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Investments, legislative audits, and a packed agenda brought to the El Dorado mayor and city council

Published

2 years ago

February 14, 2025

Staff Reports

South Arkansas College President Dr. Stephanie Tully-Dartez addressed the El Dorado City Council during their latest meeting.

Image above: South Arkansas College President Dr. Stephanie Tully-Dartez addressed the El Dorado City Council during their latest meeting.

This is Part One in a series covering the most recent El Dorado City Council Meeting: From huge announcements about investments into the city to the latest findings by the legislative audit, Mayor Choate and Council wade through packed agenda.

EL DORADO – The El Dorado Mayor and City Council met in regular session Thursday evening and while the agenda didn’t look like “more than the usual,” it was packed full of information. Following the prayer, led by Ward Three Alderman Willie McGhee, and the pledge of allegiance, Mayor Paul Choate reminded the audience that the city’s offices would be closed on Monday, February 17th for the Federal Holiday of President’s Day. He also reminded them that non-emergency services like sanitation would run one day later next week.

13 WAYS TO KILL YOUR COMMUNITY

The Mayor and City Council recently attended the Arkansas Municipal League’s 2025 Winter Conference. One of the speakers at this meeting was Doug Griffiths, who along with Kelly Clemmer, penned a humorous political book called “13 Ways To Kill Your Community.” The book begins with the line, “Let’s suppose you have a really ambitious goal in life – you want to kill your community! You want to drive away people, eliminate jobs, undermine businesses, and you won’t quit until the whole place is in ruins. Don’t know how to go about it? You’re in luck – here is a handy manual, chock-full of proven ideas, for the up-and-coming town wrecker. This is the book for you!” The book goes on to chapters like: “Don’t Have Quality Water,” “Ignore Your Youth,” “Don’t Cooperate,” “Live In The Past” and so on. All meant to be a funny take on what NOT to do if you want your community to grow. Mayor Choate said he was so impressed with the speech by Mr. Griffiths, that he decided to purchase the book for all eight of the council members. Each member found a copy sitting in front of them when they arrived for the meeting. The books were purchased locally at the bookstore 1988 on the Union County Square.

EL DORADO WINS

The third and final reading of two required ordinances prior to the voters decision on the city’s proposal to continue a one percent sales tax and using the funds to further progress and operate the city were next on the agenda. Those readings, normally, are a formality for any entity. However, Ward Three’s other Alderman, Andre Rucks spoke and said, “I want to go on the record because people have been asking me why I am voting no to these readings on this tax. I am a progressive minded person and actually I love the tax. What I am wanting to point out is that the distribution of those dollars needs to be discussed.” He also added, “We still have $24 Million that we have collected from the current tax and now we are asking voters to continue or put a new tax in place of that one for another $60 Million. We need to be sure how that is allocated.” Rucks thanked the Mayor for a recent discussion the two of them had that Rucks said, “It was two hours of really talking, not arguing, just talking. I see where he (the Mayor) is coming from and he knows where I am coming from and I just want us to be sure that those in charge of distribution are listening to everyone in the community and not just the elites. We need to know the heart of the board. Because those members of the board handing that money out may not have been raised the way you were. I want to be sure they have a heart for the masses.” The Mayor followed Rucks’ comments with a heartfelt thanks to the alderman, saying, “Mr. Rucks is right, we did have a good two hour discussion and I want to say to you Mr. Rucks, I appreciate you and I appreciate your attitude.” The two ordinances were then entered into the record for a third and final time. The Mayor and Council reminded the audience of three upcoming town hall style meetings the El Dorado WINS committee has planned.(1) Thursday, February 18th at El Dorado’s Municipal Auditorium beginning at 6:00 p.m. (2) Wednesday, February 26th at the El Dorado Conference Center beginning at 6:00 p.m. (3) Thursday, March 6th at the Murmil Education Center beginning 6:00 p.m.

HUGE INVESTMENTS, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE

Next on the agenda, the Council heard from Sara Coffman of the El Dorado Works Board. This is the entity in charge of bringing to the Council items for which they wish to use funds generated from a previously approved 1% sales tax.

