Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 99
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 55
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 89
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 102
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 58
LITTLE ROCK – September is National Rice Month, Arkansas produces more rice than any other state, and an Arkansas family farm recently sold their rice to China, the first shipment from an Arkansas grower ever. Today, I’d like to talk about ... rice.
We’ll start with rice by the numbers. Arkansas produces more than 48 percent of the rice grown in the United States. Arkansas’s No. 1 agricultural export is rice, which is valued at $722 million. Rice grows in more than 40 counties in Arkansas, with Arkansas County growing the most rice in the state. Arkansas has 1,877 rice farms, and 97 percent of those farms are family owned and operated. In 2021, Arkansas farmers grew approximately 1.2 million acres of rice with an estimated yield of 167 bushels per acre. That is a lot of rice.
Arkansas produces predominately a long-grain rice on 1.1 million acres, but we also produce a small amount of medium grain and short grain rice. And the state’s rice industry donates nearly 170,000 pounds of rice a year to the less fortunate in Arkansas, which is more than a million servings of rice.
The family from Atkins that just announced its sale of rice to China has been farming for 10 generations – from Scotland in the 1700s, to Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kansas. In 1957, Charles and Grace Ralston moved their farming to Arkansas, six years before Tim Ralston was born. Tim and his wife, Robin, now own and operate Ralston Family Farms.
For the first fifty years in Arkansas, the Ralstons raised soybeans, corn, cattle, and a few acres of rice. When the local water district made water from the Arkansas River available, the Ralstons turned to rice. Eight members of the family – from 25 years old to 58 – work the farm, where they do everything from planting to milling to packaging and distributing their rice. Last year, they raised 4,000 acres or rice, and their ability to track their rice from planting to the shipping appeals to the Chinese grocery distributor who bought the Ralston rice in July. Their first commercial shipment to China was 20 metric tons of long grain rice, which arrived in July, and a second shipment is en route.
As of today, about 20 percent of the Ralstons’ crop is in, and they expect to complete the harvest in early October. The Ralstons’ rice is sold in every state and in about 6,000 stores. They eat rice at least once a day, and at church potlucks, everyone knows there will be at least one rice dish on the table.
The Ralstons embody the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit that has fueled so many companies in Arkansas. They saw a need and an opportunity, and this year they made history by selling their product to China.
The Ralstons’ rice is more than a commodity, and growing rice is more than a job. When they exported that first shipment to China in July, they were shipping a piece of their heart and their heritage. The rice raised in the Arkansas soil will enrich lives in China, and perhaps shrink the distance between our nations and our cultures. Everybody loves rice, and it’s a good development for the state’s rice growers and the Ralstons to imagine that at a potluck supper, someone will bring a casserole made with Ralston Rice from the Natural State.
On September 30, 2021, the Sevier County Health Unit of the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) will offer flu vaccinations at Legacy Center, 121 S 3rd Street, De Queen, Arkansas from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. People should bring their insurance cards with them to the flu vaccine clinic. If they do not have insurance, or the insurance does not cover flu shots, the vaccine will be available at no charge. This year’s mass flu clinic will be a drive through clinic and is in partnership with the Lofton Family Clinic at the 8th Annual Sevier County Health Fair.
“We want Sevier County residents to stay healthy this flu season and getting a yearly flu vaccination is the best line of defense,” Deborah Hedge, Sevier County Health Unit Administrator, said. “We encourage everyone to come to the mass clinic or the local health unit to get their flu shot.”
Annual flu vaccination is recommended for most adults and children six months and older. The flu virus changes from year to year, and this year’s vaccine protects against the flu viruses that are expected to cause the most illness this flu season.
“The flu should not be taken lightly,” said Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, Medical Director for Immunizations at ADH. “We are encouraging everyone to get a flu shot to protect themselves and their families, because it is hard to predict in advance how severe the flu season is going to be.”
People of all ages can get the flu. Certain people are more likely to have serious health problems if they get the flu. This includes older adults, young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), people who smoke, and people who live in nursing homes. Therefore, ADH strongly recommends that people in these groups get a flu vaccine. It is also recommended that friends, family members and people who provide care to people
in these groups also get a vaccine—not only to protect themselves but also to decrease the possibility that they might expose the people they love and care for to the flu.
The flu vaccine is safe and does not cause the flu. Some people may have mild soreness and redness near the site of the shot and a low fever or slight headache. There are very few medical reasons to skip the flu vaccine. These include life-threatening allergic reactions to a previous dose of the flu vaccine or an ingredient in the vaccine. People with allergies to vaccine ingredients can often receive the vaccine safely, if it is given in a doctor’s office where they can be monitored.
The flu is easily spread through coughing or sneezing and by touching something, such as a door knob, with the virus on it, and then touching their nose or mouth. Good hand washing habits are important in preventing the flu; however, the best way to prevent the flu is to get the vaccine.
For more information, go to www.healthy.arkansas.gov or www.flu.gov.
by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)
With a 3.6% gain in jobs in August compared with August 2020, Arkansas’ jobless rate dipped from 4.3% in July to 4.2% in August, according to Friday’s (Sept. 17) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The jobless rate was 6.5% in August 2020.
The number of employed in Arkansas during August was an estimated 1,300,179, up 45,354 jobs compared with August 2020, and above the 1,296,767 in July. The August numbers are preliminary and subject to revision.
The state’s labor force – the number of people eligible to work – was 1,357,389 in August, up compared with the 1,341,356 in August 2020, and above the 1,355,738 in July. Arkansans without jobs in August totaled 57,210, down from 58,971 in July, and down 33.9% from the 86,531 in August 2020.
by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)
University of Arkansas researcher and physics professor Hugh Churchill is creating and testing portable air filters that help remove infectious airborne particles — including respiratory droplets that carry coronavirus — from interior environments using simple, inexpensive supplies available at any general department or home improvement store.
And he wants to teach you how to make your own. Duct tape, a basic box fan and commercially available air filters are all you’ll need.
“While masks and vaccines are polarizing topics, there shouldn’t be anything controversial about clean air,” Churchill said in a UA news release. “These devices facilitate that. They provide an additional layer of protection that could be widely deployed to make our K-12 and university indoor spaces healthier during this wave of the pandemic. And they’re easy and inexpensive to build. My 9-year-old built one.”
https://talkbusiness.net/2021/09/ua-researchers-build-diy-air-purifiers-to-remove-covid-particles/
Left to right, Douglas Hutchings with Arkansas Research Alliance, Caleb Talley with Startup Junkie, Hugh Churchill, and graduate students Jeb Stacy and Shiva Davari. (Photo by Chieko Hara).
A former Lonoke County sheriff’s deputy has been charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of a teenager during a traffic stop in June.
Family and friends of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain cheered during a press conference Friday when a special prosecutor announced an arrest warrant had been issued for former Sgt. Michael Davis. Davis was fired by the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office for failing to turn on his body camera until after the fatal shot was fired.
Special prosecutor Jeff Phillips said Davis “acted recklessly in his behavior when he discharged his firearm.” If convicted, Davis could face three-to-10 years in prison.
https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/former-deputy-charged-manslaughter-arkansas-teenagers-death
Family and friends of Hunter Brittain held regular demonstrations outside the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office after the death of Hunter Brittain.
CREDIT KATV-CHANNEL 7
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 128
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 74
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 102
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 140
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 97
Governor Asa Hutchinson will provide a briefing to media at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 21, 2021.
LITTLE ROCK – Today I’d like to talk about Every Day Counts, the three-month initiative of the Division of Children and Family Services and Project Zero to focus on finding adoptive families for children in Arkansas’s foster care systen.
As with everything else in life, COVID-19 hurt some of the good work we were doing in the adoption system. The courts shut down, and as a result, the number of children waiting to be adopted has increased over the past 18 months because we were not able to place them in permanent homes as quickly. The Department of Human Services conducted much of its business virtually.
To make up the lost time, the Division of Children and Family Services and Project Zero developed the Every Day Counts campaign to emphasize the urgency of finding a home for these children. These 349 kids waiting for adoption are in foster care through no fault of their own. Every day a child spends in foster care is one day too many.
Of the 349 children, DHS has identified 162 children of them who are near adoption and hope to move them into their forever families during the ninety-day campaign.
One of the many heroes of the campaign is Christie Erwin, who founded the non-profit Project Zero ten years ago with the goal of reducing the number of children in need of adoption to zero. Christie and her husband have fostered more than fifty children and adopted two.
