Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 57
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 70
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 40
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 84
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 81
by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)
Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield CEO Curtis Barnett said the state’s largest health insurance company is supportive of the governor’s new call for a COVID-19 pandemic emergency and a special session to loosen mask-wearing restrictions in public schools.
“We’re very supportive of what the governor outlined this week. I think what it does, it puts our priority clearly where it needs to be, which is on our children,” Barnett said in a Talk Business & Politics interview.
On Thursday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson declared a new pandemic emergency as the Delta variant of COVID-19 has spiked cases across the state. Hutchinson also said he would ask lawmakers in a special session to address a new law prohibiting mask mandates. He wants to loosen the restriction to allow local school boards to make a decision on the issue with regards to children under the age of 12, who do not qualify for a vaccine.
Talk Business & Politics
Federal pandemic unemployment relief has been ordered to resume in Arkansas by a Pulaski County Circuit Court judge to as many as 70,000 qualified Arkansans. In May, the emergency benefits were terminated by Governor Asa Hutchinson, who said jobs are now plentiful. Legal Aid of Arkansas sued the state on behalf of five Arkansas plaintiffs who claim the temporary benefits are critically needed.
https://www.kuaf.com/post/arkansas-judge-rules-canceled-pandemic-unemployment-benefits-resume
Over a hundred workers stand socially distanced in line at Arkansas Workforce Services to apply for pandemic unemployment assistance last year in Fayetteville.
J. FROELICH / KUAF
Emilee Vaught was our Friday morning guest on Ed 88. Emilee talked about several upcoming events in Horatio.
Cody Gallagher of Pilgrim's and UA Cossatot Chancellor Dr. Steve Cole were in our De Queen studio this morning to talk about the Better Futures Program which will allow eligible Pilgrim's employees and their family members to attend class at UAC at no charge. Members of the UA Cossatot Student Services Department will be in the break room at Pilgrim's on Tuesday, August 3rd from 1:30-5:30 to answer questions and register students.
JBS USA and Pilgrim’s and UA Cossatot are Bringing the Better Futures Program to Arkansas
Tuesday, August 3rd from 1:30 until 5:30 pm, members of the UA Cossatot Student Services Department will be at Pilgrim's De Queen facility to enroll eligible Pilgrim's employees and their dependents living at home in classes at UAC. Pilgrim's is paying the way for these employees and their families to further their education.
JBS USA and Pilgrim’s announce that more than 1,250 team members and dependents have enrolled in community colleges across rural America as part of the company’s Better Futures free college tuition program. With a goal of becoming the largest privately-funded free two-year college initiative in rural America, the Better Futures program has received praise from school administrators and educational leaders across the country.
“The JBS USA and Pilgrim’s Better Futures program is off to an outstanding start, with 1,286 of our team members and dependents enrolling in the program in only four months,” said Andre Nogueira, chief executive officer, JBS USA. “The number of students attending college has been in decline for more than a decade, especially among minority communities and across rural America. We believe providing free access to community college can help strengthen rural economies and make a lasting and meaningful difference in the lives of people.”
Since the launch of Better Futures in March 2021, the companies have partnered with 36 colleges in 22 states to provide tuition-free education to team members and dependents, many from first-generation American families. Today, approximately 70% of the more than 1,250 Better Futures enrollees are team members.
“When we launched Better Futures, we anticipated that the vast majority of enrollees would be the dependents of our team members,” said Corey Friend, Better Futures program manager. “We have been pleasantly surprised that so many of our team members have decided to take advantage of this opportunity to upskill and prepare themselves for the workforce of the future through education. Better Futures is unlocking untapped potential across rural America and I could not be more proud of the great progress we have made in such a short amount of time.”
To be eligible for Better Futures, JBS USA and Pilgrim’s team members need only to have worked with the company for the last six months and remain in good standing with the company through completion of their education. Better Futures participants are able to pursue any courses or degree programs they wish.
More information on the Better Futures program can be found at https://betterfutures.jbssa.com/.
Registration is now open for the Medical Billing and Coding Program. Interested persons should contact Continuing Education Services at ContinuingEducation@cccua.edu or by calling (870) 584-1178 for more details. Financial aid is available to qualifying students.
Registration is now open for the Phlebotomy Technician Program at UA Cossatot. Interested persons should contact Continuing Education Services at ContinuingEducation@cccua.edu or by calling (870) 584-1178 for more details. Financial aid is available to qualifying students.
By ALEXANDRIA BROWN
Little Rock School Board members are being asked to consider filing a lawsuit against the state regarding a ban on mask mandates. Superintendent Michael Poore made the request in a video released Friday. He said Act 1002, which took effect Wednesday, is unconstitutional. It prohibits state and local government entities, including schools, from enforcing mask mandates.
