Parent/Teacher Conference in De Queen April 1st

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to work alongside you to ensure that our students have a successful school year. De Queen Public Schools believes that each of you plays a major role in our efforts to increase parental and community engagement and we have seen how those roles have come together to overcome challenges during this unique and challenging school year.

As it has with many of our regular school activities, Covid-19 is having an impact on how we will be conducting parent-teacher conferences. To protect the health of everyone, we will not be conducting face-to-face parent-teacher conferences on campus. Teachers will be available through email on April 1st from 3 PM TO 4 PM.

Due to the limitations of the campus phone system, teachers will not be able to communicate via phone calls during this time. However, if you feel the need for a one on one conversation with a teacher, a phone conference can be scheduled with teachers during their regular conference hours.

Once again, we want to thank you all for your continued support and patience you have shown while we navigate this unique school year. Building and maintaining good parent-school relationships help support each child’s education and we encourage you to join us in this partnership to help our students learn and succeed.

Sincerely,

Beau McCastlain

De Queen Public Schools

Arkansas Governor Hutchinson Announced on Tuesday 1 Million Vaccinations Given

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

The state of Arkansas has administered 1 million COVID-19 vaccinations, Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Tuesday (March 23) during his weekly briefing.

Counting vaccinations delivered through federal programs, 1,008,575 shots have been administered out of 1,466,950 distributed – a 68.75% rate, Hutchinson said. Those numbers came from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He said his goal was 1.1 million shots administered by the end of the month.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/03/governor-1-million-vaccinations-given/

Arvest Bank Closing 31 Branches this Summer

by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)

Fayetteville-chartered Arvest Bank said Wednesday (March 24) it would close nearly 12% of its 270-plus branch locations this summer.

The 31 branches will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 30. There are 15 in Oklahoma, 12 in Arkansas and four in Missouri.

The branches slated for closure can be found at this PDF. Some are inside Walmart Supercenter stores, for example, 2110 W. Walnut St. in Rogers.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/03/arvest-bank-closing-31-branches-this-summer/

Photo courtesy Hight Jackson Associates.

House Committee Advances Bill Allowing College Athletes To Make Money Off Publicity Rights

By SARAH KELLOGG / KUAR

A bill that would allow college-level student athletes in Arkansas to make money off of their name, voice, signature, photograph or likeness passed its first legislative hurdle this week. On Tuesday, the House Education Committee by a voice vote, with no dissenting votes heard, approved House Bill 1671, which would create the "Student-Athlete Publicity Rights Act."

https://www.kuaf.com/post/house-committee-advances-bill-allowing-college-athletes-make-money-publicity-rights

University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek (left) and head football coach Sam Pittman both spoke in support of HB1671.

COURTESY / UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

U of A Grant Aims To Get More Math and Science Teachers Into Classrooms

By KYLE KELLAMS

Finding enough qualified educators to teach science and math is a challenge across the nation. To ease the shortage, a team of University of Arkansas educators will use a $1.45 million grant from the National Science Foundation to prepare secondary math and science teachers to teach at high-need school districts.

https://www.kuaf.com/post/u-grant-aims-get-more-math-and-science-teachers-classrooms

Commerce Department Considers Calling In National Guard To Help Process PUA Claims

By ZUZANNA SITEK

The Arkansas Commerce Department is considering calling in the National Guard to help the Division of Workforce Services go through Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims. Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston says the number of claims had leveled out toward the end of last year, but changes to the program in the last two stimulus bills could require additional personnel to go through applications that had already been submitted.

https://www.kuaf.com/post/commerce-department-considers-calling-national-guard-help-process-pua-claims

Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston.

COURTESY / ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Thursday COVID-19 Update from the Arkansas Department of Health

In its Wednesday update, the Arkansas Department of Health reported 231 new cases; 2,128 active cases; 172 hospitalized, which is down 1 from Tuesday; 43 on ventilators, which is up 3 from Tuesday; deaths added today, 13, for a total of 5,560; a total of 329,177 cases; 252,612 recoveries; PCR tests, 6,154; antigen tests, 1,026.

