HIRE

Tiny Travel Troubles

Grown Child is enjoying retelling the story her cousin snitched on me about.

I had to surrender a multi-tool pocketknife at the Memphis airport. My brain was flashing back to my last trip when I packed dangerous tiny scissors, harmful nail clippers, and deadly tweezers into my checked luggage. But we didn’t check luggage this time. However, that morning my brain said the pocketknife would be fine since it was not in my personal bag that goes under the seat.

Yes, I know the rules, and even took out a pair of small scissors from my personal bag, but still put that knife gadgetry in my suitcase.

After my bag got pulled over for further inspection, I even told them where it was in the suitcase — as if the x-ray wasn’t why it got dinged!

I can laugh at myself. But my niece wanted more people laughing at me, so she texted Grown Child immediately. Whatever!

——— Heading home a few days later, my throat was really scratchy. I was a week in on taking antibiotics for a sinus/ear infections and I tried to figure out why suddenly this symptom was flaring up. Was there a crop pollen in Arkansas? Germs from the plane? Something viral?

The morning I was leaving my niece’s house, she and her husband headed back to Memphis for an appointment. I finished my coffee, exited through the garage, and packed the car. Routinely, proceeded to select a podcast to listen to, then text Grown Child that I was heading home. There was no phone in my purse.

Silly me. I must have tossed it into my suitcase. It wasn’t there either. I looked twice in everything. I left the car door and lift-gate open, and paced around the the yard and the driveway trying to figure out my best plan.

I’d go next door. Because I no longer memorize numbers, I would have to call Grown Child at work to call her cousin for the code, and call me back on the neighbor’s number.

The neighbor had a deck with full railing and gates. To be cautious, I leaned in to knock on the door. A horse-sized hound bolted out of a doggie door barking in full attack mode, and stretched his front paws over the railing. I screamed, loud, hard, and long enough to cause that scratchy throat — while running backward!

The nice young lady there came out and ordered the dog back into the house. I explained who I was, so she called my niece because good neighbors have each other’s number. I got the code.

My niece called me. “I saw you walking around and thought you were just stretching before driving.”

The simple solution to ring my niece’s doorbell and have her talk to me did not cross my mind. I had been in a panic, it was hot, and I needed to go to the bathroom.

She added, “I started to say something, but I didn’t want to scare you.”

That was fine; the dog already did.

Here in the Fourth District, we are especially blessed with so many wonderful options for receiving an education after high school graduation. From the northern part of the district all the way down to the southernmost portion, I’m always pleased to visit with leaders from these colleges and universities to hear more about the deep, personal impact they are making on the lives of their students.

Through education programs that provide handson opportunities, like trade schools or vocational training, and a typical lecture hall experience, these schools are providing future generations of Arkansans with the tools they need to pour into their communities and become exceptional leaders.

Last week, I had the privilege of visiting Arkansas Tech and the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana. During these visits, the staff took great care to make sure my staff and I were able to hear and see how these higher education institutions are benefiting their local communities.

Coming back to Washington this week with these visits fresh in my mind, it was certainly easy to vote in support of legislation brought to the House Floor that works to benefit our schools and students alike.

The No Aid for Ghost Students Act of 2026 puts measures in place to ensure that student aid funding isn’t being drained by bad actors who take advantage of such a beneficial system through scams or fraud. It is crucial that schools verify student identity for applications that have been flagged as suspicious before disbursing the aid. And more awareness must be brought to the school’s attention if any suspicion of identity fraud is detected.

House Republicans continue to deliver on our promise of rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse so that our systems can work for the people they were intended to serve, rather than those who game the system.

Founded in 1942, Arkansas Girls State is a weeklong leadership and civic engagement summer program for high school girls finishing their junior year, sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary. It educates young women on state government through mock elections, legislative sessions, and more. The program is designed to educate young women on the duties, privileges, and responsibilities of citizenship. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is just one notable alumna. It is considered the second-largest Girls State program in the nation.

The students spent a week at Harding University in Searcy, running campaigns and electing officials from the city and county level up to state government. The Girls State legislators discussed and developed mock legislation and arrived in Little Rock on Thursday, May 28 to debate and vote on their bills.

Real-life senators Breanne Davis, Jamie Scott, Jim Dotson, and Jonathan Dismang were on hand to offer advice and support to the Girls State senators.