Coffman said the Board had a “fun meeting Tuesday night.” Adding that they too had a packed agenda. Coffman presented the Council with their first request for $27,500 to have a “Master Plan” drawn up for the City’s Parks and Playground Commission. That item was approved unanimously 7-0 with Ward Two Alderman Vance Williamson being absent from the meeting.

The Board then recommended to the Council, for their approval, of $51,000 to the El Dorado – Union County Chamber of Commerce. An annual amount the city has previously approved, aiding the Chamber in their outreach efforts in marketing the city to prospective commercial and industrial partners. Kaitlyn Rigdon, the Chamber’s Economic Development Project Manager made herself available to the Council for questions. Alderman Rucks asked her, “So, this $51,000, what is it used for?” Rigdon said the monies were generally allocated towards the Chamber’s efforts in reaching out to potential employers, advertising and marketing the available properties in the city and county. She also said that a portion of the money was used on projects the Chamber is working in conjunction with the State of Arkansas and their economic development teams. “We currently have eleven on-going projects with the State and some of that money is being earmarked towards those projects.” Retiring Chamber President and CEO, Bill Luther, was in attendance and he said, “The Chamber always has a number of ongoing projects with the State but per their regulations we aren’t allowed to discuss those.” Rucks followed up with a question, “What is the Chamber doing for the youth? Are we talking to bowling alleys or anything geared toward the youth in the community?” Luther said, “That is always a top priority for us.” He then pointed to the addition of the play zone known as Excalibur and their services for the young of the community.” That request was funded by unanimous vote.

Coffman then moved to a request for almost $6 Million to South Arkansas College to expand their current stadium facilities construction project from a standard collegiate baseball stadium to a Diamond Sports Stadium. The term is a distinction that separates normal run-of-the-mill baseball parks from facilities that have multiple uses. The Mayor pointed the Council to a copy of the proposal, which was put together by South Arkansas College President Dr. Stephanie Tully-Dartez. Tully-Dartez initially served in the interim role as President beginning in the 2023-24 school year, then in July of 2024 accepted the position and removed the interim title. She and her husband, Shawn, moved to El Dorado in 2007 and she has held numerous positions with the college since 2009. Tully-Dartez made herself available to the Council and was met with immediate praise for her presentation she had made to the El Dorado Works Board. Ward One Alderman Jill Weinischke said, “I am ready to submit a motion now for approval of this.” Ward Four Alderman Buddy McAdams said, “You may have to fight me for the right to make this motion, this is exciting and I think it is a fabulous plan.” McAdams also said, “We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that the first $10 Million for this project is coming from Murphy Oil. So here, we have an opportunity to partner with private dollars and make this more than just a stadium but an economic draw for our community.” Council Members asked Tully-Dartez if this meant the facility would be available for more than just college baseball with this new designation. “Absolutely!” Tully-Dartez said, “We think the idea of having high school or Boys and Girls Club teams playing on a college field will be great for them and the community.” She said, in her estimation, the facility would be available for more than just baseball games. “I think we could see flag football games, cheer competitions and more. As a matter of fact, I saw where the University of Arkansas’ Baseball complex was recently rented out for a wedding, so we could have weddings there too!”

COMING TOMORROW ON SOUTHARKANSASNOW.COM: $25 Million in Construction? According to South Arkansas College, that is what they are currently working on. The Council also had more funding requests, as well as, the Mayor’s Constitutionally Required State of City Address and Updates on the State’s Legislative Audit Findings.

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Verizon Customers Across Multiple States Report Widespread Service Outage

Published

3 days ago

September 3, 2026

Sandy Sanford

EL DORADO, AR – Verizon customers across a large portion of the United States are reporting problems with wireless service Thursday afternoon, including failed phone calls, mobile data disruptions and connectivity issues.

Reports of service problems are coming from communities stretching from Oklahoma and Texas to Arkansas and Georgia, with additional complaints being reported along the Eastern Seaboard. Customers in the South Arkansas area have also reported difficulty completing calls and accessing Verizon services.

The widespread reports appear to indicate a network-related outage rather than an isolated problem affecting individual customers.

