Second, support for Arkansas Week provided by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

The Arkansas Times and KUARFM 89.

Hi everybody, thank you for joining me for this episode of Arkansas Week.

I'm Donna Tyrell.

We've had multiple developments this week on several fronts on the business vaccine mandate.

Along with the debate on medical freedom.

But we're going to start with redistricting.

There is a redistricting bill on the governor's desk as of Friday morning that, among other things, splits Pulaski County among three districts.

Joining me now is Republican State Senator Trent Garner, who represents.

District 27 in southern Arkansas and Democrats.

Senator Joyce Elliott, who represents District 31, which is part of Little Rock and Pulaski County.

Of course, I want to thank you both for being here with me.

Let's get right into this.

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reports this morning that.

This bill removes 21,000 black voters out of the second district in Pulaski County.

I guess I'll start with you, Senator Elliot.

Your thoughts about that.

Well, one of the things we want to do from census count to census count.

That's ten years we wanted to do better and we are not doing better with the present map when it comes to looking at our communities of interest.

As far as racial interest is concerned and it's it's very disappointing that we have actually lowered the number of African Americans, Hispanics and Asians who are in this district, it is absolutely legal.

And something we should expect to have happen that we look at communities of interests across many interests.

And race is one of them.

And we had several maps that did not divide Pulaski County or any other county for that matter.

And there seems to be no reason that we are giving it up for less county other than political.

If there are reasons other than that, that really makes sense, that's fine.

I would understand that, but right now it is not something that has to happen.

It's just a choice that has been made.

Senator Garner, your thoughts.

Yes, ma'am.

I've been involved with this process for last month and a half as vice chair of the state agents committees.

Well, I gotta say the center Elias points is those maps that didn't split up Lassie County or had different kind of ways to draw the district.

Whenever those maps were presenting out there, we heard from strong negatives from people who are still impacted by that.

Either hell is unnaturally drawing the districts or how it was changing, how the districts already been set up.

A plastic county is a natural point.

If you're going to break up a county to do so.

One, it's in the center of the state, so it gets.

Something that every district could easily access.

Two, it's one of our most populous counties, and those populations as well as we can predict or continue to grow in places like the 4th district which I live in lost 40,000 people since the last sentence is so taken in Pulaski County in the fourth will allow it to lose less population and get back to that one person.

One vote that is so important you can't stop population growth from happening or not happening in other places, but allowing Class county which is in the center of the state which geographically we all are.

Very similarly located through Plastic County and it has that population growth moving forward.

I think it's the natural choice and I think this map produces the best outcome that we could come up with.

All those other considerations also being on the table and and Senator Elliot when you put it in those terms, it makes perfect sense, does it not?

It does it.

It will make perfect sense if there was a reason to have to break up Pulaski County and to break up any any county.

What people need to understand.

When I said it was a choice.

It was a choice that was made that did not have to be made.

We could accomplish the very same outcome that Senator Gardner was talking about without doing anything at all to Pulaski County.

And in fact there were eleven maps introduced that did not do that.

It makes sense if this is what you're hell bent on doing.

That's the part that does not that that does not make sense.

There was no reason to have to withdraw a map that broke up Pulaski County for us to accomplish what we were doing.

And there were certainly not a good reason to impact.

The African American and other minority communities the way we did that was a choice.

There are other parts of this county that we could have broken up, or we could have just left it alone because what you're doing is balancing.

Do you break up Kuleski County just because she wants to?

And let's just save you too.

Do you have to go after the minority groups, even to break up the county because part of the guidance that we had that you respect communities of interest, there is no respect for cute communities of interest when it came to minority groups in Pulaski County.

We just broke them up and now any power that group has in this county has been diluted, which I think is a point of the break up.

It's it's been heavily diluted and you know, I I read also.

And I believe Senator Elliot, it was a quote from you.

That said, this would prevent.

The state of Arkansas from ever sending a person of color, specifically black person to Congress.

Senator garner.

Do you agree with that?

Absolutely not.

I mean look at the Republican Party, which is the dominant party right now.