The mock legislative session in the Senate chamber was gaveled in by the Girls State President Pro Tempore of the Senate Bhavana Gudipati of Bentonville High School.

It was interesting to see the topics that were on the minds of these young women. The session featured votes and lively debate on 10 bills that included the following topics: Adding additional Saturday hours to early voting periods.

Regulating the use of growth hormones in cattle to ensure the nutritional value of beef consumed by Arkansans.

Reducing the number of community service hours required for high school graduation. Currently 75 hours are required. Citing circumstances for some students with transportation issues and family or employment obligations, the bill proposed dropping the minimum required number of hours to 40.

Permitting private school students to participate in local public or public charter school interscholastic activities if his or her school does not offer those activities.

Requiring information about safe vehicle operation in highway work zones to be placed in the state driver’s instruction manual and the driver’s license examination.

Requiring “high risk ” drivers (drivers over 65 who had received two traffic citations within one calendar year) to submit to a driver’s license examination retest.

Exempting textbooks and other instructional materials from the gross receipts tax.

Creating support for excused absences for students in severe medical crises.

Requiring data centers t o abi d e by c e r t a in environmental standards.

Creating a pilot program for junior and senior high students to get training as community-based doulas by enrolling in concurrent credit courses through community and technical colleges. This was designed to help combat the state’s maternal and infant mortality crisis, particularly in rural areas.

These young women were very prepared, thoughtful, and impressive. Perhaps some of them will return to the Senate chamber as members one day!

Arkansas Boys State also spent time running the government this week. That will be the topic of next week’s column.

Every day, people share their complaints, frustrations, family arguments, work problems, political debates, and personal issues for everyone to see. It’s almost like we’ve chosen to hang our dirty laundry in the front yard for all to notice.

Picture driving through your neighborhood and seeing your neighbor’s clothesline out front. But instead of shirts and towels, there are signs hanging from it that say things like 'My husband forgot our anniversary!' 'My teenager won’t listen!' 'My boss is impossible!' or 'Here’s what I really think about my relatives!' Most of us would probably slow down to look. Some might shake their heads, and others would start talking. Soon, everyone in town would know. As silly as that seems, it’s not much different from what happens online every day.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with asking for prayer, sharing your struggles with trusted friends, or seeking wise counsel. God never intended for us to carry life’s burdens alone. The trouble starts when social media becomes our first response instead of our last resort. Too often, we turn to Facebook before we turn to God. We post before we pray, vent before we seek wisdom, and ask strangers for advice before seeking guidance from the One who knows everything.

The Bible points us to a better way. In 1 Peter 5:7, we are told to cast all our anxieties on Him because He cares for us. What a wonderful promise! The Lord never grows tired of hearing from His children. He doesn’t roll His eyes when we bring Him our concerns, nor does He become annoyed when we come to Him over and over with the same burden. He invites us to bring every worry, every fear, every frustration, and every heartache to Him because He genuinely cares about what we are facing.

Unlike the people around us, God is never too busy to listen. He is never distracted by other priorities, and He never says, 'Not now.' Because of Jesus Christ, we have the privilege of approaching God with confidence. Hebrews 4:16 tells us that we can come boldly to the throne of grace, where we find mercy and grace to help in time of need. Think about that for a moment. The Creator of the universe invites us into His presence. We do not have to wait in line, wonder if He has time for us, or schedule an appointment. Day or night, in moments of joy or seasons of heartache, our Heavenly Father welcomes us. He listens to every prayer and understands every burden better than we understand it ourselves.

The next time you feel the temptation to post your frustration for everyone to see, pause for a moment. Before you tell social media about it, tell the Father about it. Before you seek the approval of the crowd, seek the wisdom of Christ. You’ll discover that the Lord is far better at carrying your burdens than the internet ever will be. And unlike social media, He never shares your dirty laundry with anyone else.

He is also a promise keeper. God promised the Children of Israel the Promise Land and they finally obtained it after wondering around in the wilderness for forty years. Why were they wondering around for forty years? It was because of their unbelief. They could have had God’s promise forty years before, but it was all because they didn’t trust God. They listened to what the spies were telling them about the giants and fortified cities, and they let what they were hearing get bigger than God. There is nothing that comes against us that our God is not bigger than. We must keep trusting the one and only one who can deliver us. He is the Way Maker. Believe it! How much have we lost because our eyes and ears were bigger than our faith? I have found there are so many situations that I can do nothing about, but God can. He can turn things around that you think is no way. Place your petitions before Him and keep on placing them day after day until you see your answer. Remember the widow that kept coming before the Judge day after day until finally the Judge got tired of her coming and gave her what she wanted. We don’t tire God; He just wants to see if we really mean business or just playing around. He is watching to see just how serious we are about our situation and how much faith we have.

