Off The Back Porch, Episode 68 w/ Special Guest Clark Burton

Published

5 minutes ago

July 30, 2026

Sandy Sanford

EL DORADO, AR – Sandy & Boomer welcome Clark Burton to the Big Couch this week. Clark explains how the new Expo Center has the potential to be a HUGE boom for South Arkansas!

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Off The Back Porch – Episode 67

Published

6 days ago

July 24, 2026

Sandy Sanford

Sandy & Boomer are back on the big couch and off the back porch.

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Off The Back Porch – Episode 66, w/ special guest Jim Tucker

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Sandy Sanford

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Off The Back Porch – Episode 65 w/ Special Guest Ricky Roberts

Published

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Union County Approves One-Year Pause on New Data Center Development

Published

4 weeks ago

June 30, 2026

J.W. Misenheimer

Rob Reynolds shows the audience and JPs the levels of the Sparta Aquifer since the community vowed to save the Sparta beginning back in 1999.

EL DORADO, Ark. — Union County leaders have unanimously approved a one-year pause on new data center development following an emergency Quorum Court meeting that drew what officials described as the largest crowd the court has ever hosted.

Union County Judge Mike Loftin called the special meeting for 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 30, inside the Union County Quorum Courtroom. The meeting came amid growing public discussion surrounding proposed data center development, crypto-mining, power use and the possible effect of large industrial computing facilities on county resources.

South Arkansas Now livestreamed the meeting as county officials and residents discussed the issue before the court voted on Ordinance No. 1795.

Following the discussion, every member of the Quorum Court voted in favor of the ordinance.

The measure establishes a one-year moratorium on new data center development in Union County. The pause is scheduled to run from July 10, 2026, through July 9, 2027.

The ordinance also contains an emergency clause, allowing the county to put the measure into effect without waiting through the usual timetable applied to standard ordinances.

County leaders said the pause will give local officials time to study the possible effect of large data centers on water, electrical demand, public utilities, emergency services and surrounding property. It will also provide time for the county to consider zoning rules, operating standards and other safeguards before additional projects are permitted to advance.

The vote does not mean data centers will receive automatic approval when the moratorium expires. County officials will use the coming year to determine what local requirements may be needed and whether future development proposals can meet those standards.

Proposed Union County Campus Draws Attention

The public discussion follows the announcement of a proposed data center project known as the Union County Campus in El Dorado.

Z Squared Inc., a Fort Lauderdale-based computing infrastructure company, announced June 25 that it had entered into a binding letter of intent to acquire a majority ownership interest in Paradox Data LLC.

Paradox Data is the company connected to the proposed Union County Campus.

According to information filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the proposed transaction has not closed. It remains subject to due diligence, final agreements, required approvals and other closing conditions.

The company describes the Union County Campus as a proposed development for artificial intelligence and other high-performance computing needs.

Z Squared reported that the site currently has an eight-megawatt utility connection. The company said its long-term plan could include a combination of utility power and on-site natural-gas generation using industrial turbines, with a target of as much as 150 megawatts of continuous power.

Company documents describe a site that could span as much as 170 acres and identify an approximately 10-acre parcel currently under a binding purchase contract.

Those figures represent the company’s development goals and projections. The full campus has not been completed, and the proposed acquisition of Paradox Data has not been finalized.

Residents Pack Emergency Meeting

Tuesday’s emergency meeting filled the courtroom with residents seeking more information about the possible project and the county’s plans for regulating large data centers.

County officials said the gathering was the largest crowd the Quorum Court had ever seen.

Residents and officials discussed the need for clearer standards before development moves forward. Concerns raised during the broader public discussion have included transparency, electrical demand, water use, public safety and the possible effect on nearby homes and property.

One resident told South Arkansas Now that the adoption of the ordinance provided some relief because it gives the county time to examine the issue. However, the resident said community members remain cautious and plan to continue following developments closely.

Loftin also explained during the meeting why he believed an emergency session was needed rather than waiting for the court’s next regular meeting.

The unanimous vote gives county officials a defined period to collect information, speak with specialists and decide what rules should govern any future data center proposals.

What Happens Next

During the one-year pause, Union County officials are expected to study possible regulations addressing where data centers may be built and what requirements developers must meet.

Those discussions could include land-use rules, power and water needs, noise, fire protection, emergency planning, environmental concerns and the effect a project could have on nearby residents.

The county may also examine how other Arkansas communities are responding to the rapid growth of data centers and whether similar ordinances could be adapted for Union County.

The passage of Ordinance No. 1795 does not permanently prohibit data centers. Instead, it places development on hold while county officials work to create a clearer local process.

For residents who packed the courtroom Tuesday, the vote represents an initial action rather than the end of the discussion.

County officials will now have one year to decide what protections, limits and development standards should be in place before the moratorium reaches its scheduled end on July 9, 2027.