Remembering 9/11
On this solemn day, we remember and pray. We will never forget.
21 years ago, Americans started their days unaware that we would be changed forever. We watched as evil terrorists attacked the United States because of the ideals of freedom and liberty foundational to our country. They tried to break us—but the unyielding spirit of our nation will always be stronger. Out of the destruction, we saw incredible acts of heroism and courage. We watched as first responders and everyday Americans ran to help. We know of the unimaginable bravery of the passengers of Flight 93. Against all odds, they sacrificed all and fought to stop terrorists from reaching their intended target. We will never forget. On this solemn anniversary, we pray. We must always honor their memories and work together as a nation to emerge stronger and more united. We can stand together and lift each other up, neighborhood by neighborhood, just as Americans did during one of our darkest hours. God bless America!
Region 6 EPA Visit
I hosted EPA Regional Administrator for Region 6 Dr. Earthea Nance to discuss land management, conservation, and natural resources in the Third District.
It was an incredible week traveling around the Third District! In fact, it was so busy, I wanted to make sure I captured all the happenings for you and saved this edition of From the Front for today!
Arkansas is the Natural State. It’s a title we carry with pride and distinction—and one that our communities work hard to uphold. Arkansans are proud to be good stewards of our land and resources. As our region continues to grow, we know the importance of prioritizing both conservation and economic growth at the same time.
It was important for me to bring together Third District stakeholders to show the EPA the great work being locally led in Arkansas.
A few months ago, I had a meeting with EPA Regional Administrator for Region 6 Dr. Earthea Nance on our local commitment to sensible land and water management. I invited her to see the breadth of the work firsthand, and she took me up on the offer.
This trip was all about giving Regional Administrator Nance a clear understanding of who we are, what we are, what we're about, and how we work together.
Beaver Lake Watershed
We brought together many Third District stakeholders and Beaver Water District members to show Dr. Nance the importance of community partnerships.
Water is central to our way of life. From the importance of safe and reliable drinking water for our residents and habitats for wildlife to resources for livestock and recreational use, water is vital to our communities. It’s why the first place I took Regional Administrator Nance and her team was to Beaver Water District for a discussion on source water protection. The meeting brought together members from the Beaver Water District, Beaver Watershed Alliance, H2Ozarks, Watershed Conservation Partnership, Benton-Washington Regional Water Authority, Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, and staff from the offices of Senators Boozman and Cotton to discuss shared efforts to sustain the high-water quality of Beaver Lake and its tributaries through strong community partnerships and management. Beaver Lake supplies hundreds of thousands of people and businesses with fresh drinking water, generates hydroelectric power, provides recreation opportunities, and supports the Northwest Arkansas region—one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the nation.
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As I reiterated throughout the visit, through strategic investments and great partnerships, Arkansans are prepared to safeguard our land and water now and into the future.
We heard about the collaboration with stakeholders, landowners, and communities to improve and maintain water quality through voluntary best management practices, including education outreach, the Beaver Lake Watershed protection strategy, and innovative conservation practices. We also talked about local work that helped restore the West Fork of the White River, land conservation at Mill Branch Park in Goshen, source water protection, and treatment intake and capacity. The takeaway was clear: through strategic investments and great partnerships, Arkansans are prepared to safeguard our land and water now and into the future.
The Cave Springs Cave
Leif Kindberg, Executive Director of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership (IRWP), gave Dr. Nance and me an overview of the cave, area, and the mission of the IRWP.
We took a walk to the Cave Springs Cave, where clear water from an Ozark spring streamed down a rocky hillside. It’s a natural wonder, and the flow of water filled everyone’s ears as Leif Kindberg, Executive Director of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership (IRWP), gave an overview of the area and the mission of the IRWP. Within the cave—and across the watershed—live hundreds of unique species, including the Ozark cavefish, gray bats, and Ozark trillium. Landowners and residents of Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, Lincoln, Farmington, Tontitown, Prairie Grove, Lowell, Cave Springs, Elm Springs, and Siloam Springs—all the way over to Tahlequah, Oklahoma—live in areas with Illinois River Watershed impact! We then headed to the IRWP Learning Center to get more insight on programs and restoration practices.
Illinois River Watershed
We had a useful meeting on the IRWP's collaborative work in the community. We always want the Third District to be a model of how a watershed works.
IRWP is focused on preserving, protecting, and restoring natural areas that affect the water quality of the Illinois River. It’s a partnership that includes residents and stakeholders from businesses, construction, conservation, agriculture, and government entities. They're all focused on water conservation and stewardship, helping landowners with best management practices, and streambank restoration. As we talked about, the growing population of the region will need smart growth and sustainably managed water resources to protect the integrity of our natural resources as we continue to develop regionally.
I'm proud of the many Third District partnerships that include residents and stakeholders from businesses, construction, conservation, agriculture, and government entities on display throughout the visit.
Some examples of their programs include education and ecological monitoring, stormwater initiatives, septic tank remediation, riparian restoration and landowner services, infrastructure design best practices, and water quality testing. Their efforts have led to impressive streambank restoration and protection and increased voluntary conservation planning from residents and industry. IRWP’s joint work has been crucial to protecting the habitats, homes, and the economic potential of the watershed. Dr. Nance commented on the great collaboration happening in NWA, which has been instrumental to watershed and wetlands protection. We always want the Third District to be a model of how a watershed works.
Fisher Ford Kayak Park
Fisher Ford Kayak Park in Siloam Springs boasts recreation opportunities loved by Arkansans.
