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Jason Woodring, 38, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, was sentenced to 15 years in prison today on charges related to his attacks on Central Arkansas’ power grid between August and October 2013. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Woodring will be required to pay $4,792,224 in restitution to Entergy for his attacks on the power lines and electrical tower near Cabot, Arkansas, and a switching station in Scott, Arkansas. Woodring will also pay $48,729 to First Electric Cooperative for damage to the downed power lines and poles in Jacksonville

At its most recent meeting, the Highway Commission opened bids on two construction projects - one to replace a bridge on Interstate 30 in southwest Arkansas and another to widen Interstate 49 in northwest Arkansas.

This year, the Arkansas History Commission marks 110 years of collecting and preserving the source materials of the history of Arkansas with an online exhibit, “Tales From the Vault,” showcasing these state treasures.  The Capitol’s summer exhibit, of the same name, brings visitors face to face with some of these documentary gems, chosen by the Commission archivists themselves.

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2353, Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015, by a vote of 387-35. H.R. 2353 is a short-term extension through the end of July to authorize funding to the Highway Trust Fund. Currently, the Highway Trust Fund is scheduled to run out at the end of this month. Following passage of the bill, Congressman French Hill (AR-02) released the below statement:

The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (VAOIG) notified U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) and Congressman French Hill (AR-02) that it will add the Little Rock Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) to its national project on VA’s Green Management Program Solar Panel Projects after the lawmakers detailed problems with the facility’s renewable energy program.

U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) has added his support to legislation that would protect our nation’s waters and the rights of landowners against overly burdensome and costly regulatory power-grab by Washington.

The House of Representatives has adopted Congressman Scott Tipton’s (R-CO) amendment to direct $2 million in additional resources to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) for ongoing water delivery projects including the Arkansas Valley Conduit, which once completed would provide a reliable supply of clean drinking water to Southeast Colorado. The amendment, which was attached to H.R. 2028, the FY2016 Energy & Water Appropriations Act, does not create any new federal spending. Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) joined Tipton in support of the amendment. The House is expected to pass H.R. 2028 this week.

Retired long-haul truck driver Kenneth Hinkston, 62, has had his lower back fused, a metal rod put in his neck, and screws in his right ankle from "years of sitting and being pounded going across the road." When his home needed repairs, he was limited by finances and physical ability. Through Universal Housing Development Corporation, Mr. Hinkston learned about the Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas)

U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) and Congressman French Hill (AR-02) urged the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (VAIOG) to evaluate the planning process for renewable energy programs, like the solar panels at the Little Rock Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), to ensure these taxpayer funded projects are able to work once constructed

Governor Asa Hutchinson today announced the following appointments: Sheriff Boyd Hicks, Magazine, to the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training. Appointment expires January 14, 2022. Replaces Randall Morris.

U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) along with Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-01) today announced that Mountain Top Public Water Authority in Heber Springs is the recipient of a $114,000 grant and $243,000 loan to extend water service to new users. Campbell Station will receive a $5,000 grant to begin correcting problems with its wastewater lift station and pumps

Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin is leading a six-member delegation to Ghana for a two-week trip to explore opportunities for economic development and trade. The Sister Cities organization, who has sponsored this trip, is hosting the forum; Sister Cities is a global partner managing the relationship between the Ghana Region of Africa and the Arkansas Delta Region.

Governor Asa Hutchinson has announced Bear Chaney as the new Director of the Arkansas Assessment Coordination Department.

U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Jon Tester (D-MT), members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced legislation to fight veteran homelessness by reauthorizing current programs and clarifying qualifications for existing housing assistance benefits.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $9,165,000 to the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC) for projects such as replacing sewer lines, improving wastewater treatment facilities, and upgrading collection systems. The grant is part of EPA’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), a program that provides low-interest, flexible loans to municipalities and rural water districts