We have great candidates running statewide.

We had people running for state Rep in state center last time where people of color.

We encourage that, and then I'll be.

I supported people who are people of color.

The part problem is is we are a Republican state, heavily red and that those people who are run haven't won yet.

But there's nothing stopping any person from running in these districts go back to center Elliott's point if you look at the decision and break up Plastic County, which I've explained in detail why I think that's important.

When you do that, the only way you can reach the 4th district in the first district is if you come from the South or the east corner of Plastic County.

It's impossible to go around to lean into others, so those communities weren't selected because of any kind of demographic issue.

It was just geographically in order to add them to the 4th and the first, you had to come from the South of the East, which is those where those communities are located.

I can tell you from my discussions with my colleagues the issue of race and does not come up whenever we're trying to divide.

These is what makes sense geographically.

What makes sense moving forward?

What keeps?

Progression.

And I'll give you another counter to center Elias point, if I'm a really quick.

You know, she talks about these eleven maps that did not split up counties that was existed.

The problem is when you put them out there, people would be very upset by some of the places they removed.

It would unnaturally change up the districts from what they are now too.

Otherwise shifting his whole communities out from one district to another in a much broader scale we would hear from that maps, for example, Senator Ellie had a map that took a large part of our African American population, is stuck in one district and I think.

Frankly dilutes the other districts.

I'm happy to live in the four shift for happy that we have people of color in this district and that can be represented.

And they have a voice and I think that's good for the state.

Whenever we have as many if I'm under community as possible within the legal bounds in those different districts, I think that's a smart choice.

And I'm proud to be in a district with a diverse community here in the 4th district.

Donna, I need to correct something 'cause I was not the person who said there were never be a person elected.

What I have brought to the attention of our colleagues.

Is that Arkansas is the only one of the old Confederate states that has never elected a person of color to represent us in Washington.

This does make it more difficult, I think, which I think is probably part of the point.

And as far as the maps that the map that I had then that I was doing was following the guidance and making sure that minority groups were put together to have more power, not diluting them so that they would not.

If static Garner thinks that those 11.

Maps, none of them were good enough.

There was never discussion to it in any way to suggest.

Here are the things that are wrong with this map.

Here's why we don't want them.

They were discussed in a committee, but when it came to being serious about the maps that we were going to consider, not one of those maps was considered so.

That's all well and good, but the point I want people to understand, and ten states where we have elected a person of color that was a choice that was made by the legislators in those states, our state has not made that choice.

So of course you're gonna have all kinds of reasons why you decided to do what you what you did, but you could have made the choice otherwise, and we have fewer people, fewer minority.

The numbers of the minority groups now are fewer than they were.

In 2011, that's not progress.

Senator garner.

Yes, ma'am, I was.

I just strongly just respectfully disagree with Centralia.

I've looked at those Confederate states she's talking about, and the population of African Americans in those states is so much significantly higher than Arkansas.

Take over our neighbors in Tennessee, which has a majority minority district drawn.

There are more African Americans in that one Congressional District.

Then there is the whole state of Arkansas.

So at some point it comes over reality.

What's your actual numbers are?

I can tell you that nobody trying to dilute or change the racial background background of these districts.

But at some point there comes a reality that.

A minority of people of African American is going to be put in districts.

I think having them in different districts like it's located now.

It allows the diversity community in different districts in different parts of our state.

Like I said, I'm in the 4th district.

We have a strong African American population in South Arkansas.

I'm proud of that.

I represent them in my Senate district and I think breaking up Pulaski County allows them to be diverse in other ways as well.

And like I go back to my original point, Pulaski County is a geographical center of the state is our capital city so different district.

But everything sounds like Garner just said and I hope you can hear me.

So he needs to reboot this everything.

Senator Gardner just said is an argument for being more deliberate about making sure we're paying attention to the geography.

But we're also paying attention to the the demographics of the minority populations in our state.

OK, if we are fewer in number.

If we know we're not very deliberate about making sure that in some way minority groups have an opportunity to at least have a a a more impactful.

