SUMMARY: Governor Sanders has unveiled a plan to raise pay for thousands of state employees in Arkansas, including state troopers, nurses, and correctional officers. The $100 million initiative, funded by the state’s surplus, aims to address recruitment and retention challenges. Meanwhile, a federal judge has ruled in favor of Issue 2, allowing a casino amendment to proceed despite opposition. In other news, the University of Arkansas is offering new scholarships for students in need, and the Pulaski County Special School District is addressing complaints about its $80 million facility upgrade plan. Finally, World Kindness Day highlights a teen’s nonprofit initiative to bring rock climbing to underserved youth.

Jurnee Taylor delivers your top news stories for Nov. 13, 2024 including the latest on Gov. Sanders’s new state employee pay plan.

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SUMMARY: The Arkansas State Senate has passed a rule change that prevents leaders of the minority party from serving as vice chairs of standing committees. The change, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Blake Johnson, passed with a 20-9 vote. Senate Republicans argued that since they hold a majority due to voters’ support, they should control committee leadership roles. Democrats opposed the change, calling it unnecessary and unfair, asserting they should represent their districts. The rule change has sparked criticism, with some questioning its legitimacy, while Republicans defended their actions as a rightful use of power given their electoral mandate.

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SUMMARY: November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and Arkansas has one of the highest lung cancer incident rates in the U.S., partly due to a higher-than-average smoking rate. Lung cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages, making treatment less effective. Dr. Don Norwood, medical director of radiology at CAI, emphasizes that quitting smoking and early detection through low-dose CT screening can improve outcomes. People ages 50-80 with a history of 20 pack-years or more are at higher risk. Currently, only 3% of those eligible for screening in Arkansas are being screened, and the goal is to increase that number to 50%.

Arkansas has one of the highest lung cancer incidence rates in the U.S., and according to local doctors, quitting smoking is the key.

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