Dear Friends,
One of the best parts of my job is talking to and hearing from our neighbors and friends in central Arkansas. This week was a busy one – from unveiling my new bill to protect Arkansas’s wilderness to visiting job creators and their hardworking employees to congratulating our awarding the Second Congressional District Congressional Art Competition winner and much more.
I also had the honor of hosting U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson in central Arkansas.
Together, we visited North Little Rock Housing Authority sites at Silver City Courts and the S.E. Bowker House, as well as Little Rock’s Metropolitan Housing Alliance site at Parris Towers. After stopping by the HUD office in Little Rock, we visited Goodwill Industries of Arkansas and Our House, a shelter for the working homeless.
At each of these stops, Dr. Carson and I listened to Arkansans about how we can be partners in ending homelessness and poverty. We talked about how our community organizations are stepping up to provide job skills, help lift people out of poverty, and strengthen families.
Secretary Carson said he was impressed with the exceptional leadership of Goodwill and Our House. In regard to Our House's holistic approach to ending homelessness and returning our cities to self-reliance, independence, and success, Dr. Carson said, "This is the kind of thing we should be supporting,"
Thank you to our hosts and thank you to Dr. Carson for visiting central Arkansas to see why I am proud to represent the Natural State.
Arkansans and visitors, young and old, are looking for unique and authentic outdoor recreation opportunities in the Natural State. Gathered this past week on the top of Flatside Pinnacle with the Nature Conservancy in Arkansas, Ozarks Society, U.S. Forest Service, Department of Arkansas Heritage, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, and others, I had the chance to explain my bill to transfer more than 600 acres of existing National Forest lands next to Forked Mountain into the National Wilderness Preservation System.
A century ago, as America was witnessing rapid urbanization, industrialization, and the closing of the west, our own nation elected to protect its wild places. Today, just as then, Americans need solitude and refreshment from what President Teddy Roosevelt called ‘the strenuous life.’ Our wilderness areas are places left wild and roadless for exploration, camping, hunting, and hiking. Perry County in particular, offers a very special and rare opportunity to support our wildlife and natural resources while also boosting the state’s economy.
I appreciate Hunter Fields great piece in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette about how my bill will expand and amplify what is already great about the Natural State. Click here to read.
I'm so proud of Little Rock Central High School student Heidi Tandiono for winning the Second Congressional District’s Congressional Art Competition. Her piece, "Mirror Image," will be on display in the U.S. Capitol complex for the next year.
It’s always a highlight of my day to walk past the artwork of Arkansas’s students and students from across the nation on my way to vote in the House Chamber. I look forward to seeing Heidi’s piece, representing our district for the countless visitors to our nation’s capital.
On Wednesday, I was on hand for the dedication of the Rattlesnake Ridge Natural Area, joining Governor Asa Hutchinson for the celebration. I'm thankful for the hard work and partnership between the Nature Conservancy in Arkansas, the Department of Arkansas Heritage, the Governor, and the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission to offer residents with another beautiful, untouched piece of nature for recreation. I am grateful for the generosity of the Lee Bodenhamer family for partnering on this 373-acre tract for all Arkansans to enjoy.
For small business week, I stopped by several central Arkansas shops and businesses, including Flag and Banner. Kerry McCoy, who owns this thriving business, showed me around Flag and Banner and what they do on a daily basis. Good to meet her hardworking employees and see their successful operations.
Congratulations to the recipients of my 2018 Educational Award Program. I started this program in 2015 to recognize students in central Arkansas who have demonstrated a commitment to academic achievement and community engagement. Each high school in Pulaski, White, Faulkner, Perry, Conway, Saline, and Van Buren Counties nominate one senior and one junior for this award.
This year, 91 students were honored for their high achievement and work in their community, representing 29 high schools through central Arkansas. I enjoyed spending time with the winners and their families. It’s encouraging to see what young people can accomplish with hard work and dedication. I'm proud of each and every one of these students.
It is a privilege to share these updates with you. Thank you for taking time to keep up with the work I'm doing on your behalf. If I can be any assistance to you or your family, please reach out to my office at (501) 324-5941 or go to my website at hill.house.gov.
Sincerely,
Representative French Hill |