An impact or opportunity to elect somebody who is a minority.

OK, you can't do it by diluting them, OK?

And you know, and I'm just going to say this, this is something that the two of you are not going to agree on, and I think a lot of people understand when you put Republicans and Democrats together, you typically disagree, so we're going to leave it at that.

And and Senator Garner after apologized because your video did freeze there just for a second.

But I think we got the gist of what you were saying, so let's transition to the conversation of medical freedoms.

How much say should the government have on our lives?

When it comes to personal choice and medical freedom, two rallies were held last week.

The Medical Freedom Rally and Arkansas for Reproductive Freedom Rally to support their causes.

So let's hear what some people are saying about this.

No, my side effects my own medicine and I do not want to take it and seizures.

Status I've seen some weird stuff.

Attack.

A lady had inflicted shop hospitalise.

There's all kinds of things.

I mean, I could go on and on.

You know who do you believe?

Basically you gotta fend for yourself right now and I don't think that the vaccines that are being mandated or appropriate for the people at this time.

There's not enough research on it.

Dance for it to actually fought what the COVID it's not.

There's not enough evidence for it to fight COVID.

It's hurting more than it is doing good.

When I think about reproductive freedom, you know to legislate my uterus to legislate any organ in my body really disturbs me to me.

At what point does democracy turn into dictatorship?

It's a woman's choice whether or not she should have a choice.

Whether or not to have a child and and the way the the government is going, they're going to take away.

A woman's choice, and even in cases of rape and incest, and it's just wrong.

It's wrong.

And women there are a lot of instances why a woman would get an abortion or anyone get abortion.

That's more important.

A woman who's already living is more important.

Well, I tell you what talk about difference of opinion when you look at vaccines.

Government wants us to have a choice.

When you look at reproductive health, no choice.

Senator Garner your thoughts.

Yes, ma'am, let's make a clear distinction between a health care choice and what abortion is.

Abortion is not healthcare choice.

In 99.9% of the situation, it is the destruction of the most innocent life on Earth.

Adam protections to that to make sure those people are allowed to live to live a free and just life.

I think it's a completely different subject, and discussing whether the government or business can force you to put something in your body like a vaccine.

So I would just strongly push back to those two issues are related.

I know it's a good talking point to try to make it out, but to me.

It's such a fundamental issue that destroying an innocent life is not health care.

It's not a choice that should be allowed because it is the number one function of government is protecting innocent life and abortion.

Unfortunately, the stories that and and I understand that argument.

There are other people that say that if you are not fully Vaxxed then there's a possibility that you could kill someone because you could spread COVID to a vulnerable person.

Senator Elliot.

Your thoughts probably fall in line with that.

Yeah they do because you know it is very personal.

Maybe taking a vaccine or carrying a child to turn, but there is a very huge difference now.

The government has a responsibility when we talk about the common good to make sure that the government is trying to do what it needs to get to that, so that we're all safe.

If if a woman is pregnant, you know and decides to have an abortion that is, that is something that is a hard sport for that person to decide.

But no matter what that person decides, it is not something that's contagious.

That is going to cause a disease that might wipe out.

You know millions of people.

Both of those choices, I would assume a very, very difficult choices because for a woman to have to make that decision and have the government decide.

No, I know more about what should happen with your uterus.

I know more about your circumstances, but because the reason somebody might have an abortion are very fair.

The sole reason for taking a vaccination is to make sure you're safe and others are safe.

One of these is a contagious disease, the other is not.

Yeah, and I read I respect the thoughts that people had, but for years and years we have been following laws for the common good.

I don't get to drive as fast as I want to.

I don't get to decide, I'm just gonna run through a stop sign because it's my personal right.

You know, I I don't get.

I didn't get to be a teacher, for example without taking a tuberculosis test just because I didn't want to take it because it was for the common good of my students.

And so it's it's difficult and why the things we have to face as legislators and difficult decisions and make distinctions in situations like this and these.

These are not equivalent situations.

OK, I I need to give Senator garner a chance to talk here.

