Community Fundraiser Racks up Over $15,000 for Up-and-Coming Soccer Complex in De Queen

NEWS RELEASE

Samaritan Fields             Contact: 870-584-9928

JuLY 5th, 2021                 SamaritanFields@gmail.com   

Community Fundraiser racks up over $15,000 for up-and-coming Soccer Complex in De Queen

DE QUEEN, AR— The first-ever “Field of Dreams” fundraiser netted more than $15,000 for the Samaritan Fields Soccer project on Collin Raye Drive in De Queen this 4th of July weekend.

A diverse group of Community members teamed up to collaborate resources for the July 3rd event and celebrated with festival-style vibes, flavorful food, FIFA, inflatables, and family-friendly fun Saturday night. Several efforts were made to raise the money, including food sales, auction items, and T-shirt sales, as well as donations collected from parking for the city Firework show.

Hundreds of area residents attended the event and contributed support for the developing facilities throughout the day, including representative Deann Vaught, along with several local business owners and community leaders. The event also provided a covid-19 shot booth and voter registration tent, adding nearly a dozen Arkansans to the state’s vaccinated list.

Project organizer Esteban Ochoa reported the total amount raised was $15,898.85, including additional dollars gathered from a “50/50 day” partnership with Simple Simon’s Pizza of De Queen Monday, July 5th. Pulled together with just 3 months of planning, the “Field of Dreams” fundraiser was designed to draw up support for the project and raise awareness about the community goal of bringing the High School state soccer championship to De Queen by 2026.

Event organizers would like to express appreciation to all who attended and say “thank you” to everyone who has supported the Samaritan Fields initiative in De Queen.

Plans for future fundraisers are already in discussion as the “Field of Dreams” night is set to become an annual event for the Sevier County community. Ongoing construction and maintenance are required for the project to become both sustainable and successful, and continual community support will be needed. Businesses or individuals interested in helping bring state-of-the-art community soccer fields to De Queen can call 870-584-9928 or email SamaritanFields@gmail.com.

Arkansas Tax Surplus Hits $945 million, With Revenue 20.4% Above Forecast

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas ended fiscal year 2021 with a revenue surplus of $945.7 million thanks in part to a COVID-19 induced shift in a tax filing deadline from April to July that pushed some of fiscal 2020 income tax payments into 2021.

The state’s tax revenue surplus in the previous two fiscal years totals $1.315 billion.

The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) reported Friday (July 2) that gross revenue for fiscal year 2021 (July 2020 to June 2021) is $8.121 billion, up 16.6% compared with the previous fiscal year and up 18.2% over the budget forecast.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/07/arkansas-tax-surplus-hits-945-million-with-revenue-20-4-above-forecast/

Tuesday's COVID-19 Active Cases and Vaccines Update from the AR Dept of Health

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 14

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 18

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 10

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 13

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 13

LIVE VIDEO: Governor Hutchinson Provides Weekly Media Update Tuesday (07.06.21) 130PM

Governor Asa Hutchinson held a weekly briefing to media at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 6, 2021.

Governor Appoints Businessman Philip Tappan To Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson has appointed Little Rock businessman Philip Tappan to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Mr. Tappan will replace Andrew Parker, whose seven-year term expires today.

“Philip Tappan’s business savvy, his love of the outdoors, and his commitment to conserve the beauty of the Natural State will serve Arkansas well as he assumes his position as a Game and Fish commissioner,” Governor Hutchinson said today. “Philip’s life experiences and quiet leadership are a perfect fit for the commission as the members work to promote and preserve Arkansas’s great outdoors.”

Mr. Tappan is the managing partner of Tappan Land & Water, which owns the majority interest in Quality Foods LLC (Purple Cow Restaurants). Mr. Tappan says his mother was a “fanatical birdwatcher” and his father was an avid duck hunter. His interest in conserving land is a natural outgrowth of his love for the outdoors and hunting, he says.

“With the human impact on our globe, this is a wonderful opportunity for me to participate in the stewardship of our state’s rich portfolio of properties,” Mr. Tappan said. “We can continue to turn the tide for re-habitation of our forests and restoration of wildlife in ways that will benefit our entire state.”

Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | The Commitment and Sacrifice of Service

LITTLE ROCK – Last week, we lost another police officer in the line of duty, and if we could pass a law to guarantee we will never lose another one, then I would pass it and sign it today. But we know that is not realistic.

The roster of police officers who have died in the line of duty is too long. More than 300 Arkansas police officers have been killed on the job.

In the seven years since I took office, fifteen officers have died in the line of duty. Most recently, Pea Ridge Officer Kevin Apple, the officer whose memorial service I attended on Friday, was run over and killed while attempting an arrest.

Public Safety Secretary Jami Cook points out that seventy percent of our officers who have died in the line of duty since 2015 were killed by assault.

An assault on a police officer is an attack on the rule of law that is essential to civil society. In the past year, the rule of law has been threatened unlike any time since the 1960s. A loud minority has clamored for a reduction in the number – and sometimes the outright elimination – of police.  Anyone who has ever been the victim of a violent crime or needed quick assistance after a car wreck knows that’s a bad idea.

In my career as a United States attorney, as a congressman, at DEA and Homeland Security, and now as Governor, I have seen crime and law enforcement up close at all levels. There has never been a time in my career when the work of law enforcement has been more difficult, challenging, and dangerous, but yes, very important. The death of Officer Apple illustrates the dangers police face every time they suit up. In spite of the increasing danger of the work, people still choose to become a police officer, and we are all very grateful.

We understand that for police, there is no such thing as a routine encounter. Every traffic stop, every knock on the door of a house, requires a commitment to serve.

Officer Apple had been in law enforcement for more than twenty years, and he understood the risks. He put his service daily above his own safety.

I hope that every police officer understands that the people of Arkansas value and are grateful for the work of our men and women in blue. Secretary Cook, who was a member of my Task Force to Improve Law Enforcement, is a former police officer who believes that cities, counties, and the state should provide the best for their police officers. She says that we expect much out of officers, so we must provide them with all they need to do everything that we expect. I certainly agree with that assessment.

We are all saddened by the loss of another Arkansas police officer. Arkansans value the rule of law as well as the law enforcement officers who preserve it, and I echo Secretary Cook’s encouragement to every jurisdiction to supply officers the training and tools they need, and to find a way to pay them well for their service. And in addition, when you see an officer, thank him or her for their service.

VIDEO: Sevier County Medical Center Meeting 07.01.20 at UA Cossatot

Widespread Shower and Thunderstorm Activity Is Expected Across SW Arkansas Thursday

Showers and thunderstorms will become widespread across much of the state Thursday and Thursday night. While severe weather chances remain low, some storms could produce locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds.

Heat indices across southern Arkansas could approach or exceed 100 degrees in some locations Thursday afternoon.

Widespread showers and thunderstorms will persist across roughly the southern half of the state on Friday. Severe weather chances will remain low, but a few storms could produce locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds.

After a mostly dry weekend, isolated to scattered thunderstorms are back in the forecast Monday and Tuesday.

Message Last Updated: 4:32 AM local time on 7/1/2021.

No Timeline on I-40 Bridge Repair Completion; Lane Changes Save Truckers More Than $1 Million Per Day

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Officials still are unsure when repairs to the Interstate 40 bridge will be complete, and it will not be reopened to even partial traffic until finished. Tennessee Department of Transportation Community Relations Officer Nicole Lawrence told Talk Business & Politics there have been no significant issues in repairing the fractured beam that closed the bridge in early May.

When the I-40 bridge, the busiest freight carrying bridge in the U.S., was shut down May 11 after a fracture was discovered in a primary support beam, the flow of goods came to a standstill. Traffic was choked on I-55 in the weeks after the closure and it led to long wait times for motorists and big trucks carrying goods.

The trucking industry has absorbed over $70 million in unanticipated costs since the closure, according to the Arkansas Trucking Association. However, the latest data on traffic congestion suggests that the average cost to the trucking industry has reduced from an estimated $2.4 million to $936,000 a day.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/06/no-timeline-on-i-40-bridge-repair-completion-lane-changes-save-truckers-more-than-1-million-per-day/

(photo courtesy of ArDOT)

Attorney General Rutledge Successfully Blocks President Biden's Oil and Gas Ban

LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge issued a statement following the U.S. District Court’s decision to grant a nationwide preliminary injunction against President Biden’s Executive Order declaring a moratorium on future oil and gas leasing and drilling permits on federal lands.