Verizon confirmed to South Arkansas Now that the company is aware of the disruption.

“We are aware of a wireless service interruption impacting some Verizon customers,” a Verizon automated response stated. “Our engineers are engaged and working to quickly resolve the issue. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

Verizon’s own network-outage information confirms that a mobile network outage can affect voice, data and messaging services for mobile customers, as well as Verizon Home Internet users in an affected area. The company defines a mobile network outage as an unexpected disruption affecting multiple cell sites at the same time.

Thousands Reporting Problems

Independent outage-monitoring service Downdetector was also showing a significant increase in reports involving Verizon Thursday. A report published Thursday afternoon indicated that more than 2,000 users had reported problems, providing another indication that the issue was affecting customers beyond a single geographic area.

The reports appear to involve several Verizon services, including traditional wireless calling and mobile data. Customers using Verizon’s 5G Home Internet service have also reported connectivity problems.

At this point, Verizon has not publicly identified the cause of the interruption or provided a specific timetable for a complete restoration of service.

The breadth of the reports is notable. Problems have been reported in major metropolitan areas including Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Dallas-Fort Worth, Little Rock and Atlanta, with reports also appearing farther east.

What Customers Should Do

Verizon recommends customers experiencing service problems check the company’s network-status tools through My Verizon. According to Verizon, customers who are in an area affected by a known outage should receive a network notification identifying the affected services and providing information about the status of repairs.

Customers whose service remains unavailable after the network issue is resolved may also want to restart their phones to allow the device to reconnect to the network.

For now, Verizon customers experiencing failed calls or data connections may simply be caught in the middle of a larger network disruption.

South Arkansas Now will continue monitoring the situation and will provide updates as Verizon releases additional information.

This is a developing story.

News

Google-Entergy Deal Comes Under Scrutiny as Lawsuit Reveals Dispute Over $1.6 Billion Cypress Solar Project

Published

3 days ago

September 3, 2026

Jax Sanford

Based on reporting by Sydney Sasser of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, with additional reporting from KATV

New details about the massive power agreement between Google and Entergy Arkansas are shedding more light on the cost of Google’s planned West Memphis data center and have now led to a legal battle over the release and publication of confidential documents.

At the center of the dispute is Cypress Solar, a planned 600-megawatt solar facility paired with a 350-megawatt battery storage system in Jefferson County.

The project is expected to cost about $1.6 billion and will help provide electricity to the massive Google data center being constructed in West Memphis.

According to documents obtained by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Google will make substantial payments toward the Cypress Solar project.

Central Arkansas resident Jessica Kivell obtained the documents through an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request to the Arkansas Public Service Commission. Some of the documents were marked confidential.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Sydney Sasser reported that the documents showed Google would pay approximately $526 million toward Cypress Solar, consisting of $443 million in accelerated payments and $83 million in minimum demand payments.

However, Entergy now disputes the way those payments were characterized and calculated.

Entergy says Google will pay more than $2 billion

Following publication of the Democrat-Gazette’s report, Entergy Arkansas filed a lawsuit against the newspaper and the Arkansas Times, alleging that the publications obtained and disclosed confidential trade-secret information.

Entergy also argues that the Democrat-Gazette made a mathematical error in calculating Google’s total payments under the agreement.

According to Entergy, the $443 million upfront payment and $83 million in annual minimum payments must be considered over the full 20-year initial term of the contract.

Using that calculation:

$443 million + ($83 million × 20 years) = approximately $2.103 billion.

Entergy told KATV that the distinction is significant and argued that Google will ultimately pay substantially more than the $1.6 billion cost of constructing Cypress Solar.

The utility also says the Google agreement provides approximately $1.1 billion in additional net benefits to Arkansas customers.

Entergy requested that the Democrat-Gazette correct its calculation and apologize for what the utility described as misinformation that caused unnecessary concern among customers.

What Google previously promised

The dispute is particularly notable because Google publicly stated during the October 2025 groundbreaking ceremony for its West Memphis data center that it intended to cover the full cost of powering the facility.

