Sevier County Library December Snippets

The ladies at the De Queen Branch Library hope you have a Holly Jolly Christmas and remember the reason for the season. Beginning December 1st through December 15th area children can come in, receive a paper and envelope, write their letter to Santa, drop in our special mailbox and raise the flag. There is a trick to this so read carefully, your child’s name and address needs to be on the envelope in order to receive a reply from the north pole(wink).

Our 10th Annual Cocoa with Mrs. Claus will be December 18th at 11:00 am. There will be a story time, make a Christmas character, and paint by sticker for the first 30 children. There might even be some Christmas carols and or a special visitor.

Thanks to Tri-County Regional Library System for allowing our patrons the opportunity of E-books, via the Libbyapp by Overdrive. You can follow the instructions to download the libbyapp from our Facebook.com/seviercountylibrary or simply go to your play store on your device. Remember you must search “Arkansas Digital Library Consortium” and hold a valid library card to browse our selection. For more information, you can call 584-4364

Merry Christmas Everyone from the Horatio Library. Where has the time gone? We hope everyone has all their shopping done. We will be having our Christmas program on December the 4th at 10 a.m. We will also have a booth set up outside the library with information about early literacy, you will be able to get a library card and there will be information about our new app Libby. We will be set up outside until 12 for your convenience. We will have bookmarks, books and a door prize you can enter to win. This will be in conjunction with Christmas on Main and the Elf Parade. Horatio will also be having their Christmas Parade that day. There will be lots of fun things going on so make plans to stop by and see us. Every Thursday morning, we have a hot pot of coffee and a domino game going. Come by and join in on the fun. We hope to see you soon.

The Lockesburg Library has two events planned in December. On December 4th a “Come and Go Open House Tea Party” at 10:00. Stop by and bring your most Christmas-y teacup to show off. On December 11th at 10: 00 a children’s program, “A Pirate’s Night Before Christmas”. The program will include a story time with pirate-themed games and activities. For more information, call Mz. Wendy at 870-289-2233. For your convenience our book collection can be accessed at; https://evolveopac.infovisionsoftware.com/lockesburg

Merry Christmas from the Gillham Library! We want to thank all our Patrons for their support this year. There will be a virtual story time with Kelsie on our Facebook page December 17th. She will read “Who Will Pull Santa’s Sleigh”. We will be handing out treat bags starting December 17th, so come by and pick one up. We have several new Holiday themed books for the kids; “How to Catch a Gingerbread Man”, “How to Catch an Elf”, and “How to Catch a Snowman”. We have some great books for Adults too! Janet Evanovich’s “Game On”, Danielle Steel’s “Flying Angels”, and Louise Penny and Hillary Clinton’s “State of Terror”. We are now offering a new service, Notary only on Tuesdays. We can make copies or send faxes for you also. Tuesday 9-1, Friday 1-5, and Saturday 10-2. Merry Christmas and Happy New year from Rhonda, Kelsie and Mr. Bob.

Sen. Joyce Elliott launching nonprofit for voter engagement

KUAR | By Roby Brock / Talk Business & Politics

Term-limited State Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, is launching a new nonprofit organization, Get Loud Arkansas!, to register new voters and engage lackluster voters.

“Our voices are being silenced by a coordinated effort to restrict the fundamental right to vote,” said Elliott, “The future of our state will be shaped by our commitment to maintaining and strengthening our democracy. It’s time to work together, get loud, and do the work for a better Arkansas.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2021-12-02/sen-joyce-elliott-launching-nonprofit-for-voter-engagement

Kelly Connelly/KUAR News

File photo of Sen. Joyce Elliott, seen here filing to run for reelection. As she leaves office, Elliott is launching a new nonprofit group to register voters and engage current voters.

Arkansas senator optimistic Supreme Court will overturn landmark abortion ruling

KUAR | By Remington Miller, Michael Hibblen

With speculation the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority might overturn the nationwide right to abortion, an Arkansas lawmaker is reiterating his intention to introduce a Texas-style abortion bill during a special session that begins Tuesday. Gov. Asa Hutchinson has said the legislature should wait for a ruling from the high court.

State Sen. Jason Rapert, R-Conway, made his comments in an interview Wednesday after the court heard oral arguments regarding a Mississippi ban on abortion after 15 weeks. Rapert said he was not surprised by what he heard in the hearing.

“I believe that the best decision that they could make is to allow states to exercise the same authority we had been exercising prior to the Roe v. Wade decision,” Rapert said.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2021-12-05/arkansas-senator-optimistic-supreme-court-will-overturn-landmark-abortion-ruling

Zoom

State Sen. Jason Rapert said after listening to the Supreme Court's oral arguments, he's confident justices will overturn a landmark abortion ruling.

