S. Main St., Pine Bluff (artx3.org/home)

◼️ July 11-Aug. 22 at the Delta Cultural Center, 141 Cherry St., Helena (arkansasheritage.com/delta-cultural-center)

◼️ Sept. 4-29 at Southern Arkansas University’s Brinson Art Gallery, 100 E. University St., Magnolia (saumag.edu)

◼️ Oct. 6-28 at the Glassblock Gallery, Taylor Library, University of Arkansas at Monticello, 346 University Ave., Monticello (uamont.edu)

◼️ Nov. 4-22 at Harding University’s Stevens Art Center, 915 E. Market Ave., Searcy (harding.edu).

For more information, call (501) 324-9767, email at cheri.leffew@arkansas.gov or visit ArkansasArts.org.

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Arkansas

DoorDash activates severe weather protocol, suspending service in parts of Arkansas

Published

1 day ago

January 11, 2025

Press Room

DoorDash activates severe weather protocol, suspending service in parts of Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Due to the ongoing winter storm sweeping through the Natural State, DoorDash has activated its Severe Weather Protocol and temporarily suspended operations in Little Rock and various parts of the Natural State.

According to a release Friday night, the precautionary measure comes as the winter storms deliver hazardous conditions across the city, including heavy snowfall and strong winds.

Cities with suspended operations include Little Rock, North Little Rock, Conway, Pine Bluff, Jacksonville, Cabot, Searcy, Malvern, Lonoke, Heber Springs, Star City, Clinton, Rison and Sheridan.

“With heavy snowfall and low visibility, the snowstorm is a serious threat to our community, and we’ve taken decisive action by activating our Severe Weather Protocol,” DoorDash spokesperson Julian Crowley said. “We deeply appreciate the patience and understanding of Dashers, merchants and consumers, and will resume operations as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

Officials said they will continue to monitor conditions on the ground and will communicate additional changes to their operations as needed.

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