Google President and Chief Investment Officer Ruth Porat said at the ceremony:

“We are also collaborating with Entergy, an amazing partner, the power distributor for customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas to ensure that we cover the full cost of powering the facility to keep rates down for ratepayers.”

Entergy says the newly released information does not contradict that commitment because Google’s payments extend throughout the 20-year agreement.

Entergy sues over release of confidential documents

Entergy’s lawsuit goes beyond the disagreement over the numbers.

The utility alleges that the Democrat-Gazette and Arkansas Times obtained nonpublic documents from a private citizen who received them from the Arkansas Public Service Commission through a public records request.

Entergy argues that the commission mistakenly released highly sensitive information that contained trade secrets belonging to both Entergy and Google.

The utility asked a federal court for a temporary restraining order and preliminary and permanent injunctions preventing the newspapers from further using or publishing the alleged trade-secret information.

Entergy said disclosure of the information could cause irreparable harm to both its business and Google.

However, the case raises an important question about the intersection of government transparency and private-company confidentiality:

If a government agency mistakenly releases information in response to a public records request, can the government or a private company later prevent the person who received that information from publishing it?

According to Robert Steinbuch, a professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law, there are competing interests involved.

Steinbuch told KATV that while Entergy and Google could potentially suffer harm from the disclosure of legitimate trade secrets, the public also has an interest in information obtained from the government.

The key question, he said, is whether the information actually qualifies as a legally protected trade secret.

Trade secrets generally receive protection under the law, but that protection does not automatically apply simply because a company considers information confidential.

Steinbuch said any injunction would likely need to be narrowly tailored to specific information that actually qualifies as a trade secret.

He also questioned whether information concerning how much Google pays for electricity would meet the legal definition of a trade secret.

Judge denies Entergy’s request for restraining order

The initial court battle has already produced a ruling.

On Wednesday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky denied Entergy’s request for a restraining order against the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Arkansas Times.

That ruling means Entergy did not obtain the immediate restriction on publication that it requested.

The broader legal dispute, however, remains significant because it could ultimately address what information obtained through an Arkansas public records request can be withheld or protected when private companies claim trade-secret protections.

Entergy says Google is protecting other ratepayers

Entergy maintains that the Google agreement was structured to protect existing Arkansas customers from the cost of serving the enormous new data center.

In a statement provided to KATV, Entergy said Google is:

Paying for 100% of its power needs and more.
Subject to termination penalties and guarantees designed to protect other customers.
Making monthly payments throughout the 20-year contract.
Contributing to fixed system costs, which Entergy says reduces costs for other customers.

Entergy described the Google agreement as the single largest benefit to existing Entergy Arkansas customers in the company’s history, saying it aligns with its Fair Share Plus Pledge and federal Ratepayer Protection Pledge.

The utility also emphasized that although portions of the contract may be confidential to news organizations, the agreement has been reviewed by public officials responsible for regulating Arkansas utilities, including the Arkansas Public Service Commission, its staff and the Arkansas Attorney General.

The enormous electricity demand behind the deal

Regardless of the ongoing dispute over the payment calculations, there is no question that Google’s West Memphis data center will require an enormous amount of electricity.

According to documents reviewed by the Democrat-Gazette, Google is expected to begin taking electric service in February 2027.

Initially, the facility is expected to have a minimum bill demand of 40 megawatts, with a maximum contract demand of 50 megawatts.

Over the following two and a half years, Google’s electricity demand is expected to increase significantly.

By October 2029, the data center is expected to reach a minimum bill demand of 480 megawatts, with a maximum contract demand of 600 megawatts.

The documents indicate that Google’s demand is expected to grow faster than Entergy can bring new generation online.

As a result, Entergy plans to purchase additional electricity from the market to serve the data center until additional generation becomes available.

Why Cypress Solar matters

Cypress Solar is one piece of the larger power system that will serve Google’s West Memphis operation.

The facility will consist of a 600-megawatt solar field and 350 megawatts of battery storage and is currently scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2028.

Google’s interest in Cypress Solar also involves renewable energy credits, which provide documentation that electricity is generated from renewable sources such as solar power.

