(left) Arkansas State University Chancellor Todd Shields and Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver shake hands during the 2025 Paint the Town Red block party, held in downtown Jonesboro. Cody Slater, vice president of chamber programs, said the event emphasized the importance of A-State’s connection with the Jonesboro community. Photo courtesy of Allie Carson.
Arkansas State University provides many connections to Northeast Arkansas and the Jonesboro community. Students in the Civic Reporting and Media Writing courses investigated those as the spring 2026 semester ended.
Benjamin McDowell explores student involvement in Jonesboro.
Amelia Young examines the partnership between Arkansas State and Nettleton Junior High School.
Levi Collins inspects associations between A-State Market and the Jonesboro community.
Jaden Haley emphasizes the relationship between A-State theater and the NEARK community.
Ali Lara details affiliations between Northeast Arkansas and A-State’s College of Education & Behavioral Science.
Shawna Whitehurst explains how the Bradbury Art Museum provides more than art to the region.
Special thanks to project editor Jerry Don Burton.
Photo courtesy of the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas
As grocery prices climb and paychecks fall short, more Northeast Arkansas families are waiting in food bank lines to make ends meet.
Food insecurity is rising in northeast Arkansas as inflation drives up the cost of groceries, gas and housing, putting increased pressure on local food banks.
The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas secures donations from food and grocery industries, government agencies, individuals and other organizations to provide for people in need. The food is stored in the organization’s 59,600-square-foot distribution facility in Jonesboro.
Terry Austin, a development officer focused on fundraising and communications, said demand for food assistance has increased over the past year due to inflation, rising gas prices and cuts to federal support programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
“Demand has risen already just from the cuts that we’ve taken so far from the economy being in rough shape,” Austin said.
Austin said donors are also feeling financial strain, forcing them to be more cautious with their contributions as they balance their own household expenses. He said the food bank has seen an increase in senior citizens and families seeking assistance.
“Everybody right now is watching gas prices go through the roof,” Austin said. “Everything is more expensive at the grocery store.”
According to Feeding America, about 240,000 people in Arkansas benefit from SNAP, including 113,000 children and 36,000 senior citizens. A University of Arkansas study estimates that 28.8% of Arkansans face food insecurity. “The price of one pound of ground beef is now higher than the federal hourly minimum wage,” Austin said, describing the current conditions as a “perfect storm” of rising costs and reduced assistance.
Austin said he is concerned about the food bank’s ability to meet growing demand as grocery prices continue to rise and federal assistance programs face potential cuts.
“I’m honestly worried about making sure that we’re able to meet the needs that may be coming our way,” Austin said. Feeding America estimates that cuts to SNAP benefits could result in a loss of up to 41 million meals for Arkansas families.
Laura Dunivan, who works on the programs team managing fundraising and grant efforts, said rising costs are bringing more first-time clients to food pantries.
“What used to be occasional support for some families is now something they rely on more heavily,” Dunivan said. “We’re consistently serving more households each month.”
Dunivan said many families use food assistance to fill gaps during financial hardship, allowing them to afford other essentials such as gas, rent or medication.
“Would you sit in a car line for an hour for a box of food if you could just go to Walmart and get it in 10 minutes?” Dunivan said.
She said transportation remains a major barrier in rural communities, where access to food pantries can be limited. To address this, the food bank operates the Nourish Mobile, which delivers fresh produce at no cost to underserved areas. “Some of the people can’t come to the pantries, we have to go out to them,” Dunivan said.
Natalie Neal, the USDA coordinator for the food bank, said federal food programs play a critical role in addressing hunger across the state.
“With the rising price of food, it is more expensive to purchase food, and our neighbors can’t afford everything they need,” Neal said. “It really starts to feel like there’s a greater gap.”
Neal said the food bank has seen a decrease in USDA food shipments, limiting the amount of food available for distribution.
“We are seeing less come into the food bank, so we have less to go out to the community,” Neal said.
She said the organization works with mayors, churches and community partners to expand access and reach new households.
“USDA foods provide a pivotal source of food,” Neal said. “It helps keep food in the pantry to help us all get through difficult times.”
Bonnie Mamula, office manager at the food bank, said rising food costs combined with stagnant incomes are key drivers of food insecurity.
