Arkansas
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission promotes conservation education in schools • Arkansas Advocate
With more than $680,000 in grant funding available this year for Arkansas schools and the launch of a volunteer program to help students complete new graduation requirements, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has brightened its spotlight on conservation education.
Both efforts help to build long-term support for conservation, which is one of the parameters the commission uses to measure its success, spokesperson Randy Zellers said.
“Right now there are boys and girls who want to know more about the outdoors, but their schools may not have the resources available to truly devote toward anything outside of core curriculum,” Zellers said. “These grants and volunteer opportunities give them the means to expand their educational offerings and capture the interest of some of those students.”
The $682,472 in available funding comes from boating and wildlife fines collected in fiscal year 2024 and any unspent money from schools in previous years. The funds stay within the county where the fines were collected and the amounts vary.
The variance tends to correlate to the public recreation opportunities offered in each county, Zellers said.
Arkansas County, which includes Stuttgart, a renowned duck hunting destination, accrued the most fines at $36,170, according to the Game and Fish Commission. The next highest amount, $26,563, was collected in White County where bass, crappie, bream and catfish are popular catches in Bald Knob Lake.
“However, increased opportunity doesn’t always lead to an increase in wildlife violations or fine money collected,” Zellers said. “One egregious incident with a poacher being caught with multiple violations at once may result in thousands of dollars in fines on its own.”
In the coming weeks, applications for grants will be available through the Rural Service Division, which is part of the Arkansas Department of Economic Development. Grants can be used to fund programs such as Youth Shooting Sports and Archery in the Schools.
The money can also be spent on projects like butterfly habitats and field trips to nature centers, hatcheries or wildlife management areas.
“The experience may vary from student to student, but teamwork, leadership and long-term commitment are all traits developed through conservation education opportunities,” Zellers said.
Approximately $537,000 was awarded to schools last year. Approved items included bee houses and hummingbird feeders for a pollinator garden at Dewitt Elementary school, construction materials for an outdoor classroom at a Bradley County school and animal skins, track and skull replicas in Franklin County.
Current applications are open through Oct. 3.
Volunteer program
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission also recently announced a new volunteer program aimed at helping high schools students complete 75 hours of community service hours, which is now a graduation requirement under the LEARNS Act.
Along with many other changes the sweeping education law brought upon Arkansas schools last year, the LEARNS Act implemented a community service requirement for all students, unless they secure a waiver. Reasons for obtaining a waiver could include major illness, homelessness or if the student is a primary contributor to their household income.
Rules governing Arkansas community service graduation requirement approved for public comment
In March, Arkansas Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Stacy Smith said the new graduation requirement would help students build pride in and connection to their communities.
Each district is allowed to define what community service can include, though the policy must be posted to the district website, require an adult to sign off on the student’s community service hours and include preparation, action and reflection components required for a student to receive credit.
The Arkansas Game and Fish program opens the door to students who are “interested in giving back to conservation as well as their community,” according to a press release. School district officials will need to submit a request to register for opportunities before students can participate.
“We’re trying to offer a variety of experiences so students can find something they can enjoy doing and feel like they contributed once the work is done,” said Leah Hughes, the commission’s volunteer program coordinator. “Having worked at many of our events myself, I can tell you that it can be so fun and fulfilling that you might have a hard time stopping at those minimum hours required.”
Volunteer opportunities will give students a peek into the everyday tasks of those who work for the commission with activities such as trail cleanups, fishing derbies and archery tournaments.
“Conservation education is paramount to the [commission’s] mission of conserving and enhancing wildlife and their habitats while promoting sustainable use, public understanding and support,” Zellers said. “It’s not just about hunting and fishing, but about all aspects of conservation, responsible water usage, understanding our role in the world around us and how what we do affects everything downstream from us.”
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What channel is Arkansas basketball vs Arizona on today? March Madness game time, TV, streaming
Ian Eagle recalls wildest memories from past NCAA Men’s Tournaments
Announcer Ian Eagle has been providing analysis for March Madness for decades. He joins us to talk about his partnership with Great Clips.
Darius Acuff Jr. and the fourth-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks will face Brayden Burries and the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats as the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament continues with the Sweet 16 Thursday in San Jose, California.
The Razorbacks (28-8) reached the West Region semifinals by beating Hawaii and High Point. Meanwhile, the Wildcats (34-2) beat Long Island and Utah State.
Here’s how to watch the Razorbacks-Wildcats game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:
Watch March Madness live with Sling TV
What time is Arkansas vs Arizona today? When is NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game today?
- Date: Thursday, March 26
- Start time: 8:45 p.m. CT
- Where: SAP Center in San Jose, California
What channel is Arkansas vs Arizona on today? How to watch, stream NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
- TV: TBS/truTV
- How to watch online: Sling (free trial)
Arkansas vs Arizona betting odds for March Madness Sweet 16 game
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, March 26:
- Moneyline: ARI -375 | ARK +290
- Spread: Arizona (-8.5)
- Over/under: 165.5
All times CT
All times CT
Print your own March Madness bracket for 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament
The Arkansas Razorbacks parlayed an SEC Tournament Championship into two straight wins to start their NCAA Tournament run, getting past Hawaii and High Point in impressive fashion. Now, they’ll face their toughest challenge yet, a Sweet 16 showdown with the 1-seed Arizona Wildcats.
