A Friday decision from the U.S. Supreme Court allowing local governments to prohibit people experiencing homelessness from sleeping outside sparked fear in one homelessness-assistance leader in Central Arkansas.
“I feel a lot of things: Fear, outrage, shame, anger,” said Aaron Reddin, founder of The Van. “… Mostly fear. I don’t trust our governments locally, and I’m just afraid of them having more sway in what they can and can’t go out and do to these folks.”
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision split on ideological lines with conservative members arguing that homelessness is a complex issue that should be left up to local authority. Liberal members opposed the Oregon city’s ordinance, and said it criminalized being homeless by including fines and potential jail time for repeat offenders who camp or sleep outdoors.
U.S. Supreme Court sides with Oregon city, allows ban on homeless people sleeping outdoors
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“People debate it, but I am 100% a housing first guy,” Reddin said. “I cannot help people when I can’t find them. …It’s hard to serve those folks because you spend tremendous amounts of time looking for folks. …It takes a huge commitment and it takes a political will, the likes of which we have not ever seen from neither city, nor our state government.”
The Van offers several services to people experiencing homelessness in Central Arkansas, including regular supply drops and meal distribution. Reddin also employs one person full time at a farm in North Little Rock where crops are grown for sale to local restaurants and small groups.
The latest Point-in-Time Count, a nationwide tally that counts people experiencing homelessness on a single night, reported Arkansas had 2,609 people experiencing homelessness of some form in 2023. About 30% of those, 773 people, were reported in Central Arkansas.
More than half of those counted in Central Arkansas were reported unsheltered.
“When I sit here and think through people, I’m trying to think of one single person I know of that wouldn’t take an opportunity to get rehoused, if there was a realistic option, opportunity, in front of them,” Reddin said. “I can’t think of anyone that wouldn’t take it.”
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Little Rock currently prohibits camping on public property, though unsheltered residents are not arrested if they violate the ordinance, city spokesperson Aaron Sadler said.
“In fact, when we respond to complaints about encampments, our homelessness engagement specialists spend a substantial amount of time ensuring unsheltered residents have access to the resources they need in the days and even weeks leading up to removal of an encampment,” Sadler said. “These specialists work closely with [the police department’s] crisis response teams to make sure all residents are treated fairly and offered assistance.”
Reddin disagrees with the city’s policy to remove encampments, he said.
“There’s a lot to [a housing solution],” Reddin said. “Every case is just so different, and I just don’t see any super programmatic or formula-based idea that’s going to take it on. We just have to build the political will and communal desire to care for one another until no one else has to sleep outside around here.”
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The tiny home concept
Like many municipalities across the country, the city of Little Rock and the Pulaski County government are both planning compounds of tiny homes to house the unsheltered. The projects are independent from one another, and they have different housing goals.
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While the one slated for Roosevelt Road in Little Rock is expected to house people for a relatively short period of time, the village planned near the border of Pulaski and Saline counties would make for a more permanent house solution, with a rent attached.
Officials mark start on homelessness village in southern Pulaski County
Little Rock’s $3 million Micro Home Village marks a step toward Mayor Frank Scott Jr.’s goal of a “functional zero,” which means being unsheltered would be “rare” and “brief,” according to the city.
Officials broke ground for the city’s project last summer. Once completed, the compound will be large enough to house 206 people through 50 single units, 22 units for families of four and eight units for families of six. An additional 20 emergency shelter beds will also be available.
Communal areas will include a commercial kitchen, dining hall, classrooms, offices, a health clinic and a laundry room.
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The Pulaski County project is similar, though on a larger scale and with a focus to house the “chronically homeless,” or people who have been unsheltered for at least 12 months.
Officials broke ground on the Providence Park project in May, and the first of 400 tenants are expected to move in next year. The county’s 50-acre project will include the same communal areas as those in the Little Rock project, along with a bus stop and market.
People interested in living at the village will be required to apply and interview with management staff. Referrals from existing homelessness organizations are also welcome but not required. Potential applicants would need to fit within the housing qualifications, mainly that they’ve been homeless for at least one year.
“Providence Park will be a game changer for those who will be able to obtain it,” Reddin said. “…Getting folks to that point is the hardest part.”
Existing shelters
The Compassion Center, a faith-based organization founded more than two decades ago, is one of a few options available for people who need a place to sleep in Little Rock.
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Co-founder Rev. William Holloway said he was unsure of the impact the Supreme Court ruling would have on the Compassion Center, as he’s seen bans in other states that didn’t have much of an effect.
“I’ve been in other places [in the U.S.] where they pass laws and say people can’t do this, or they can’t do that, but it really doesn’t stop them from doing that,” Holloway said. “I don’t think it’s going to stop them here, either. People are people, and some people are just shelter resistant no matter how much you try to work with them.”
The Compassion Center, which operates on Roosevelt Road near where the city is planning its Micro Home Village, has about 300 beds. Nearly 100 of those are available most of the time, Holloway said.
The beds are first come, first served. Anyone can request a bed and a meal, Holloway said. Showers and clothing are also available. Stays are typically capped at 30 days, though people can work on a program to stay up to four months.
When asked, Holloway said he wasn’t sure what kind of message the Supreme Court decision could send to local governments. He said he sees both sides of the issue at hand.
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In Fayetteville, the nonprofit New Beginnings Northwest Arkansas helps provide resources to the homeless population through temporary housing, securing identification documents and finding employment.
“This ruling empowers those who prefer the ‘pointless and expensive strategy’ to criminalize homelessness instead of working toward humane housing and service solutions,” the organization posted on social media Friday. “We will continue to serve and support people who need housing while advocating for humane, permanent solutions to end homelessness in our society.”
The Arkansas State Police on Thursday identified the Michigan man whom troopers shot dead Wednesday afternoon when he pulled a weapon during a traffic stop in Lonoke County.
Felipe Milan-Gomez, 33, of Grand Rapids died around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday near the 180 mile marker of Interstate 40, west of Carlisle, after troopers and U.S. marshals stopped him, the release states. Milan-Gomez brandished a weapon at officers when he exited his vehicle, authorities said.
Milan-Gomez was wanted after a Monday carjacking and kidnapping in Manistee County, Mich., in which authorities say he forced a woman to drive at gunpoint and later took her vehicle, the release states. When troopers and marshals stopped him on Wednesday, he was considered armed and dangerous, the release states.
No officers were injured in the incident, and the troopers involved were placed on administrative leave in line with agency policy, authorities said. State police investigators will review the incident and submit a case file to the Lonoke County prosecutor, who will determine if the officers’ use of force was justified.
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Grant Lancaster
Grant Lancaster covers crime, policing and breaking news for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. A Little Rock native, his articles focus primarily on crime and law enforcement efforts in Pulaski County, although he reports on other parts of the state as well.
Texas lawmaker challenges Ten Commandments bill on the ‘Sabbath’
A Texas state bill that would require public schools to post donated placards of the Ten Commandments created an “ironic” moment in debate.
Seven Arkansas families have filed a federal lawsuit to block a new law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms in the state, arguing that the law will infringe on their constitutional rights.
In the complaint, filed June 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, the families challenged an upcoming state law that requires the Ten Commandments to be “prominently” displayed in every public classroom and library. The law, which takes effect in August, was signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in April.
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The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a multifaith group of families by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU), and the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). The defendants include four school districts — Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, and Siloam Springs — in northwest Arkansas.
Attorneys for the families, who are Jewish, Unitarian Universalist, or non-religious, said the law “violates longstanding U.S. Supreme Court precedent and the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.”
The attorneys are asking a federal judge to declare the state requirement unconstitutional. In addition to the complaint, the attorneys are planning to file a motion for a preliminary and permanent injunction to block the implementation of the law while the suit is pending.
“By imposing a Christian-centric translation of the Ten Commandments on our children for nearly every hour of every day of their public-school education, this law will infringe on our rights as parents and create an unwelcoming and religiously coercive school environment for our children,” Samantha Stinson, one of the plaintiffs, said in a statement.