She said senior citizens are especially vulnerable because many live on fixed incomes while expenses continue to rise. “Some counties only have a few pantries, and they’re only open a couple of times a month,” Mamula said. “People in more remote areas have fewer choices.”
Mamula said the food bank is also seeing more working individuals and recently unemployed residents seeking assistance.
“Even people with jobs can’t make ends meet,” Mamula said.
Jennifer Hannah, chief program officer, said inflation has affected not only how many people the organization serves but also the quality of food it can provide.
“If we look at our data over the last few years, what we’re seeing is consistently serving more people,” Hannah said. “Demand is always there; it’s just how urgent it is.”
Hannah said many families fall into a gap where they earn too much to qualify for assistance programs but not enough to consistently support their households.
“It’s not so much changing the services we deliver, it’s changing how much we’re able to deliver,” Hannah said. “When prices go up, the quality of people’s food is going to decrease.”
JONESBORO, Ark. – The Arkansas State University Museum is not only a place where people can see parts of history, but also an educational resource for teachers, professors and students.
Many students spend four or more years at A-State without visiting the museum, missing a valuable interactive educational experience that could help them better understand what they learn in history classes. The museum focuses not only on Arkansas history, but also on preserving and showcasing the history of northeast Arkansas and the Delta region.
The museum serves as an informal learning environment, according to Elisabeth Engel, director of the A-State Museum.
“You don’t have to be here. It’s not like class,” Engel said. “So, you know, we value the people that come through because they’ve made an effort to come see us. We hope that they walk away feeling like that effort to brave campus, find a parking spot, and all of those kinds of things, in our particular environment, was well worth it.”
Students, faculty, staff and Jonesboro residents can visit the museum on their own or book a tour with Jill Kary, curator of education at the museum. For teachers and professors, the experience can be especially valuable.
Lillie Fears, professor and interim director in the School of Media and Journalism, brings her classes to the museum every semester to help students understand historical events in ways a textbook cannot.
“My favorite part about taking students to the museum is seeing their reactions when they see something old that we’ve talked about in class, or that is mentioned in our book or in a documentary. These types of experiences can allow them to step out of present-mindedness and to realize how the tools and technology they use in modern times evolved at different eras in U.S. and world history,” Fears said.
Many groups, Engel said, visit the museum with a specific purpose. For some groups, Engel pulls artifacts from storage and creates a “mini exhibit” tailored to their interests.
Fears prefers tours focused on communication history and artifacts, so Engel often brings out old newspapers, cameras and photographs for her students.
“I really appreciate how the director, Elisabeth Engel, is always willing to bring out old artifacts that pertain to mass communications and provide us with special lectures on the history of these media tools. A textbook or video could never do what she and Jill Kary, education coordinator, do for my classes,”
For some students, a focused tour helps them better understand what they have been learning in class.
“It made a lot of the concepts feel more real. In class, we talk about the history of media, but actually seeing the artifacts and examples in person helped me connect everything more clearly, especially how media has evolved and impacted society,” Kaysen Lomax, a junior creative media production major from Jonesboro, said.
For other students, seeing everything the museum offers gives them a perspective they otherwise might not have considered.
“Yes, I did thoroughly enjoy the tour Dr. Fears took us on. Seeing how passionate Jill Kary was about the black business district was inspirational. I enjoyed looking at all the old pictures of old businesses and equipment/technology, and find it crazy to see how much those things have changed,” Alexander Riggs, a junior creative media major from Forrest City, Arkansas, said.
While the museum serves as a tool for professors on campus, teachers in surrounding school districts also can use it as a resource.
Photo courtesy of Arkansas State University.
Traveling suitcase exhibits are smaller exhibits teachers can check out for two weeks at a time. They offer hands-on materials, visual aids and lesson plans for each exhibit. Teachers can choose from five options, including Pioneer Living, Portals of the Soul: Native American Culture, World War II on the Arkansas Homefront and more.
“All of them are linked to the educational standards that are dictated by the state,” Kary said.
Visitors can also explore the tinkering studio to test whether they have the same innovation skills as people on the Arkansas frontier.
“If the kids have been paying attention, in every gallery they’re seeing innovation happen,” Kary said. “So they are told to invent things, make something, and if it doesn’t work, tweak it, fix it.”