When your back is against the wall, don’t lose faith, just cry out, “Help me Jesus,” and He will come to your rescue.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Department of Education today submitted a unified education plan to the U.S. Department of Education that would replace overlapping state and federal requirements with a single Arkansas-led system for funding, accountability, and assessment. The “Reclaiming Arkansas Education” plan is designed to reduce unnecessary federal reporting and administrative burdens so school districts can focus more time, resources, and attention on better supporting students.

The plan, which builds on the state’s landmark LEARNS Act, includes components that would allow Arkansas to operate under one coherent statewide framework instead of maintaining separate state and federal systems that often measure and report the same information in different ways. Read Arkansas’ state plan here.

“When I signed Arkansas LEARNS three years ago, our state committed to putting students first, empowering parents, and supporting teachers so that Arkansas’ kids had every opportunity to succeed,” said Governor Sanders. “We have made incredible progress so far, and the Reclaiming Arkansas Education plan will make sure we can keep moving forward. Thanks to the incredible leadership of President Trump and Secretary McMahon, we are returning education to the states - where it belongs.”

(See RECLAIMING page 3) (Continued from page 1) 'For too long, Arkansas districts have spent valuable time and resources navigating overlapping, burdensome compliance requirements instead of focusing directly on students,” said Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva. 'Reclaiming Arkansas Education creates one clear system for funding, accountability, and assessment that reflects Arkansas’ priorities, responds to stakeholder feedback, and keeps the focus where it belongs: on improving student outcomes.”

Reclaiming Arkansas Education

The plan, which was made available for public review and comment, seeks to: Give districts greater flexibility to invest in student needs. Districts would gain more freedom to direct federal dollars toward student needs rather than administrative compliance. Dr. Mickey McFetridge, director of finance for Fayetteville Public Schools, said in public comment it would be beneficial if “the funding could remain the same, but the district would have latitude to focus on student needs as opposed to red tape' and Chris Nail, Superintendent of Benton School District, said that the funding flexibility “would allow the district to better meet student needs and expand opportunities for success.”

Expand access to accelerated coursework, while eliminating duplicative testing. The plan would expand access to accelerated coursework without requiring extra tests that do not add value for students. For example, an eighth grader who is advanced enough to take Algebra I shouldn't have to take both the eighth-grade math test and the Algebra I exam. They take one test, it counts, and it reflects where they actually are academically. Jim Ford, director of Guy Fenter Education Service Cooperative (GFESC), commented this is 'a very common sense approach.'

Replace dua l accountability with one clear framework. Arkansas would use its newly overhauled accountability and support system as the single measure for both state and federal purposes, eliminating the need for schools, families, and communities to navigate two separate reporting systems. Claire Wilkinson, general counsel for Fayetteville Public Schools, commented, “I love the idea of one way of assessing student achievement and school performance,” noting that different assessments can become confusing.

“Decisions about education should be made by those closest to the students, and this Unified Statewide Accountability and Support Plan makes that possible,” said Governor Sanders. “Systems that prioritize processes over people only lead to more frustration and fewer opportunities. That’s why I signed Arkansas LEARNS three years ago, to overhaul a broken system, empower parents, and support teachers. This new plan will open the door for us to build on those objectives and continue putting students first.”

“By reclaiming Arkansas’ education system, we will continue to strengthen our state’s education agenda by reducing unnecessary federal compliance requirements to ensure our educators can spend more time where it matters most: helping every student learn,” said Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva. “Instead of supporting distant, disconnected federal systems, we need to support individual students and educators on the front line to ensure we offer the diamondstate standard education in every single classroom and bolster student readiness and success. Thanks to the Arkansas LEARNS Act, the foundation for a studentfirst education has already been laid.”

In 2023, Governor Sanders signed Arkansas LEARNS into law. LEARNS expanded access to early childhood education, provided highimpact tutoring and literacy coaches, and enabled Arkansas to lead the nation in starting pay for educators. In just two years, Arkansas has achieved notable progress working with over 3,000 educators to advance each aspect of LEARNS: The plan has drawn broad support from educators and district leaders. Becky Rosburg, assistant superintendent of human capital and federal programs for Hot Springs School District, said it 'represents an opportunity to address unique challenges, promote innovation, and ensure that educational outcomes remain strong.'

