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Family Council Files Amicus in 8th Circuit — Plus Petition Problems, Marijuana Mayhem, Editing Embryos, and More

Jul 31, 2026Jerry CoxCurrent EventsCurrent Events, Update, Weekly Rewind

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Here’s a quick recap of the week’s top stories from Family Council and our friends:

From Family Council

Family Council Files Amicus Brief Defending Ten Commandments Monument in Federal Court. On Wednesday, attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom representing Family Council filed an amicus brief in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals defending Arkansas’ monument of the Ten Commandments. The amicus brief identifies a basic flaw in the lawsuit against the monument, and it points out how the district court in Little Rock went against U.S. Supreme Court precedent when it ruled that anti-religion activists could demand religion be scrubbed from the public square. Keep Reading.

Secretary of State Says Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment Fails to Qualify for Ballot, Cites “Potential Signature Forgery” on Petitions. On Thursday, Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester announced the Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment failed to qualify for the November ballot, citing examples of “potential signature forgery” and other shortcomings on the amendment’s petitions. Keep Reading.

8th Circuit Panel Says Arkansas Can Protect Kids from Inappropriate Material in Public Libraries. On Thursday, a three-judge panel from the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Arkansas can enforce a law protecting children from inappropriate material in public libraries. Keep Reading.

Report Reminds Us Marijuana is Anything But “Harmless” On July 1, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) published a report showing that cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) “has increased more than 500% since 2016.” The AAMC says in some cases CHS can cause seizures, heart rhythm problems, and kidney failure, and it can even be fatal. Keep Reading.

Illicit Marijuana Still Plagues Oklahoma Despite Lax Laws. Nationwide, marijuana’s supporters have claimed legalization would reduce crime by weakening organized crime, and today marijuana is legal to varying degrees in many states. But evidence shows legalization has actually emboldened drug cartels. Keep Reading.

Beyond Crispr: Recreating Man with Genetic Editing. Recently, the New York Times reported that scientists at Columbia University have used a new technology called “base editing” to alter the DNA of early human embryos with unprecedented accuracy. Keep Reading.

From Our Friends

No Ballot for Voters Who Bet on Elections With Kalshi, Wisconsin Warns. From Daily Citizen.

University of Minnesota Unveils Dolls With Mix-and-Match Genitalia for Children. From Daily Citizen.

Pro-Life Group’s Van is Vandalized a Second Time. From LifeNews.

No, Islam is Not Kind to Christians. From Breakpoint.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

Arkansas Continues to Put Its Money Where Its Moms Are — Plus More Stories From This Week

Jul 24, 2026Jerry CoxCurrent EventsCurrent Events, Update

Arkansas Gave $1.7M+ to Pregnancy Resource Centers in FY 2026. Arkansas’ financial records show the State awarded a total of $1,735,585 in grants to more than three dozen different pregnancy help organizations before the 2026 fiscal year ended on June 30. Keep Reading.

Women and Children Deserve Better than Mail-Order Abortion. Our friends at the Center for Christian Virtue recently released a video highlighting the dangers of mail-order abortion drugs — and what Americans can do to stop them. Keep Reading.

Here’s a Look at How Arkansas’ Laws Properly Safeguard Religious Liberty. One of the questions that comes up about religious liberty is how to protect the free exercise of religion without letting someone use that freedom to commit crimes or harm innocent people. Arkansas has at least two laws that navigate that issue very well. Keep Reading.

Nearly One in Four Likely Voters “Not at All Concerned” About Socialist Candidates Getting Elected to Congress. Rasmussen reports half of likely voters in the U.S. are concerned about socialist candidates becoming members of Congress next year. Nearly one in three (32%) told Rasmussen that they are actually “very concerned.” However, 23% of likely voters told Rasmussen they are “not at all concerned.” Keep Reading.

Grant Funding Pushes for Better Research on Dangers of Sports Gambling. CNBC reports billionaires John and Laura Arnold are offering more than $2 million in research grants to universities to study the risks of online sports betting. Keep Reading.