Learning does not just happen in the classroom; it can happen in many places, including the museum. And learning is not just for students. Anyone who visits the museum is welcome, whether for a specific purpose or simply for fun.
Schools across Arkansas are learning to embrace the natural state’s top crop as the Rice in Schools program pilot run continues.
The Arkansas Rice in Schools program, launched by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture in collaboration with Arkansas Rice and USA Rice, is an initiative to teach students how to cook with rice and educate them on the significance of the grain.
Leslee Tell, the farm-to-school coordinator for the United States Department of Agriculture, directs the program. She said Rice in Schools will teach students where their food comes from.
(Left) Leslee Tell, farm-to-school coordinator for the United States Department of Agriculture, describes the Rice in School Program to the Nettleton School Board at a March 17 meeting. According to the USDA website, the program, which is in a pilot phase, gives schools the tools to serve locally grown rice in healthy meals. PHOTO COURTESY OF JERRY DON BURTON
“Our goal is simple, increase the use of Arkansas-grown rice in schools, while helping students learn about agriculture, nutrition and where their food comes from,” Tell said in a YouTube video introducing the program. “This program is about more than just meals, it’s about connecting students to Arkansas agriculture and supporting our local farmers.”
Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders developed the program in fall 2025, following the transition of nutrition programs to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture.
In December 2025, the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board approved $15,000 in funding to support the program’s implementation. These funds provided schools with equipment to encourage the usage of Arkansas rice in their menus.
Sanders said the new program will teach students how farmers use rice to feed families around the world. She said students will use food made in Arkansas to develop healthy eating habits.
“Rice isn’t just part of Arkansas’ economy; it’s part of who we are,” Sanders said in a press release published Nov. 13, 2025.
Arkansas is the largest rice-producing state, accounting for more than 40% of rice production in the United States, according to Arkansas Rice. Tell said a majority of this rice is produced in Arkansas’ northeast region.
A graphic presents quick facts about Arkansas rice production. Arkansas is the largest rice-producing state, accounting for more than 40% of rice production in the United States, according to Arkansas Rice. GRAPHIC COURTESY OF ARAKNAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Almost 20 Arkansas schools and districts are scheduled to participate in the program’s pilot phase, which began in February at Ward Central Elementary in Cabot, Arkansas. The pilot will wrap up in May at Forest Park Elementary in Little Rock.
As part of the program, Tell travels to participating schools with a team to involve students in cooking demonstrations and interactive educational lessons. She also introduces meals with local rice to school menus and trains cafeteria staff in preparing them.
On April 9, Tell traveled to Newport, Arkansas, to introduce the program to students at Newport High School.
Leanne Bradley, the family and consumer science teacher at Newport High School, said Rice in Schools was a beneficial experience for her students.
Bradley said rice’s significance to Arkansas demonstrates the program’s importance.
“I think everybody is aware that if you don’t take care of what you have, you can lose it,” Bradley said. “(Rice) is something that we have that not every other state has.”
Bradley said her food production and culinary students passed out stir-fried rice samples Tell made for elementary students. After sampling different meals made using rice, students placed stickers on a bulletin board to indicate how much or little they enjoyed the meals.
Tell said they compile student opinion data from every participating school. Then, in June, she said they will analyze the data to determine which recipes students liked most and least and make appropriate changes.
Bradley said the students greatly enjoyed the Rice in Schools program. She said her students cooked with rice before, but Tell’s contributions provided them with new ways to use the grain.
The family and consumer science teacher said she appreciated how the program helped her students realize how much rice Jackson County, where the Newport School District is located, produces.
According to the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture, Jackson County produced almost 80,000 acres of rice, second only to soybeans.
“So just for the kids to realize this is a huge staple that Arkansas provides for the state, and it’s easy and it does not have to be Minute Rice,” Bradley said. “It really doesn’t take that much longer to actually cook your own rice and the quality is just so much better.”
Julie Isbell, superintendent at the Harrisburg School District, where Tell visited in March,
also said she loved how the program connected her students with local rice production.
Poinsett County, where Harrisburg is located, produced about 90,000 acres of rice, according to the same USDA census.
