Opinion - Newton County Times

Hot dog! Ready for some competitive eating?

Long ago, I learned speed-eating to fit junior high yearbook editing into my lunch break. My first two dates with my wife featured the Bonanza Steakhouse buffet. I’ve gone “plague of … more

By DANNY TYREE | 6/29/25

Zero tolerance summer camp

Dear Mom and Dad, It’s only been a few days since you dropped me off, but you better come get me. I’m writing to you with a pencil I swiped from the office, because the camp director … more

By TOM PURCELL | 6/29/25

Supporting our servicemembers and bolstering military infrastructure

Americans work hard to earn a living, and it is Congress’ duty to safeguard those resources through setting guidelines for spending, taxes, and planning each fiscal year’s federal budget. … more

CONG. BRUCE WESTERMAN Arkansas's Fourth District | 6/29/25

Celebrating a new era of oral health education

Many factors contribute to the ability of Arkansans to live full, healthy lives, with one of the most important being access to quality medical care and treatment from well-trained professionals who … more

By US SEN. JOHN BOOZMAN | 6/29/25

The benefits of presidential uncertainty

t could just be me, but 2025 is starting to look like 1980. If you’re old enough to remember back that far, my father was campaigning against Jimmy Carter and Iran was in the headlines. In … more

By MICHAEL REAGAN | 6/22/25

Veterinarians according to Watson

According to the vet, my dog Watson is a senior, so he now has to get a physical about 256 times a year. I’m not a fan of physicals. I have never been. When the doctor says, “Alex, your … more

By ALEXANDRA PASKHAVER | 6/22/25

Suffering from a kitten shortage?

“Rescue me/ Ah, take me in your arms…” – as performed by Fontella Bass. As luck would have it, exactly two months after seven-year-old Moggie cat had to be euthanized … more

By DANNY TYREE | 6/22/25

Let’s return to comfort food

My favorite summer comfort food is the fried chicken and potato salad dinner my mother made throughout my childhood — one I’ve spent three years trying to reinvent. It turns out I’m … more

By TOM PURCELL | 6/22/25

State Capitol Week in Review

LITTLE ROCK – Due to its growing popularity, legislators allocated an additional $90 million to Educational Freedom Accounts. The chief financial officer of the Education Department said that … more

From SEN. BRYAN B. KING | 6/22/25

A Bicentennial Reflection: Honoring a charge worthy to be remembered

This week marks the 200th anniversary of the only quote which rests in the House of Representatives, just above the Speaker’s rostrum, serving as a weighty reminder of the significant duties … more

From CONG. BRUCE WESTERMAN Arkansas's Fourth District | 6/22/25

State Capitol Week in Review

LITTLE ROCK – Tuition will increase at almost all Arkansas universities and colleges in the fall. The University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees has approved tuition and fees for the … more

From SEN. BRYAN B. KING | 6/15/25

Restoring access to Arkansas campgrounds

Whether you’re camping or floating along the Buffalo National River, fishing for bass on Lake Ouachita, or hiking rugged trails for scenic views at Hawksbill Crag, the state of Arkansas, and … more

By CONG. BRUCE WESTERMAN Arkansas's Fourth District | 6/15/25

Fighting food insecurity

This week, several members of the Arkansas House of Representatives traded their suits for aprons and served meals—not in the Capitol, but at the annual Serving Up Solutions fundraiser. This … more

From REP. STEVEN WALKER 27th District | 6/15/25

Gee. Who could ever have seen this coming?

Every once in a while, way back when I was in high school, two meatheads would agree to fight when classes let out. They were brainless lummoxes, the kind who liked to snap kids’ jockstraps in … more

By DICK POLMAN | 6/15/25

Thanks, Dad

If it weren’t for fathers, children’s Halloween candy stashes would remain undisturbed. Many a bug wouldn’t have ceased to buzz around a child’s room. And we would have a big … more

By ALEXANDRA PASKHAVER | 6/15/25

How women invented the talkshow

The hit sitcom “Hacks,” starring Jean Smart as a talkshow host who breaks the glass ceiling for women, just wrapped its fourth season on Max. As delightful as the series has proved to be, … more

By PETER FUNT | 6/15/25

That water cost how much???

“All day I’ve faced a barren waste/ Without the taste of water/ Cool but over-priced water…” – Apologies to the Sons of the Pioneers. According to the New York Times, … more

By DANNY TYREE | 6/15/25

Father’s Day: Why I still sleep with my window fans

I fell asleep every summer night to the wobbling sound of a window fan — and I still do. I grew up in a modest two-story home typical of the 1960s and 1970s — red brick on the bottom, … more

By TOM PURCELL | 6/15/25

Delivering improved support for farmers

Rural communities in Arkansas and across our country have been facing a bleak picture for years. The problems created by declining populations and aging infrastructure were recently compounded by … more

By US SEN. JOHN BOOZMAN | 6/15/25

Democrats blow $20 million to attract the men they drove away

Yo, Democrats. We know your party is leaderless, idea-less and shrinking faster than Kamala Harris’ speaking fees. We know Donald Trump already stole one of your core voting blocs, … more

By MICHAEL REAGAN | 6/10/25