Monday's Ark-La-Tex Weather from the National Weather Service in Shreveport

Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms will keep our temperatures at or below normal for today. A few severe storms with damaging wind gusts cannot be ruled out.

A line of strong thunderstorms, which may produce gusty winds and
brief heavy rainfall, will move southeast across the area today.
Redevelopment is possible this afternoon across Southeast
Oklahoma, Southwest Arkansas, and Northeast Texas, but this is
very uncertain. If thunderstorms redevelop this afternoon, a few
storms could be severe. Damaging winds and large hail will be the
primary threats. The threat for severe weather should diminish
this evening.

Widespread thunderstorms are expected Tuesday as a cold front
slowly moves into the area. A couple of severe storms cannot be
ruled out, especially south of the Interstate 30 corridor.
Damaging winds and large hail will be the primary threat.

More thunderstorms are expected along the from Wednesday and
Thursday. Severe weather is not anticipated, but multiple rounds
of locally heavy rainfall could lead to isolated flooding.

Rain chances will decrease after Thursday, but isolated to widely
scattered thunderstorms will remain in the forecast Friday through
Sunday.

Sunday's COVID-19 Maps and Numbers from the Arkansas Department of Health

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Cases
  Total Positive: 563
  Active Positive: 182
  Recovered: 376
  Deaths: 5
  Negatives: 2,913

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Cases
  Total Positive: 62
  Active Positive: 24
  Recovered: 38
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 927

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Cases
  Total Positive: 35
  Active Positive: 4
  Recovered: 31
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 770

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Cases
  Total Positive: 63
  Active Positive: 13
  Recovered: 50
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 1,051

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Cases
  Total Positive: 7
  Active Positive: 1
  Recovered: 6
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 1,344

A Message from Dr. Steve Cole to All UA Cossatot Students and Future Students

Saturday's COVID-19 Maps and Numbers from Arkansas Department of Health

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Cases
  Total Positive: 550
  Active Positive: 186
  Recovered: 359
  Deaths: 5
  Negatives: 2,861

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Cases
  Total Positive: 54
  Active Positive: 20
  Recovered: 34
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 902

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Cases
  Total Positive: 35
  Active Positive: 7
  Recovered: 28
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 761

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Cases
  Total Positive: 62
  Active Positive: 14
  Recovered: 48
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 1,040

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Cases
  Total Positive: 7
  Active Positive: 1
  Recovered: 6
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 1,300

VIDEO: UA Cossatot Drive-Thru Registration Continues Today on Nashville and Lockesburg Campuses

Drive-thru registration Friday on the UA Cossatot Nashville campus until 11 a.m. and in Lockesburg from 4 - 6 p.m.

Thursday's Arkansas COVID-19 Maps and Case Numbers from the AR Department of Health

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Cases
  Total Positive: 498
  Active Positive: 160
  Recovered: 333
  Deaths: 5
  Negatives: 2,641

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Cases
  Total Positive: 45
  Active Positive: 12
  Recovered: 33
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 877

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Cases
  Total Positive: 34
  Active Positive: 6
  Recovered: 28
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 747

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Cases
  Total Positive: 60
  Active Positive: 21
  Recovered: 39
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 1,006

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Cases
  Total Positive: 7
  Active Positive: 2
  Recovered: 5
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 1,255

VIDEO: Drive Thru Registration Thursday and Friday at UA Cossatot Campuses

Drive Thru Registration will be at De Queen and Ashdown campuses on Thursday, and at Nashville and Lockesburg campuses on Friday. For more information, call 800-844-4471.

UA Cossatot Awarded the Second Youthbuild Program in Arkansas

DEQUEEN, AR –The U.S. Department of Labor announced earlier this year that they were awarding $85 million to support and expand YouthBuild programs across the country. YouthBuild provides at-risk youth, ages 16-24, with education and occupational skill development to obtain employment in construction and other in-demand industries.

UA Cossatot was one of the awardees, obtaining a Youthbuild grant totaling $844,000 to provide local at-risk youth in Sevier, Howard, Little River, and Pike counties the opportunity to learn industrial maintenance and construction skills that lead to good jobs and better housing for the area.

According to UA Cossatot Chancellor, Dr. Steve Cole, “Being awarded the Youthbuild grant is pretty incredible. This is only the second such program in Arkansas and we think this will be a game-changer for at-risk youth in our area that need to sharpen their skills. The bonus to this program is that the participants of the program develop these skills at no cost to them, and we provide money for supportive services as well. These services can range from anything like child care, to car expenses”.

“Youthbuild focuses on job training and education and while the students are learning, they are also renovating low income housing, which is a win-win for the area”, says Cole.

UA Cossatot has already hired three new staff members to assist students in applying for and training within the Youthbuild program. While the program has not officially started their first courses, they are ramping up operations quickly and should welcome their first cohort of students sometime this fall. For more information about the Youthbuild program at UA Cossatot, please email Jennifer Black at jblack@cccua.edu, or call UA Cossatot at 870-584-4471.

The Arkansas Department of Health COVID-19 Case Update and Maps

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Cases
  Total Positive: 478
  Active Positive: 154
  Recovered: 319
  Deaths: 5
  Negatives: 2,626

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Cases
  Total Positive: 42
  Active Positive: 10
  Recovered: 32
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 855

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Cases
  Total Positive: 34
  Active Positive: 8
  Recovered: 26
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 744

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Cases
  Total Positive: 58
  Active Positive: 20
  Recovered: 38
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 988

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Cases
  Total Positive: 7
  Active Positive: 2
  Recovered: 5
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 1,239

Current Numbers of COVID-19 Cases from Area Southwest Arkansas Counties

UA Cossatot - Getting Back to Normal 2020 Summer Work Plan

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

This week, the House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee reviewed the 2019 Annual Report from Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division.

This report along with the quarterly reports from the Department of Human Services’ Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) are difficult to review but necessary in guiding our decisions of where to place resources.

The annual report states Child Abuse Hot Line operators in the Crimes Against Children Division (CACD) of the Arkansas State Police received 67,420 referrals in the year 2019. Of these referrals, 37,591 were accepted as legally valid allegations of abuse or neglect. They were assigned to the CACD investigators or the Arkansas Department of Human Services’ Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS). In 2019, the hotline received 652 fewer calls than in 2018.

Calls to the hotline include educational and medical neglect, inadequate food and housing, and physical and sexual abuse. DCFS reports neglect is the most commonly reported allegation among those which are found to be true.

Major Jeff Drew with the Arkansas State Police testified that calls to the hotline have dropped in recent weeks as many mandated reporters are not in contact with children. The division is noticing anywhere from 400 to 600 fewer calls a week.

DCFS Director Mischa Martin told committee members that teachers have historically been the highest volume of mandated reporters. The decline in calls to the hotline continues to be of concern.

DCFS made a decision early in the health emergency to continue to place a priority on the safety of children. As a result, employees with the agency have and will continue face to face contact with children.

We have posted the report presented to the committee at www.arkansashouse.org.

If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline at 800-482-5964.

Home - Arkansas House of Representatives

ARGIRLSLEAD #ARGIRLSLEAD is a movement started by women serving in the Arkansas House. Each of them have a unique story to share about their journey on the road to their current leadership position. Kids In The House Who says civics can't be fun?

UA Cossatot Announces New Digital Media and Marketing Degree

The Division of Professional Studies department at UA Cossatot announces that a new Digital Media and Marketing degree will be available this fall. The new degree is the result of input from local business owners and the quickly changing way that businesses market their products as well as communities in which we live. UA Cossatot has also announced that students can complete the degree entirely online.

This new degree will be an associate of applied science degree, but it will also include stackable
credentials for a certificate of proficiency and a technical certificate. The certificates and the degree can all be completed in less than two years. The associate’s degree requires 60 credit hours, the technical certificate requires 27, and the certificate of proficiency requires 12. Students planning to transfer to a four-year university can also take courses within the Digital Media and Marketing degree to earn transferable credits at UA Cossatot before transferring.

Digital media and marketing is an essential investment for businesses moving into the next decade. UA Cossatot wants to give students more creative, business opportunities, provide more local, relevant industry training, and help other businesses gain a competitive edge.

This degree will provide a focus area on social media and advertising for local businesses. Classes
offered this fall at UA Cossatot, in this program, include Introduction to Digital Media, Social Media Marketing, and Microcomputer Applications.

To sign up for classes in this degree plan or to request more information about the Digital Media and Marketing degree, please contact UA Cossatot’s Student Services department at studentservices@cccua.edu or 870-584-4471.

UA Cossatot Educates Nurses with Pride

Globally, the nursing profession is celebrating a milestone in 2020, as the World Health Organization declares it the International Year of the Nurse. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses are making enormous sacrifices in these challenging times. UA Cossatot is proud to celebrate nurses everywhere and is pleased to help educate future nurses into this noble profession.

Like all students, UA Cossatot’s nursing students have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. They have been working remotely online and were recently allowed to finish their classes this spring semester on campus in a restricted safety environment.

In the spring of 2020, UA Cossatot had 44 students enrolled in its LPN program and 32 students enrolled in its RN program. Nursing is the college’s most popular program, and it is a profession that has a bright job outlook.

UA Cossatot offers an 11-month LPN day program at De Queen, an 18-month LPN evening program at Nashville, and an 11-month ARNEC RN program in the evening at both the De Queen and Nashville Campuses. The college’s Office of Continuing Education also offers a CNA training program to prepare students for the CNA licensure exam.

UA Cossatot has been awarding nursing degrees to nursing students for years and plans to do so for years to come. To learn more about UA Cossatot’s nursing program, please contact Christina Cooper at ccooper@cccua.edu.

Medical Certificates Can be Completed at UA Cossatot

Students planning to pursue a career in the medical field or who are questioning the medical field as a career option can receive an affordable medical certificate of proficiency or a technical certificate at UA Cossatot. The college is offering a Certificate of Proficiency in Medical Transcription and Technical Certificates in Health Professions and Medical Assisting.
These certificates offer educational opportunities to help open doors into the broad field of medical professions. They can be completed in a reasonable amount of time and can also help students determine where they want to work in the medical field and in what type of setting. They can also be earned to achieve a satisfactory job position in a medically-related work environment.
Graduates of the Medical Transcription and Assisting program may work in a medical office, hospital, lab, or out of their own homes as a private contractor. The Technical Certificate in Health Professions offers basic medical knowledge for employment in the medical field. It is also a flexible option when transferring to another college.

The Technical Certificate in Health Professions requires 29 credit hours, the Technical Certificate in Medical Assisting requires 39, and the Medical Transcription Certificate of Proficiency requires 15.
Health care jobs are projected to continue to grow far faster than jobs in the general economy. Employment in the health care industry has been growing for decades and offers many different employment opportunities for individuals interested in helping others.
Students who earn these certificates will also have the opportunity of transitioning into other medical programs at UA Cossatot if they choose to continue their education at the college.
For more information or to enroll in classes for these medical certificates, please contact UA Cossatot Medical Advisor, Christina Cooper, at ccooper@cccua.edu

UA Cossatot Receives Grant from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council

UA Cossatot received a grant of $336,000 from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council (ANCRC) at its meeting held on Wednesday, June 3rd. The grant will be used for Phase 1 of restoring the old Lockesburg Middle School on the Lockesburg Campus of UA Cossatot.

The council distributed $27.3 million to 23 projects that will restore and protect state-owned lands and property.

According to UA Cossatot Chancellor Dr. Steve Cole, this will be huge for education and historic preservation, “Since 2017 we have been working diligently with the ANCRC and Arkansas Historic Preservation to rehabilitate and use all of the buildings on the old Lockesburg High School Campus. This most recent grant will allow us to start restoring the middle school. When we finish phase 1, we will have two new classrooms, a large community room, and, most importantly, a museum to house and protect historical items from Lockesburg High School”.

UA Cossatot is also filing an application to Arkansas Historic Preservation to turn the entire old Lockesburg Campus into a historic district according to Cole, “Since we already have the gym on the National Register and have applied for the high school, it just makes more sense to have the entire campus as a historic district with all the buildings, including the old 100 year old jail listed as contributing buildings”.

The planned museum will house all of the old LHS memorabilia UA Cossatot currently possesses plus will always be open to the community members to donate more. “We have this wonderful opportunity to protect over 120 years of memories and will be asking anyone with old LHS memorabilia to contact Barry Reed at breed@cccua.edu”, added Cole.

As with any building owned by UA Cossatot, the UA Cossatot Foundation in the near future will be posting naming opportunities for the museum, community room, and the classrooms, hoping to raise enough funds to furnish the rooms and curate all of the historic pieces.

Cole expects phase 1 to be completed by next July, “We should meet our goal of completing phase 1 by June 30th of 2021, and we fully expect to apply for phase 2 funding next March, which will completely finish the middle school restoration”.

Since 2013, UA Cossatot has invested more than one million dollars in grants, private donations, and college funds on the Lockesburg Campus, with a large portion of funds coming from the ANCRC.

Stacy Hurst, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, who serves as Secretary of the ANCRC said, “The ANCRC Trust Fund has funded over $400 million in projects since its first grants were made in 1989. Many well-loved buildings and properties have been saved for future generations by the fund, and we are a better state for it.”

ANCRC has funded the restoration and preservation of such iconic properties as the Arkansas State Capitol, Old Main on the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Campus, Lakeport Plantation in Chicot County, and the Johnny Cash Home in Dyess.

The Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council (ANCRC) was established by Arkansas Act 729 of 1987. Its grants and trust fund are managed for the acquisition, management and stewardship of state-owned lands, or the preservation of state-owned historic sites, buildings, structures or objects which the ANCRC determines to be of value for recreation or conservation purposes. The properties are to be used, preserved, and conserved for the benefit of present and future generations.

Showers and Thunderstorms Expected Monday

Heavy Rains from Cristobal Continue to move Northward

The Weather Channel says thunderstorms are expected to begin around noon time today for southwest Arkansas and could bring heavy rains throughout the afternoon.

The Weather Channel expects showers, thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and strong winds today as a result of Cristobal making landfall.

The National Weather Service has

...A swath of heavy rain is expected to impact areas just west of
the Mississippi River as Cristobal continues to track far inland
toward the Great Lakes through Tuesday...

...Heavy snow develops in parts of the northern Rockies as severe
thunderstorms become increasingly likely across the northern and
central Plains, ...

...The West cools off substantially but critical to extreme fire
danger continues in the southern Rockies and High Plains...

After making landfall in southeastern Louisiana yesterday,
tropical storm Cristobal has continued to track further inland
into the lower Mississippi Valley.  Cristobal has been weakening
relatively slowly over land, and continues to bring intense rain
bands and tropical storm force wind gusts into Mississippi and
Alabama.  A High Risk for excessive rainfall remains in place for
eastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi along with the ongoing
threat for dangerous coastal flooding along the Central Gulf
Coast.  Cristobal is expected to bring a several inches of heavy
rain just west of the Mississippi River together with gusty winds
and isolated severe weather during the next couple of days.

Meanwhile, an anomalously cold and vigorous upper trough for early
June continues to swing through the western U.S. and into the
northern Plains.  Strong to severe storms will be likely as a cold 
front slowly works its way across the region. 

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

This week, we want to remind you of a rapidly approaching deadline for incoming and returning college students. The deadline to apply for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship is July 1.

The Academic Challenge Program provides scholarships to Arkansas residents pursuing a higher education. Funded in large part by the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, the Academic Challenge Scholarship is available to students just graduating from high school, currently enrolled in college, enrolling in college for the first time, or re-enrolling after a period of time out of college.

In the ten years since its inception, the lottery has raised more than $945 million to help provide more than 542,000 scholarships for college students. More than 92 cents of every dollar of lottery revenue goes to prizes, scholarships, retailer commissions, and other expenses in Arkansas.

Eligibility requirements forArkansas high school students include a minimum composite score on nineteen (19) on the ACT or the equivalent score on an ACT equivalent test.

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Eligibility requirements have been modified due to COVID-19. For students who are receiving Arkansas Challenge, if they were on track to have enough hours and earned satisfactory academic progress until March 27, they are automatically eligible for the Fall 2021 Semester.

To apply, visit the Department of Higher Education’s website,scholarships.adhe.edu, and complete the Arkansas YOUniversal Scholarship Application or download the free YOUniversal app for your smart phone. The online YOUniversal application is your one-stop shop for state and lottery funded financial aid.

Arkansas Department of Higher Education | College for You

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UA Cossatot Colt La Drakkus Thomas Signs with Crowley's Ridge

Here at UA Cossatot, we are proud to announce that junior forward La Drakkus Thomas has signed a letter of intent to continue his college basketball career at Crowley's Ridge College. LT was a team leader and a fan favorite for the Colts and we know he will make us proud! Congrats LT!

UA Cossatot’s Secondary Career Center Awards 81 Certificates

The Secondary Career Center at UA Cossatot is a high school program designed to help teenagers earn college credit in technical programs while still in high school. UA Cossatot recently awarded 70 students from the Secondary Career Center with 81 certificates. The college also awarded 1,816 college credit hours to 227 students enrolled in the program for the spring 2020 semester.

High school students can enroll in the Secondary Career Center beginning their junior year of high school. Juniors and seniors can take college credit hours in automotive service technology, diesel service technology, medical professions, welding, and industrial technology. Students attend classes at a UA Cossatot campus during the morning or afternoon and can take up to half of their course requirements in high school to obtain their degree or technical certificate with the potential of Certificates of Proficiency being earned before high school graduation.

The Secondary Career Center at UA Cossatot helps high school students get a head start on college, but it also helps them save money. The classes offered through the Secondary Career Center are available to high school students at no charge.

The Secondary Career Center also provides students the opportunity to learn about technical careers they may be interested in or want to consider.

For more information about UA Cossatot’s Secondary Career Center or to enroll in available courses for the fall 2020 semester, please contact High School Programs Director, Julie Rhodes at 870-584-1343 or jrhodes@cccua.edu