Tell also brought the program to the Nettleton School District in March. Nettleton School Board Vice President, Donnie Hauge, said he supported the program and thinks helping kids learn cooking skills and understand where their food comes from is an important undertaking.
Wes Ward, Arkansas secretary of agriculture, said the program emphasizes how Arkansas’ dominance over rice production could be used to support students and education. He said the program is a good step toward getting Arkansas to buy and use more of its own rice.
Bradley said rice is also versatile and can be stretched further than other ingredients. She said this is especially important for those who cannot afford as much food.
“It’s a very quick and easy staple that you can keep in your pantry and it can go for a wide variety of different types of food,” Bradley said. “If your family is financially disadvantaged, you can pair beans and rice together, and that actually makes a complete protein.”
Bradley said her favorite part of the program was how it helped students interact with and cook rice in different ways than they’re used to. For some, Bradley said this program represents an introduction to rice as an ingredient.
However, the family and consumer science teacher said Tell’s visit to Newport was not without challenges.
Tell was scheduled to return to Newport High School on April 10, but Bradley said she fell ill and missed the second day.
“She could have talked so much more and given the information about it. She did not get to go into depth like she would at other places,” Bradley said.
In the time they did spend together, Bradley said Tell was a very energetic and fun, but professional person to work with.
“I think she’s phenomenal and I liked having the opportunity,” Bradley said. “I hope that this is something that takes off and is able to be utilized in schools across Arkansas.”
Tell said the student feedback, recipe evaluations and participation data gathered in the pilot will refine the program and prepare it for statewide expansion.
In the final iteration of the program, Bradley said she would like to see taste testing and activities for all grade levels.
Tell said the program continuously searches for and develops new and more effective methods of engaging schools.
Bradley said the school will continue building on the foundation laid by Tell and the Rice in Schools Program. She said the school’s student-run restaurant, the Hungry Hound Cafe, started implementing rice meals based on what they learned from the program.
Tell said she is a teacher at heart and loves to cook, so working with students to prepare recipes in the classroom was a great combination.
“We are bringing Arkansas-grown rice to schools across the state,” Tell said. “One plate at a time.” More information about the Rice in Schools program may be found on the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s website. Program organizers also created a digital guide featuring rice data and recipes from USA Rice.
JONESBORO, Ark. — A Jonesboro woman told city leaders her father was buried in the wrong grave, raising concerns about oversight and recordkeeping at a municipal cemetery.
During public comment, LaToya Yarber told Council members her father was buried in the wrong grave at Oakland Cemetery and must now be exhumed and reburied.
“How do you expect me to trust you,” Yarber asked, “when my father lies in a grave that does not belong to him?”
Yarber said the mistake disrupted her family’s ability to grieve.
“For the last week of my life, where I was supposed to be grieving my father, has been disrupted,” she said. “It is unfair to my 81-year-old mama to have to be going through this .”
City officials said they have met with the family and aim to correct the burial mistake, including covering the full cost of exhumation, raising questions about how cemetery records are maintained.
“If you want to do something for the city of Jonesboro, get the records together so that we will know where our people are or where they’re supposed to be,” Yarber said.
Other public comments surrounded concerns about city operations. Patty Lapp said she worried about a lack of financial reporting from a volleyball tournament.
“We don’t really know where those numbers are,” Lapp said. “It needs to be crystal clear what is spent and what is taken in.”
Linda Wright said she is concerned about supervision at sports events, saying children should always be protected.
“I’m just wondering why we are spending money on these tickets,” Wright said. “I just wonder what kind of supervision is going on out there.”
Eugene Holloway, of Marshall Street, said housing conditions are deteriorating and urged the council to take action.
“People are living in terrible conditions,” Holloway said. “We’ve got to do something here.”
Despite concerns raised, the council continued its routine business. Members approved resolutions requesting City Water and Light provide free utility services at 423 W. Huntington Ave. and 6106 Southwest Drive. The resolutions allow utilities to be provided at no cost for projects serving a public or governmental purpose, a common practice for city infrastructure such as lighting and municipal facilities.
Several zoning ordinances advanced, including a request to rezone property at 1601 Granger Drive to allow it to be split for two single-family homes.
A new ordinance, 26013, would establish a Sports Advisory Committee, outlining its membership, purpose and duties. The measure received its first reading and will return for further consideration. Other ordinances concerned traffic signage and zoning changes.
