Catholic Diocese of Little Rock Opposes Abortion Amendment
The diocese is urging all Catholics in Arkansas to decline to sign the abortion amendment petition.
A Growing Problem in the U.S.: Illegal Marijuana Farms With Possible Ties to China, CCP
Illegal marijuana farms with ties to organized crime in America and Asia continue to be a problem in the U.S.
News outlets have reported repeatedly how legalization of marijuana has actually fueled black market operations rather than reducing them — emboldening drug cartels that operate industrial scale marijuana cultivation sites. Some of these marijuana operations are tied to labor trafficking and violent crime.
A recent report by Fox Business highlights national security concerns that some of these illegal marijuana farms may actually have ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
During the Fox Business interview, California’s Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue called legalization “a total failure in California,” saying the state has been inundated with black market marijuana.
This is an ongoing problem — and it seems to be getting worse. A CBS News segment last year highlighted how Chinese investment is driving illegal marijuana production across the U.S., and CBN reported last October that Chinese investors with “suitcases full of cash” are buying U.S. farmland to grow black market marijuana.
These reports come as a proposed marijuana amendment is vying for the 2024 ballot in Arkansas — raising serious questions about what could happen in Arkansas if the state goes the same route as California, Oklahoma, Oregon, and others.
Watch the Fox Business report below to learn more.
Governor Outlines Maternal Health Plan
Last week Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement and signed an executive order outlining a step-by-step plan for improving maternal health in Arkansas.
The plan includes expanded maternal healthcare access in Arkansas, increasing the percentage of women who access prenatal care, and creating a pilot program for improving maternal health in under-served counties.
It’s worth noting that Arkansas provides grant funding to pregnancy health organizations that help fulfill some of the governor’s maternal wellness goals.
As we have written before, many pregnancy resource centers provide everything from ultrasounds and pregnancy tests to prenatal and postnatal resources, medical referrals, and more — typically free of charge.
Last year Gov. Sanders signed Act 622 authorizing $1 million in state-funded grants for pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, adoption agencies, and social services agencies that provide material support to women with unplanned pregnancies.
To date the state has awarded nearly $500,000 to more than two dozen different pregnancy resource centers. The rest of the $1 million in grant funding is expected to be distributed between now and June 30.
Family Council was pleased to support passage of Act 622 last year, and we plan to work for passage of another appropriation measure at the Arkansas Legislature next month.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.