Google can use those credits to support its corporate clean-energy goals, including offsetting reported greenhouse gas emissions associated with its data centers.

Arkansas customers are already paying more

The Cypress Solar project is also significant to Arkansas residents because it is one of three new generation projects contributing to higher Entergy residential bills.

Beginning in June, Entergy residential customers began paying an additional $5.77 per month associated with the three new generation projects.

That makes the financial structure of the Google agreement an important issue for Arkansas ratepayers.

Entergy says Google’s long-term payments will ultimately more than cover the costs associated with serving the data center and will provide substantial benefits to existing customers.

The Democrat-Gazette’s reporting raised questions about the amount Google would pay toward Cypress Solar and how those payments would be treated under the agreement.

Entergy has strongly disputed that characterization, arguing that the full 20-year payment commitment means Google will pay approximately $2.1 billion under the figures cited in the documents.

A 20-year agreement with a potentially massive termination fee

The Google-Entergy special rate contract has an initial term of 20 years.

After that, the agreement automatically renews in successive three-year terms unless either party provides notice of termination or non-renewal.

The contract also contains significant financial protections for Entergy.

According to the documents, Google could face a termination fee of approximately $2 billion if it breaches the agreement during the first 13 years. That fee gradually declines during the remainder of the initial 20-year term.

Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, will guarantee the payment.

A deal that will continue to draw scrutiny

The Google data center represents one of the largest economic and infrastructure developments in Arkansas in recent years.

It also creates an unprecedented demand for electricity and requires billions of dollars in investment in generation, transmission and infrastructure.

Entergy says the agreement will ultimately protect existing customers and deliver more than $1.1 billion in net benefits to Arkansas customers.

Meanwhile, questions remain about the agreement’s confidential provisions, how Google’s payments are classified, the effect on Entergy’s rate base and what information the public should be able to access regarding a deal involving significant public utility infrastructure.

The legal battle between Entergy and Arkansas media organizations could provide additional answers as the case moves forward.

Source Articles Linked Below

Arkansas Democrat Gazette: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2026/aug/31/google-to-pay-entergy-arkansas-526-million-for/

KATV: https://katv.com/news/local/entergy-sues-democrat-gazette-ar-times-for-publishing-secret-google-data-center-details

South Arkansas Now credits Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Sydney Sasser for the original reporting and reporting that brought the details of the Google-Entergy agreement to light. Additional information regarding the lawsuit and Entergy’s response was reported by KATV.

News

El Dorado School District Releases Memorial Stadium Guidelines for 2026-27 Football Season

Published

3 days ago

September 3, 2026

Sandy Sanford

EL DORADO, AR – As Wildcats fans prepare for another season of Friday night football, the El Dorado School District has released its Memorial Stadium guidelines for the 2026-27 school year.

The guidelines are designed to help provide a safe, organized and family-friendly environment for students, parents and community members attending events at the stadium.

One of the biggest changes fans will notice during Friday night varsity football games involves access to the area underneath the home bleachers.

The area, which includes the concession stand, restrooms and snow cone stand, is intended for guests to access those services and is not designated as a student gathering or hangout area.

Under the new procedures:

Students in grades K-6 must be accompanied by an adult when going underneath the bleachers.
Students in grades 7-12 may go underneath the bleachers without an adult, but only five students will be allowed down each ramp at one time.
Once a student returns to the bleachers, another student may enter the area.
The procedures will remain in effect throughout the game, with the exception of halftime.

Admission and Re-Entry

For regular-season games, El Dorado School District teacher and staff ID badges will admit the employee only. Family members and guests must purchase tickets.

District-issued sports passes, senior citizen passes and Arkansas Activities Association passes will also be accepted during regular-season games.

For playoff games, only purchased tickets or AAA passes will be accepted. Staff IDs and name tags will not be accepted.

AAA passes may be presented digitally on a phone or as a paper copy accompanied by a valid ID. National Federation of State High School Associations cards will not be accepted.

The district also reminds families that students in Pre-K through sixth grade must remain with a parent or adult guardian throughout the event. Students in grades 7-12 cannot serve as the adult guardian for younger students.

