Antoinette Grajeda
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grajeda.bsky.social
Antoinette Grajeda
@grajeda.bsky.social
Deputy Editor @arkansasadvocate.com (part of @statesnewsroom.com) covering state government, education, immigration and economic development
Lover of travel/hiking/French fries
Via @arkansasadvocate.com: The State Board of Education voted Thursday to release for public comment amended rules for Arkansas’ school voucher program that include new restrictions on how much funding can be used for extracurriculars. #arpx

arkansasadvocate.com/2025/11/13/a...
Arkansas education board releases revised school voucher program rules for public comment | Arkansas Advocate
The State Board of Education voted Thursday to release for public comment amended rules for Arkansas’ school voucher program that include new restrictions on how much funding can be used for extracurr...
arkansasadvocate.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Via @arkansasadvocate.com: A federal judge on Monday again converted a temporary restraining order to a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a state law that requires displays of the Ten Commandments in public schools. #arpx

arkansasadvocate.com/2025/11/10/t...
Third preliminary injunction issued in lawsuit against Arkansas’ Ten Commandments law | Arkansas Advocate
A federal judge on Monday again converted a temporary restraining order to a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a state law that requires displays of the Ten Comm...
arkansasadvocate.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Via @arkansasadvocate.com: The Arkansas Department of Education released district level rankings for the first time as part of a redesigned school report card website that launched Thursday. #arpx

arkansasadvocate.com/2025/11/06/a...
Arkansas education officials unveil new district rankings, revamped website | Arkansas Advocate
The Arkansas Department of Education released district level rankings for the first time as part of a redesigned school report card website that launched Thursday.
arkansasadvocate.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Via @arkansasadvocate.com: Jimmy Harris is being sworn in Wednesday as the new Arkansas Insurance Commissioner.

The governor appointed Harris, who has served as interim commissioner of the Arkansas Insurance Department since August when former commissioner Alan McClain retired. #arpx
Arkansas governor appoints new state insurance commissioner | Arkansas Advocate
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed Jimmy Harris as the new Arkansas Insurance Commissioner.
arkansasadvocate.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Via @arkansasadvocate.com: The attorney general rejected for a second time Tuesday a proposed constitutional amendment to grant Arkansans the right to a clean and healthy environment.

The University of Arkansas students behind the proposal say they look forward to revising and resubmitting. #arpx
Attorney general again declines to certify ballot measure aimed at protecting Arkansas’ environment | Arkansas Advocate
The attorney general rejected for a second time Tuesday a proposed constitutional amendment to grant Arkansans the right to a clean and healthy environment.
arkansasadvocate.com
November 4, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders approved the deployment of about 100 Arkansas Army National Guard soldiers to the nation’s capital to support the D.C. National Guard’s ongoing civil security operations. #arpx

Read more at @arkansasadvocate.com

arkansasadvocate.com/briefs/arkan...
Arkansas National Guard deploying to Washington D.C. | Arkansas Advocate
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders approved the deployment of about 100 Arkansas Army National Guard soldiers to the nation’s capital to support the D.C. National Guard’s ongoing civil security operations.
arkansasadvocate.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Via @arkansasadvocate.com: Arkansans seeking elected office in 2026 can begin submitting their candidate paperwork to the secretary of state’s office today.

The primary election is scheduled for March 3 and the general election is Nov. 3. #arpx #arleg

arkansasadvocate.com/2025/11/03/f...
Filing period for state, local candidates begins as 2026 election season approaches | Arkansas Advocate
Arkansans seeking elected office in 2026 can begin submitting their candidate paperwork to the secretary of state’s office today.
arkansasadvocate.com
November 3, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Today I visited with Congressman Womack and some folks in Arkansas' agriculture community about the impacts of the ongoing government shutdown. Click below to listen to the audio version of the story. 🔈

#arpx #arleg
Via @grajeda.bsky.social: Existing challenges for Arkansas’ farmers could be exacerbated by a prolonged federal government shutdown, Congressman Steve Womack told industry leaders Thursday, though he said he’s hopeful there will be movement toward reopening the government next week. #arpx
Arkansas congressman discusses shutdown effects with agriculture stakeholders | Arkansas Advocate
Existing challenges for Arkansas’ farmers could be exacerbated by a prolonged federal government shutdown, Congressman Steve Womack told industry leaders Thursday, though he said he’s hopeful there…
arkansasadvocate.com
October 30, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Addressing barriers to child care licensing in Arkansas, such as regulatory burdens and dependence on federal funding, could lead to greater access to care, particularly in underserved and rural areas of the state, according to a new report.

