Arkansas Archives - Institute for Local Self-Reliance

21 Sep 2018

Lack of Internet Access and Poor Policy Combine to Strip Arkansans of Medicaid

by Lisa Gonzalez | Date: 21 Sep 2018 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0

People in Arkansas who depend on Medicaid for healthcare typically don’t have the option to sign-up for affordable health insurance through their jobs. Sometimes they aren’t able to find full-time positions that offer healthcare or they don’t earn enough to afford the premiums in addition to covering life expenses for their families. With so many people offline, either because they can’t afford to pay for connectivity or because they live in areas where there is no connectivity, Arkansas seems like a poor choice for mandatory online reporting of anything, especially activity that dictates eligibility for Medicare. … Read More

24 Aug 2018

Another Arkansas Cooperative Invests in High-Speed Internet

by Lisa Gonzalez | Date: 24 Aug 2018 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0

Rural electric cooperatives in Arkansas are stepping up and making the investments to bring broadband connectivity to their members. We recently described plans taking shape from North Arkansas Electric Cooperative. This month, construction began in the northeast region on infrastructure that will provide both broadband access and improved smart grid technology in the eight counties of Craigshead Electric Cooperative Corporation (CECC).… Read More

19 Jul 2018

Local Cooperative is Bringing Internet Access to Rural Arkansas

by Katie Kienbaum | Date: 19 Jul 2018 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0

Residents of northern Arkansas will soon be able to obtain high-speed Internet access through their local electric cooperative. North Arkansas Electric Cooperative (NAEC) recently received approval from its Board of Directors to expand its residential broadband pilot program, NEXT, Powered by NAEC. This expansion will bring Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) connectivity and one gigabit speeds to the co-op’s entire service area.

7 Jul 2017

Curb Sort Recycling is a Viable Option in Rural and Urban Settings

by Neil Seldman | Date: 7 Jul 2017 | posted in: waste - recycling, Waste to Wealth | 0

ILSR has been looking into curb sort recycling in an effort to help citizens of Fayetteville, Arkansas defend their curb sort system against efforts to change to a single stream system. Follow this link to one of ILSR’s articles on … Read More

3 Mar 2017

Citizens in Fayetteville, Arkansas Protect Curb Sort Recycling from Single Stream Recycling

by Neil Seldman | Date: 3 Mar 2017 | posted in: waste - recycling, Waste to Wealth | 0

Hats off to Louise G. Mann, of Waste Reduction Resources and a network of Fayetteville, AR concerned citizens. On Tuesday, Feb. 21 Fayetteville City Council approved a resolution to move ahead with composting at commercial establishments, as well as recycling of construction & demolition waste.… Read More

2 Mar 2017

Arkansas Utility Leads on Energy, Broadband

by Karlee Weinmann | Date: 2 Mar 2017 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States, MuniNetworks | 0

Ouachita Electric Cooperative, nestled deep in south-central Arkansas, is an unlikely innovator in a pair of industries struggling to adapt to shifting market dynamics: electricity and broadband.

Despite rising demand for energy efficiency and renewable electricity generation, large investor-owned utilities — and many rural electric co-ops — have resisted programs to address those needs. Likewise, corporate Internet service providers frequently offer shoddy service at high rates, a particular problem in rural areas with limited competition.… Read More

27 Oct 2014

Community Broadband Media Roundup – October 24

by Rebecca Toews | Date: 27 Oct 2014 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0

On this week’s community broadband media roundup, we have more reverberations from Next Century Cities, a forward-thinking coalition of cities that promises real progress in establishing or restoring local authority for broadband networks. For the inside scoop on the launch, … Read More

1 Dec 2001

Arkansas Enacts Sales Tax Fairness Legislation

by ILSR | Date: 1 Dec 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

Arkansas has enacted a law that clarifies that retailers with stores in the state must collect sales taxes on any online purchases made by state residents. As noted in the story above, under a 1992 Supreme Court decision, Quill Corp. v. North Dakota, states cannot compel out-of-state companies to collect sales taxes unless the company has a physical presence, or "nexus," in the state.… Read More