The plan also addresses concerns raised in public comment. The plan does not seek to reduce civil rights protections, funding requirements for highneed students, or support for struggling schools. The flexibilities extend options already available in federal law to a broader set of districts while maintaining all existing protections. English learners will continue to receive highquality instruction and appropriate supports, and the state will continue to monitor their progress and outcomes. Arkansas’ system will go above and beyond to ensure our most vulnerable students get the support they need.

After submission, the plan is subject to a 120-day federal review period. If approved, Arkansas will move forward in implementing a unified, state-led education system focused on improving student outcomes, empowering local decision-making, and preparing every graduate to enroll in college, enlist in the military, or enter the workforce.

M INUTE

History is sometimes made in dramatic moments in public but is often made behind the scenes. There were many important figures involved in the different stages of the American Revolution and the establishment of the nation’s system of free government. One of the most important was Roger Sherman of Connecticut. The soft-spoken, pious man was the only man to sign all three of the nation’s most important founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.

Roger Sherman was born in Massachusetts in April 1721. His father was a farmer. His education was limited as there were few opportunities for education in early colonial America. His father, however, owned an extensive library, which the younger Sherman studied extensively.

With only a grammar school education, Sherman learned to be a shoemaker. When his father died in 1743, he decided to move his family to nearby Connecticut. After settling in New Milford, he quickly set up a shoemaking shop and quickly became involved in the young, growing community. He studied as much as he could kills to provide for his family and to better serve the community. Within two years, he became the town clerk and then the county surveyor.

He was raised as a Puritan and stayed faithful to those ideas his whole life, often writing on religious questions. Sherman regularly spoke out against slavery, believing it was sinful. Though a Puritan, he believed in freedom of religion and believed that all Christians should have the same equal rights instead of restricting rights only to those who belonged to the state church. Sherman was eventually appointed to the board of directors for Yale College, which had been founded as a seminary. Eventually, Sherman became treasurer for the college and worked to build a new chapel on the campus. For his service, he was awarded an honorary degree.

Sherman’s success grew. He taught himself the law and was admitted to the Connecticut bar in 1754. In 1755, he was elected to the Connecticut legislature, where he served intermittently until 1784. In 1765, he was appointed as judge of the court of common pleas. Though he assumed multiple roles in government, which was accepted at the time, he played an important role in shaping not only the laws of Connecticut but of the emerging United States.

As the American Revolution approached, he joined those colonists protesting the actions of Great Britain. In 1774, he was selected to represent Connecticut at the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Protesting British acts against Boston, he supported a continent-wide boycott of all British goods.

In 1775, he was again selected to the Second Continental Congress. As fighting broke out between the colonists and the British across New England, he believed that independence was the only option the colonies had left. In June 1776, Richard Henry Lee made a motion for the colonies to declare independence. Sherman was appointed to a committee of five to draft a statement to Great Britain, the colonists, and the world why the colonies were seeking independence. The committee included Ben Franklin, John Adams, and Robert R. Livingston, but was led by Thomas Jefferson, who did most of the writing. As a result, he played a key role in developing one of the founding documents of the new nation and signed the Declaration of Independence.

Continuing to serve in the Continental Congress during the American Revolution, he also helped craft the nation’s first national constitution, the Articles of Confederation. Sherman signed and Congress approved the Articles of Confederation in 1777, but they were not approved until 1781. Thisnewgovernment would only have a one-house national congress and would not have an executive or a federal judiciary and soon proved unworkable.

In 1781, he stepped down from Congress and resumed his work as a judge in Connecticut. At the end of the war, his expertise was needed again. He assisted Ben Franklin in negotiating the final peace between the U. S. and Britain, which would become the Treaty of Paris. When the treaty was signed in 1783, with Britain recognizing American independence, Sherman, too, was one of the signers.

When the Constitutional Convention convened in Philadelphia in 1787, Sherman was again called to serve. At 66, he was one of the older delegates and worked with James Madison, who led most of the debates and established most of the ideas of what became the modern federal government, including the three branches of government, the separation of powers between the branches, and a system of accountability.