“Today the courts confirmed that President Biden overreached and that his authority has limits,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “Just looking at the cost of gasoline, it’s clear that President Biden’s unilateral action had real world consequences for the pocketbooks of average Arkansans. And I will not stand by and let President Biden harm Arkansans’ and Americans’ bottom line.”

The Biden Executive Order halted new oil and gas leasing operations on federal lands and offshore, and as the court explained, the administration did so without ever attempting to comply with the requirements of federal law.  That failure to comply with the laws passed by Congress means that President Biden’s action was illegal.

The lawsuit was led by Louisiana and signed on to by Arkansas and the following states in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana: Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

ARNEC Application Deadline is August 31st

APPLICATION DEADLINE: August 31, 2021 

ARNEC offers an LPN/LVN-to-RN transition program. Graduates receive an Associate of Applied Science (AASN) in Nursing, which prepares them to apply for RN licensure and sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. ARNEC strives to provide a high-quality, comprehensive, accessible, and affordable Registered Nursing program to students in rural Arkansas. 

For more information or to apply, visit www.arnec.org 

For questions, email ARNEC@cccua.edu 

*Completion of the ARNEC program does not guarantee the ability to obtain licensure or take the NCLEX-RN exam. This is determined by the board of nursing in the state the applicant is applying. 

Delta Variant Could Cause Third Surge In Arkansas COVID Cases, UAMS Chancellor Says

By ALEXANDRIA BROWN

New COVID-19 cases in Arkansas continue to climb and officials say the rapdily spreading delta variant and people not being vaccinated is the key reason why. The Department of Health reported 479 new cases Tuesday, along with eight additional deaths from COVID-19. 

At his weekly press briefing Tuesday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson urged Arkansans to take safety measures when participating in 4th of July activities to stop the spread of the virus.

“We have the delta variant predominant, moving into Arkansas, and we have to take that very seriously," Hutchinson said. "It is more contagious, it has more consequences in terms of health, and so take care of yourself and follow the guidelines which really is social distancing, wearing a mask if you have not been vaccinated.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/delta-variant-could-cause-third-surge-arkansas-covid-cases-uams-chancellor-says

Dr. Cam Patterson, chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, speaking at Gov. Asa Hutchinson's weekly press briefing Tuesday.

CREDIT GOVERNOR'S OFFICE / YOUTUBE

Wednesday COVID-19 SW Arkansas Active Cases and Vaccinations Update from the Arkansas Department of Health

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 11
Active Confirmed Cases: 6
Active Probable Cases: 5

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 14
Active Confirmed Cases: 9
Active Probable Cases: 5

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 6
Active Confirmed Cases: 5
Active Probable Cases: 1

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 13
Active Confirmed Cases: 7
Active Probable Cases: 6

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 14
Active Confirmed Cases: 7
Active Probable Cases: 7

Governor Hutchinson Authorizes 90-Day Deployment Of Up To 40 National Guard Members to U.S. Southern Border

LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson has authorized a 90-day deployment of up to 40 members of the Arkansas National Guard to Texas to assist with security at the state’s border with Mexico.

“I have authorized this mission in response to an official request from Texas on the urgent matter at our southern border,” Governor Hutchinson said. “My hope is that our 90 days of support will improve the security of our country and reduce the adverse impact of illegal immigration on Arkansas.”

The 90-day deployment will be consistent with a training mission for the National Guard.

Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly News Conference: July 4, Vaccinations, California Travel Ban

LITTLE ROCK – In his weekly news conference today, Governor Asa Hutchinson discussed the continued need for vaccines, the Delta variant of COVID-19, precautions for July 4, the request to send Arkansas State Troopers to assist at the nation’s southern border, and the California ban on taxpayer-funded travel by state employees to Arkansas.