My latest for @arkansasadvocate.com
Report recommends steps to improve Arkansas child care licensing  | Arkansas Advocate
Addressing barriers to child care licensing in Arkansas, such as regulatory burdens and dependence on federal funding, could lead to greater access to care, particularly in underserved and rural areas...
arkansasadvocate.com
October 29, 2025 at 10:32 PM
A University of Arkansas alum is pulling his scholarships and cutting the university out his will after the school hung donated Ten Commandments posters to comply with a new state law.

My latest for @arkansasadvocate.com

#arpx #arleg

arkansasadvocate.com/2025/10/27/t...
Ten Commandments displays prompt scholarship cancellations, teach-in at University of Arkansas | Arkansas Advocate
The installation of Ten Commandments posters on the University of Arkansas’ Fayetteville campus has led to the revocation of scholarships and discussions about the constitutionality of the displays.
arkansasadvocate.com
October 27, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Six of the state's 259 public school districts are now involved in the lawsuit — Bentonville, Conway, Lakeside (Garland County), Fayetteville, Siloam Springs and Springdale. #arpx
October 23, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Reposted by Antoinette Grajeda
NEW from @ainsleyplatt.bsky.social: A Pulaski County Circuit judge ruled in favor of a Franklin County resident Wednesday and said a June 2026 special election to fill a vacant state Senate seat unconstitutionally deprives voters of a voice in next year’s legislative session. #arpx #arleg
‘Far-reaching ramifications’: Judge says special election dates violate constitutional rights | Arkansas Advocate
A Pulaski County Circuit judge ruled in favor of a Franklin County resident Wednesday and said a June 2026 special election to fill a vacant state Senate seat unconstitutionally deprives voters of a…
arkansasadvocate.com
October 23, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Reposted by Antoinette Grajeda
Via @grajeda.bsky.social: The Democratic Party of Arkansas is suing Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to set earlier special election dates for the vacant House District 70 seat, weeks after a separate lawsuit challenging identical dates for Senate District 26's special election was filed. #arpx #arleg
Arkansas Democrats sue state over House District 70 special election timeline | Arkansas Advocate
The Democratic Party of Arkansas filed a lawsuit against the governor Tuesday seeking an earlier  date for the House District 70 special election.
arkansasadvocate.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Had a lovely chat with these #uark students. Click the link to hear them discuss their project in their own words. 🔈
October 21, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Reposted by Antoinette Grajeda
Teana Bailey of Perryville (50 min. from Little Rock) said she was raised Republican but protests the Trump administration because "right is right and wrong is wrong." #nokings @arkansasadvocate.com
October 18, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Reposted by Antoinette Grajeda
The University of Arkansas Fayetteville is preparing to hang hundreds of donated Ten Commandments displays in its buildings in compliance with a new state law. #arpx #arleg

✍️: @grajeda.bsky.social

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University of Arkansas installing Ten Commandments posters required by state law | Arkansas Advocate
The University of Arkansas Fayetteville is preparing to hang hundreds of donated Ten Commandments displays in its buildings in compliance with a new state law.
arkansasadvocate.com
October 10, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Via @arkansasadvocate.com:

Arkansas’ higher education institutions and the state’s education department have not been immediately impacted by the government shutdown, but officials said they’re preparing to make adjustments as needed. #arpx

arkansasadvocate.com/2025/10/07/a...
Arkansas education officials prep for potential shutdown effects | Arkansas Advocate
Arkansas’ higher education institutions and the state’s education department have not been immediately impacted by the government shutdown, but officials said they’re preparing to make adjustments as ...
arkansasadvocate.com
October 7, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Reposted by Antoinette Grajeda
Via @grajeda.bsky.social: The Democratic Party of Arkansas’ executive committee voted unanimously Monday evening to hold a primary for the House District 70 special election. The special election’s winner will replace Rep. Carlton Wing who vacated his seat last week. #arpx #arleg
Arkansas Democrats to host primary in House special election | Arkansas Advocate
The Democratic Party of Arkansas’ executive committee voted unanimously Monday evening to hold a primary for the House District 70 special election.
arkansasadvocate.com
October 7, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Via @arkansasadvocate.com:

More than 100 Arkansas National Guard members traveled to the nation’s southern border this weekend to support U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

The 13-month deployment supports a federal requirement and is a routine rotation.

arkansasadvocate.com/briefs/arkan...
Arkansas National Guardsmen mobilized to southern border | Arkansas Advocate
More than 100 Arkansas National Guards members traveled to the nation’s southern border this weekend to support U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
arkansasadvocate.com
October 7, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Reposted by Antoinette Grajeda
Via @ainsleyplatt.bsky.social: Federal immigration officials are reportedly considering building a detention facility at the controversial Franklin County state prison site, further frustrating locals who say they’ve been left in the dark by state officials once again. #arpx
Feds considering immigration detention facility at Franklin County prison site | Arkansas Advocate
ICE agents were seen with Joe Profiri, an adviser to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, prior to a tour of the site on Monday.
arkansasadvocate.com
September 25, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Reposted by Antoinette Grajeda
Via @grajeda.bsky.social: The institute is an independent unit of the UA System that focuses on education and training programs for law enforcement professionals.
Interim director selected for UA System’s Criminal Justice Institute | Arkansas Advocate
Kimberly Hendricks Jones will be the interim director of the University of Arkansas System’s Criminal Justice Institute (CJI), according to a Wednesday news release.
buff.ly
September 25, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Via @arkansasadvocate.com: Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families on Wednesday called on the state’s education department to delay changes to a child care assistance program the nonprofit argues will decrease access for families in need.

arkansasadvocate.com/2025/09/24/a...
Arkansas child advocates concerned about changes to school readiness program  | Arkansas Advocate
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families on Wednesday called on the state’s education department to delay changes to a child care assistance program the nonprofit argues will decrease access for f...
arkansasadvocate.com
September 24, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Reposted by Antoinette Grajeda
Via @grajeda.bsky.social: The goal of the revised formula, which still assigns schools a rating of A-F, is “to provide a clearer and more meaningful picture” of student achievement, year-to-year growth and postsecondary readiness, according to a news release. #arpx
Arkansas schools evaluated under new accountability system  | Arkansas Advocate
The Arkansas Education Department released public school ratings Friday that were calculated using a new accountability formula for the first time.
buff.ly
September 19, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Via @arkansasadvocate.com: Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said the city of Fayetteville is in compliance with the state’s “sanctuary policy” law Thursday, just one day after saying the municipality violated the statute. #arpx

arkansasadvocate.com/2025/09/19/a...
Arkansas AG declares city now in compliance with immigration law | Arkansas Advocate
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin declared the city of Fayetteville is in compliance with the state’s “sanctuary policy” law Thursday, just one day after saying the municipality violated the statu...
arkansasadvocate.com
September 19, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Via @arkansasadvocate.com: The city of Fayetteville is violating a law prohibiting “sanctuary policy” and is therefore ineligible to receive discretionary funding administered by the state, according to an opinion released by the Arkansas attorney general. #arpx

arkansasadvocate.com/2025/09/17/a...
Arkansas AG declares city in violation of state immigration law | Arkansas Advocate
The city of Fayetteville is violating a law prohibiting “sanctuary policy” and is therefore ineligible to receive discretionary funding administered by the state, according to an opinion released by t...
arkansasadvocate.com
September 18, 2025 at 10:31 PM