While Gov. Asa Hutchinson has called for a special session of the Arkansas General Assembly to consider modifying or lifting the ban, Poore said he isn't confident lawmakers will make the right decision.
“My hope is that the state legislature will take the appropriate action to repeal 1002 and allow school districts to formulate their own policy related to masks," Poore said. "I’m not confident that that will occur. This lawsuit allows us a place in order to take this situation to the judicial branch to act on 1002.”
Michael Poore, superintendent for the Little Rock School District, announced in a video released Friday he will ask board members to consider filing a lawsuit against the state for banning mask mandates.
CREDIT LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT / YOUTUBE
By DEBRA HALE-SHELTON/ ARKANSAS NONPROFIT NEWS NETWORK
A nursing home magnate, one of Arkansas’s highest-ranking jurists and a former judge in shackles were among witnesses in the first week of the federal bribery trial of former lobbyist Gilbert Baker.
Prosecutors sought to weave an intricate tale of political ambition and greed while the defense focused on a key witness’ lack of credibility. Both sides struggled at times to jog witnesses’ memories of events that happened as far back as 2013 and 2014.
Baker, a former state senator from Conway and former chairman of the state Republican Party, is charged with bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy. He is accused of being the middleman in an alleged plot to bribe former Faulkner County Circuit Judge Michael Maggio on behalf of Michael Morton, a wealthy nursing-home owner and campaign financier. Maggio is now serving a 10-year sentence in federal prison after pleading guilty to accepting a bribe.
Former Faulkner County Circuit Judge Michael Maggio in 2016 at the U.S. District Courthouse in Little Rock.
CREDIT BRIAN CHILSON / ARKANSAS NONPROFIT NEWS NETWORK
As Arkansas is experiencing a dramatic surge in COVID-19 cases, with more than 2,800 new cases reported Thursday, kids are being impacted like never before in the pandemic. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he was especially concerned about the increase in pediatric cases while announcing he was reinstating a public health emergency for the state.
Only people who are 12 and older can get vaccinated, which is a concern as schools are only a few weeks away from starting a new academic year. The latest variant is making a growing number of children sick, with Arkansas Children’s Hospital this week reporting its largest number of patients with COVID-19.
Hutchinson said Thursday there were 24 children being treated at the hospital and none had been fully immunized. Half of those, he said, were under 12-years-old and not eligible to be vaccinated.
https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-children-are-becoming-sick-never-during-covid-pandemic
Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock reported a record number of pediatric patients this week suffering from COVID-19.
CREDIT MICHAEL HIBBLEN / KUAR NEWS
LITTLE ROCK – Many athletes who are competing in the Olympics in Tokyo this year have a connection to Arkansas, but today I’d like to talk about Kayle Browning, the only home-grown Arkansan representing the United States. This year, Kayle won a silver medal on Thursday in the International Trap Shooting competition.
Like many of our youth, Kayle dreamed of competing in the Olympics, but she was thinking gymnastics or figure skating. As it turned out, her Olympics dreams dovetailed with her shooting talent.
Kayle’s parents, Tommy Lynn and Tammy Browning, their kin, and friends, watched from their home in Wooster, where Kayle grew up. On Thursday afternoon, Tommy Lynn said his house had been pretty noisy as they watched their only child win. They had talked to Kayle briefly a couple of times between her appearance on the “Today” show and an onslaught of interviews.
Kayle comes by her love of the sport honestly. Her father, Tommy Lynn Browning, is a lifelong hunter who has won his share of national shooting titles. At shooting competitions, the mom, Tammy, pushed Kayle about in a stroller while her dad shot. Kaylee was eight when she started shooting water-filled jugs for fun in her yard. That also was the year she killed her first deer and duck.
At twelve, Kayle was a member of the Women’s Open All American team. At thirteen, she switched from shooting sporting clay targets to international trap shooting, which is an Olympic event. The idea to compete came from a talent recruiter for the U.S. Army marksman team. After he saw her shoot, he recommended that she try out for the Olympics.
In order to train, Kayle needed a professional facility, but there wasn’t one within ten hours of Wooster. So in 2006, her dad built one on their farm.
In 2012, Kayle was an alternate on the Olympic team. This year, she made the cut and traveled to Tokyo. Kayle competes with a Krieghoff over-and-under twelve-gauge shotgun.
I’d like to note that while Kayle learned much about shooting from her father, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission contributed to her training. With her parents’ encouragement, Kayle was one of the first youth to participate in the Game and Fish Commission’s Youth Shooting Sports Program. Her success is a good testimonial to the value of that program.