COVID:

“Fourth of July is coming up. My caution to all Arkansans is, yes, you’re going to travel, yes, you’re going to the lake, yes, you’re going to have your backyard cookout and celebrations. I’ll be joining in that as well. But if you are not vaccinated, then please take the responsibility to take care of yourself. Don’t add to the spread of the virus. We have the Delta variant moving into Arkansas. We have to take that very seriously. It’s more contagious. It has more health consequences. Follow the guidelines, which are social distancing and wearing a mask if you have not been vaccinated”.

• There have been 3,765 Arkansans hospitalized since January 26, 2021, and 98.3 percent of those were not immunized. 90.5 percent of current cases are not fully immunized. There have been 988 deaths, and 99.6 percent of them were not immunized.

Vaccinations by County

Top Five: Bradley, Desha, Washington, Pulaski, Benton

Bottom 5: Calhoun, Lafayette, Lincoln, Fulton, Miller

Nursing Homes

• Every nursing home in America is required to submit a weekly report of the number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered to residents and staff.

• In Arkansas, 78.5 percent of residents and 57 percent of staff in facilities have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

• Two Arkansas facilities – Highlands of Bella Vista Health and Rehabilitation and Colonel Glenn Health and Rehabilitation – have reached 100 percent staff vaccinations.

• Arkansas’s percentage of vaccinated residents is the highest among states in the region. We beat Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

• The percentage of vaccinated staff in Arkansas also is the highest in the region.

• The high vaccination rate has led to a drastic decline in COVID cases within Arkansas facilities.

• The diligence of the Arkansas Healthcare Association and Arkansas nursing homes allows more visits from family members and friends, and more activities for residents.

Regarding the California Attorney General’s ban on state employees flying to Arkansas on taxpayer money because of certain laws he deems unacceptable:

“While state employees may be barred from traveling here on state money, Californians are fleeing by the thousands to places such as Arkansas for our lower taxes, lower cost of living, and abundant opportunities. The lure of our state parks and quality of life will overcome any edict from the California Attorney General.”

VIDEO: Sevier County Chamber Chat with Callie Miller 06.29.21

On this week's Sevier County Chamber Chat, President Callie Miller talks about the new "What's in the Bag?" video on the Chamber's Facebook page as well as the Tri Lakes Big Bass Festival in mid July.

VIDEO: "What's Up, Doc?" with Dr Randy Walker 06.29.21

On this week's edition of "What's Up Doc?", Dr. Randy talks about some of the not so well known symptoms of food allergies, such as fatigue, migraines, sinus infections, rashes, bloating, heartburn, and sensitivity to bright light, and how testing for food allergies has helped many patients find answers.

Sevier County 4-H Donates to Local Fan Drive

Sevier County 4-H’er, Ethan Wolcott, recently announced that he would be holding a box fan drive. The Be Cool, Stay Cool Fan Drive is a project that Wolcott has taken on himself, with help from the Sevier County Extension Office. He teamed up with Dr. Randy Walker and Angie Walker to reach more of the community. Ethan Wolcott, who is only 17, was able to raise $905, including $200 donated by Hale Real Estate. Dr. Randy Walker has agreed to match the $905 that Ethan raised, equaling a total of $1,810 for the Fan Drive. In the end, they were able to purchase 94 fans for Sevier County.

Many know Ethan Wolcott from the can recycling program he has held in the county for the past three years. Wolcott started the project to donate money to the 4-H POP-A TOP program, a program that helped 4-H families with medical bills. However, the program was ended due to COVID. Wolcott then decided to keep the money locally. By teaming up with the Walkers, Wolcott is able to give those in need, a way to stay cool this summer.

Left to right: Rex Herring, County Extension Agent-Staff Chair; Angie Walker; Ethan Wolcott; Kim Frachiseur, 4-H Program Assistant; and Janet Cantrell, County Extension Agent-FCS.

Tuesday's COVID-19 Update from the AR Dept of Health

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 8
Active Confirmed Cases: 4
Active Probable Cases: 4

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 11
Active Confirmed Cases: 5
Active Probable Cases: 6

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 9
Active Confirmed Cases: 5
Active Probable Cases: 4

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 14
Active Confirmed Cases: 9
Active Probable Cases: 5

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 11
Active Confirmed Cases: 6
Active Probable Cases: 5

VIDEO: Block Party in Horatio Tuesday Night 06/29 - Leslie Daniels, Tonya Wolcott at Ed 88 Studios