Pine Bluff, Ark. (KATV) — A legal battle between two of Jefferson County’s top leaders is continuing, after the Arkansas Court of Appeals upheld a contempt ruling against County Judge Gerald Robinson.

The dispute centers around payment claims from the sheriff’s office, which Lafayette Woods Jr. says were unfairly denied.

“We were singled out, we were targeted, simply because he’s got an issue with me. I think I’ve been identified as his political adversary I guess,” Woods said.

What’s unfolded has turned into a years-long conflict between the county judge and sheriff, with Woods claiming the issue has become personal.

“It’s personal, it’s personal. Some people cannot in leadership positions, can’t separate personal from business,” he said.

Woods says the problems began when routine payment claims were denied over what he calls minor or unusual reasons.

“We started having issues with claims being denied simply because the billing address and the ship to address were different addresses. That’s never happened. That’s never been a reason for denial,” he said.

The sheriff first filed a lawsuit in 2022, arguing the denials were arbitrary and unfairly targeted his office. In 2023, a circuit court agreed, but Woods says the denials continued.

“When you have that, it’s a bad form of government,” he said.

In 2024, Woods filed a contempt petition. A judge later agreed, finding Robinson in contempt and ordering him to pay $6,700 in attorney fees.

Robinson appealed, but the Arkansas Court of Appeals upheld the ruling.

“We’ve tried to talk and talk it out and meet about it and compromise. When all those things have failed, we leaned on the decision for the courts and I am pleased, thoroughly pleased with the decision they’ve made,” Woods said.

We reached out to Robinson for comment but were directed to his attorney. He is now asking the Arkansas Supreme Court to take the case and overturn the decision, arguing there is no proof of willful wrongdoing.

For now, the ruling stands, and the dispute between the two county leaders continues.

For his outstanding impact in the community, Connor Smillie has been named to the SEC Community Service Team, the conference announced Thursday.

Smillie has been a dedicated member of the Arkansas student-athlete community and has committed numerous hours to serving the Northwest Arkansas area. He participated in Shop with the Razorbacks, helping more than 30 local families provide gifts during the holiday season.

He has consistently given back to youth in the community, with the majority of his service hours spent working with Fayetteville Public Schools. Smillie has also made a strong impact as a mentor to young players, assisting with clinics alongside the Arkansas club team, as well as local tennis clubs and alumni.

In addition to his community efforts, Smillie serves as the men’s tennis representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, providing valuable insight and leadership for both his team and Arkansas student-athletes.

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For the latest information on all things Arkansas Men’s Tennis, follow the Hogs on social media by liking us on Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Men’s Tennis) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@RazorbackMTennis).

For the next month, Walmart and Sam’s Club shoppers in Arkansas and across the country will have the opportunity to support local hunger relief efforts at the register.

Through May 3, shoppers will be able to round up or donate while checking out as part of the 13th annual “Fight Hunger. Spark Change” campaign, a national partnership between Feeding America and Walmart that supports local Feeding America food banks around the country.

In Arkansas, donations will go to the Arkansas Foodbank, the local Feeding America food bank, which describes itself as the state’s largest hunger relief organization. The organization serves much of central, south and east Arkansas and distributes food from its warehouse to a network of local pantries, schools and shelters.

“We are so excited to partner with the Arkansas Foodbank,” Walmart Vision Center Development Coach Rhonda Johnson said Monday at a news conference at the Walmart on Bowman Road in west Little Rock.

“Every dollar matters,” Johnson said. “Make sure that you donate when you come into our Walmart and Sam’s Clubs.”

Arkansas Foodbank CEO Brian Burton said at the news conference that last year’s campaign yielded more than $188,000 for the food bank.

“The food bank doesn’t do this work alone,” Burton added. “Our 100,000-square-foot warehouse on 65th Street would quickly become a ‘food museum’ if it wasn’t for almost 400 pantry partners, scattered across these 33 counties, that actually move the food, that actually serve the people and carry them through life’s ups and downs.”

Shoppers can also contribute to “Fight Hunger. Spark Change” by donating online or purchasing food items made by companies that are participating in the fundraiser, including Dole, Frito-Lay, Hershey and Kellogg’s. Every participating item purchased at a Walmart or Sam’s Club translates into an additional donation for local hunger relief efforts.

“Funds raised through the campaign help Arkansas Foodbank prioritize nutritious food, including fresh produce, dairy and protein — foods families want and need,” according to a news release. “The support also strengthens local food pantries and meal programs, ensuring neighbors can access food in ways that are dignified and welcoming.”

Lascelles Lyn-Cook Jr., who heads community outreach at Hunter United Methodist Church in Little Rock, said at the news conference that his church’s food pantry has benefited greatly from its retail rescue partnership — through which Walmart diverts unsold food items — with the Bowman store.

“When I first took over with the food pantry, we were able to provide maybe 25 to 35 boxes of food, but now we go at least 160 because of the additional food that we get weekly from Walmart,” Lyn-Cook said.

The food pantry is monthly, Lyn-Cook said, and the 160 boxes feed roughly 500 to 600 people.

A federal report in January ranked Arkansas the hungriest state in the country for the third consecutive year.

The report, which relied on survey responses, estimated that 19.4% of households in Arkansas were food insecure, significantly higher than the 13.3% national average.

“We’ve been through some really hard few months here, with the government shutdown and a tumultuous economy and a lot of uncertainty,” Burton said. “But this is something we can control and we can shape and make better.”