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The lawsuit was publicly released by the AU on June 11 and viewed by USA TODAY. The Arkansas Attorney General’s Office did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment on June 11.
How the Supreme Court could still reshape religious liberty with decisions in two cases
Lawsuit: Ten Commandments law interferes with religious freedom
According to the complaint, the display of the Ten Commandments in public classrooms and libraries will interfere with parents’ right to direct their children’s religious education and upbringing. The lawsuit further argues that the state requirement will create a “religiously coercive” school environment for children.
Under the state law, each classroom and library will be required to post the Ten Commandments “in a conspicuous place,” the lawsuit states. The display of the text must be at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall and be printed in a “typeface that is legible to a person with average vision from anywhere in the room,” according to the complaint.
The law also mandates that schools and libraries display a specific version of the Ten Commandments, which the suit states is associated with Protestant faiths and conflicts with the version followed by many Jews and Catholics.
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“Permanently posting the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library—rendering them unavoidable—unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, veneration, and adoption of the state’s favored religious scripture,” the complaint states.
“It also sends the harmful and religiously divisive message that students who do not subscribe to the Ten Commandments … do not belong in their own school community and pressures them to refrain from expressing any faith practices or beliefs that are not aligned with the state’s religious preferences,” the complaint added.
It’s not the first time. GOP leaders are calling for religion in public schools.
Republican-led states push for religion in public classrooms
Authorities in Republican-led states across the country have been pushing to spread religious teachings into public school classrooms, including incorporating the Bible into lessons and requiring schools to post state-selected versions of the Ten Commandments.
School administrators and civil rights advocates have expressed opposition to the mandates, saying they violate students’ constitutional rights.
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“Our Constitution’s guarantee of church-state separation means that families – not politicians – get to decide if, when and how public-school children engage with religion,” Rachel Laser, president and CEO of the AU, said in a statement on June 11.
“This law is part of the nationwide Christian Nationalist scheme to win favor for one set of religious views over all others and nonreligion — in a country that promises religious freedom. Not on our watch. We’re proud to defend the religious freedom of Arkansas schoolchildren and their families,” Laser continued.
The Arkansas law is similar to a Louisiana requirement that was signed in June 2024 by Gov. Jeff Landry. The Louisiana law was later blocked by a federal judge who declared it unconstitutional. The case, which is currently on appeal, is also being represented by the same counsel as the Arkansas lawsuit, attorneys said.
In November 2024, Texas officials proposed a curriculum that includes teachings from the Bible. The state legislature also recently passed a bill requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms. Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign the measure, which would take effect in September.
In July 2024, Oklahoma’s top education official ordered public schools to teach the Bible, which large state school districts have largely ignored. Despite the state’s Republican-controlled legislature’s rejection of his $3 million request to fund the effort, state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters has insisted classrooms would all have Bibles by fall 2025.
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Contributing: Murray Evans, The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network
The Battle Line Trophy has had an extended stay in Columbia.
Missouri football won its third straight game in its series over Arkansas in a rare snow game on Faurot Field last season, as Brady Cook provided the game-winner to cap his final home game as a Tiger with a 30-yard rushing touchdown with 1:53 left on the clock.
The Tigers have won eight of their last nine games against Arkansas, and MU head coach Eli Drinkwitz is 4-1 since taking over in Columbia.
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Both teams will look significantly different from the 2024 matchup — and so, presumably, will the playing conditions. But who has handled their turnover better?
The Tribune is analyzing the offseason of each of Mizzou’s 2025 opponents to get you up to speed with the new rosters and coaching staff changes after a busy offseason.
Here’s what to know about Arkansas in 2025, including key additions, coaching changes and playmakers to keep an eye on when the Tigers visit the Razorbacks to close the regular season:
Who are opposing names to know when Missouri football visits Arkansas?