Tommy Lynn and Tammy have encouraged and supported Kayle’s pursuit of her passion. But they also have emphasized that winning a medal is a good thing, but just earning a spot on the team is a worthy accomplishment. Kayle is finding success outside of the Olympics. She owns Cypress Creek Lodge, where guests can stay overnight and learn to shoot from Kayle and David Radulovich, another champion shooter. Kayle has a real estate license, and in her spare time, flips an occasional house.
Kayle Browning is following in the footsteps of her family, deepening her roots in Arkansas, building a successful business, and improving the quality of life in her community and state. Now she has brought an Olympic medal back to Arkansas. Congratulations, Kayle. For all you parents who want your children to learn about the great outdoors, meet Kayle Browning, Arkansas’s new ambassador for the shooting sports.
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 57
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 68
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 43
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 77
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 79
Governor Asa Hutchinson will provide a weekly briefing to media at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 6, 2021.
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM CDT
THIS EVENING...
* WHAT...Heat index values from 105 to 110 expected.
* WHERE...Portions of north central and northwest Louisiana,
southeast Oklahoma, south central and southwest Arkansas and
east and northeast Texas.
* WHEN...From noon to 7 PM CDT Thursday.
* 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.Today and Tonight...
A Heat Advisory is in effect today for all of the Four State
Region. Temperatures will again climb into the mid and upper 90s
this afternoon across the area, and when combined with the
humidity, will result in heat indices ranging from 105 to 110
degrees. In addition, isolated to widely scattered showers and
thunderstorms will develop today over portions of East Texas and
North Louisiana, before diminishing by sunset.
Friday through Wednesday...
Very hot, humid, and mostly dry conditions will continue across
the region Friday through Sunday, as an upper level ridge of high
pressure begins to shift southeast into the area. This will result
in the hottest temperatures so far this summer, and when combined
with the humidity, will produce heat indices that will near or
exceed 105 degrees each day. However, a weak cool front will shift
south into the region late Sunday, which will focus an increase
in showers and thunderstorms over the area late Sunday through
Tuesday. The increased cloud cover and rain near and behind the
front will also contribute to slightly cooler temperatures Monday
through midweek.Latest Progress Report From the Construction Site of the New Sevier County Medical Center
Contract Days: 485; Days Remaining: 227; Percent Complete: 53.02%
PERSONNEL ONSITE:
• Four (4) Prime Contractors:
o Gigerich Electrical
o Bass Concrete
o Car-Son Construction
o DS Murphy (Metal Building Erector)
• Three (3) Structural Steel Erectors
• Two (2) Electricians
EQUIPMENT ONSITE:
• Five (5) Scissor Lifts
• One (1) Takeuchi Mini Excavator
• One (1) Takeuchi Skid Steer
• One (1) Komat’su Excavator
• One (1) Gradall Shooting Boom Forklift
• One (1) Grove Crane
• One (1) Welding Machine
WORK IN PROGRESS:
a. Building “A”:
i. Structural Steel:
1. Steel decking and miscellaneous screen steel is being erected at the roof level.
2. The steel platforms for the roof top units (RTU’s) are being
completed in preparation to pour the concrete support pads. See
the discussion in the discussion section below.
3. Steel decking is being completed on the high roof.
ii. Electrical:
1. Uni-Strut framing is being erected at the roof top unit (RTU)
locations
By DEBRA HALE-SHELTON/ ARKANSAS NONPROFIT NEWS NETWORK
Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Rhonda Wood testified Tuesday that she never talked with former Circuit Judge Michael Maggio about his decision to alter a jury’s award in a nursing home negligence case in 2013 — a ruling that led to Maggio’s imprisonment and to federal bribery charges against former lobbyist Gilbert Baker.
Wood’s testimony for the prosecution came near day’s end at Baker’s trial in U.S. District Court in Little Rock. She is to continue testifying Wednesday.
Wood’s statement contradicts defense attorney Annie Depper’s assertion during opening statements Monday that Maggio had “struggled” with the 2013 ruling so much that he consulted with Wood, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox and a law clerk about the decision.
CREDIT KUAR NEWS
Dr. Huda Sharaf, Chief Medical Director of the University of Arkansas Pat Walker Health Center in Fayetteville, as well as a key Fayetteville City Health Board member, explains why the new even more life-threatening COVID-19 Delta variant is spreading so quickly through the unvaccinated population in Arkansas.
https://www.kuaf.com/post/u-health-center-medical-director-issues-stark-covid-19-variant-warning
COURTESY / HUDA SHARAF
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 45
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 62
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 39
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 57
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 65