The Health Department reported that the top counties for new cases are Sebastian, 42; Washington, 29; Pulaski, 26; Benton, 17; and Baxter, Crawford, and Faulkner with 7 each.

Governor Hutchinson released the following statement on today’s COVID-19 numbers:

“We continue to see some of the lowest numbers we've seen since the early days of this pandemic. This trend can continue if we all do our part. If it's your turn, get vaccinated today for a healthier community.”

Active Cases Data for Sevier County

Total Active Cases: 13
Active Confirmed Cases: 4
Active Probable Cases: 9

Active Cases Data for Howard County

Total Active Cases: 3
Active Confirmed Cases:
Active Probable Cases: 3

Active Cases Data for Little River County

Total Active Cases: 9
Active Confirmed Cases: 6
Active Probable Cases: 3

Active Cases Data for Polk County

Total Active Cases: 3
Active Confirmed Cases: 2
Active Probable Cases: 1

Active Cases Data for Pike County

Total Active Cases: 2
Active Confirmed Cases: 1
Active Probable Cases: 1

Daily Legislative Update From State Representative Deann Vaught:

The House approved a resolution that will provide for an extended recess of the 2021 Regular Session. HCR1015 would allow the General Assembly to recess on April 30 and return when census data becomes available to complete congressional redistricting. Currently, census data is expected to be released in September.

The House also voted in favor of the following bills on Monday:

HB1678-This bill allows the State Board of Education to issue a teaching license to a university professor or an assistant professor.

HB1313-This bill addresses damage, destruction, or vandalism to buildings and objects on the State Capitol Grounds and at the Governor’s Mansion. It states damage to public buildings or objects of respect is a Class A misdemeanor if the damage is under $500. It becomes a Class D felony if the value of the damage exceeds $500.

HB1505-This bill makes leaving the scene of an accident with injuries a Class D felony. If there are serious physical injuries or death of a person, the offender would be charged with a Class B felony.

SB339-This bill states restaurants holding a valid alcoholic beverage permit may sell alcoholic beverages in a sealed container to be consumed off-premises. This is currently allowed under an executive order due to the health emergency. SB339 would allow the practice to continue after the emergency.

SB341-This bill prohibits collective bargaining by public employees. The bill states public employees do not include law enforcement officers, firefighters, or public transit system employees.

SB354-This bill states that interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletic teams or sports that are sponsored by a school shall be expressly designated as one of the following based on biological sex:

(1) "Male", "men's", or "boys”

(2) "Female", "women's", or "girls"

It also states a student who is deprived of an athletic opportunity or suffers harm as a result of a violation of this law can seek injunctive relief and monetary damages.

The House will convene on Tuesday at 1 pm.

Chalice Cupboard Food Distribution in De Queen Monday, March 31st

The Chalice Cupboard will be distributing food boxes on Wednesday, March 31 from 2-4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church. Please come south down Fifth Street and enter the back of the church and exit on Fourth Street. There will be one box per automobile. We ask that you do not get out of your automobile. Please pop your trunk in order for us to put the box in the trunk.

Monday COVID-19 Update from the AR Dept of Health

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 25
Active Confirmed Cases: 8
Active Probable Cases: 17

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 5
Active Confirmed Cases: 2
Active Probable Cases: 3

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 10
Active Confirmed Cases: 6
Active Probable Cases: 4

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 6
Active Confirmed Cases: 6
Active Probable Cases:

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 3
Active Confirmed Cases: 1
Active Probable Cases: 2

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

In the 10th week of the 2021 Regular Session, the House passed several bills focusing on improved education.

Once enacted, these bills would increase funding for our public schools, raise teacher salaries, and require every high school student to complete a computer science course.

HB1677 raises the foundation funding amount for public schools from the current $6,899 per student to $7,182 per student for the next school year. It increases the amount for the 2022-2023 school year to $7,349 per student. The bill also outlines enhanced funding amounts for school districts where a large majority of students qualify for the national school lunch program. This bill will now be considered by the Senate Education Committee.