Quarterback: Taylen Green is back for a second season under offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. The 6-foot-6 QB passed for 3,154 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and he rushed for 602 yards and eight scores. But, he was one of the most sacked and most fumble-prone quarterbacks in college football last season, taking 32 hits in the backfield over 13 games and coughing up the ball eight times — both bottom-15 marks in the FBS.
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Offensive playmaker: O’Mega Blake isn’t likely to be a name you’re too familiar with, but the Charlotte transfer at wide receiver is a solid, somewhat under-the-radar pickup for the Razorbacks. He caught 795 yards and nine touchdowns worth of passes for a woebegone Charlotte squad last season, and at 24.8 yards per catch, he gives Green a true deep ball threat.
Defensive playmaker: The Southwest Times Record reported that Arkansas likely will run a 3-3-5 base defense, and that’s because of the anticipated quality it has at linebacker. That group is led by Xavian Sorey, who led the Razorbacks with 99 total tackles, including two sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. He ought to be considered for some preseason All-SEC recognition.
What did the offseason look like for the Razorbacks?
Notable additions: Corey Robinson II (LT, Georgia Tech); Blake (WR, Charlotte); Shaq McRoy (RT; Oregon); Caden Kitler (C; UCF); Phillip Lee (DE, Troy); Jordan Young (CB, Cincinnati); Courtney Crutchfield (WR, Missouri)
Notable losses: Landon Jackson (DE, NFL); Isaac TeSlaa (WR, NFL); Andrew Armstrong (WR, UDFA); Ja’Quinden Jackson (RB, UDFA); Doneiko Slaughter (DE, UDFA); Hudson Clark (DB, UDFA); Brad Spence (LB, Texas); TJ Metcalf (S, Michigan)
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Notable coaching changes: N/A
The biggest difference on Arkansas’ 2025 team will be its offensive line. Green was constantly in a battle to stay upright last season.
With Robinson in from Georgia Tech at left tackle and last season’s LT, Fernando Carmona, moving inside, the Razorbacks look improved on that side of the line. McRoy and Kitler are transfers who appear to be on track for starting roles, too.
That’s where the Razorbacks could use the most year-over-year improvement. Green’s a good athlete at QB, and the offseason focus appears to have been directed toward giving him more time to show that.
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Beyond the O-line, there aren’t many SEC teams that lost as much as Arkansas did this offseason. The Razorbacks had 39 outgoing players via the transfer portal, with a not-insignificant number of those players among their two-deep in the 2024 campaign.
Spence and Metcalf stand out from the outgoing group, and combined with some graduated NFL talent, the Razorbacks have 54% of their defensive production from last season returning. That ranks outside the top half in the FBS, per ESPN.
The Razorbacks also got caught in the crossfire of the Tennessee-Nico Iamaleavea saga, as the quarterback’s younger brother — four-star QB Madden Iamaleavea — followed his sibling to UCLA after spring camp in Fayetteville. That shouldn’t impact the 2025 roster, but it is worth mentioning.
One of the more surprising notes here is the lack of coaching turnover. There wasn’t overflowing optimism for Sam Pittman to retain his job at this time last year, but he is back for his sixth season in charge of the program. There likely needs to be tangible signs of improvement for Pittman to reach Year 7.
Early forecast for Mizzou at Arkansas
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Missouri has been dominant in this series, and the early indications suggest the Tigers, even on the road, will be favored heading into the regular-season finale in 2025.
Arkansas standouts like Landon Jackson, TeSlaa and Armstrong were impactful players and will be missed. Losing as many players as the Razorbacks did in the transfer portal is not necessarily a great sign for depth, either. Arkansas has attacked the portal well, but there are a number of questions for them to answer this year.
To get to where it wants to go, this is one of those must-wins for Mizzou.
More: Missouri football post-spring preview: Will Texas A&M be CFP contender for Columbia visit?
More: Missouri football’s lands commitment from 4-star, Florida-based WR in Class of 2026
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There’s always the possibility that Arkansas is better than the preseason prognostications suggest, and the regular-season finale proves to be a tricky road trip, but pound for pound, the Tigers look deeper and like the more rounded roster.
