Arkansas
Federal judge bars Arkansas public schools from displaying the Ten Commandments
The federal judge called the law ‘obviously unconstitutional’ and said passing it was likely part of a coordinated strategy to inject Christian religious doctrine into public schools.
Texas House passes bill mandating Ten Commandments in classrooms
The Texas House of Representatives passed a bill that would require the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom in the state.
unbranded – Newsworthy
A federal judge on Aug. 4 barred several Arkansas school districts from implementing what he described as a “plainly unconstitutional” state law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in their classrooms and libraries.
The preliminary injunction, a temporary measure that maintains the status quo until a court hears the merits of the case, was issued a day before Arkansas Act 573 was set to go into effect.
U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Brooks wrote that the Protestant displays would unconstitutionally violate the right to free exercise of religion as well as the Establishment Clause, a provision of the First Amendment that prohibits the government from favoring religion over non-religion.
He noted that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a “nearly identical” law in Kentucky in 1980.
“Why would Arkansas pass an obviously unconstitutional law?” he wrote. “Most likely because the State is part of a coordinated strategy among several states to inject Christian religious doctrine into public-school classrooms.”
He went on to say that such states, including Louisiana and Texas, may be taking such measures in light of the Supreme Court’s recent rulings in favor of religious expression and accommodation in public spaces.
Several civil liberties groups – Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, the ACLU and the Freedom From Religion Foundation – and the New York-based law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP are representing the plaintiffs, a group of multifaith families with children in Arkansas public schools.
The Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville and Siloam Springs school districts are defendants in the case. The state of Arkansas, on behalf of Attorney General Tim Griffin, is listed as an intervenor in the case – a third party who’s not part of the original lawsuit but requests to get involved.
Following Brooks’ order, Griffin told Axios he was “reviewing the court’s order and assessing our legal options.”
Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders also disagreed with the order.
“In Arkansas, we do in fact believe that murder is wrong and stealing is bad,” Sanders told Axios. “It is entirely appropriate to display the Ten Commandments – the basis of all Western law and morality – as a reminder to students, state employees and every Arkansan who enters a government building.”
BrieAnna Frank is a First Amendment Reporting Fellow at USA TODAY. Reach her at bjfrank@usatoday.com.
USA TODAY’s coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.

Arkansas
Razorback Report: Arkansas kickoff time against Mississippi State announced

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas won’t have any more games its favored to win except for one and fans now know when that game will take place.
The Razorbacks (2-5, 0-3 SEC) will host Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3 SEC) in a game that will kickoff at 3 p.m. on SEC Network Nov. 1.
The Bulldogs are currently on a three-game losing streak and could easily come to Fayetteville on a four-game losing streak with a game against No. 22 Texas this weekend.
The showdown between Arkansas and Mississippi State is a must-win game for both teams if they want to go bowling in December.
ICYMI: What if famed booster made money no object in Hogs’ coaching search?
The Razorbacks have the harder path to get to six wins than Mississippi State and can afford just one loss to remain in the hunt for a bowl game.
The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are only two wins away from becoming bowl eligible and Arkansas is the only unranked opponent left on their schedule.
So, the game that’ll take place at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in less than two weeks may not rival a game like Georgia vs. Alabama, but both will have a lot to play for.
ICYMI: Three storylines for Arkansas Razorbacks ahead of home showdown against Auburn
Both sides will also need to record upsets in the final five games of the season to reach six wins.
Yesterday’s Results
Men’s Golf: Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational
Women’s Golf: Arkansas at The Ally at Old Waverly
Men’s Tennis: ITF 25K Norman
Women’s Tennis: ITA Central Regional
Today’s Schedule
Women’s Golf: Arkansas at The Ally at Old Waverly
Men’s Tennis: ITF 25K Norman
Did You Notice?
Fallen Oak Collegiate Final Results:
T1 #9 LSU 273-276-283=832 / -32
T1 #20 Alabama 279-281-272=832 / -32
3 #18 Illinois 284-279-272=835 / -29
4 #5 Arkansas 282-275-289=846 / -18
5 #7 Ole Miss 278-286-285=849 / -15
6 #19 Tennessee 287-281-282=850 / -14
7 UNLV 290-287-284=861 / -3
8 #36 Georgia 281-289-293=863 / -1
9 Mississippi State 294-284-288=866 / +2
10 Chattanooga 283-292-292=867 / +3
11 Southern Miss 294-283-292=869 / +5
12 Wisconsin 291-293-288=872 / +8
13 Iowa 292-288-302=881 / +17
14 #38 South Carolina 292-302-291=885 / +21
Arkansas Individual Results
T5 Cam Smith 69-70-69=209 / -8
T18 Erich Fortlage 70-69-74=213 / -3
T23 Nilo Maki-Petaja 72-68-74=214 / -2
T27 John Daly II 73-68-74=215 / -1
T40 Gerardo Gomez 71-74-72=217 / +1
T44 Willie Gordon (Ind.) 73-70-76=219 / +3
We’ll Leave You With This
Arkansas
Wayne County boater death marks 23rd in Tennessee, surpassing 2024 total