During council reports, Anthony Colman, (Ward 6, Position 1), highlighted growth in Jonesboro but raised concerns about east-side infrastructure and speeding.
“There’s a lot of traffic, and there’s a lot of speeding going on,” Colman said. “I’d like for us to consider another study.”
Mayor Harold Copenhaver highlighted ongoing projects, including a six-month downtown traffic pilot program.
“We’ve had a lot of input – most of it is very positive,” Copenhaver said of the Main Street project, noting the evaluation of Washington Avenue will involve public surveys and comments.
Officials also continued work on Plan Jonesboro, a long-term development strategy focused on growth, infrastructure and quality-of-life improvements.
“Please visit PlanJonesboro.com to ensure your voice is heard,” Copenhaver said. He also noted recent meetings in Washington, D.C., with federal officials to discuss funding for public safety, infrastructure and economic development projects.
The council recognized City Clerk April Leggett for her 10 years of service, praising her support in maintaining city records. While the meeting covered routine business, Yarber’s comments highlighted a deeper issue of human impact and public trust. City officials said they will continue reviewing the cemetery issue as questions remain.
A graphic depicts the vulnerability of tornadoes in each county in the United States. Areas of greater vulnerability largely concentrate in the southeastern portion of the U.S. GRAPHIC COURTESY OF ETHAN ROGERS
Severe weather preparedness remains vital as Arkansas enters the peak of tornado season.
Kory Ward, fire chief for Wynne, Arkansas, said those who don’t take severe weather seriously are making a bad move.
“There’s people that think, ‘oh it’ll never hit here,’ and it’s been very true to hit here within the last two years,” Ward said. “I say it all the time, stay weather aware. Pay attention to the news. Pay attention to your local radio station. Don’t be surprised by it.”
How can I stay safe during tornado season?
Anthony Coy, director of the Craighead County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), said always knowing the location of a nearby safe spot is vital for tornado season preparedness.
Coy said those living in manufactured homes or mobile homes, also called trailers, should especially take advantage of these community safe rooms.
Manufactured homes are particularly susceptible to tornado damage because they are usually constructed with lighter, less durable materials.
In a 2018 research article published by the American Meteorological Society’s Weather, Climate, and Society journal, Stephen Strader and Walker Ashley found that 72% of all tornado fatalities occur in homes and 54% of these deaths occur in mobile or manufactured homes.
Amber Schlessiger, a National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist, said overnight tornadoes are another distinct threat because they strike when most people are asleep. She said those who find themselves in the path of an overnight storm should set up multiple methods to receive warnings and be ready to wake up if a threat approaches.
Ward echoed this sentiment and said having some form of early warning system, such as phone notifications or a crank radio, is indispensable.
Coy said keeping up-to-date with the weather is always good advice.
“There are a hundred different ways you can get those weather warnings on your phone,” Coy said. “But almost every county has some sort of information platform. In Craighead County, we use CodeRED.”
CodeRED, a community emergency notification system, allows individuals to sign up for alerts on Jonesboro’s website. The CodeRED mobile app may also be downloaded on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Coy also said to exercise caution when determining trusted sources. He said some severe weather information, especially on social media, may be misleading or originate from questionable sources.
The OEM director said creating and maintaining a preparedness kit is another step in staying safe.
A well-prepared kit may include the following items: Several days’ worth of food and water, a flashlight, batteries, first-aid, a change of clothes, a whistle, maps, hygiene items, prescription medicines and pet food, if applicable.
Ultimately, Coy said, even the most seasoned preppers will overlook something. Still, even small acts of preparation will make a lasting impact, he said.
“Each time you chip away at that, you’ll become more prepared than you were before,” Coy said. “Don’t ever let it become a back-burner item.”
What are the impacts of tornado season?
Tornadoes are one of the deadliest and most costly natural disasters in the United States.
In a 2008 research article concerning patterns among natural disasters and mortality, Kevin Borden and Susan Cutter found, of 11 disasters researched, tornadoes accounted for the fifth-highest deaths in the U.S. between 1970 and 2004.
