Prescription drug lawsuits, school takeovers, and your weekend roundup inside
📅 Friday, May 30, 2025
By Free News Arkansas Staff
Good morning, y’all! Whether it’s billion-dollar plans with no budget, Big Pharma middlemen lawyering up, or a school district collapse — we’ve got the Arkansas stories you won’t hear anywhere else.
The Arkansas Board of Corrections just approved a $57 million design contract for a massive new 3,000-bed prison in Franklin County — even though lawmakers haven’t actually funded the prison yet.
The contract goes to HDR, Inc. (based in Omaha) and Cromwell Architects Engineers (Little Rock-based).
Estimated total build cost? $825 million, possibly rising to $1.5 billion.
The board approved the deal with less than 24 hours to review the terms.
They’ll revisit the contract on June 10 to address unanswered questions — and could still pull it.
📍 Meanwhile, local residents in Franklin County are pushing back, and some board members like Lee Watson are questioning the need for a 3,000-bed facility, suggesting the state start with 1,500 beds instead.
Also approved: a $60,000 external classification review of the state’s inmate system by a Florida firm. All of this happened via Zoom, because the Department of Corrections is still hunting down escaped murderer and ex-police chief Grant Hardin.
Two major pharmacy benefit managers — CVS’s Caremark Rx and Cigna’s Express Scripts — are suing the state over Act 624, a new Arkansas law that bans PBMs from owning pharmacies in the state beginning January 1, 2026.
📌 What’s a PBM?
They’re the middlemen in the prescription drug world — negotiating prices, determining coverage, and often owning the pharmacies themselves.
PBM-affiliated pharmacies will have their licenses revoked or non-renewed.
Aims to increase competition and support independent pharmacies.
The lawsuit claims:
Violations of the Dormant Commerce Clause, Equal Protection Clause, and TRICARE federal preemption.
CVS even says it might have to shut down all 23 Arkansas locations.
🗣️ But AG Tim Griffin isn’t backing down:
“PBMs are reaping massive profits at the expense of consumers.”
The FTC agrees — recently releasing a report accusing PBMs of inflating drug prices.
This legal battle could set a national precedent. Nearly 80% of U.S. prescription claims are processed by just three PBMs.
In a surprising move, Democratic leaders from all 50 states held their spring strategy summit in Little Rock, a state that’s about as red as it gets politically.
🧠 The goal? Rebuild from the ground up.
DNC Chair Ken Martin pledged $17,500/month to every state party.
Red states like Arkansas will get an extra $5,000/month to strengthen infrastructure.
Martin’s message was blunt:
“People think we’re weak. Inauthentic. That we don’t fight for them anymore.”
President Jane Kleeb of the Association of State Democratic Committees even floated the possibility of flipping Arkansas’s 2nd Congressional District — which includes Little Rock.
It’s a long shot, but the party says they’re playing the long game now.
The Arkansas State Board of Education unanimously voted to dissolve the Blytheville School Board and classify the district as Level 5–Intensive Support, the state’s most serious intervention.
📉 15% revenue drop projected for FY2025.
💸 $1.5 million in unbudgeted spending.
🧑🏫 5 superintendents since 2018, including multiple interim terms.
Despite progress — including one school jumping from an “F” to a “C” — the state says “chronic underachievement and governance instability” left no choice.
💬 Local reaction was mixed. Some residents like Bradley Ballard said it was long overdue:
“A board too prideful to lead and too fractured to function.”
The district now joins four others under Level 5 status: Earle, Lee County, Helena-West Helena, and Marvell-Elaine.
It’s the last weekend in May — and there’s plenty going on across the Natural State!
🎶 Concerts
Vince Gill – Saturday @ Simmons Bank Arena (North Little Rock)
Wiz Khalifa – Saturday @ The Hall (Little Rock)
🐂 Rodeo
Old Fort Days Rodeo – All weekend in Fort Smith
🎸 Festivals
Eureka Springs Blues Party – Friday–Sunday
BBQ & Music Festival – The Momentary in Bentonville
⚾ Sports
Arkansas Razorbacks take on North Dakota State in the NCAA Regionals (Fayetteville)