The issue of how the states would be represented threatened to derail the proceedings. Larger states wanted representation based on population while smaller states wanted equal representation in the new Congress. Sherman devised a compromise that saved the proceedings and became one of the defining features of the federal governments. The Great Compromise, or the Connecticut Compromise, allowed both sides to have what they wanted: a twohouse Congress with the House of Representatives determined by population and the Senate represented with two Senators from each state. Sherman would also sign the Constitution, which is now the oldest national constitution still in use in the world.

After ratification of the Constitution in 1788, the first elections under the new document were held. Sherman won election to the House of Representatives, where he served for one term. In 1791, Connecticut legislators appointed him to the U. S. Senate. He served in the Senate for just over two years before he was struck with typhoid fever. At the time, there were no treatments for the condition, leading to his death in July 1793 at age 72.

This week, I stopped by the Russellville Police Department to visit with Chief Ewing and get a firsthand look at the facilities they have while hearing more about the work they do on a daily basis. One thing was made very clear: the men and women who serve our communities in law enforcement – whether it’s sitting at a desk or patrolling the streets – care deeply about the area they serve.

With each handshake, conversation, and story told, I was grateful to visit with and thank the men and women who protect this portion of Pope County. Our law enforcement officers – and all first responders for that matter – selflessly and courageously work every day to defend and maintain law and order in our communities. Therefore, they deserve our full support.

These men and women sign up to run toward the danger when help is called. Many of our police officers, firefighters, and EMS workers are right there in the middle of someone’s absolute worst day, acting as an anchor. In that moment, they are a lifeline; their presence and service are invaluable.

But their commitment to our communities goes much farther than just maintaining law and order or responding to an emergency. They work to de-escalate situations that could become dangerous for individuals or those around them, support those struggling with mental health crises, and partner with local leaders to engage with students through mentorship programs.

It takes every one of our first responders to create a thriving, safe environment not only in our own neighborhoods, but in our communities. Every day, they put on their uniforms ready to protect and serve, and I consider it a great privilege to support these men and women in Congress. But far beyond casting a vote on the House Floor, I’m always eager to extend my thanks whenever I get the chance. I hope you’ll join me in doing the same.

Protecting and Serving our Communities

Earlier this year, legislators became aware that up to 150 young women from Arkansas high schools were blocked from participation in the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State, due to a deadline for schools that fell on spring break. Many schools missed this initial deadline, though the application deadline for the students was still weeks away. The Auxiliary refused to offer any extensions, breaking from their normal protocol of extending the deadline every year.

In response, lawmakers, led by Senator Breanne Davis and Representative DeAnn Vaught, launched the Arkansas Civic Leadership Institute (ACLI), a handson opportunity for these rising high school seniors to engage in the legislative process and hear directly from state leaders.

The Institute took place on Tuesday, May 26, while the regular Boys and Girls State sessions occurred later in the week, which will be covered in future columns.

ACLI participants spent the morning hearing from state leaders, including Secretary of State Cole Jester, Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Rhonda K. Wood, and staff members from the Governor’s and Attorney General’s offices. Participants then worked in committee meetings to prepare bills. In the Senate, the new senators spent the afternoon debating and voting on bills in a mock legislative session.

Some of the bills they examined included prohibiting some processed food purchases through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), increasing Saturday hours during early voting periods, and expunging misdemeanors from juvenile criminal records, as well as a bill that would allow private school students to compete in athletics at a public school if their school does not offer it on a varsity level.

Senators Alan Clark, Breanne Davis, Tyler Dees, Kim Hammer, Jamie Scott, Dan Sullivan, and Clarke Tucker were all on hand to offer guidance during the process.

ACLI participants ended the day in a question-and-answer session with the senators and a closing ceremony in the Capitol rotunda. The senators emphasized respect between people, regardless of their political parties, and learning to disagree while still engaging and listening to those with a different perspective.

“Senator Hammer and I, for example, sometimes fight like cats and dogs over particular bills, but at the end of the day, we are friends, and I have tremendous respect for this man,” Senator Tucker said. “While we have different opinions, we all want what is best for Arkansas, and we can work together to move our state forward.”

Senator Jamie Scott, the youngest Black female ever elected to the state Senate, and Senator Breanne Davis, who is the first female President Pro Tempore designee in Arkansas history, both spoke to ACLI participants about the importance of community service, however that looks in their lives.