A list of natural disaster-related deaths recorded in the United States between 1970 and 2004. Tornadoes accounted for the fifth-most deaths in this list. LIST COURTESY OF KEVIN BORDEN AND SUSAN CUTTER
The article, published in the International Journal of Health Geographics, reported deaths caused by tornadoes constituted almost 12% of all natural disaster-related deaths in the U.S. during the same time.
Arkansas, in particular, shares a lengthy history with tornadoes.
From 1950 to 2024, 2,478 tornadoes hit Arkansas, killing 412 people, according to the NWS Little Rock office.
A study conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found, from 1950 to 2025, tornadoes in Arkansas caused 5,567 direct injuries, $3.5 billion in property damage and $4 million in crop damage.
Northeast Arkansas is no stranger to lethal tornadoes either.
On March 31, 2023, an EF3 tornado tore through Wynne, Arkansas, killing 4 and causing over $150 million in property damage, according to the NWS Memphis office. The Wynne High School, which found itself directly in the center of the tornado’s path, was razed.
Three years prior, on March 28, 2020, another EF3 tornado damaged about 300 buildings, caused an estimated $300 million in damages and injured 200 people in Craighead County.
However, despite the destruction they cause, Coy said, blessings exist in every disaster.
For example, Coy said the COVID-19 pandemic actually saved lives during the aforementioned 2020 tornado. He said the pandemic kept people at home rather than in commercial buildings, like The Mall at Turtle Creek in Jonesboro, which the tornado almost completely destroyed.
View of The Mall at Turtle Creek in Jonesboro after a tornado nearly destroyed the entire 73-acre plot. The tornado hit Craighead County on March 28, 2020. PHOTO COURTESY OF JONESBORO POLICE DEPARTMENT FACEBOOK
He said the tornado also taught him to have plans in place before disaster strikes.
“I was very new in the position at that time, I didn’t have my volunteer teams gathered yet, didn’t have changes to our emergency operations plan, none of that,” Coy said. “And here I am sitting at home on a Saturday and I watch a tornado drop down in the middle of Jonesboro. That’ll get your attention.”
An aerial view shows ongoing construction at the site of the new Wynne High School. A tornado that struck Wynne, Arkansas on March 31, 2023, destroyed the previous high school. Nabholz Construction Corporation was contracted to lead construction on the high school. PHOTO COURTESY OF NABHOLZ CORPORATION FACEBOOK
As for Wynne, the company contracted to build a new campus for the high school, Nabholz Construction Corporation, stated in a Jan. 13 Facebook post that progress is moving steadily.
“It’s exciting to see this project transition from structure to the spaces that will soon support learning, creativity, and community,” Nabholz Corporation wrote.
Why is there a tornado season, anyway?
According to the NWS, the months of peak tornado occurrence, also known as tornado season, last from March to May in Arkansas.
As temperatures transition from colder to warmer in the spring, atmospheric instability creates conditions favorable for the formation of tornadoes. Since this transition happens at slightly different times throughout the country, tornado season varies depending on the state.
Other climate factors also play a role in creating a tornado season.
In a 2015 feature published by the NOAA, Michon Scott reported a relationship between tornado frequency and the natural weather patterns El Niño and La Niña.
Graphic depicts maps of the United States, representing the influence La Niña and El Niño have on the frequency of tornadoes and hailstorms in March and May, the peak months of tornado occurrences in Arkansas. The maps suggest La Niña increases the frequency of such severe weather in the southern U.S. GRAPHIC COURTESY OF NOAA
“Specifics vary, but in general, springtime tornadoes and hailstorms are less frequent in the southern central United States during El Niño and more frequent during La Niña,” Scott wrote.
El Niño is a natural weather pattern, usually lasting about a year, that occurs when warm water accumulates in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. La Niña is the opposite and happens when cool water develops in the Pacific Ocean.
Coy, however, said Arkansas experiences severe weather regardless.
“The meteorologist will explain it has to do with whether you are in a El Niño or a La Nina and, I’ll be honest, they’ve explained it to me and I don’t always understand it,” Coy said. “It seems like we get severe weather regardless of which one we’re in.”
According to the NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, while tornado season denotes the period in which tornadoes are more frequent, a twister can form at any time of the year and in any location. Tornadoes occurred during all 12 months and in all 50 states.
