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By Andrew DeMillo | Editor-in-Chief

Good morning, Advocate readers! What happens to the thousands of people on the state’s Medicaid expansion after the Trump administration rejected a request to renew it? State officials sought to address lawmakers’ questions about the program during a legislative hearing Monday. You can find more Arkansas government and politics news on the Advocate site here.

And this week, we’re celebrating the Advocate’s 4th birthday! We wouldn’t be celebrating this milestone without your loyal readership—so here’s to you.

The best birthday gift is a donation to the Advocate. Your support allows us to continue to report on the stories that matter the most to you. Will you join the celebration and support our work today?

Happy birthday, Arkansas Advocate!

Secretary Janet Mann (left) and Division of County Operations Director Mary Franklin (right) of the Arkansas Department of Human Services answer questions from the Arkansas Legislative Council’s Hospital, Medicaid, and Developmental Disabilities Study Subcommittee on Aug. 17, 2026. (Photo by Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate)

Secretary Janet Mann (left) and Division of County Operations Director Mary Franklin (right) of the Arkansas Department of Human Services answer questions from the Arkansas Legislative Council’s Hospital, Medicaid, and Developmental Disabilities Study Subcommittee on Aug. 17, 2026. (Photo by Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate)

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Arkansas officials confident people on Medicaid expansion will retain health coverage

By Tess Vrbin

Arkansas Secretary of Human Services Janet Mann said Monday that she expects the more than 215,000 people on the state’s Medicaid expansion to retain some form of health coverage, despite the Trump administration’s moves to end the hybrid program.

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Several ticks rest on top of a plant. New research suggests that mice, not deer, are closely linked to increases in young ticks, while large acorn crops can help predict higher tick numbers two years later. (Photo courtesy of Robin Moore/Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies)

Several ticks rest on top of a plant. New research suggests that mice, not deer, are closely linked to increases in young ticks, while large acorn crops can help predict higher tick numbers two years later. (Photo courtesy of Robin Moore/Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies)

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Mice may drive Lyme disease more than deer

By Stateline

Researchers at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, a nonprofit environmental research group, found that white-footed mice, not white-tailed deer, are closely linked to the number of young blacklegged ticks, the life stage most likely to infect people with Lyme disease.

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A mother and her son hold hands on a swing set. This year, more state and local leaders are pushing to hold parents accountable for their children’s behavior, particularly when it involves serious criminal offenses. (Photo by Troy Bennett/Maine Morning Star)

A mother and her son hold hands on a swing set. This year, more state and local leaders are pushing to hold parents accountable for their children’s behavior, particularly when it involves serious criminal offenses. (Photo by Troy Bennett/Maine Morning Star)

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Parents are being held responsible for their kids' crimes under new laws

By Stateline

Parents and guardians can have enormous influence over the children in their care, some proponents argue, so holding them accountable could give them another incentive to keep their children in school, enforce rules and steer them away from crime.

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