Christie dreams that Arkansas could be the first state without a single child waiting for adoption. She dreams of the day that instead of a waiting list with children’s names, the list will have families waiting to adopt with no children available.
On Wednesday, Christie helped throw a Sweet 16 birthday party for Dwynea, who is in the foster care system. A news crew from TV station KARK broadcast a story about the party. A photo of Dwynea and a short video about her are among the dozens of stories on Project Zero’s Arkansas Heart Gallery.
The Heart Gallery is one of Project Zero’s most important tools in finding adoptive families. Christie tells the story of a young man whose story on the Heart Gallery didn’t attract much notice. But one year, a couple who had seen his story went to an event for foster children and prospective parents with the intention of meeting him. They recognized him, spent the evening with him, and eventually adopted him.
Christie said that to see him adopted into a family after six years in a state facility and pull his life together and graduate from high school was a very special moment.
The Every Day Counts campaign will put short films about each of the children and teens waiting to be adopted on its Arkansas Heart Gallery so that families can hear their stories in their own voice.
During July and August, sixty-two children were moved to their forever families, and we hope to make even more progress in the next three months.
In Project Zero’s math, one plus one equals zero. Place one child with one family enough times and eventually the number of children on the waiting list will be zero. I often refer to my goal of improving the quality of life for all Arkansans. That is a long-term ambition. Adoption is a way to improve the quality of life for one Arkansan – a child – right now.
Governor Asa Hutchinson Livestream - National Hunting and Fishing Day Celebration
LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson issued the following statement on the resettlement of Afghan refugees in Arkansas.
“I received notification from the White House that Arkansas has been allotted up to 98 Afghan refugee cases. While we are waiting on specific information, I have been briefed on the heightened security vetting and comprehensive health screenings, intake, and vaccinations that are being implemented by our federal partners. We are expecting Afghan refugees in the near future with more coming as they are assigned to the resettlement agencies in the state by their national parent organizations. Refugee relocation is being assisted by faith-based organizations and local sponsors so refugees will successfully integrate to life in Arkansas.
“These refugees have supported the United States over the past 20 years. We want to help relocate these allies for their protection and the protection of their families from the sure peril they will face if they remain in Afghanistan.”
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 132
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 82
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 90
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 122
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 101
By Linda Satter
Elena Ambrogini, M.D., Ph.D., has been named director of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).
Ambrogini is an associate professor in the division, which is part of the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Internal Medicine.
She has been at UAMS in various roles since 2007, starting out as a post-doctoral research fellow, before becoming an Internal Medicine resident, then a fellow in endocrinology and metabolism and, beginning in 2015, an assistant professor. Before coming to UAMS, she completed medical school and a residency in endocrinology and metabolism in Italy.
She is also a staff endocrinologist at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System.
By David Wise
Sept. 15, 2021 | FAYETTEVILLE – Parkinson Voice Project has named the UAMS Outpatient Therapy Clinic in Fayetteville as a recipient of its 2021 SPEAK OUT! & LOUD Crowd Grant Program.
SPEAK OUT! is a therapy regimen tailored to people with Parkinson’s disease to improve their voicing, and in turn, their swallowing. SPEAK OUT! is usually completed in 12 sessions spanning several weeks, and then the client transitions to the LOUD Crowd, which is a group therapy program that meets weekly. With completion of this therapy regimen, clients report improvement in their speaking and their overall quality of life.
Grant recipients include hospitals, university speech therapy clinics, private practices, and nonprofit organizations. Each clinic receives therapy supplies and free training for their speech-language pathologists and graduate students.
https://news.uams.edu/2021/09/15/uams-outpatient-therapy-clinic-receives-parkinsons-grant/
By TALK BUSINESS & POLITICS STAFF
Scientists at Arkansas Children’s Research Institute (ACRI) and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences will continue studying the impacts of childhood obesity after the National Institutes of Health awarded $11.5 million in renewed funding to the ACRI Center for Childhood Obesity Prevention.
The grant will fund further improvements to the center’s existing research infrastructure and ensure development of more scientists with expertise in childhood obesity.
Led by Dr. Judith Weber, the multidisciplinary Center for Childhood Obesity Prevention anchors the pediatric obesity program at Arkansas Children’s. Weber also serves as associate dean for research and a professor in the UAMS College of Nursing, as well as a professor in the pediatrics.
Arkansas Children's Hospital
CREDIT MICHAEL HIBBLEN / KUAR NEWS
by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)
The top U.S. rice producing state has for the first time exported rice to China, the largest global rice importing country. Tim and Robin Ralston of Atkins-based Ralston Family Farms, announced the shipment Tuesday (Sept. 14). Gov. Asa Hutchinson is slated to visit the farm later this week.
Through a contract with a private importer in China, the first shipment of rice from Ralston Family Farms arrived in China in late July 2021. A second shipment is being scheduled with future shipments planned on regular intervals to meet demand. The rice will be sold on the retail market under the label of Ralston Family Farms.
“The Ralstons’ rice is more than a commodity, and growing rice is more than a job for the family. Rice has been part of their lives for 10 generations, and when they exported their first shipment to China in July, they were shipping a piece of their heart and their heritage. The rice raised in the Arkansas soil will enrich lives in China, and perhaps shrink the distance between our nations and our cultures. Everybody loves rice, and it’s a good development for Arkansas and the Ralstons that the people across the ocean will have our rice to enjoy,” said Gov. Hutchinson.
https://talkbusiness.net/2021/09/arkansas-rice-exported-to-china-for-the-first-time/
By REMINGTON MILLER & MICHAEL HIBBLEN
Arkansas ranks near the top of other states and countries in the percentage of people in prisons, according to a report released this month by the Prison Policy Initiative. The organization also said the United States incarcerates more citizens per capita than any other country. The report says “every U.S. state relies too heavily on prisons and jails to respond to crime.”
Wanda Bertram, communications strategist for the Prison Policy Initiative, said this year’s report found Arkansas is incarcerating the fifth most people per capita of any U.S. state.
Arkansas has an incarceration rate of 942 per 100,000 people, the report said.
Cummins Prison in southeast Arkansas is one of the state's maximum security facilities. A new report ranked Arkansas fifth compared to other states and countries in the percentage of people in prisons.
CREDIT MICHAEL HIBBLEN / KUAR NEWS
LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is reminding Arkansans the benefits of the Arkansas Lemon Law and how it provides a safety net for some buyers whose vehicles have recurring problems. A motor vehicle less than two years old, or with less than 24,000 miles, is covered under the Arkansas Lemon Law. Any recurring problem, including defects that impair the use, value or safety of the vehicle, could trigger this protection. Generally, when a new vehicle experiences the same issue or defect after a specified number of repair attempts, Arkansas consumers may have the right to a refund or replacement of the vehicle through the Lemon Law dispute resolution process.
“Buying a new car is one of the biggest purchases a person makes and it is important the vehicle is not a dud,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “It is important to know about our Lemon Law and how to file a claim, even without hiring an attorney. My office publishes ‘A Consumer’s Guide to the Arkansas Lemon Law’ to help Arkansans who believe they may have purchased a lemon.”
Any consumer who buys, leases or licenses a new motor vehicle in the State of Arkansas is covered by the Lemon Law during the term of the manufacturer’s warranty for up to two years after the original delivery date of the vehicle, or for the first 24,000 miles, whichever is longer. If the vehicle is transferred to someone else during this period, that owner or person leasing the vehicle is also covered under the Lemon Law.
The Attorney General offered the following tips to consumers who notice nonconformities after purchasing a new vehicle:
Read “A Consumer’s Guide to the Arkansas Lemon Law” that the car dealer provides at the time of purchase. If you need a second copy, you can obtain one from the Attorney General’s Office or by clicking here.
Follow the steps outlined in the Consumer Guide to report problems to the dealer or manufacturer immediately and take your vehicle to the dealer for evaluation.
Keep repair receipts and a complete record of contacts with the dealer and manufacturer and visits to repair shops.
Use the form letters in the Consumer Guide to send a “demand letter” to the manufacturer, along with a copy to the Independent Dispute Settlement Program.
The Arkansas Lemon Law does not cover mopeds, motorcycles, the living quarters of motor homes or most vehicles weighing more than 14,000 pounds. The law also does not cover vehicles that have been substantially altered after its initial sale from the dealer.
For more information on consumer-related topics, visit ArkansasAG.gov, email Consumer@ArkansasAG.gov, or call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 482-8982.
