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By Andrew DeMillo | Editor-in-Chief

Good morning, Advocate readers! Saline County has reached a settlement with a librarian who was fired after speaking out against efforts to restrict access to books. And Arkansas has awarded more federal funds that are intended to boost rural health in the state. You can find more Arkansas government and politics news on the Advocate site here.

Patty Hector, director of the Saline County Library, listens during public comment on a resolution that would restrict children’s access to books that contain “sexual content or imagery” at a Monday, April 17, 2023, meeting of the county Quorum Court. The court adopted the resolution. At left is Leigh Espey, library manager. Hector was fired Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, and Espey appointed as interim library director. (Photo by John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate)

Patty Hector, director of the Saline County Library, listens during public comment on a resolution that would restrict children’s access to books that contain “sexual content or imagery” at a Monday, April 17, 2023, meeting of the county Quorum Court. (Photo by John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate)

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Arkansas librarian fired after opposing book ban efforts to receive $275K in settlement

By Tess Vrbin

A central Arkansas county agreed this week to pay $275,000 to the former library director who was fired after speaking against local conservatives’ push to limit children’s access to books.

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A man who currently doesn’t have dental insurance has his blood pressure checked at a mobile dental and medical clinic in August in Terre Haute, Ind. States have submitted grant applications to the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, showing a variety of priorities from rural workforce development to technological advancements. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

A man who currently doesn’t have dental insurance has his blood pressure checked at a mobile dental and medical clinic in August in Terre Haute, Ind. States have submitted grant applications to the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, showing a variety of priorities from rural workforce development to technological advancements. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Arkansas awards nearly $150 million in rural health program funding

By Antoinette Grajeda

Arkansas awarded $149.3 million in federal funding to 50 projects to support rural healthcare efforts statewide, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Thursday. 

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Image of prescription drugs on shelves in a pharmacy (Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Appeals court says Arkansas can enforce dispensing fee rule on PBMs

By Andrew DeMillo

Federal law doesn’t prevent Arkansas from enforcing a rule requiring pharmacy benefit managers to include dispensing fees in their reimbursements to pharmacies for prescription drugs, an appeals court has ruled.

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