Aerial Views of Construction Site at the New Sevier County Medical Center
Aerial Photos courtesy of Bartek Recon
Heat Advisory Tuesday Afternoon and Early Evening for SW Arkansas
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
* WHAT...Heat index values from 105 to 109 degrees are expected.
* WHERE...Much of our four state area of southern Arkansas,
northern Louisiana, eastern Texas and southeast Oklahoma.
* WHEN...Until 7 PM CDT Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat
illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.DeAnn Vaught Named '2021 Legislator of the Year' by Arkansas Cattlemen's Association
Thank you Arkansas Cattlemen’s Assocation for the honor of being named your 2021 Legislator of the Year!!
LIVE VIDEO: Governor Hutchinson's Weekly Media Briefing Tuesday (08.24.21) 11.15AM
Governor Asa Hutchinson will provide a briefing to media at 11:15 a.m., Tuesday, August 24, 2021.
Slight Dip in Active COVID-19 Cases Monday in SW Arkansas
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 137
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 115
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 111
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 129
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 83
AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Overcoming the Hesitancy
LITTLE ROCK – Over the past several weeks, I have visited 16 communities on my Community COVID Conversations tour, and I heard heartfelt concerns, heartbreaking stories, and heartening testimonies about the value of the COVID-19 vaccines.
I launched the tour in an effort to increase the vaccination rate in Arkansas and to engage the community to overcome hesitancy.
The face-to-face gatherings allowed me the opportunity to speak, and more importantly, perhaps, people in the communities had the chance to hear from each other.
One frequent topic was about different treatment options, including ones that many doctors won’t prescribe. At the Camden meeting, Calhoun County Judge Floyd Nutt joked that if we banned the cattle dewormer that some people reportedly are taking, people might be more willing to take the vaccination. Then he turned serious and admitted at the beginning he thought the whole vaccination campaign was political, and that he and his wife had been hardheaded and refused to get the shot. But after discussions with his son-in-law, who is a doctor, the judge and his wife got the vaccine.
The Camden meeting gave Dr. Jera Smith the chance to respectfully provide correct information to a pastor who spoke about the rate of miscarriages in pregnant women who took the vaccine. The number of miscarriages is one in four, the same as the rate before the pandemic, she said. She pointed out that women who are immunized during the third trimester of their pregnancy pass the COVID antibodies to their babies.
Dr. Smith also used her medical knowledge to assure us with a detailed explanation that the vaccines do not alter DNA.
In Texarkana, Ward 2 Director Laney Harris cited the terrible Tuskegee experiment in the 1930s to explain why members of the African American community don’t trust the government’s recommendation for medical treatment of COVID.
Dr. Loren Robinson, chief medical officer of St. Michael Health System, spoke of her initial hesitancy to take the vaccine because she was pregnant. She walked us through the thought process and personal evaluation that eventually led her to get the vaccine.
In Siloam Springs, some of the participants were passionate, even angry, which I expect anytime you discuss the overlap of personal choice, public health, and the role of government. That is the beauty of these gatherings. Through these conversations, people hear from both sides. That’s the best we can do. I want Arkansans to make good judgments, and accurate information is essential.
I understand the hesitation of some to take the vaccine, but I’m not asking anyone to do anything I’m not willing to do. The First Lady and I are fully vaccinated. I encouraged all the members of my family to get vaccinated as well.
If your hesitation comes from distrust of the government, national medical authorities, or the pharmaceutical industry, talk to your family doctor or talk someone you trust. My hope is that you will decide to take the best action to protect yourself, your family, and your neighbors. COVID-19 is real, and it’s stealing too many of our loved ones unnecessarily.
To end on a positive note, fifty-one percent of Arkansans have had at least one dose of the shots. That’s great progress. If you aren’t one of those, please think about helping to increase our number.
Governor Hutchinson Issues Statement on July Unemployment Rate
LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson released the following statement on the decline in the unemployment rate for July.
“Our unemployment rate continues to be significantly below the national rate, and the fact that unemployment is now down to 4.3% reflects a growing economy in the state. The job opportunities are abundant with virtually every employer in Arkansas needing more workers. The challenge is the number of Arkansans who have not returned to the labor force after they lost a job early in the pandemic. There is a constant need to increase the number of workers in order to keep our economy vibrant.”
ACHI: All But 3 Arkansas School Districts Now in High Rate Zone
by: Dalton Flippo
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — According to the Arkansas Department of Health, 200 Arkansas school districts have COVID-19 infection rates of 50 or more new known infections per 10,000 district residents over a 14-day period, which is up from 182 last week.
Of those 200 districts, 50 have 14-day COVID-19 infection rates of 100 or more new known infections per 10,000 district residents, or more than 1% residents, up from 42 a week earlier.
