Arkansas
Arkansas parents adopt boy who lived in 25 foster homes
After being sent to 25 homes in just four years, an Arkansas foster child has found his forever home.
Cassie and Bradley Kissinger joined “America’s Newsroom” with their newly adopted son, Luke, 11.
“I know that this is going to be forever… I never thought that forever was a thing anymore,” he said.
According to the U.S. Administration for Children & Families, 53,700 children were adopted in 2022; 368,500 children were in foster care that same year. The amount of children in foster care has been steadily declining over the previous four years.
FOSTER CARE SHORTAGE IN MANY STATES AS COLORADO NONPROFIT SEEKS MORE PARENTS WILLING TO HELP
Cassie said she grew up in a family of fostered and adopted children. This inspired her to adopt a child of her own. When she discovered Luke through his Project Zero video, she “immediately knew that he was ours.” Project Zero is an Arkansas organization that helps waiting children find families.
After the years in foster care, Luke said he was “shocked” he found his forever home.
Bradley said they had “no doubt since day one” that Luke would fit into the family. The couple also has a 14-year-old girl and another 11-year-old boy.
“They’re one of the best brothers and sisters I’ve ever had,” Luke said.
NORTH DAKOTA RANKED BEST STATE FOR CHILDBIRTH, MISSISSIPPI RANKED WORST: REPORT
Luke’s parents’ advice to those looking to foster a child or adopt is, “just go for it.” She said it’s not an easy road to be a foster parent, but it’s even harder for the children. She stresses that children need a stable and loving home as they walk through life.
The More Than Enough dashboard allows users to discover the foster care situation in their local community. It provides information on children in each county awaiting adoption, children in foster care placement and more.
Everyone should have a family by their side when they go through life, get married and have their own families, Cassie said. No one should do it alone.
Cassie Kissinger works for The C.A.L.L. in Arkansas, which aims to recruit foster and adoptive families. Similar organizations exist in states around the U.S.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Since it’s been a while since he played a sport, Luke said he’s excited about playing football this summer with his new family.
Arkansas
OPINION | WALLY HALL: Arkansas will need more than Robinson’s coerced contribution | Arkansas Democrat Gazette
Wally Hall
Wally Hall is assistant managing sports editor for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. A graduate of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock after an honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force, he is a member and past president of the Football Writers Association of America, member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, past president and current executive committee and board member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, and voter for the Heisman Trophy. He has been awarded Arkansas Sportswriter of the Year 10 times and has been inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and Arkansas Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame.
Will Garrett Nussmeier’s size hold him back in the NFL?
LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier will look to impress scouts at the NFL Combine despite size concerns.
Move over, Anthony Richardson. There’s a new quarterback athletic marvel at the NFL scouting combine.
On Saturday in Indianapolis, Arkansas’ Taylen Green broke Richardson’s top marks at the position since 2003 for both the vertical leap and broad jump. Green’s 43½-inch vertical topped Richardson’s previous high by three inches, while his 11-2 broad jump beat the Indianapolis Colts signal-caller’s measurement by five inches.
Then, Green reeled off a 4.36-second 40-yard dash time. That stood as the second-best time for any quarterback since 2003, trailing only Reggie McNeal in 2006 (4.35 seconds). Richardson, for comparison, logged a 4.43-second mark in 2023.
Green didn’t even bother with a second attempt after his initial time.
The testing profile created quite the stir around the 6-6, 227-pound passer, who had widely projected as a developmental option for teams on Day 3.
NFL Network’s Charles Davis said Green told him that no teams had approached him about working out as a receiver, adding that he would not be interested in a position switch.
Green started for the Razorbacks for the last two seasons after playing the first three years of his career at Boise State. Known for his running ability and ample arm strength, Green threw for 2,714 yards and 19 touchdowns last year while adding 777 yards and eight scores on the ground.
It was a banner day for Arkansas, as running back Mike Washington Jr. also stood out among his peers with a group-leading 4.33-second 40-yard dash as well as strong marks in the vertical leap (39 inches) and broad jump (10-8).
Rex Nelson
Rex Nelson has been senior editor and columnist at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette since 2017, and he has a biweekly podcast called “Southern Fried.”
After graduating from Ouachita Baptist University in 1981, he was a sportswriter for the Arkansas Democrat for a year before becoming editor of Arkadelphia’s Daily Siftings Herald. He was the youngest editor of a daily in Arkansas at age 23. Rex was then news and sports director at KVRC-KDEL from 1983-1985.
He returned to the Democrat as assistant sports editor in 1985. From 1986-1989, he was its Washington correspondent. He left to be Jackson T. Stephens’ consultant.
Rex became the Democrat-Gazette’s first political editor in 1992, but left in 1996 to join then-Gov. Mike Huckabee’s office. He also served from 2005-09 in the administration of President George W. Bush.
From 2009-2018, he worked stints at the Communications Group, Arkansas’ Independent Colleges and Universities, and Simmons First National Corp.
Commentary: The Pentagon is demanding to use Claude AI as it pleases. Claude told me that’s ‘dangerous’
Review: In ‘American Classic,’ Kevin Kline and Laura Linney deliver a love letter to theater
A secret-ish Japanese-style listening lounge just opened inside the Hollywood Palladium
Commentary: With midterm vote starting, here’s where things stand in national redistricting fight
Prep talk: Football student-athletes to be honored at annual banquets
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
At least nine killed after Iranian strike on Israel’s Beit Shemesh
Mass shooting at Austin, Texas bar leaves at least 3 dead, 14 wounded, authorities say
Mamdani’s response to Trump’s Iran strike sparks conservative backlash: ‘Rooting for the ayatollah’
Activists hail ‘historic’ EU’s decision on accessible abortion
A long-buried recording and the Supreme Court of old (CT+) : Consider This from NPR
-
World3 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts4 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Denver, CO4 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Louisiana6 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Technology1 week agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Technology1 week agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
Politics1 week agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT