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Scott Simon made conservation cool in Arkansas

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Scott Simon made conservation cool in Arkansas


Picture: Courtesy of The Nature Conservancy

On the floor, Scott Simon is a mild-mannered biologist.

  • However he is extra like Superman on a bike.

What’s taking place: A 26-year veteran of The Nature Conservancy, Simon is leaving the Arkansas chapter on the finish of December to guide a yet-to-be-named basis for the Don and Millie Nelms household, who owns Journey Subaru.

State of play: Use of public lands for drilling oil, pipelines and personal ranching has been a political scorching button lately, whipping up environmentalists and pro-drillers into emotional fervor.

  • TNC stays out of the political fray, quietly specializing in public-private collaboration to preserve and restore the well being of pure ecosystems on the lands it manages.

Why it issues: Equally comfortable in a boardroom as he’s hip-deep in a speeding river, Simon has cultivated conservation as a precedence within the Pure State, attracting hundreds of thousands of funding {dollars} from firms and households throughout his tenure.

  • Outside recreation, which is not directly enhanced by TNC’s work, is valued at $3.5 billion of the state’s GDP.
  • Sure, and: The Arkansas chapter and its companions typically report one to 2 beforehand unknown species of plant or animal annually, Simon stated.

By the numbers: In Arkansas, about 320,000 acres — roughly the scale of Lafayette County — are managed by TNC. Land is bought outright, donated or co-managed by personal agreements.

  • Alongside companions, generally as team-building workouts, TNC crops 3.5 million timber within the state annually.
  • Dozens of river and cave restoration tasks have kicked off and been accomplished previously 20 years.

What they’re saying: “Scott is a scientist, a conservationist and a skillful chief,” Stacy Hurst, Division of Parks, Heritage and Tourism secretary, informed Axios by way of e-mail.

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  • “His work in defending and managing land for conservation in Arkansas has been instrumental in defending the perfect of our state,” she stated.

The intrigue: Simon rides a BMW R1200GS bike nearly in all places.

  • It is like meditation, he stated.
  • Even so, it includes the “common, involuntary dismount” when he is off-road.

What’s subsequent: Simon plans to maneuver to NWA, and TNC is on the lookout for a brand new director.

  • A timeline hasn’t been set for filling the position, a spokesperson informed us.

Value’s thought bubble: Simon embodies the “we not me” mentality and is a man who can riff on trivialities, however all the time places the worldwide image into perspective.



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Arkansas

John Calipari, Arkansas Scheduled to Face Kentucky at Rupp Arena in 2024-25 Season

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John Calipari, Arkansas Scheduled to Face Kentucky at Rupp Arena in 2024-25 Season


Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

For the first time in 15 years, John Calipari will be entering Rupp Arena as the opposition.

Per ESPN’s Jeff Borzello, the new Arkansas head coach will lead his team into Lexington to face Kentucky in the lone matchup between the two schools in the 2024-25 season.

Calipari left Kentucky to take over at Arkansas last month after the Wildcats’ disappointing first-round exit from the NCAA Tournament this past season. The Razorbacks had an opening after Eric Musselman departed to become head coach at USC. Mark Pope was hired to replace Calipari at Kentucky.

Borzello noted that the Wildcats and Razorbacks will look very different under their respective new head coaches, as both teams are returning zero players from last season’s rosters.

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Calipari signed three members of the No. 2 recruiting class he initially put together at Kentucky and also landed two transfer players from the Wildcats. The two members of Arkansas’ initial recruiting class opted to follow Musselman out West. Pope retained one player from Kentucky’s recruiting class and added a slew of players through the transfer portal.

While the Kentucky-Arkansas matchup is sure to draw headlines, there are other interesting storylines coming to the SEC. The conference is set to expand to 16 teams with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas this summer. Alabama, which is coming off a run to the Final Four, will enter the year as the favorite to win the conference title.

The official date and time of the Kentucky-Arkansas game and the rest of the SEC schedule will be announced at a later date. Conference play is set to begin on Jan. 4.



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GasBuddy: Another dip at Arkansas pumps

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GasBuddy: Another dip at Arkansas pumps


JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – For the second week in a row, average gas prices in Arkansas dropped slightly.

According to GasBuddy.com’s survey of 1,826 stations in the Natural State, prices fell 4 cents per gallon to an average of $3.10.

That’s 4.4 cents less than a month ago but 0.9 cents higher than last year.

The cheapest station was priced at $2.84 on Sunday, while the most expensive was $4.39.

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Meanwhile, the national average fell 3.2 cents a gallon in the last week to $3.58.

“While pump prices haven’t exactly plummeted, we’ve seen the average price of gasoline drop in a majority of states over the last week as refineries finish maintenance and ramp up output of products like gasoline,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

De Haan said the future looks bright as the nation closes in on Memorial Day.

“I expect most Americans will see prices fall before the holiday weekend, and I’m optimistic the trend could extend into June and beyond,” he said. “I’m excited to say it does appear that, for now, the worst is behind us.”

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UA women sprinters tipping historic scales in 400 meters | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

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UA women sprinters tipping historic scales in 400 meters | Arkansas Democrat Gazette


FAYETTEVILLE — The collegiate record list for the top times in the women’s 400 meters reads like a University of Arkansas roster.

Arkansas has four of the top five collegiate marks all-time in the 400 after a 1-2-3 finish by senior Nickisha Price, freshman Kaylyn Brown and senior Amber Anning at the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Florida’s Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.

Pryce won in 49.32 followed by Brown (49.47) and Anning (49.51). Arkansas senior Rosey Effiong (50.57) took fifth.

Former Razorback Britton Wilson holds the collegiate record at 49.13 she ran last year’s SEC Championships.

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Wilson is followed on the all-time list by former Texas standout Rhasidat Adeleke (49.20), Pryce, Brown and Anning.

“It kind of leaves you awestruck,” Arkansas Coach Chris Johnson said of the Razorbacks’ rankings in the 400. “Obviously you hope and dream for it, and you know they’re capable of it.

“But doing it on that day in this atmosphere [at the SEC meet], it’s quite difficult.

“These young ladies are special, they’re running well.”

Pryce and Anning also took seventh and eighth in the 200 to help the Razorbacks score 110 points and finish second to LSU, which won with 126.

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Arkansas was going for a second consecutive conference title outdoors after sweeping SEC and NCAA titles indoors earlier this year.

“Obviously we performed well,” Johnson said. “This is a tough conference, and LSU is a fantastic team.

“In some events we did well, extremely well. In some events we missed the mark. That’s a part of competition and a part of being in a very tough conference.

“We’re disappointed we couldn’t pull off another win, but that comes with the territory. I think we’ll learn from this championship and figure out a way to get better going into the regional meet.”

Brown became the fastest U.S. 19-year-old ever. She just missed the 19-year-old world record in the 400 of 49.42 run by Germany’s Grit Breuer at the 1991 World Championships.

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“This young lady is special,” Johnson said of Brown. “She’s bought in. She’s gotten better.

“She’s had her little nicks here and there, but she’s continued to be persistent and work hard. Work hard on her treatment, work hard in the weight room.

“She’s growing, so there’s more to come there, and we’re very proud of her.

“But there’s a lot more to go, and we’re looking forward to her staying healthy and competing at the highest levels.”

The Razorbacks scored in 13 events, including freshman Paityn Poe taking second in the 10,000 and third in the 5,000.

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“I think the coaching staff did a fantastic job,” Johnson said. “They got the kids prepared.

“We were deep in some areas, and thin in some other areas, and obviously we’ve got to take a look at that and see what we can do to be better. We’ll figure those things out.”



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