Tess Vrbin

1 week ago | arkansasadvocate.com | Tess Vrbin

The Arkansas Board of Corrections on Thursday tentatively approved a $57 million contract with two architectural engineering firms chosen in April to design a planned 3,000-bed prison on 815 acres of land in Franklin County. The board agreed to meet and discuss the contract again sometime before June 10 in case members had any qualms about it being on the agenda of the legislative subcommittee responsible for further approving it. Gov.

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Tess Vrbin

Members of the Arkansas Board of Corrections attend a meeting at the North Little Rock headquarters on Feb. 12, 2025. Left to right: Lona McCastlain, William "Dubs" Byers, Chairman Benny Magness, Lee Watson, Brandon Tollett, Grant Hodges. Board member Alonza Jiles attended remotely.

1 week ago | arkansasadvocate.com | Tess Vrbin

Arkansas lawmakers expressed frustration Wednesday that the state’s foster care workforce continues to be understaffed and have a backlog of cases. The number of children in foster care statewide dropped by 169 — from 3,553 to 3,384 — between July 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025, according to the most recent quarterly report from the Department of Human Services’ Division of Children and Family Services.

1 week ago | newsfromthestates.com | Tess Vrbin

Arkansas lawmakers expressed frustration Wednesday that the state’s foster care workforce continues to be understaffed and have a backlog of cases. The number of children in foster care statewide dropped by 169 — from 3,553 to 3,384 — between July 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025, according to the most recent quarterly report from the Department of Human Services’ Division of Children and Family Services.

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Tess Vrbin

Tiffany Wright, director of the Arkansas Department of Human Services’ Division of Children and Family Services, presents the division's quarterly report on Arkansas' foster care system to the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, and Legislative Affairs on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate)Arkansas lawmakers expressed frustration Wednesday that the state’s foster care workforce continues to be understaffed and have a backlog of cases.