Fans should also plan carefully if they leave the stadium. Guests who leave must pay to re-enter, while students who leave the stadium will not be readmitted. Suspended or expelled students are not permitted to attend stadium events.

Clear Bag Policy and Other Rules

The district’s Clear Bag Policy will be enforced at all events. Outside food and drinks, including tumblers, are not permitted.

Diaper bags and medical supply bags are allowed but will be subject to inspection. Large signs, including posters and “fatheads,” are also prohibited.

Only registered service animals are permitted inside the stadium.

Smoking and vaping are prohibited, although smoking passes may be issued to adults age 21 and older at halftime.

The district’s dress code and discipline policies will also be enforced at Memorial Stadium.

The El Dorado School District said the rules are intended to help keep the stadium safe and organized while allowing fans to enjoy Wildcat football.

The district encourages fans to familiarize themselves with the guidelines before attending games this season.

REMEMBER: IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT TO THE GAME, THE ENTIRE GAME WILL BE STREAMED LIVE VIA SOUTH ARKANSAS NOW’S YouTube and Facebook pages! Go Wildcats! 💜🏈

News

South Arkansas 9-Year-Old Hunter Harrison Earns Top 20 Spot in Youth Athlete of the Year Competition

Published

4 days ago

September 2, 2026

Jax Sanford

At just 9 years old, Hunter Harrison is already learning lessons that extend far beyond the softball field: the importance of hard work, commitment, time management and giving your best effort in everything you do.

Hunter has been dedicated to softball for most of her life, beginning with T-Ball at just 2 years old. Since then, the game has become a major part of her life, and she has continued to grow as a versatile player who is willing to take on whatever role her team needs.

This past season, Hunter had the opportunity to represent the Louisiana Bombers Elite 8U in the Louisiana All-State Tournament. The opportunity came after she was forced to miss the Arkansas All-State Tournament the previous week so she could support her older brother, Will, who was competing in the USSSA 13U All-American Games in Florida.

Hunter responded to the adversity by helping lead her team, Geaux Gems 8U, to a championship in the 8U Louisiana All-State Tournament division.

Her softball journey has continued to expand. Hunter recently began playing for former ULM Warhawks standouts Rochelle Roberts-Scioneaux and Harley Scioneaux with the Monroe Talons 10U. She also plays with the Louisiana Diamond Sluggers 9U, coached by Shelby Bonner and Greg Harrison, competing in tournaments throughout the South Arkansas and Louisiana region.

One of Hunter’s biggest strengths is her versatility. She has learned to effectively play any position her coaches ask of her, including catcher, pitcher and outfield.

More importantly, those around her say Hunter strives to be coachable, maintain a positive attitude, give her best effort and accept whatever role she is asked to play to help her team succeed.

Along the way, she has also had the opportunity to meet some of the players she looks up to. Hunter will always remember meeting Arkansas Razorbacks softball players Bri Ellis and Kailey Wyckoff last spring, as well as CJ Beatty this spring.

More Than Softball

While softball is a major part of Hunter’s life, it is far from her only commitment.

A fourth-grade student at West Side Christian School, Hunter stays busy participating in a variety of sports and activities. In addition to softball, she plays flag football and basketball, competes in dance with Lucy’s Ladies, participates on the West Side Jr. Cheer Squad and recently joined the West Side Christian Archery team.

Balancing all of those activities at such a young age has helped Hunter develop the time-management skills necessary to keep up with her responsibilities both in and out of school.

Hunter has also spent years looking up to her older sister, Maddie, 14, and older brother, Will, 13. She has supported both siblings throughout their successful athletic careers, including Maddie’s softball career with UC Softball and Will’s baseball career with the El Dorado Oilers and El Dorado Drillers.

With both of her older siblings now moving forward with their high school careers as West Side Warriors, Hunter hopes to continue improving every part of her own game while following the example they have set for her.

Despite her busy schedule and athletic ambitions, Hunter’s priorities remain centered on her faith and academics. She strives to continue growing as an athlete while keeping her faith in her Savior, Jesus Christ, and her education at the forefront.