This week, the House also addressed teacher salaries. While the 92nd General Assembly worked to improve the minimum teacher salary, our teachers continue to make less than those surrounding states when it comes to the average salary. The current average salary for teachers is $49,822.

HB1614 seeks to raise the average salary by creating the Teacher Salary Equalization Fund. The bill outlines a statewide target average of $51,822 for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years. This bill would direct the Department of Education to disperse money from the Equalization Fund to districts whose average teacher salary falls below $51,822.

The House voted 97-0 in favor of HB1614. The bill is now before the Senate Education Committee.

Meanwhile, another education bill is making its way to the Governor’s desk.

The House passed SB107, which requires students entering the ninth grade class of 2022-2023 to earn one credit in a computer science course before graduation. SB107 states that beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, a public school district shall employ a computer science teacher at each high school.

The House also passed two other education bills this week, HB1451 and HB 1594.

HB1451 allows a public school district to adopt a bilingual program or a dual-immersion program approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

HB1594 allows the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to grant a teaching license to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients who have completed the necessary requirements.

You can find summaries of other legislation passed this week as well recorded meetings, links to live streams, and committee agendas at www.arkansashouse.org.

LIVE VIDEO: Governor Hutchinson Provides Weekly COVID-19 Update Tuesday (03.23.21) 130PM

Governor Asa Hutchinson provides an update to media on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, live at 1:30 p.m. regarding Arkansas’s COVID-19 response.

UA Cossatot Secondary Career Center Students Win Welding Competition

UA Cossatot Secondary Career Center students from the Nashville Campus attended and won first place in the 2021 Weld-A-Thon competition Thursday, March 18 at South Arkansas Community College.

UA Cossatot Secondary Career Center students, Damion Barbre of Dierks High School, Brantley Cupples of Nashville High School, and Harley Keys from Murfreesboro High School won 1st place. Fellow student, Dalton Gibson of Dierks High School was also in attendance. Participants were given a blueprint, welding materials, and had two hours to build a custom fire pit.

Each winning team member received a welding helmet, three pairs of welding gloves, a $50 visa gift card, a t-shirt, and a ball cap. Also, all competition participants were entered into a drawing for a $350 welding helmet and Damion Barbre was the drawing winner.

The students were accompanied by their welding instructor, Stuart Dufrene, and Director of High School Programs, Julie Rhodes. Rhodes said, “This is a tremendous opportunity that shows the standards of excellence that UA Cossatot requires.”

For more information on UA Cossatot Secondary Career Center, contact Director Julie Rhodes at 870-584-1343 or jrhodes@cccua.edu. ###

Democratic Party of Arkansas Again Lowers Filing Fees

By ANTOINETTE GRAJEDA

Arkansas Democrats are reducing filing fees for candidates for the third time since 2017. A spokesman for the Republican Party of Arkansas says the organization has no plans to follow suit. Arkansas has some of the most expensive filing fees in the country.

https://www.kuaf.com/post/democratic-party-arkansas-again-lowers-filing-fees

Income Tax Deadline in Arkansas Has Been Extended To May 17

by Talk Business & Politics staff

Governor Asa Hutchinson has extended the deadline for filing state individual income taxes to May 17, 2021 to coincide with the extension of the federal filing deadline.

The normal filing deadline is April 15th.

“Pushing back the due date for state income tax is a simple way to help Arkansans in light of the extension of the federal tax deadline.” Hutchinson said. “The number of our COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continues to decline, and Arkansas is quickly rebounding. As the economy and our unemployment rate continue to improve, we will do all we can to help Arkansans to recover during the public health crisis.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/03/governor-extends-state-income-tax-deadline-to-may-17/

AG Rutledge on Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Opioid Lawsuit

by Roby Brock

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge says her new lawsuit against Walgreens is part of a continuing mission of accountability for the opioid crisis, and she says her experience as the state’s top legal officer makes her more qualified to be the next governor of Arkansas.