UAMS Chancellor expects Omicron unknowns to be solved by Christmas

The Omicron variant that has become a major concern for public health officials is undergoing rigorous testing and UAMS Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson expects to have many questions answered before Christmas, he said in a Sunday (Dec. 5) interview on Talk Business & Politics.

How transmissible is the variant? Does Omicron make people sicker than previous strains of COVID-19? How do the vaccines that have been developed hold up against Omicron? These are mysteries Patterson expects science to solve in the next few weeks.

“I think we’ll have pretty good answers to the unknown questions within the next couple of weeks, certainly before Christmas holiday,” he said. “There are a lot of unknowns. What we do know is that it is spreading globally. It’s now in the United States, it’s in Canada. It will eventually get to Arkansas I suspect before the next week or two is out and we’ll start detecting this variant here in the state of Arkansas. And because there’s so much uncertainty it’s difficult to know how to react.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/12/uams-chancellor-expects-omicron-unknowns-to-be-solved-by-christmas/

Michael Hibblen/KUAR News

UAMS Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson, seen here making an announcement last month, said he expects researchers will know within a few weeks how dangerous the omicron variant of the coronavirus is compared to the delta variant.

Update of Active COVID-19 Cases in SW Arkansas

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 48

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 36

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 12

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 12

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 16

VIDEO: Sevier County Medical Center December Meeting

Representative DeAnn Vaught To Seek Re-Election in New House District 87

Horatio, AR– State Representative DeAnn Vaught (R-Horatio) today announced she will seek another term in the Arkansas House of Representatives. The recently redrawn House District 87, formerly House District 4, encompasses all of Little River and Sevier counties, and part of Howard county. Serving since 2015, Vaught has been among the strongest voices at the Capitol, particularly when it comes to advocating for rural Arkansans.

Her voting record on issues of fiscal restraint, local control of education, and protecting the lives of the unborn reinforce her conservative bona fides. “It has been an incredible honor to work side-by-side our Republican legislators fighting for our way of life, our right to farm, our 2nd Amendment rights, protecting unborn children, and bringing awareness to mental health issues and child abuse,” said Vaught.

For the most recent 93rd General Assembly, Representative Vaught served as Chairwoman of the House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development. She also served on the House Rules Committee, the House Education Committee, and the Arkansas Legislative Council.

Vaught’s very successful track record of passing bills she sponsors have led to improved teacher salaries, protecting property rights, and increasing speed limits on certain state highways. In the most recent legislative session Vaught was the author of legislation fighting for the protection of cancer survivors, creating a state meat inspection program, and allowing the State of Arkansas to review implementation of executive orders from the Biden Administration.

Says Vaught, “I have been humbled to have earned the support of Southwest Arkansans to fight on their behalf in Little Rock, and I hope to continue to serve as their State Representative for District 87.”

Vaught resides on her family farm outside of Horatio with her husband Jon. They have three grown daughters and are members of First Baptist Church, Arkansas Farm Bureau, Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association, and Arkansas Pork Producers.

Aerial Photos of the New Sevier County Medical Center Under Construction

Photos by Monte Bartek of Bartek Recon

Horatio High School Receives Several Academic Growth Awards

Horatio High School has been recognized by the Arkansas Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Office for Education Policy (OEP) for multiple academic growth awards from the 2020-2021 school year.

Horatio High School was named on DESE's 2021 Schools on the Move Toward Excellence report published in early November. This campaign celebrates schools that demonstrate outstanding improvement on recent state and federal accountability reports. HHS was named among the top 10 high schools in Arkansas for scoring two standard deviations or more above the mean on ACT Aspire Value Added Growth scores. DESE will highlight these schools throughout the year with social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Horatio High School was also recognized by the Office for Education Policy (OEP) at the University of Arkansas on two award lists. Both are based on 2021 content growth scores calculated by the Arkansas Department of Education at the student level reflecting how much a student improved his or her score from the prior year compared to what was predicted based on prior achievement history.