Following Her Mother’s Example

Hunter’s ability to balance a busy schedule is also influenced by her mother, Kelli Harrison, who has served as an example of what it means to maintain a strong work-life balance while staying involved in the community.

For the past eight years, Kelli has owned and operated The Olde Towne Store. She has also served as a substitute teacher for West Side Christian School, was one of the original five employees of the Murphy Arts District and has volunteered in numerous roles with the City of El Dorado and the El Dorado/Union County Chamber of Commerce.

Hunter’s story is ultimately about more than wins, tournaments and statistics. It is about a young athlete learning how to work hard, manage her time, support her family, remain coachable and continue growing both on and off the field.

Help Hunter Reach the Top 15

Hunter is currently ranked 14th among the Top 20 in the 3Brand Youth Athlete of the Year competition, sponsored by CBS and Sports Illustrated.

The field will be narrowed from the Top 20 to the Top 15 at midnight on September 4, making the next few days especially important for Hunter and her supporters.

Those who would like to support Hunter Harrison in her goal of becoming the 3Brand Youth Athlete of the Year are encouraged to cast their vote and help her remain among the Top 15.

For Hunter, it is another opportunity to put the same lessons she has learned on the softball field into action: work hard, stay positive, support your team and never stop giving your best.

Vote for Hunter here: https://athleteoftheyear.org/2026/hunter-30ba

News

Baptist Health Earns Recognition on Newsweek’s 2026 America’s Greatest Workplaces Lists

Published

4 days ago

September 2, 2026

Jax Sanford

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Baptist Health, Arkansas’ most comprehensive health care organization, is proud to announce today that it has been named one of America’s Greatest Workplaces in Arkansas 2026 and one of America’s Greatest Workplaces in Health Care 2026 by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group.

These recognitions honor organizations that are successfully building people-first workplaces in today’s evolving business environment. The awards are based on an evaluation of publicly available data and a confidential nationwide employee survey.

“At Baptist Health, we view our healing ministry as a calling that begins with how we care for our own, said Cathy Dickinson, chief human resources officer at Baptist Health. “Being recognized as a quality workplace is a testament to our team’s shared commitment to compassion, respect and excellence. We are honored to foster an environment where every member of our ministry feels supported, valued and empowered to continue their important work of healing.”

The comprehensive evaluation highlights organizations that prioritize employee well-being, strong leadership, fair compensation and work-life balance, as well as overall employee satisfaction and workplace culture.

The dual awards reflect Baptist Health’s commitment to excellence on both a regional and industry-specific level.

Jennifer H. Cunningham, Newsweek editor-in-chief, noted, “Career vibes vary wildly depending on where you live. Newsweek and Plant-A Insights focused on a state-by-state breakdown to help you cut through the noise, spot the best local workplaces, and secure a job that actually aligns with your real-life needs.”

Addressing the specific challenges of the medical field, Cunningham also added: “Faced with severe post-pandemic staffing shortages and systemic burnout, the health care industry must fundamentally rethink how it supports its frontline workers. Newsweek’s ranking offers a rigorous evaluation of the hospitals and care networks that are actively prioritizing provider well-being and psychological safety. By honoring institutions that champion sustainable workloads and supportive leadership, we are defining the gold standard for workplaces where care providers can truly thrive.”

About Baptist Health

Baptist Health, Arkansas’ most comprehensive health care organization, has provided high-quality care rooted in Christian compassion and innovation for over a century. As the state’s largest private not-for-profit health system, Baptist Health is here For You. For Life. With more than 300 points of access, our extensive network includes 14 hospitals, over 75 primary and specialty care clinics, urgent care centers, a senior living community, and educational programs, including a college for nursing and allied health studies and a graduate residency program. Supported by approximately 12,000 employees and renowned physicians, we deliver groundbreaking treatments and impactful community outreach programs. Baptist Health is proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work and was recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Most Admired Workplaces in 2026. To learn more, visit Baptist-Health.org, call Baptist Health HealthLine at 1-888-BAPTIST or download the myBaptistHealth app. Stay connected with us on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.