Senator Gardner.

Americans have been taking vaccines for a very long time.

This one comes along and it seems to be centered around politics.

It seems it appears more Republicans refused to take the vaccine than Democrats and this started from the last.

A presidential administration.

Yes, ma'am will go one center points.

I would disagree that abortion doesn't kill a lot of people.

It killed millions of babies last 40 years since Roe V Wade, but back to your original point.

The reason why this is political is very simple.

You have the Joe Biden administration and other governments forcing this decision on people by definition only when you have the government forcing the decision on people you entered the realm of politics.

'cause in America, that's how we make decisions on how government works.

And I can tell you this, there have been many cases of people decided not to take the vaccine and.

And feel like that's a personal medical choice, and while it's very rare, there are cases of people having severe reactions up the debt.

The 37 year old woman died last week with a kid, a child at five and three exact same age as me with a child the same age as mine.

She died from taking a back seat.

Now admittedly, that's very rare, but it's the reality is is he's vaccines are relatively new, and if you want to go back to our history of vaccination, there have been multiple examples of people are not being mandated and having problems with it.

For example, the original polo virus came out in 1955.

In the first pilot case that came out actually sent on an active part of the virus that infected seven children with polio, they had to shut that vaccine down for years to kind of rebuild up public trust before they did the vaccine.

Again, we have multiple examples of our history of vaccines coming through a more natural process and having corner kind of back and forth before their mandated like we do today.

In many cases in Arkansas.

COVID-19 is a relatively new viruses or as what we have it was came out of Wuhan, China and now we know that this is something that could be more permanent in our society.

So the vaccine choice is something that people right now should have the ability to make and the government nor company she want to force that on them, especially with some of the side effects that are possible.

Rare, admittedly but still very possible.

Well, you know what we could go on and on with this clearly, but we have run out of time.

I want to thank both of you, Senator Garner, as well as Senator Elliot.

Thank you so much for spending the time with me.

Today and for the rest of you, stay tuned for good roots with Lauren McCullough.

I'm Lauren McCullough and this is good.

Roots come along with us to birdeye farms where we meet with Smith, a young entrepreneur and an organic farmer.

Encouraging new and upcoming farmers can oftentimes be a challenge, but not here.

At Birdeye Farms, where Whit Smith is carving his own path in the industry.

Then get your foot right here and then 321 right now looking to balancing act OK. Yeah yeah it's kinda it's so take a little bit to get used to.

But yeah 321.

Yep.

My name is Whit Smith and then we are at burdock Farms small farm and in Birdeye, Arkansas.

I AM 16, almost 17.

I started gardening about 12 or 11.

I started getting into like market gardening style, farming when I was about 14.

I grow organically here, which that means for me like no pesticides, so no, not junk that these chemicals and it's like a holistic approach.

You know, you could see how like I leave the grass kind of high just for the insects just to have a place for them to live, which then attributes just the greater ecosystem.

This is part of being organic.

Explain that to me.

Because you want to get as much organic matter into the soil.

Chris healthy of environment in the soil as possible.

So this is sorghum Sudan grass and sun hemp which the sun hits a nitrogen fixer so specific type of bacteria that infects the roots and it essentially works with the plant to take nitrogen out of the air and basically put it in the ground to a form that the plants can use.

I do a lot of greens like lettuce and arugula, mixed greens, cucumbers, summer tomatoes, radishes, carrots, all that good stuff.

Honestly he gets up earlier than anybody.

In the whole house, we've got three kids total.

He cares so much he loves what he does and I think when you find what you're meant to do and what you love to do, it's not work.

I mean, it's, you know it's your passion and he's found his passion.

So this is arugula at this insect netting.

To keep off you know, insects.

In this shake loft just to keep the majority of the heat off just 'cause it's insect netting kind of creates a little greenhouse effect in there.

When did you plant these seeds?

Those look very young.

About a week ago that directed him.

Yep, and when will they be ready 2 1/2 weeks I must say so it why did you choose to grow organically?