Tennessee waterway deaths this year have climbed to 23, surpassed last year’s total, after an Arkansas man was killed in Wayne County Oct. 17.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency reported 22 deaths for all of 2024, a decrease from 27 in 2023.
Wildlife resource officers were called to Kentucky Lake in Wayne County just before 3 p.m. Oct. 17 after a boater went into the water, according to a news release.
Wayne County is about two hours south of Nashville on the Alabama, Tennessee state line.
Matthew Hubble, 37, of Brookland, Arkansas, was out on a boat with friends when he was ejected. The group had multiple boats on the water that day, the agency said.
Hubble’s friends immediately began searching for him, the agency said. They were successful and pulled him onto one of the boats where they took him to Clifton Marina. Paramedics met the group at the marina, the agency said.
Hubble ultimately did not survive.
He was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident, the agency said.
“The investigation is ongoing, and no further details are available at this time,” the agency said.
Kentucky Lake reported the most the most boating injuries in Tennessee last year with six, according to the 2024 Tennessee Boating Incident Statistical Report.
Water deaths down in Nashville area
Despite the rise in the number of deaths this year, the Middle Tennessee region has largely been spared.
Between April and September of 2023, there were 17 waterway deaths on Nashville District Lakes. Last year there were 14 deaths, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.
Percy Priest Reservoir and Old Hickory Lake led the state in fatal accidents on waterways in 2024 with three each, according to the statistical report.
Percy Priest has seen fewer incidents this year.
In June, a child drowned while swimming with his family at Hamilton Creek Park. Tobias Henock, 5, went underwater and was missing for several minutes before his father found him. Family began CPR until paramedics arrived and took the boy to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital. He was pronounced dead there.
A series of waves rocked David Holcroft’s sailboat, causing him to lose his balance and fall overboard Aug. 2. Nearby boaters heard a call for help.
Officers with the wildlife agency responded to the Hamilton Creek area of the Percy Priest Reservoir and pulled Holcroft from the water. Officers gave him CPR until paramedics arrived at the scene.
Holcroft was taken to TriStar Summit Medical Center, where he died.
Arkansas
Arkansas Falls in Three At A&M Sunday
Arkansas volleyball’s SEC struggles continued Sunday as the Hogs were swept by the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station (20-25, 20-25, 19-25).
No. 10 Texas A&M is now 7-1 in SEC play, while Arkansas falls to 1-7. The Hogs have not won a conference match since its SEC opener against Ole Miss on Sept. 26, with seven matches remaining on the season.
Arkansas’ offense on the day was led by Lakin Laurendine with 10 kills. Romani Thurman pitched in with seven and was very accurate with zero attack errors on 18 swings forf a .389 hitting percentage.
Sophomore setter Kiki Remensperger had 17 assists and added seven digs, which brings her to 504 in her career. She split setting duties with fellow sophomore Livia Niu in a 6-2 offense, and Niu had 13 assists in the match.
Freshman Journey Peppers had another nice outing with four kills and two blocks, hitting .333.
Set 1
The first set started tight, with five ties early on. A&M then used a 5-1 run and began to pull away at 11-7, a lead the Aggies held only briefly. Arkansas tied it at 14-all with a kill from freshman Sydney Maue, but A&M went ahead at the media break the next point. The Aggies had no trouble keeping the advantage from there and grew their lead to a many as six. Arkansas kept chasing and pushed to 20 points, but the Hogs ran out of time as a final kill handed the Aggies a 25-20 first set victory.
Set 2
The home team carried its momentum into the middle frame and quickly jumped out to a 4-1 lead. Arkansas wasn’t far behind though, and a three-point streak capped by an ace from Laurendine flipped the advantage to 9-8 Razorbacks. There were three lead changes after that, but a solid 4-0 run from the Aggies gave them a comfortable 19-15 cushion. The Hogs continued to apply pressure, but the Aggies outlasted them and again won 25-20 and went up 2-0 in the match.
Set 3
The Razorbacks began to find their rhythm in the third set and maintained the tempo through the midway point. A kill by Thurman and ace by Parker Duncan put Arkansas up 11-8, and the Hogs staved off any big runs by the Aggies to keep control. A&M began to fight back with a kill, and an Arkansas attack error that gave the Aggies the lead at 17-15. The Razorbacks came within one again at 20-19 with a kill from Laurendine, but A&M locked in from there and closed out the third set with a 5-0 run for the 25-19 set victory and match sweep.
Up Next
The Hogs have a quick turnaround as they travel to Auburn to take on the Tigers on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. It’ll be Arkansas’ first nationally-televised match of the season, shown on SEC Network.
More Information
Visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com for the latest information on all things Arkansas Volleyball. You can also find the Hogs on social media by liking us on Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Volleyball) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@RazorbackVB).
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