Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

Suicide is a serious national public health issue that affects communities everywhere. When looking at the data on veteran suicide, however, we see that veterans are 1.5 times more likely to die by suicide than non-veterans. In 2017, Arkansas had the 9th worst veteran suicide rate in the country, with 20.8 suicides per 100,000 people.

There is currently an extensive study being conducted to address the issue of veteran suicide in Arkansas called the Arkansas Legislative Study on Veteran Affairs. The study came about as a result of the passage of Act 551, which requires the House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs and the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs to examine risk factors for suicide in veterans, options for preventing or reducing the occurrence of suicide among the veteran population, and mental health care available to veterans within the state.

Research shows that there is a lower increase in the suicide rate among veterans in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care than among veterans who are not in VHA care. The problem is that veterans are not automatically enrolled in VHA care, so it may be difficult to get those who are struggling the help they need. By connecting them with veterans’ healthcare services and other resources, legislators hope to see the number of veteran suicides decrease.

The committees have met in various locations across the state to study the issue. They will meet next at the Heritage Church in Van Buren on February 24 at 1:30pm.

During a joint committee meeting held in October in El Dorado, Mandy Thomas, Injury and Violence Prevention, Section Chief, Department of Health shared some interesting data on suicide prevention efforts in Arkansas. According to data collected from the period between January 1, 2019, and September 30, 2019, 23% of calls initiated to the Arkansas Lifeline Call Center by an Arkansas area code pressed #1 for the Veteran Crisis Line. The top five resources provided to callers include: Community Mental Health Centers, VA Crisis Line, AR Department of Veteran’s Affairs, National Domestic Abuse Hotline, and National Alcoholics Anonymous Hotline.

The Arkansas Lifeline Call Center, which is open through the Arkansas Department of Health, is open to use for anyone. The center answers calls made in Arkansas to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Veterans can access the Veteran Crisis Line by calling the national line at 1-800-273-8255 and pressing 1. Anyone can also text the crisis line by sending TALK to 741741, or chat online at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/ .

Lifeline Chat

Lifeline Chat is a service of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, connecting individuals with counselors for emotional support and other services via web chat. All chat centers in the Lifeline network are accredited by CONTACT USA. Lifeline Chat is available 24/7 across the U.S.

AMS Global & Norwegian Based Jets AS North American Training Seminar

Arkansas based AMS Global & Norwegian based Jets AS held their 1st Annual North American Training Seminar on the Campus of UA Cossatot in De Queen on February 12th & 13th of this year. Attendees were giving theoretical and hands on training on Vacuum Sanitation Technology during the event.

There were 27 total people attending the event from 10 States including Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, California, Arizona, New York & Michigan as well as attendees from 2 other countries including representatives from the Province of Quebec in Canada and Norway.

AMS Global Representative Clint Nelson indicated he is “Extremely Grateful” for the hospitality shown by UAC’s Dr. Steve Cole and Tammy Coleman for helping to make the event a success. The “UAC Facilities were outstanding and all attendees were very complimentary of them” said Nelson.

Norwegian based Jets AS is the world leader in pioneering eco-efficient technology with a distribution network that spans the globe. AMS Global, in De Queen, is the proud, land based, North American Distributor for Jets AS.

Create Bridges to Conduct Additional Surveys in Six Arkansas Counties

A pilot program focusing on rural economic development in six rural Arkansas counties is surveying employees to learn more about job training and experiences that can bolster businesses in the retail, tourism, entertainment and accommodations industries.

Create Bridges, a multi-state program to help communities strengthen their retail, tourism, accommodations, and entertainment sectors, which in turn provide jobs and business opportunities that can boost rural economies, is seeking survey participants. In Arkansas, the efforts are organized by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Community, Professional and Economic Development unit.

The program was established in October 2018 in two regions in Arkansas. The 3Cs Region includes Howard, Little River and Sevier counties, while the Ozark Foothills Region is made up of Fulton, Izard and Sharp counties.

In 2019, Create Bridges held forums in several counties throughout the state to gather information about community assets in the retail, tourism, entertainment and accommodations industries. They also interviewed business owners to learn about the opportunities, benefits and challenges of operating a business in rural Arkansas.

Now, the project is focusing on gathering employee insight, asking survey participants about their current skills, areas in which they want to improve, and training available to them. The survey also asks about the types of benefits employees appreciate in their jobs, such as flexible scheduling, training opportunities, childcare assistance and insurance. Finally, the survey asked participants about the factors affecting their ability to work, including limited transportation options, housing availability, and child or elder care access.

Employees in the six program counties can access the survey at http://bit.ly/CBEmployeeSurvey. The survey is anonymous and takes about 15 minutes to complete. Results will be used to create strategies to support these businesses including workforce training.

Julianne Dunn, economic development instructor for the Division of Agriculture’s Cooperative Extension Service, encouraged employees to participate in the program.

“The employee perspective will be invaluable to identifying training and policy opportunities to promote the flourishing of these types of businesses,” Dunn said.

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Create Bridges — an acronym for Celebrating Retail, Accommodations, Tourism, and Entertainment by Building Rural Innovations and Developing Growth Economies — has already held community forums and a retail academy for regional leaders.

Nashville Gardening and Farmers Market Happenings

Nashville WRA 5K Training Clinic Orientation on February 18th

Truck Driving Training Program Offered This Spring at UA Cossatot

UA Cossatot is offering a Truck Driving Training Program this spring at its Nashville Campus for individuals seeking a career as a professional truck driver. The training program is provided through the college’s Continuing Education department and is available in March, April, and May.

The UA Cossatot Truck Driver Training Program is an intensive one hundred and sixty-hour training program with a proven record of providing quality, in-depth truck driver training that will have students on the road in four fast-paced weeks.

The training program includes a combination of up-to-date classroom, field, and on the road training. The total cost to sign up for the course is $3,695, which includes books needed for the training. Financial assistance may be available for students interested in being in the program.

Classes will take place Monday through Thursday on March 2-26, April 6-30, and May 4-28. The instructor, Phillip Jones, will teach the course from 6:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. each day.

The Truck Driving Training Program at UA Cossatot will be offered three times this spring semester. The deadline days to register for one of the three options is February 24, March 30, and April 27.

Truck drivers, on average, make $39,070 a year in Arkansas. In only four weeks, students in this program at UA Cossatot can expect to be prepared to enter a career where there is a bright job outlook.

The college is also offering a Truck Driver Refresher Program designed to reacquaint individuals who haven’t worked in the trucking industry for a long period of time with the opportunity to get refreshed. In this

program, the student will learn skills to obtain his/her CDL license and re-enter the trucking industry as a professional commercial truck driver.

The course is also available to those who would like to improve on their existing skills, such as backing, shifting, or driving. The course is customizable to each student’s needs and may include classroom, range, and road time.

Persons entering this course must have his/her permit or a valid CDL. The program includes forty hours of training and costs $900, which includes the CDL Skills Test.

To learn more about the Truck Driving Training Program, the Truck Driver Refresher Program, or to enroll in either program, please call UA Cossatot’s Continuing Education department at 870-584-1178

National Weather Service Potential Rainfall for Arkansas for Early Week

The National Weather Service predicts a wet start to the week!

Census 2020 Helps Build Arkansas

Want more money for Roads, Libraries, Schools, Employment, Healthcare, etc? Make sure to #BECOUNTED You can fill out the 10 minute questionnaire by phone, mail, or internet.
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¿Quiere más dinero para carreteras, bibliotecas, escuelas, empleo, atención médica, etc.? Asegúrese de ser contado #BECOUNTED. Puede llenar el cuestionario de 10 minutos por teléfono, correo o por internet.

The 2020 Census is coming! March 12-April 30, 2020. Get involved and help make sure we count EVERYONE living in Sevier County. The 10 minute questionnaire will impact the next 10 years! The 2020 Census is IMPORTANT, SAFE and Easy!
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¡Se acerca el Censo 2020! Del 12 de marzo al 30 de abril de 2020. Participe y ayude a asegurarse de contar a TODOS los que viven en el Condado de Sevier. ¡El cuestionario de 10 minutos tendrá un impacto en los próximos 10 años! ¡El Censo 2020 es IMPORTANTE, SEGURO y Fácil!

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, and 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease each year. In 2017 in Arkansas, a total of 8,270 people died of heart disease.

February is American Heart Month. Its purpose is to promote the importance of heart health and increase awareness of the risk factors of heart disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of all Americans have at least one of the top three risk factors for heart disease-high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Other conditions and behaviors that affect your risk for heart disease include obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity, and unhealthy eating patterns.

Smoking, the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, is also one of the greatest risk factors for developing heart disease. Smoking damages the heart and blood vessels very quickly, but the damage is repaired quickly for most smokers who quit

In 2019, the General Assembly passed Act 580, which would have phased in an increase in the age a person must be to buy tobacco products like cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and vaping products that contain nicotine. However, a new federal law signed by President Trump supersedes the 2019 state law, and as of December 27, 2019, the nationwide minimum age to buy tobacco products has been raised to 21. With this law now in place at the federal level, we expect to see fewer teens begin smoking or vaping in the first place.

You can choose healthy habits to help prevent heart disease. Arkansans are encouraged to make healthy changes to lower their risk of developing heart disease such as controlling their cholesterol and blood pressure, living an active lifestyle, and eating healthy. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you smoke, know that quitting will lower your risk for heart disease. For free help to quit smoking, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or go to smokefree.gov or cdc.gov/tips.

Home | Smokefree

Preparation is the first step to being smokefree. Boost your chances of success by making a quit plan.

Create Bridges Wants to Hear From You

The CREATE BRIDGES pilot project wants to hear about the experiences of retail, accommodations, tourism or entertainment employees in your community! Retail and hospitality sectors provide jobs and business opportunities that often drive rural economies. University Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is piloting CREATE BRIDGES, a program designed to strengthen these industries in Arkansas. As part of the pilot, CREATE BRIDGES is collecting the opinions and comments of retail, accommodations, tourism, and entertainment employees related to their preparation, training, and benefits in the industry. The following Arkansas counties are included: Howard, Little River, and Sevier. This anonymous survey takes less than 15 minutes: http://bit.ly/CBEmployeeSurvey. Please help us get the word out about this opportunity, as these employees’ feedback will be invaluable to identifying training and policy opportunities to promote the flourishing of these industries. If your business or community is having an event at which we can survey or you are interested in more information, please contact Julianne Dunn at 501-671-2158 or jbdunn@uaex.edu.

Little River Chamber Banquet Award Winners Announced

Award winners at Little River Chamber of Commerce Banquet include:
Steve Pearce Person of the Year Award: Joe Mack Bennett
Clayton Castleman Public Service Award: Rhonda Fleming Pounds
Ashdown Teacher of the Year: Jennifer Simmons
Foreman Teacher of the Year: Samantha Lace Smith
UA Cossatot Educator of the Year: Lynze Greathouse
Panther Ambassador: Cole Smith
Gator Ambassador: Kenzie Cowan
New Construction Award: Davis Feed Co
Renovation Award: Tres Agaves
Large Business: Southern Precision Fabrication
Small Business: Noah's Ark Daycare
School / Community / Non Profit: Methodist Church - Jim Cross

Little River County Introduces the Little River Post

It was announced at last night's Little River Chamber of Commerce awards banquet that the county will soon be home to a newspaper once again! Attendees were each given a copy of the new publication and the publisher, David Lide, and editor Camille Johnson were introduced. Subscription and advertising info is available by calling 1-800-517-6347. Ed 88 welcomes the Little River Post!

Cossatot Fire Department Annual Fish Fry & Auction Saturday, March 28th

Tri-County Regional Library System Board of Trustees Quarterly Meeting Tuesday

The quarterly meeting of the Tri-County Regional Library System Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, February 11th, at 5 p.m. at the Sevier County Library-De Queen Branch. Business to be discussed include: financial issues, board of officer elections and dates for meetings in the state.

Marilyn B. Archer, MLS
Director
Tri-County Regional Library System
Serving 11 Public Libraries in Howard, Little River and Sevier counties in Southwest Arkansas

Updated Winter Weather Projection For Arkansas

2020 Little River Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet Thursday

2020 Little River Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 6, 2020  at the Barbara Horn Civic Center in Ashdown.  Doors will be open at 5:30 p.m.

Dinner for the evening will include your choice of grilled rib-eye steak or chicken breast, salad, vegetables and dessert. 

You have the opportunity to decorate your own table. We will award a prize for the first place most beautiful and most unique. If you prefer not to decorate, we will decorate it for you. Please let us know in advance that you are planning on decorating your table.

Three levels of sponsorships are available for your selection:

Gold Sponsorship - $1,200 

• Three tables (24 chairs) with premier seating

• Recognition during event

• Recognition in printed program as Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsorship - $800

• Two tables (16 chairs) with premier seating

• Recognition during event 

• Recognition in printed program as Silver Sponsor

Bronze Sponsorship - $400

• One table (8 chairs) with premier seating 

• Recognition during the event 

• Recognition in the printed program as Bronze Sponsor

Individual tickets may be bought for $30.00 each or two for $50.00, you may pick those up at the Chamber or Red RIver Oil. 

Please contact me at the Chamber office if you are interested in a sponsorship.

We are very thankful to our businesses and people who choose to work and reside in Little River County. Please continue             

to SHOP LITTLE RIVER COUNTY FIRST and we look forward to serving you in 2020!

Sincerely,

Jana Smith 

Executive Director

Heavy Rains Possible in the Early Part of the Week

Here's an update on the severe weather potential for Tuesday afternoon/evening across Arkansas. Heavy rain will also be possible through mid week, with around 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.

Forecast for the Middle of the Week Calls for Snow

Around half an inch to an inch of snow is forecast for Wednesday into Thursday, with higher amounts near 2 inches possible across the northwest.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

This week, the Department of Finance and Administration announced that effective February 3, 2020, all 134 State Revenue Offices will have the ability to issue a Real ID.

Arkansas is taking part in the federal nationwide initiative to improve the security of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards, which will help fight terrorism and reduce identity fraud.

Starting October 1, 2020 anyone who boards a domestic flight or enters a federal building will need a Real ID driver's license, Identification Card or other approved documentation required by the United States Department of Homeland Security.

When we previously reminded constituents of the upcoming deadline, just 25 State Revenue Offices could issue a Real ID. Now, DFA has expanded the capability to all revenue offices to make it more convenient.

The cost to obtain a REAL ID does not differ from the cost to obtain or renew a license or ID. Current Driver Licenses (DL) can upgrade to REAL ID at any time by purchasing a duplicate license. The fee for a duplicate DL is $10.00 and expiration dates remain the same. If within one year of the expiration date, you may renew and convert to the Arkansas Real ID. At regular renewal periods, the REAL ID may be purchased for $40.00 and will not expire for eight (8) years.

Real ID will not replace a U.S. Passport or allow border crossing. A Real ID Driver’s License is optional and only required for individuals who wish to continue using their Driver’s License to board domestic flights or enter federal buildings after October 1, 2020.

Should you have any questions about the Real ID, please contact the Office of Driver Services at 501-682-7059, email questions to driver.services@dfa.arkansas.gov or VISIT www.ar.gov/realid or www.dhs.gov/real-id

REAL ID

The REAL ID Act establishes minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibits Federal agencies from accepting for certain purposes driver's licenses and identification cards from states not meeting the Act's minimum standards. The purposes covered by the Act are: accessing Federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants, and, boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft.

Rotaract has Chocolate Covered Strawberries for Valentine's Day