I like insects and I like all the little soil, critters and kind of like my way of kind of doing.

Even though it's a small like a small meaningful positive impact on at least my community leaving this land better than I found it.

So what goes into organic?

A lot of work, especially in Arkansas.

We have a lot of insects.

Like I used in signaling and organic pests like like neem oil, stuff like that, yeah, but it makes a big difference.

It does make a big difference.

Just a healthier plant, like actual healthier vegetable or just from the consist oils.

Healthier 'cause you can think of the soil is like it's like a almost like a mega city of sorts.

Just all the different like the protozoa and bacteria are chair and all that good stuff.

Just working in harmony.

You know each one feet and the other and just keeping it in balance just like a real ecosystem.

And so you know I'm leaving that in place and all of that adds to like the nutrients that the plant is going to get.

Yeah, and so I want the best tasting and best quality produce.

So as far as the business side which has a bank account, he's got a charge card and he invested back into the farm.

He's got a fantastic website at spartafarm.com and he's got an online store that you can actually go in and shop.

I mainly just sell through like community supported agriculture, so it's essentially like a weekly veggie box like whatever is fresh on the farm.

I have a farmstand which I sell through that too.

If you had one thing.

To tell young farmers or old farmers for that matter, what would you like to?

What would you like to share with them?

So all in the soil?

It's all in the soil, yes?

One thing I love it and it goes deeper than you may think.

Absolutely.

The next time you're passing through Northeast Arkansas, stop by Birdeye Farms and check out what wits got growing.

Look at these gorgeous xenias I found here at the ASU Regional farmers market.

I think that this one right here may be my favorite.

It reminds me of a Peach or Peach sherbet, okra, tomatoes, so many good things from local farmers.

Let's go.

See what we can find.

Tell us a little bit about your season and how things work around here before the end of the season of the summer season about the transition to a lot of our fall crops, we start in May.

Every year we go to October on Saturdays.

On Tuesdays we run from June to the end of August.

There's always send it again.

Always something to get flowers, tomatoes, tomatoes in August.

And they want it as in April.

If they could get him.

So if anybody has ever had an Arkansas tomato, you want them every month of the year.

If you could have it.

How long have you been here?

We've started this market 15 years ago.

A gentleman named Bob Young and I were kind of put together.

Both of us had to express desires to have farmers markets.

I grew up with my mother dragging me to farmers markets and just loved them, and I've always kind of wanted one here in Jonesboro, and the history has been.

There's been some here for a little bit and then they would move next month to another location.

Find I mean so and so they never had a permanent location, so we kind of forgot several other people together very quickly and started this farmers market and you have some exciting news coming this fall.

We have.

Received a $2.8 million donation from the Judd Hill Foundation and we're going to have in the current degravelle parking lot right now.

A new building.

It will not be quite this size, but it's an indoor outdoor building, multipurpose type building.

We're hoping to break ground soon this fall.

Where do some of your farmers come from?

We say that you can be within the state of Arkansas as long as it is your property.

You're growing it, or if you're 100 miles of Jonesboro, so that's why we have a lot of Peach growers up around.

Campbell, Missouri.

There within that area so we get a lot of good teachers from down through there that is gold that's better than anything you go by the store to say come see us fresh Peaches man I can't wait till middle summers.

You know?

So that fresh Peach is you just bite into yeah juice runs down your mouth yeah best way to eat it that's right.

My bag is full, I think my heart is even fuller.

We had a great day here in Northeast Arkansas visiting the farmers market and the farm.

I hope that you are encouraged and inspired to find a farmers market near you or roadside stand and appreciate the hard work that they put into it and what comes from it for good roots.

I'm Lauren McCullough.

Major funding for good roots is provided by Arkansas Farm Bureau, Arkansas Farm Bureau advocating the interests of Arkansas's largest industry for more than 80 years.

Arkansas counts on agriculture, agriculture counts on Farm Bureau.

Thanks for joining us.

We'll see you next week.

Support for Arkansas Week provided by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

The Arkansas Times and KAR FM 89.