According to a 2025 article published in the research database EBSCO, Mark Dziak wrote that “Tornado Alley” can be a misleading term because those living outside of its poorly-defined boundaries may believe they are less vulnerable to tornadoes.
Tornado Alley is a common geographic term used to define areas in the central U.S. where tornadoes are more frequent.
“Despite the focus on Tornado Alley, experts note that tornadoes can and do occur in every state, highlighting a phenomenon known as Dixie Alley in the southeastern U.S., where tornadoes may even be more frequent and damaging than in Tornado Alley,” Dziak wrote.
Is tornado season getting worse?
As of April 3, 2026, the NWS confirmed nine tornadoes in Arkansas, near the average for that time of year.
Coy said, in his time working in emergency management, he experienced increasingly frequent and deadly weather. Coy, who is also the treasurer of the Arkansas Emergency Management Association, has worked in the industry since 2006.
Research supports Coy’s experience.
The Arkansas Tornado Database, using data from all NWS offices serving Arkansas, found that between 1970 and 1999, Arkansas averaged 25 tornadoes per year.
Between 1991 and 2020, that number rose to an average of 37 tornadoes a year.
In a 2018 journal article published in the npj Climate and Atmospheric Science journal, Vittorio Gensini and Harold Brooks found while the national annual frequencies of tornado reports remained relatively constant, they documented positive trends in the Midwest and Southeast U.S.
While no definite reason exists for this increase in tornado sightings, several theories offer possible hints.
Hazards geographer and meteorologist Stephen Strader, in a 2024 interview with NPR, told host Ari Shapiro that advancements in detection technology contribute to the apparent increase in tornadoes. Strader said tornadoes – especially weaker, short-lived ones – posted on social media are sometimes added to severe weather databases, which also increases the statistics.
Strader said population growth and urban development may also be partly responsible for the increasing severity of tornadoes. Many areas once forested or used for farmland developed into dense population centers, thus increasing the likelihood of a tornado causing significant damage.
“There’s just more things to hit, which means more potential disasters,” Strader said.
A 2021 journal article published in Scientific Reports found population density and the installation of Doppler Radar systems contribute to the increasing trend of damaging tornadoes.
Another possible culprit, climate change, may offer more complex impacts on tornado season.
Climate change, a hotly politicized and controversial weather phenomenon, refers to long-term changes to Earth’s average weather patterns, according to NASA.
Strader said, while the connection between climate change and tornadoes is not fully understood, many researchers suspect tornado sightings will increase as the impacts of climate change create environments conducive to severe weather.
Data from the NOAA reports a greater risk of off-season tornadoes in a future warmer climate. However, the various intricate weather conditions at play during the formation of tornadoes make it difficult for scientists to determine the impact climate change is having or will have on tornado season.
A report from the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) also states factors such as limited data collection methods, high variability and the relatively small geographic size of tornadoes as challenges for attributing climate change to a worsening tornado season.
“As scientists improve their physical understanding of the processes that cause tornadoes, and as climate models are run at higher spatial resolutions, our understanding of the climate change influence on tornadoes will improve,” the C2ES report stated. “Likewise, as the observational record increases over time, trends will likely become more obvious.”
Coy said while some people debate whether climate change is to blame, he focuses more on preparation.
“Whatever reason that is, I don’t know and I don’t have to know,” Coy said. “I just need to know when’s the next one and how strong do we think it might be.”
Coy said Craighead County is due for a break from severe weather. He said every year he hopes the weather is better than the year before.
However, the OEM director said he will never suggest any particular tornado season might be less severe because that might encourage people to let their guard down.
“I don’t want to cry wolf, I’d rather people be prepared and then not need to use that preparedness as the other way around,” Coy said.
Where can I find more tornado season resources?
The Craighead County Office of Emergency Management may be called at (870) 933-4575, found online at craigheadcountyar.gov/oem, or visited in person at the Craighead County Courthouse Annex.
More local information about tornado preparedness from Craighead County may be found here.
Arkansas Weather Watchers, a digital media platform offering real-time coverage and community-driven reports from across the state, may be found here.
Staff members from the Hispanic Center pose outside their facility in Jonesboro, highlighting the organization’s role in supporting local families amid growing community concerns. Photo courtesy of The Hispanic Center via Facebook.