Arkansas State Police Seize More Marijuana from Out-of-State. On July 15, Arkansas State Police seized 150 pounds of illegal marijuana during a routine traffic stop on I-40 near Van Buren. The driver — who was taken into custody — reportedly was travelling from California to White Hall, Arkansas. The incident underscores how marijuana’s legalization in other states is actually fueling the black market. Keep Reading.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

From Abortion By Mail to EFA Hearings to Gambling Legislation, Here’s a Look Back at the Week

Jun 12, 2026Jerry CoxCurrent EventsCurrent Events, Update, Weekly Rewind

Here’s a quick recap of the week’s top stories from Family Council and our friends:

From Family Council

💊 Family Council Launches Grassroots Effort Urging Trump Administration to End Mail-Order Abortion Drugs. On Thursday, Family Council launched a grassroots effort calling on the Trump administration and members of Congress to end former President Joe Biden’s dangerous mail-order abortion policies and restore the in-person doctor’s visit requirement that must be met before a woman can obtain chemical abortion drugs. Keep Reading.

🏛️ Lawmakers to Hold Hearing on EFA Rules Monday. Lawmakers on the Administrative Rules Subcommittee will hold a hearing to discuss new Educational Freedom Account rules in Little Rock this Monday, June 15. The meeting will be open to the public, and homeschoolers may have an opportunity to testify at the meeting. Keep Reading.

📜 Here is an Overview of Some of the Concerns Homeschoolers Have Raised About New EFA Rules. Since late last year, homeschoolers have expressed concerns about the new rules again and again to the Department of Education and other policymakers. Here are a few examples of the concerns that homeschoolers, our organization, and others have raised about the rules. Keep Reading.

💍 Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Declares June “Fidelity Month.” Learn More.

💵 Congressmen Introduce Bipartisan Proposal to Investigate Harm Caused by Sports Betting. Last week, Congressmen Blake Moore (R-UT) and Dan Goldman (D-NY) introduced the bipartisan Gambling Disorder Health Study Act. The proposal would direct the federal government to conduct a comprehensive, long-term investigation into gambling disorder and evaluate “prevention, treatment, and intervention strategies.” Keep Reading.

🪝 Children, Teens Getting Hooked on Gambling. Researchers and news outlets are sounding the alarm over concerns about kids getting hooked on sports betting. Keep Reading.

🧠 Study Shows Marijuana May Interfere with Adolescent Brain Development. In a study published by the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, researchers from Bradley Hospital in Rhode Island found marijuana use during adolescence is linked to differences in brain regions related to motivation and reward. Experts say the brain is more sensitive to the effects of marijuana during teenage development, which raises serious concerns about the long term effects of using marijuana during adolescence. Keep Reading.

🏆 Biological Male Wins Girls Shot Put Championship in West Virginia. A biological male recently won first place in the girls shot put at a West Virginia state track and field championship — beating the second-place finisher by more than two feet. Keep Reading.

📉 Why is Support for Same-Sex Marriage and Other Pro-LGBT Issues Falling? For years, survey data indicated a growing share of Americans were pro-LGBT and supported same-sex marriage. That trend seemed to culminate in 2015 when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned state marriage laws nationwide with its Obergefell v. Hodges decision. But since 2024, polling data has showed a drop in support for same-sex marriage. Keep Reading.

🏫 LifeWise Academy Expands Rapidly Across Arkansas in 2025-26 School Year, Serving Hundreds of Students. In Arkansas, LifeWise currently serves approximately 1,260 students with 12 live programs in 16 schools, reflecting significant year-over-year growth as more families see the significant benefits of released time religious instruction. Keep Reading.

💉 Guest Column: The Slippery Slope Keeps Slipping. Back in April, a reckless assisted suicide bill looked like it was going to pass and be made British law. Instead, it was shut down by the House of Lords. Then, in May, the Irish parliament rejected an expanded abortion bill by a vote of 85-30. On this side of the Atlantic, things are headed in the opposite direction. Keep Reading.

🧱 President Reagan: “Tear Down This Wall.” On June 12, 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan visited the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin. There he famously delivered a speech calling on Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” Watch the Video.