Coronavirus in Arkansas: 3,549 new cases, 16 additional deaths
The local-level COVID-19 data can be found on the ACHI’s COVID-19 in Arkansas web page located here.
https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/achi-all-but-3-arkansas-school-districts-now-in-high-rate-zone/
Active COVID Cases Still on the Rise in SW Arkansas
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 141
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 123
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 119
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 132
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 81
July Job Numbers Dip Compared with June, but Jobless Rate Falls to 4.3%
by Talk Business & Politics staff
Jobs in Arkansas during July were up 3.8% compared with July 2020, the number of unemployed fell 38% year over year, and the state’s jobless rate fell from 4.4% in June to 4.3% in July, according to Friday’s (Aug. 20) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The number of employed in Arkansas during July was an estimated 1,296,670, up 47,475 jobs compared with July 2020, but just below the 1,298,261 in June. The July numbers are preliminary and subject to revision.
The state’s labor force – the number of people eligible to work – was 1,355,630 in July, up compared with the 1,344,406 in July 2020, and below the 1,358,172 in June. Arkansans without jobs in July totaled 58,960, down from 59,911 in June, and down 38% from the 95,211 in July 2020.
COVID-19 Active Case Numbers Thursday in SW Arkansas
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 133
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 100
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 100
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 118
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 62
VIDEO: "What's Up, Doc?" with Dr. Randy Walker 08.19.21
VIDEO: Chamber Chat with Sevier County Chamber President Christie McCullough
LIVE VIDEO: Governor Hutchinson's Weekly Media Briefing Thursday (08.19.21) 130PM
Governor Asa Hutchinson will provide a briefing to media at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, August 19, 2021.
2020 Census Numbers in SW Arkansas
The 2020 Census numbers are in and as we reported earlier, every county in our immediate area of Southwest Arkansas lost population over the past ten years. Here are the 2020 population totals for a number of area towns and cities:
State Rank Name 2021 Pop. 2010 Census Change
15 Texarkana 29,473 29,976 -1.68%
43 Hope 9,425 10,117 -6.84%
56 De Queen 6,496 6,609 -1.71%
65 Mena 5,426 5,756 -5.73%
80 Ashdown 4,380 4,706 -6.93%
81 Nashville 4,302 4,626 -7.00%
168 Murfreesboro 1,598 1,677 -4.71%
196 Mineral Springs 1,132 1,203 -5.90%
203 Dierks 1,068 1,128 -5.32%
207 Horatio 1,016 1,049 -3.15%
214 Foreman 910 1,026 -11.31%
216 Kirby 878 786 +11.70%
234 Wickes 751 754 -0.40%
242 Lockesburg 718 735 -2.31%
Population totals for every incorporated town in the state can be found here: https://worldpopulationreview.com/states/cities/arkansas
Arkansas Trucking Academy Begins at 4 College Sites
The Arkansas Trucking Academy — the state’s first public program of its kind — will see its first students today.
The academy is offered by a consortium of four community colleges and supported by a $720,000 two-year grant at a time when a driver shortage is being keenly felt throughout the state and nationwide.
The consortium comprises Arkansas State University Three Rivers in Malvern, University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana in Hope, UA Cossatot’s Nashville campus and UA Rich Mountain in Mena. They are hoping to train 80 truck drivers per year, 20 at each location, through four- to five-week classes, according to ASU Three Rivers Chancellor Steve Rook.
https://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/136873/arkansas-trucking-academy-begins-at-4-college-sites
A first-of-its-kind Arkansas Trucking Academy seeks to ease a driver shortage.
Howard County 4-H Youth Compete in Arkansas 4-H Food Challenge
On Friday, August 6, 2021, nine Howard County 4-H youth attend the first Arkansas 4-H Food Challenge at the Pulaski Tech Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute in Alexander, Arkansas. Teams from 8 counties and 50 plus youth participated in the competition which required them to plan, prepare and present a nutritious meal in under forty minutes using readily available items found at the Dollar Store, Family Dollar or Dollar Tree. For people who live on a tight budget and in areas with limited access to food, eating nutritionally balanced meals can be a challenge. Through 4-H, youth are learning this important life skill, and just how creative they can be in preparing an inexpensive and nutritional meal in a short amount of time.
Howard County had three teams consisting of one senior team and two junior teams. This year’s senior team, know as Seniors with Spatulas, is made up by Adelene Westfall, Alex Trombley and Sarah Lamb. These three youth where named this year’s winners in the Senior division qualifying for the National 4-H Food Challenge event in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 28. Alex Trombley was also given the Specialty Award for his great leadership skills he demonstrated during the event. He received a golden spatula as his award. Two junior teams competed. One team, known as the Howard County Food Choppers, placed second overall in the junior division. This team is made up by Anna Kate McKinnion, Abi Webb and Christian Trombley. Our other junior team, known as the Howard County Cuties (and that is exactly what they were), is made up by Julianna Webb, Gracie Woodruff and Peyton Bagley.
If you are interested in joining Howard County 4-H, and finding out how you can be a part of all our 4-H youth activities, you can contact Samantha Horn at the Howard County Extension office at 870-845-7517 or shorn@uada.edu.
Active COVID Cases Increasing as Public Schools Are Back in Session in SW Arkansas
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 135
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 95
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 99
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 119
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 63
Surplus Federal Pandemic Rent Relief Available to Arkansas Tenants and Landlords
The federally funded Arkansas Rent Relief Program administered by the Arkansas Department of Human Services, launched last May, has many millions of dollars remaining to distribute to tenants facing eviction due to the pandemic.
COURTESY / ADHS