It is always inspiring to see our youth participating in civic programs. The Arkansas Civic Leadership Institute was a success, and our future is bright knowing these young women are ready to lead and serve.

Each graduation, no matter how insignificant in the big scheme, is significant to someone in some way. It may have been the challenge it brought or the cost incurred, the graduation set a milestone in some way.

Looking back, attending my graduations did not improve my status but only a stop along the way. The journey doesn't end and it really is the 'First Day...'

M INUTE

One daring ride in the middle of the night made him a legend. But the life of Paul Revere was much more than that one moment in April 1775. He was a noted businessman who often put the needs of the community before his own.

Paul Revere was born in Boston on New Year’s Day 1735, the third of twelve children. His father had been born in France into a Protestant family in a nation that was officially Roman Catholic and offered no religious freedom. He fled France on his own at the age of 13 and eventually ended up in Boston where he was apprenticed to a silversmith. His father came to own a respected silversmith shop. As a child, Paul Revere began learning the trade.

He became a renowned silversmith in his own right, noted for his precision and elegance of design.

Revere’s father died in 1754, and Revere, now at age 20, struggled to keep his business afloat. In 1756 as the French and Indian War erupted, he volunteered for service in the Massachusetts militia. He served for a year and returned home. In 1757, he married Sarah Orne, with whom he had eight children and joined the local Masonic lodge.

After the French and Indian War, he continued to struggle. When the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act in 1765, it crushed trade and made Revere’s financial situation worse. Revere actually learned and briefly practiced dentistry as a way of making extra income.

The Stamp Act, a tax on all printed materials, had shocked the colonists. They had no representation in Parliament and had no voice in the process. By tradition, taxation had always been a local matter. He soon joined Samuel Adams and others into the Sons of Liberty, a secretive organization determined to protest the Stamp Act and British actions in the colonies. The Sons of Liberty organized protests, boycotts, and even attacks on British troops and officials in Boston. The British repealed the Stamp Act within a year, but tensions between British officials and locals simmered across Boston.

In March 1770, an argument between locals and British troops at a sentry house exploded into violence. British troops shot and killed five Bostonians in the Boston Massacre, an event that horrified the entire British Empire. Revere soon produced an engraving of the incident, one showing a British officer appearing to give the order to fire into the crowd and the Redcoats almost seeming to smile as they did it. The image was quickly circulated across the colonies.

His wife died in 1773, and he married Rachel Walker soon afterward, with whom he would have another eight children. Parliament passed the Tea Act that year, which gave a massive tax break to the East India Co., one with special connections to senior British politicians. As British tea was already being boycotted in the colonies, Revere and others organized protests that prevented British ships in Boston from unloading their tea. What role Revere played in the Boston Tea Party that followed, where that same tea was dumped into the harbor, was never made clear.

In response to the Boston Tea Party, which caused nearly $3 million in damages (in 2026 dollars), the British decided to punish the entire city and increase the military presence. By 1774, the new military governor of Massachusetts, Gen. Thomas Gage, had effectively placed Boston under martial law and closed the port. Colonists soon formed the Massachusetts Provincial Congress in response and organized the Committee of Public Safety to speak out against the British and organize the people.

On the night of April 18, 1775, Revere and others received word that the British were going to seize the weapons and gunpowder at the colonial supply depot in Concord, about 20 miles west of Boston. Revere and William Dawes quickly rode out of the city to warn the Minutemen and residents of the approach of the British. They were soon joined by Dr. Samuel Prescott. Late in the night, the three were stopped by a British patrol. Revere was captured. After questioning, he was released. But the word was already out and spreading rapidly. The next morning, April 19, Minutemen confronted the British at Lexington, where the British opened fire on them. Other militia units had secured the weapons and gunpowder and Concord and repelled the British, the opening shots of the American Revolution.

Revere’s ride was memorialized in 1861 with the famous poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a famed poet and fellow Massachusetts resident.

In the months afterward, he hid out away from Boston. In late 1775, Revere began a gunpowder factory in Massachusetts which became critical for the war effort in Massachusetts.

After the recapture of Boston in March 1776, Revere returned to the city and volunteered for service. He was appointed as a major in April and spent most of his time in the artillery. His primary assignment was at Castle William overseeing Boston Harbor to prevent the British fleet from returning to challenge the Americans again.