Our next stop was to the Fisher Ford Kayak Park in Siloam Springs, where Dr. Nance learned about the recreation opportunities loved by Arkansans, work to address streambank erosion caused by high usage of the area, and future recreation projects like the Whitewater Recreation Park. The area was being utilized by residents when we arrived—kayaking, floating, and fishing were all being enjoyed! Siloam Springs City Administrator Phillip Patterson, Mayor Judy Nation, Parks and Recreation Director Travis Chaney, and other local leaders also shared important efforts to restore areas and mitigate further erosion. These challenges must be addressed to ensure this jewel of NWA can be properly maintained for use now and well into the future. The Illinois River is an important part of everything we do in Northwest Arkansas. A lot of the metropolitan area drains into the Illinois River watershed, and we must always recognize the importance of these waters.
University of Arkansas
We heard from Professor Ken McCown, who delivered a presentation on the sustainability and ecological projects at the U of A.
With a commitment to excellence and preparing our brightest thinkers, the University of Arkansas has a leading role in our community, education, research, and more. I took Dr. Nance to see the campus. We met with Professor Ken McCown, who delivered a presentation on the sustainability and ecological projects at the U of A. He spoke of the sustainability curriculum and where the school sees impacts and engagement from its work internationally, nationally, and in Arkansas. It’s clear they are preparing students to become innovators within diverse industries.
I was happy to introduce Regional Administrator Nance to some of our amazing U of A students. They gave us a tour around campus!
Delivering meaningful, effective legislation and policies requires firsthand knowledge of the pressing challenges and work being done in our communities. During Regional Administrator Nance’s visit, I was able to share the tremendous initiatives being led throughout the Third District, as well as highlight the many local leaders, experts, and advocates who are working tirelessly to address the needs and opportunities in our region. I always take these insights back to Washington with me—but it’s also critically important that others in government fully and authentically understand the realities and impact policies and regulations have on states and residents. I’m glad the Region 6 EPA team will be able to carry the voices of this community with them as they return to Texas. Arkansas will continue to build pathways to a stronger, cleaner, and healthier future. As our region continues to grow, we are duly focused on prioritizing both environmental progress and economic growth at the same time.
Some other pictures from the week:
Back to school! The new academic year is in full swing, and I stopped by Prairie Grove Middle School to see what these gifted students were up to. I got a warm welcome from our future AR-3 leaders, Assistant Principal Luke Humphreys, and Superintendent Reba Holmes.
In Mrs. Henry’s science class, Prairie Grove 6th graders were learning about thermal energy and conduction. They tested hypotheses on what materials keep liquid temperatures the most stable. The Tervis tumbler ruled—while a paper cup had the biggest change. They had the evidence to prove it!
Mrs. Ashworth’s Prairie Grove 5th graders were in the midst of an experiment! Students worked in teams as they followed directions to ensure proper scientific methods. Petri dishes were filled with milk and drops of food dye. Soap was then added to see how it impacted chemical bonds!
During Mrs. Arivett’s math class, Prairie Grove 4th graders were studying factors. Students worked together to find the right answers. I even put my staffers on the spot to see if they could explain how many factors 9 had. They answered correctly with 3! With each accurate math answer, students then had a chance to score a basket to give their group another point for their tally. I even got a shot. These young Arkansans were engaged, and we had a lot of fun learning!
I also got to say hello to Prairie Grove middle school students during their lunch and recess time. Go Tigers!
During the Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce’s First Friday breakfast, UAFS announced the largest single gift in its history! $18.7M will be invested from the Windgate Foundation to expand the school's nursing program and the Windgate Art and Design building! Incredible news for students and Fort Smith!
When you look at Fort Smith, you see the convergence of a strong business environment, education, infrastructure, healthcare system, and workforce development pipeline. These are community differentiators. I spoke about the FMS mission advancing, development at Chaffee Crossing, and the local students graduating from service academies. These are some of the many examples of the great things happening in the Third District. With continued partnerships at all levels—Fort Smith will build on this success .
Fort Smith has made strategic investments in preparing our students and workforce for the future. The Peak Innovation Center—a career and skilled training hub—is a model of that mission. I visited the facility to get a firsthand look at the hands-on education being offered.
Trainings and certificates are available for industries like manufacturing, health sciences, and technology. We saw AR-3 high school students training on machines and tools used in local companies. In class, they are gaining skills that immediately translate into current job openings. This was a class of students interested in medical jobs.
Students from 22 school districts have access to this Fort Smith Public Schools center—and I was extremely impressed with what I saw. The state-of-the-art equipment available was unmatched. I proudly secured $400,000 to support their Career Connections Curriculum and expand learning engagement.
I met ABB leadership, current ABB apprentices, and former apprentices about the ABB apprenticeship and workforce training partnership with UAFS and Fort Smith Public Schools. ABB’s apprenticeship programs are community-led and focused. They bring together business, economic development, higher education, and K-12 education to establish a workforce development structure that creates a talent pipeline for existing and future businesses in the region.
Apprenticeships provide young people with opportunities to develop the skills required to thrive in the 21st century job environment, and I’m proud to have this initiative operating in my district! It was wonderful to hear from Arkansans who have gone through the program or are currently training. Very impressive examples of hard work and dedication!
Great being at the Sebastian County Farm Bureau to meet with Arkansans and talk about priority issues!
What a privilege to run into Lee Ziemba. He graduated Rogers High School in 2007 and was just inducted into the Rogers Mountie Hall of Fame on Friday! He’s also a former Auburn Tiger, NFL player, and great example of the success of those from Arkansas. Congratulations on this well-deserved and earned honor! Go Mounties!
Wishing you a blessed Sunday. I will be back in Washington for legislative business starting tomorrow. You can keep an eye on my website or check out my Twitter and Instagram pages to stay up-to-date with the latest news from my office. Also, WPS! Proud to watch the Hogs win back-to-back conference openers! |