Click on pic above for the latest weather briefing.
COVID-19 Active Cases in SW Arkansas
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 5
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 14
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 13
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 23
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 9
Active COVID Cases in SW Arkansas
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 10
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 20
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 17
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 34
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 15
Nashville Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet Winners
Nashville Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet was held Monday night at the Occasions Event Center. Incoming president Carlos Martinez welcomed the large crowd. Awards included:
Memorial Recognition - Mary Woodruff
Lifetime Achievement - David Blase
Scrapper Pride - Johnny Wilson
Orange & Black - Patricia Elliot
Better Together - Nashville High School Cheerleaders
Woman of the Year - Stephanie Harrison
Man of the Year - Greg Furr
Winter Weather on the way for Arkansas
Click on Pic Above for the latest Winter Weather Briefing for Arkansas
UA Cossatot's Relinda Ruth and the OER program featured in a recent national article
OER Zero to Sixty in Five Years: One University’s Pathway to 60% Participation
Severe Weather Briefing from the National Weather Service in Little Rock
Click on pic above for Severe Weather Briefing PDF
Active COVID-19 Cases in SW Arkansas Back on the Downward Trend
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 33
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 60
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 34
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 103
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 41
Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught
On Monday, the 93rd General Assembly will convene at the State Capitol to address the budget for Fiscal Year 2023.
Fiscal Sessions began after Arkansas voters approved what would become Amendment 86 in 2008. This will be the 7th Fiscal Session held in state history.
Governor Asa Hutchinson is expected to address the General Assembly shortly after we convene at noon, February 14.
During the address, the Governor will outline his budget proposal. Previously, in budget hearings the Governor recommended a 3.3% increase in spending. His proposal included increases for state police salaries and more funding for services for Arkansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Governor has also said publicly he will be asking the legislature to direct a portion of surplus funds for a state prison expansion.
The latest revenue report from the Department of Finance and Administration shows net available general revenue at $275 million or 7.1% above this time last year.
All appropriation bills will be heard first in the Joint Budget Committee. That committee has spent several weeks reviewing agency proposals.
By Friday afternoon of this week, more than 90 budget bills had been filed in the House. And more than 80 bills had been filed in the Senate.
If the General Assembly is to take up any bills outside the scope of the budget, they must first have a 2/3 vote in both chambers for a resolution describing the bill. The deadline for those resolutions is by the end of the first day of the session, February 14.
The deadline for filing both appropriation bills and non-appropriation bills is Monday, February 28.
Amendment 86 states that each Fiscal Session shall not exceed 30 days. The Fiscal Session may be extended one time, however, for no more than 15 days, by a ¾ vote of both the House and Senate.
We will continue to update you during this upcoming session. You can find the daily agendas and watch the meetings live at www.arkansashouse.org.
Active COVID-19 Cases in SW Arkansas
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 112
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 105
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 94
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 157
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 75
IDrive Arkansas Map of Road Conditions Around the State
Ice Accumulations Expected With Winter Storm Warning in Arkansas
A winter storm with significant snow and ice accumulations is imminent! Additionally, a very cold Arctic air mass will move into the state late this week with minimum temperatures in the single digits to low 20s and wind chills in the single digits. - National Weather Service
VIDEO: February is Black History Month
The Center for Student Success and Student Ambassadors at UA Cossatot ask, “How much do you know about Black History Month?”
Arkansas expected to get snow and sleet this week
KUAR | By Remington Miller
Arkansas is forecast to receive a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain later this week with the potential for hazardous driving conditions.
The National Weather Service says rain is expected to begin on Tuesday, then a cold front will enter the state causing a gradually transition to winter weather on Wednesday. But forecasters say there is still uncertainty about the amount and types of precipitation, making it difficult to predict.
Meteorologist Thomas Jones says after the wind switches to the northwest and brings in colder air he expects to see “rain change to freezing rain and sleet across the north part of the state.”
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service projection for snow and sleet amounts between Wednesday and Friday, as of Monday at 11 a.m.
COVID-19 Active Cases in SW Arkansas
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 327
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 219
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 238
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 275
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 156
Latest Winter Weather Briefing for Arkansas - Rain, Freezing Rain, Snow, Ice Accumulation and Sleet
Click on picture above for Winter Weather Briefing
UA Cossatot Food Pantry Food Drive now through January 29th
How would you like to help tackle hunger, and score a new big screen tv?
Just in time for the Super Bowl….thanks to a generous donation from Gayla Irvan, when you give a non-perishable food item to the UA Cossatot Food Pantry on our De Queen, Nashville, or Ashdown campus, you’ll receive an entry in a drawing to win a 50 inch Samsung television.
Gayla will also accept food donations at the Chalice Food Cupboard on Saturday, January 29th. And you can even donate at UA Cossatot Colts basketball games. We will draw the winning ticket at the February 12th Colts home game when they host SAU Tech.
With your help, we can defeat hunger in our community. Please give during the Super Bowl Food Drive, now through February 12th.
UA Cossatot’s 2022-2023 Online Scholarship Application Open
PRESS RELEASE
183 College Drive, De Queen, AR 71832
870-584-1124
www.cccua.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 18 January 2022
CONTACT: Dustin Roberts, Director of Development
UA Cossatot’s 2022-2023 online scholarship application is currently open, and the deadline to apply is March 1, 2022. The online scholarship application portal allows students to apply for many different foundation and institutional scholarships by completing just one online application. The online application can be found at cccua.awardspring.com.
There are scholarships available for an assortment of students; incoming freshman, returning students, non-traditional, and program-specific scholarships. Most UA Cossatot scholarships are donor-funded and there are scholarship opportunities for students attending classes on all four UA Cossatot campuses; De Queen, Nashville, Ashdown, Lockesburg, and online.
UA Cossatot’s Director of Development Dustin Roberts said, “There are a variety of scholarships and award amounts available for fall 2022 and spring 2023. It’s incredible to see donors supporting local college students and investing in their futures.”
For more information, contact Dustin Roberts at 870-584-1172 or droberts@cccua.edu. ###
Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught
Members continued to review agency budget proposals in preparation for the 2022 Fiscal Session.
This week, the hearings focused on requests for public safety and for the Department of Human Services.
The Governor is requesting a $7.4 million increase in the budget for Arkansas State Police.
If approved, this money would be used to help raise the starting salary of state troopers to an amount between $52,000 and $55,000 a year. Currently, the starting salary is $42,357.
Arkansas State Police Director Bill Bryant testified this week that out of 525 trooper positions, 61 are currently vacant. Director Bryant told members an increase in starting salary would make the agency more competitive when it comes to new recruits.
This week, members also reviewed requests from the Department of Human Services (DHS).
The Governor has proposed an $11 million increase for the Division of Children and Family Services, the division of DHS responsible for child abuse prevention, protection, foster care, and adoption programs.
The requests for DHS also include $37.6 million to provide services for Arkansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Currently, more than 3,000 Arkansans are on a waitlist for services. Those services could include medical and hospital, mental health services, early intervention day treatment, adult day treatment, personal care, and occupation, physical, and speech therapy.
The latest general revenue report shows net available revenue at 6.1% above this time last year.
Members of the Joint Budget Committee review agency requests and current revenue reports before filing appropriation bills.
The 2022 Fiscal Session begins at noon on February 14. You can watch all House sessions and committee meetings at www.arkansashouse.org.
Active Cases in SW Arkansas COVID-19
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 620
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 460
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 414
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 333
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 236