In 1778, Revere served in an expedition with French troops to retake nearby Newport, Rhode Island, from the British. When the French fleet was kept away by storms, the expedition was halted. The next year, the British attempted to establish a base in Penobscot Bay, north of Boston. Revere and other Massachusetts units were sent to force the British out of the area, but the effort quickly fell apart because of poor coordination, lack of American naval support, and reinforcements from the British.

Revere faced sharp criticisms for delays in his actions. In 1782, after requesting a full court martial, Revere was fully exonerated.

He concentrated on his business after the war. With the help of his son Joseph, he founded Revere Copper Company, a company now based in New York and marking 225 years in business.

Revere remained active in local politics and in the Freemasons for the rest of his days. He died quietly at his home in 1818 at age 83. In the decades since, many schools, streets, and cities were named in his honor. To this day, he is still admired for his legendary ride on that spring night in 1775.

It’s that time of year! All the fresh veggies coming off and what a joy it is to have food to nourish our bodies without buying it at a grocery store. For my household, it brings peace knowing we live in a rural area filled with so many families who grow their own produce. One vegetable that grows in abundance is squash. We didn’t plant any this year, but I’ve had neighbors and friends offer squash to us, so we won’t go without. Let me share with you how to make a delicious, comforting squash casserole.

Ingredients:

4 to 6 cups of yellow squash cut into slices 1 sweet onion, diced 1 ½ cups Ritz crackers or corn flakes, crushed 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese Kinder’s roasted vegetable seasoning Salt and pepper, heavy on the pepper Garlic powder 1 cup milk ¼ cup melted butter 1 large egg, beaten ½ cup sour cream Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet, you want to lightly cook the squash and onion together until the squash releases most of the water and the onions become soft, but not mushy. In a large bowl, combine the squash and onions, ½ cup of the cheese, seasonings, milk, sour cream, butter, and egg. Fold together until blended and spread in a 9x13 sprayed baking dish. With the rest of the butter, mix the crushed crackers or corn flakes together and sprinkle on top of the casserole. Then top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, until bubbly.

Pair this sweet, savory dish with anything you wish! You won’t be sorry.

ENJOY!

The work we do as Members of Congress shouldn’t be about how many views we can get online; it should be about how we can work together to deliver real, tangible wins for the American people by restoring broken systems that no longer function the way they were intended.

Since being elected to Congress, I came to Washington ready to craft commonsense, conservative legislation. That’s why I’m proud to reintroduce the Fair Care Act, legislation that combines over 75 bipartisan proposals that expand insurance and health care options, protect those with preexisting conditions, lower costs, and increase the number of insured Americans.

It is time to create an accessible, functioning health care system. Americans are paying $5 trillion annually for health care plans that barely even work. And with an industry that consumes 18% (and rising) of our GDP, we cannot afford to let partisan politics stand in the way of common sense and quality care.

Here’s how the Fair Care Act works: It modernizes Health Savings Accounts.

Most Americans end up losing hundreds of dollars annually in unused FSA funds due to use-it-or-loseit rules. The Fair Care Act merges these health care accounts into one simple Health Savings Account (HSA) to eliminate waste. That means that anyone with Medicare, Medicaid, employer plans, or individual plans would qualify.

With this modernization, your pre-tax money could be used for prescription costs, doctor visits, premiums, and more. And with more flexibility, employees would have the freedom to use their HSA funds to buy their own insurance, detaching health insurance from employment.

Preexisting conditions are known to send rates into the stratosphere. But the Fair Care Act fixes that and even provides greater options for short-term coverage if you can’t commit to something more long-term. And with the ability for small businesses or individuals to join together for group discounts and rates, Americans have more say in the plans they pay into.

It promotes price transparency and competition.

Rising health care costs are ultimately the result of the consolidation and vertical integration – or monopolies – within the hospital, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries. The Fair Care Act tackles these monopolies to create a more competitive market that ultimately drives down the cost of drugs and health care services.

It creates reforms to Medicare and Medicaid.

Medicare and Medicaid must function in the way they were intended to prevent waste and abuse of a system that is no longer functioning in the way it was intended. The Fair Care Act reforms Medicaid by offering greater help for those who may not qualify for the program but still struggle to afford insurance and allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices and compare insurance plans so senior citizens can get tailored care instead of getting stuck in a one-sizefits- all system.

For rural areas across the Fourth District, we rely heavily on telehealth to act as a lifeline when emergency care is too far away. The Fair Care Act makes COVIDera telehealth expansions permanent so rural residents can have more reliable access to primary care and emergency services.