In a mid-week Talk Business & Politics interview, Rutledge claimed Walgreens should have done more to curtail the prescription of opioids. By not doing so, the national pharmacy chain has contributed to the black market for the extremely addictive drugs.

Walgreens has denied the allegations and said it plans to “vigorously defend” itself in the lawsuit.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/03/ag-rutledge-on-sarah-huckabee-sanders-opioid-lawsuit/

Bills Amending Telemedicine And SNAP Requirements Pass Arkansas Legislature

By SARAH KELLOGG

The Arkansas Legislature has passed bills that would amend telemedicine laws in an attempt to make permanent laws that are currently temporarily in place due to the pandemic.

The Arkansas Senate on Thursday voted 19-11 to pass House Bill 1063. Under the legislation, patients seeking medical care through telehealth would be able to seek care with a physician, without needing a prior face-to-face meeting. Instead an "real-time, interactive audio" meeting, which would include a phone call, would be enough to receive telehealth services. 

Currently, the in-person meeting requirement is suspended due to the public health emergency Gov. Asa Hutchinson implemented last year. 

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/bills-amending-telemedicine-and-snap-requirements-pass-arkansas-legislature

Sen. Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, presents House Bill 1063 to the Senate.

CREDIT ARKANSAS SENATE

Arkansas Legislature Passes Bill Allowing Pharmacists To Prescribe And Dispense Birth Control

By SARAH KELLOGG

The Arkansas Legislature has passed a bill that would allow pharmacies to administer up to six months’ worth of birth control for patients seeking it. The Senate on Wednesday gave final approval to House Bill 1069. It advanced the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor committee on Monday.

The legislation would allow pharmacists, after screening a patient to assess whether that person has been seen by a primary-care provider in the previous six months, to dispense no more than six months’ worth of birth control until the patient has been seen by a doctor.

Pharmacists must also provide the patient with a referral to a local healthcare provider. The pharmacist would not be allowed to refer a patient to an abortion provider. 

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-legislature-passes-bill-allowing-pharmacists-prescribe-and-dispense-birth-control

Sen. Breanne Davis, R-Russellville presents HB1069 to the Senate floor.

CREDIT ARKANSAS SENATE

Arkansas Department of Health Holds Weekly Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics

By DANIEL CARUTH

This month, the Arkansas Department of Health began operating mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics in each of the state's five health regions. Clinics rotate cities weekly and are available by appointment through the ADH vaccine clinic call center at 1-800-985-6030.

https://www.kuaf.com/post/arkansas-department-health-holds-weekly-mass-covid-19-vaccination-clinics

Vaccines are now available for Arkansans under phases 1A through 1C.

COURTESY / CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION

Saturday's COVID-19 Update from the Arkansas Department of Health

The Arkansas Department of Health reported 228 new cases; 2,663 active cases, which is down by 71 from Thursday; 233 hospitalized, which is down 12 from Thursday; 50 on ventilators, which is up 3 from Thursday; deaths added today, 14, for a total of 5,529; a total of 328,273 cases; 251,698 recoveries; PCR tests, 5,430; antigen tests, 992.

The Health Department reported that the top counties for new cases are: Pulaski, 36; Benton, 26; Craighead, 18; Washington, 11;  Sebastian, 10; White, 10.

Governor Hutchinson released the following statement on today’s COVID-19 numbers: 

"Overall, total cases and hospitalizations continue to decline. We are working hard to immunize every eligible Arkansan. 20 members of the Arkansas Air and Army National Guard have been deployed to assist with vaccinations in four public health regions as we close in on one-million vaccines. Let’s continue to work together on getting to the other side of this pandemic.”

Here are today's statewide COVID-19 numbers:

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 33
Active Confirmed Cases: 10
Active Probable Cases: 23

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 6
Active Confirmed Cases: 4
Active Probable Cases: 2

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 11
Active Confirmed Cases: 5
Active Probable Cases: 6

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 9
Active Confirmed Cases: 9
Active Probable Cases:

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 9
Active Confirmed Cases: 7
Active Probable Cases: 2