JONESBORO, Ark. — As immigration enforcement concerns grow in Jonesboro and across the country, leaders at the Hispanic Center say fear keeps some families from going to school, seeking medical care or accessing basic services. Immigration enforcement policies and increased activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have created uncertainty for many immigrant families, including those in northeast Arkansas.
The Hispanic Center is a nonprofit organization that serves the Hispanic community in Jonesboro, as well as others in need. The center offers services such as after-school programs, interpretation, translation, English classes, computer training and health fairs. The center also provides legal consultations, mental health sessions, and community events, while assisting families with food, transportation and housing support.
Carolina Elmore, assistant director at the Hispanic Center, said, “We serve the Hispanic community primarily, but we help anyone in need regardless of ethnicity, religion or race.”
Elmore said the Hispanic Center is a place she wants people to feel they could depend on anytime.
“We provide interpretation in hospitals, schools and legal settings so people who don’t speak English can still access essential services. Language is one of the biggest barriers, and we try to bridge that gap every day,” Elmore said.
Elmore said the Hispanic Center acts as a bridge between schools, the Hispanic community and local institutions. The center partners with local universities and organizations to provide students with educational support and expose them to career opportunities.
Elmore said one of the biggest challenges for the Hispanic Center has been increased activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“A lot of people are afraid to seek services because of immigration concerns. Some parents are even scared to send their kids to school or go to the doctor. We try to create a safe space where families feel supported despite those fears,” Elmore said.
Due to concerns about ICE, many community members are afraid to seek help or services at the Hispanic Center out of fear of being detained. That fear reflects what many immigrant communities are experiencing across the country, where enforcement actions can affect access to education, health care and other essential services. The center often works with churches and community partners to provide safe spaces and trusted environments for families.
“We help families with everything, from enrolling their kids in school to making doctor’s appointments. Sometimes it’s as simple as helping fill out a form, but that can change everything for a family,” Elmore said.
Elmore said she wants to continue serving her community during challenging times tied to immigration enforcement.
“Everything we do is about helping families feel supported, connected and valued in this community,” Elmore said.
Leo Hernández, program coordinator, helps facilitate the after-school program, which allows children to catch up on homework and receive tutoring.
“La Escuelita is here to support kids from kindergarten through ninth grade with their homework and academics. A lot of parents can’t help their kids with schoolwork, so we step in to guide them,” Hernández said.
La Escuelita runs Monday through Thursday during the school year and is divided into groups by age, allowing younger and older students to receive the support they need. Students work on subjects such as math, reading, writing, Spanish and public speaking, while also building communication and teamwork skills. The program also includes a summer component that helps students stay on track in a more engaging environment.
Hernández said the Hispanic Center also has a program called HELP, which gives high school students opportunities to explore life after high school. He said the program allows students to complete community service hours while visiting college campuses and local institutions.
“We’re not just helping with homework, we’re giving kids opportunities they might not have otherwise. It’s about building a foundation for their future,” Hernández said.
Hernández said education and guidance are some of the biggest needs in the Hispanic community, especially for students who struggle with English and need additional support.
Hernández said he wants the community to feel like a safe place where families can feel at home and that many people simply need direction.
“What’s happening with immigration affects families, especially the kids. We always encourage people to seek legal advice and handle things the right way. At the end of the day, we’re here to help people grow and succeed,” Hernández said.
Yesenia Dixon serves as a front desk receptionist, interpreter and after-school teacher at the Hispanic Center.
Dixon said many children struggle to express their emotions, and the center helps them build communication skills.
“It’s rewarding to see their faces light up when they realize they can do something,” Dixon said.
Dixon said she enjoys interpreting people but she also knows it is serious because she serves as the voice for others.
“I’m usually the first person people see, and they come in upset or needing help. I try to calm them down and let them know they’re in a safe place,” Dixon said.
Dixon said increased ICE activity has heightened fear in the Hispanic community, with some people choosing to handle everything virtually.
“During stressful times, we focus on giving people factual information so they don’t panic. There’s a lot of fear, so it’s important we don’t spread misinformation,” Dixon said.
Dixon said even if she does not have an immediate answer, she works to help people find one.
“We’re not just a place for handouts, we’re here to support people. We want to be known as a place where people can come without feeling judged,” Dixon said.
Delta Digital News Service 