I truly believe it is possible to come to a bipartisan agreement on a longlasting health care bill that lowers costs and provides all Americans with the opportunity to have access to quality health care. By taking politics out of the equation, the Fair Care Act is a step in the right direction, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come to a solution that focuses on the patients’ needs over Washington’s political agenda.

M INUTE

The early 1800s brought rapid changes across the frontier. Farms, communities, schools, and churches were established. Some thrived while others faltered. One of the leaders in these efforts was Rev. Cephas Washburn, a New England transplant who founded one of the first schools and the first Presbyterian mission in the Arkansas Territory.

Cephas Washburn was born in Vermont in 1793. He spent most of his early life working on his father’s farm. A serious injury at a young age limited his abilities on the farm, so he turned his energies to education.

He attended both the University of Vermont and the Andover Theological Seminary in Connecticut. Washburn was formally ordained in January 1818. Not long afterward, he was assigned to a Presbyterian mission to the Cherokees in eastern Tennessee.

Many of the Cherokees had already seen the writing on the wall and knew that their time in the Appalachians was limited. By the 1810s, many were already moving West, settling in what is now western Arkansas and portions of eastern Oklahoma.

As many Cherokees moved west, Washburn moved with them, arriving in Arkansas in 1819. A number of Cherokee leaders requested that the Presbyterian Church establish a mission school, and the church directed Washburn to do so. Washburn dutifully founded the Dwight Mission School near what is now Russellville in August 1820, naming the school after Rev. Timothy Dwight, a respected minister and president of Yale College and a founder of Washburn’s alma mater, Andover Seminary. In the process of founding the mission school, Washburn founded the first Protestant school in Arkansas, even ahead of the territorial capital then at Arkansas Post. In 1821, Washburn also delivered the first Presbyterian sermon in Little Rock.

Though many of these missionary schools provided as satisfactory an education as could be found on the frontier of that period, the tribes learned that the price was often that of their language and their heritage. Many of these schools shunned tribal beliefs and shamed any attempt to speak any language except English. Though Cherokee culture was not a part of the curriculum, the Dwight Mission School was an exception in many ways. Washburn treated Cherokee culture and the people with a respect rarely seen in the early nineteenth century as he worked with the Cherokee community and defended Cherokee claims to the area.

While the school was relatively successful with the education of the children, their parents remained wary of the school’s intentions and attempts to convert their children to Christianity. Nevertheless, they continued to send their children to the school. Washburn actively worked to ease their misgivings and learned all that he could about the Cherokees while recording his findings.

By 1824, the school had expanded to a campus of two dozen buildings, offering lessons in skilled trades as well as math, reading, and writing. However, events continued to turn against the Cherokees, and the tribe had to move again as pressures by settlers and government authorities grew. The mission relocated to an area near Sallisaw, Oklahoma, in 1829, as the Cherokees’ time in Arkansas neared an end.

In 1831, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, forcing all remaining Native American tribes in the Southeast to move to the new Indian Territory (modern-day Oklahoma), which was created by splitting the Arkansas Territory in half. The eastern band of Cherokees attempted to fight removal in federal court, even getting the Supreme Court to agree in the case Worcester v. Georgia in 1833 that the tribes had a legal right to their lands through treaties with the federal government. Congress and President Andrew Jackson ignored the ruling and forced the tribes out, initiating what became known as the Trail of Tears. The remaining tribes in Arkansas were also stripped of their territories. By 1835, all the Native American tribes had been pushed out of Arkansas.

He continued to work with the tribe until 1850. At that point, he began serving as the preacher at First Presbyterian Church in Fort Smith. He held this position for six years as the community and church grew.

Washburn was active up to his final days. In early 1860, he began a long trip across the state for a church meeting in Helena. The long journey in the unforgiving elements of late winter were too much for a man just shy of 67. He contracted pneumonia and was forced to stop in Little Rock. He died in Little Rock on March 17. A historical marker today sits at the site of the first school near Lake Dardanelle. The mission school he founded continued to operate off-and-on until 1949 and continues today as a museum and Presbyterian summer camp. Nine years after his death, Washburn’s memoirs of his years with the Cherokees, Reminiscences of the Indians, were published. The record of the missionaries was mixed, but the efforts of Washburn helped give valuable insights into the Cherokee community of the time and the early settlement of the Arkansas Territory.