LITTLE ROCK – Gov. Sarah Sanders announced the following appointments on Wednesday (Jan. 15):

Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine
Keri Cody, Ashdown, to the Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine. Term to expire August 31, 2025. Previously vacant position.

Dr. Naval Patel, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine. Term to expire August 31, 2027. Replaces Mark Reiner.

Dr. Laurel Tait, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine. Term to expire August 31, 2025. Previously vacant position.

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Arkansas Early Childhood Commission
Tyra Greenwood, Sherwood, to the Arkansas Early Childhood Commission. Term expires June 30, 2027. Reappointment.

Lorrie McClure, Batesville, to the Arkansas Early Childhood Commission. Term to expire June 30, 2026. Replaces Mark Taylor.

Haley Sisson, Little Rock, to the Arkansas Early Childhood Commission. Term to expire June 30, 2027. Replaces Tiffany Sharp.

Arkansas Natural Resources Commission
David Gilbert, Mena, to the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. Term to expire January 14, 2029. Previously vacant position.

Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission
Thomas McWilliams, Magnolia, to the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission. Term to expire March 29, 2025. Replaces Douglas Melton.

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Arkansas Rural Development Commission
Andrea Allen, Jonesboro, to the Arkansas Rural Development Commission. Term to expire December 31, 2027. Replaces Brent Keener.

Jonathan Baugh, Greenbrier, to the Arkansas Rural Development Commission. Term to expire December 31, 2027. Replaces Martha McCaskill.

Wendell Grubb, Charleston, to the Arkansas Rural Development Commission. Term to expire December 31, 2029. Replaces James Myatt.

Jimmie Donald “Dondie” Guess, Des Arc, to the Arkansas Rural Development Commission. Term to expire December 31, 2027. Replaces John Prunty.

Arkansas Tobacco Control Board
Dr. Mark Wren, Texarkana, to the Arkansas Tobacco Control Board. Term to expire July 1, 2029. Replaces Shabbir Dharamsey.

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Arkansas Workforce Development Board
Len Blaylock, Warren, to the Arkansas Workforce Development Board. Term to expire May 1, 2027. Reappointment.

Mayor Ray Bowman, Southside, to the Arkansas Workforce Development Board, Chief Elected Official nominated by the Arkansas Municipal League. Term to expire May 1, 2028.

Judge Brandon Ellison, Mena, to the Arkansas Workforce Development Board, Chief Elected Official nominated by the Association of Arkansas Counties. Term to expire May 1, 2028.

Ken Warden, Ozark, to the Arkansas Workforce Development Board. Term to expire May 1, 2027. Replaces Maria Markham.

Arkansas State Board of Chiropractic Examiners
Dr. Gregory Ungerank, Wynne, to the Arkansas State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Term to expire June 9, 2029. Reappointment.

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Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy
Walter Lyn Fruchey, Little Rock, to the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy. Term to expire June 30, 2030. Replaces Khalil Crouse.

Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy
Don Pierce, Hot Springs, to the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy. Term to expire July 1, 2027. Reappointment.

Rachel Schaefer, Sheridan, to the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy. Term to expire July 1, 2026. Replaces Robert Jordan.

Arkansas State Medical Board
Mark Camp, Little Rock, to the Arkansas State Medical Board. Term to expire December 31, 2025. Replaces Betty Guhman.

Blytheville-Gosnell Airport Authority
Donald Houseworth, Blytheville, to the Blytheville-Gosnell Airport Authority. Term to expire November 1, 2030. Reappointment.

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Board of Corrections
Grant Hodges, Bentonville, to the Board of Corrections. Term expiring December 31, 2031. Replaces Tyrone Broomfield.

Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas
Robert Craine, Hindsville, to the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas. Term to expire June 15, 2028. Previously vacant position.

Brent Staley, Little Rock, to the Board of Electrical Examiners of the State of Arkansas. Term to expire June 15, 2027. Replaces Charles Carrington.

Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology
Rebecca Rusnak, Sherwood, to the Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Term to expire June 30, 2027. Reappointment.

Mary White, Smackover, to the Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Term to expire June 30, 2026. Replaces Aimee Cloud.

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Hope Wofford, Benton, to the Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Term to expire June 30, 2027. Replaces Jennifer Simpson.

Martin Luther King Jr. Commission
Roderick Rogers, Fordyce, to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission. Term to expire September 1, 2026. Replaces Nicole Yarbrough.

Medical Marijuana Commission
Kevin Case, Little Rock, to the Medical Marijuana Commission. Term to expire December 31, 2028. Reappointment.

State Banking Board
Todd Smith, Magnolia, to the State Banking Board. Term to expire December 31, 2029. Reappointment.

State Library Board
Sydney McKenzie, Rogers, to the State Library Board. Term to expire October 18, 2031. Replaces Anna Smith.

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State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission
Clint Gaston, Lakeview, to the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission. Term to expire January 14, 2031. New Position.

Gordon Mitchell Allen, Little Rock, to the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission. Term to expire January 14, 2031. New Position.

Jordan Wright, Fayetteville, to the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission. Term to expire January 14, 2031. New Position.

Michael Ney, Rogers, to the State Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission. Term to expire January 14, 2031. Previously vacant position.

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LITTLE ROCK – One of the most prominent figures in the Arkansas broadcast industry has died.

Ted Snider, 96, was the owner and operator of Little Rock radio station KARN and the Arkansas Radio Network for nearly three decades. He passed away Tuesday morning at his home.

A native Texan, Snider owned radio stations in Big Spring before moving to Little Rock in 1966 to become a sales executive for the stations. He purchased what would become KARN 920 AM and KKYK 103.7 in 1971. Under his leadership, the Arkansas Radio Network became one of the most prominent state networks in the country. Snider sold the stations in 1997.

Legendary Arkansas broadcasters such as Neal Gladner, Pat Lynch, Ray Lincoln, and Craig O’Neill credited Snider as a driving force in their careers.

He served as the president of the Arkansas Broadcasters Association in 1974.

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Snider and his wife, Jane, were also noted philanthropists, operating the Ted and Jane Snider Foundation.

Funeral services are pending.

PARAGOULD – Tenneco, a long-standing factory in Paragould, has announced plans to cease operations, leaving hundreds of employees without jobs. The news was first reported by KAIT Television.

The announcement was made during a meeting with workers on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at the Greene County Fairgrounds. In a statement to the station, the company said, “The company has made the difficult decision to close our manufacturing operations in Paragould, Arkansas.”

A timetable shared with KAIT by an employee outlined the phases of layoffs. The first phase is scheduled for around March 31, with additional layoffs planned for April 15 and April 30. These dates are subject to change within 14 days of the specified deadlines.

According to the Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce, the plant is part of DRiV Motorparts’ aftermarket division, producing shocks, struts, and modular strut assemblies. Tenneco’s Paragould plant, which opened in 1970, employed over 1,100 people as of 2022.

This closure marks a significant loss for the community, impacting both the local economy and the families of those employed at the plant.

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