Arizona cruised past both Long Island University and Utah State in the first two rounds, and still has just two losses on its record all season. As you’d expect, they’re favored in this SEC vs. Big 12 showdown. Let’s take a look.
Arkansas vs. Arizona Odds, Spread, and Total
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
Spread
- Arkansas +7.5 (-110)
- Arizona -7.5 (-110)
Moneyline
- Arkansas +278
- Arizona -355
Total
- OVER 166.5 (-110)
- UNDER 166.5 (-110)
Arkansas vs. Arizona How to Watch
- Date: Thursday, March 6
- Game Time: 9:45 pm ET
- Venue: SAP Center at San Jose
- How to Watch (TV): CBS
- Arkansas Record: 28-8
- Arizona Record: 34-2
Arkansas vs. Arizona Betting Trends
- The OVER is 9-2 in Arkansas’ last 11 games
- The OVER is 5-1 in Arkansas’ last six games vs. Big 12 opponents
- Arkansas is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games as an underdog
- Arizona is 4-1 ATS in its last five games
- The OVER is 4-2 in Arizona’s last six games
- Arizona is 5-1 ATS in its last six games vs. SEC opponents
Arkansas vs. Arizona Best Prop Bet
- Brayden Burries OVER 17.5 Points (-106) via FanDuel
Brayden Burries has a chance to have a phenomenal performance on Thursday night. Arkansas may be a strong offensive team, but its defense leaves a lot to be desired. They rank 200th in the country in defensive efficiency and are allowing 80.3 points per game this season, which ranks 325th. If Burries brings his best stuff, the Razorbacks are going to be in trouble.
Arkansas vs. Arizona Prediction and Pick
Let’s try our best not to overreact to Arkansas being in the Sweet 16. They had a relatively easy path to win the SEC Championship, squeaking by both Oklahoma and Ole Miss by just three points before beating Vanderbilt in the final, completely avoiding the Florida Gators. Then, in the NCAA Tournament, they had the easiest path to the Sweet 16, getting to face a 13-seed and a 12-seed in the first two rounds.
The Arizona Wildcats are no joke and will be by far the Razorbacks’ biggest challenge. There’s a case to be made that Arizona is the best team in the country, and they have the interior defense to completely shut down the Arkansas offense. The Razorbacks rank 50th in the country in two-point shot rate. Now, they have to face an Arizona defense that ranks second in the country in opponent two-point field goal percentage, keeping teams to shooting just 43.7% from two-point range.
Arizona also mainly shoots two-point shots, ranking third in two-point shot rate, and now they get to face an Arkansas team that ranks 278th in opponent two-point field goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot 54% from two-point range.
This is a nightmare matchup for Arkansas.
Pick: Arizona -7.5 (-110)
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LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — An Arkansas mother fighting for her life is now facing her transplant journey with renewed hope after an overwhelming surge of community support.
Just one day after sharing her story, 31-year-old Brittany Slater’s GoFundMe has skyrocketed from $4,300 to over $22,000; more than doubling her original $10,000 goal in less than 24 hours.
Slater, a mother of two, is battling both advanced kidney disease and heart failure.
She has been approved for a rare dual kidney and heart transplant, but needed financial help to cover expenses during a required 12-week recovery period away from home.
Since the story aired Tuesday afternoon, donations have poured in from 249 contributors. Among them, one person gave $2,000, three donated $1,000 each, and several others contributed hundreds more, reflecting what Slater calls an outpouring of love from both her local community and strangers.
“I was actually at the grocery store when it happened,” Slater said. “My mom called and told me to check it, and I just sat in the parking lot for about an hour crying. I was just full of joy. It was wonderful.”
The financial milestone is doing more than easing immediate concerns; it’s shifting Slater’s mindset as she prepares for the fight ahead.
“It’s making me want to push even harder, to keep fighting even harder,” she said. “If you’re going through something like this, don’t give up. Just keep going and have faith.”
The funds will help cover temporary housing near the transplant center, caregiving needs, childcare for her children, and basic living expenses like food and gas during recovery.
While insurance, including Medicare, is expected to cover much of the transplant itself, the additional costs tied to recovery created a significant burden for the family.
Slater’s mother, Carmenlita Bryant, who is also undergoing chemotherapy, started the fundraiser and said the response has brought both relief and reassurance during an already difficult time.
“It brings a lot of relief,” Bryant said. “Just knowing she’ll be away for three months and we have to figure out care for her children, this takes a huge burden off of us.”
Bryant said she never expected the level of support her daughter received, calling the response overwhelming.
“It just showed me that humanity still exists,” she said. “People who don’t even know us read her story and gave. We’re just so grateful.”
For Slater, the support goes beyond financial help; it’s a message she plans to carry with her into surgery and recovery.
“I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart,” she said. “Every donation, every prayer, it all means so much to me and my family.”
If you would like to support Brittany, you can access her GoFundMe here.
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