The Highlightling High-Growth Arkansas High Schools 2021 report published on November 17 recognized Horatio High School for the following awards:

Overall ACT Aspire Growth, 2021 (Math and ELA combined): Top 10 overall statewide and 1st in the Southwest Region

Overall Math ACT Aspire Growth, 2021: 5th overall statewide and 1st in the Southwest Region

The Beating the Odds report published on December 1 reflects high growth on the ACT Aspire even though the school serves a high percentage of students who participate in Free and Reduced Lunch. Horatio High School was recognized as a high school "Beating the Odds" for the following awards:

Overall ACT Aspire Growth, 2021 (Math and ELA combined): 5th overall statewide

ACT Aspire Math Growth, 2021 : 2nd overall statewide and 1st in the Southwest Region

ACT Aspire ELA Growth, 2021: 3rd in the Southwest Region

Horatio High School is honored to be named for these awards and proudly celebrates the hard work of students, teachers, administration, and the community in representing our Lion Pride!

Gayla Youngblood, Principal

Horatio High School

Jimmy Carvers’ Refrigeration Heating & Air Donates to Support Athletic Scholarships

Dustin Roberts of UA Cossatot Foundation and Jimmy Carver of Carver’s Refrigeration Heating and Air in Lockesburg

Blue & You Foundation awards $3.36 million to Arkansas Organizations including $150,000 to an Ashdown project

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (November 22, 2021) – The Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas announced today 41 initiatives in Arkansas will receive grants totaling $3,360,327, that will directly impact 71 of Arkansas’ 75 counties.

Among the projects receiving a grant, is the Ashdown Community Foundation, Inc., Ashdown ($150,000) – to construct the Ashdown City Park Inclusive Playground.

The Blue & You Foundation is a charitable foundation established and funded by Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield to promote better health in the Natural State.

“Eleven of our grants this year focus on education for medical professionals and eight grants address behavioral health, issues that are extremely important to the health of all Arkansans,” said Rebecca Pittillo, executive director of the Blue & You Foundation. “Ten of our grants will reach Arkansans statewide. And because we are very aware of the need for more health equity within our state, eight of our grants focus specifically on minority populations.”

The need for qualified healthcare workers and better access to behavioral health services continue to grow in Arkansas. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five adults experiences mental illness. And according to the latest state report on healthcare licensures in Arkansas, there were seven counties in the state that only had one primary care physician in 2019, and several had no dentists.

“The Blue & You Foundation has been focused for the past two years on supporting urgent needs that arose due to the pandemic,” said Pittillo. “The COVID-19 pandemic definitely elevated new health-related needs and emphasized existing needs in our state – social determinants that we hope these grants will positively impact.”

“The Blue & You Foundation has been focused for the past two years on supporting urgent needs that arose due to the pandemic,” said Pittillo. “The COVID-19 pandemic definitely elevated new health-related needs and emphasized existing needs in our state – social determinants that we hope these grants will positively impact.”

Since 2001, the Blue & You Foundation has awarded more than $45 million to nonprofits and governmental agencies in all 75 counties. Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted April 15 through July 15, 2022. Grants will range from $5,000 to $150,000. Blue & You Foundation training sessions for grant writing will be offered in March of 2022. For more information on trainings and the Blue & You grant process, visit blueandyoufoundationarkansas.org.

Active COVID-19 Cases in SW Arkansas Update

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 44

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 28

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 14

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 5

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 17

UAMS’ Analiz Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., Selected for Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Program

By Yavonda Chase

The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation (BMSF), along with its partners National Medical Fellowships and the American Association for Cancer Research, selected University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) neurosurgeon Analiz Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., to participate in its Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Program.

Rodriguez joins 51 other early-stage researchers as the first cohort of a five-year, $100 million initiative that will eventually train 250 community-oriented clinical trialists by 2027.

A board-certified neurosurgeon who is part of the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Rodriguez is also an assistant professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Neurosurgery and director of Neurosurgical Oncology.

https://news.uams.edu/2021/11/23/uams-analiz-rodriguez-m-d-ph-d-selected-for-diversity-in-clinical-trials-career-development-program/

UAMS neurosurgeon Analiz Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., is one of 52 early-stage researchers invited to participate in the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation's Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Program.

Arkansas Research Alliance leadership change announced, founder stepping down

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Jerry Adams, founder and president of the Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA), is retiring Dec. 31, 2021, with ARA CEO Bryan Barnhouse to also be the president beginning Jan. 1, the group announced Friday (Nov. 19).

Adams founded ARA in 2008 on the principle that “research matters” and it is central to the state’s competitiveness in the knowledge economy. The non-profit economic development organization evolved from the visioning of Accelerate Arkansas. Specifically, ARA invests in the recruitment, recognition, and retention of strategic research talent at the five major research universities, which represent over 90% of the federal research dollars that flow into the state. ARA focuses these leaders to accelerate their impact on the economic future of the state and the nation.

Adams established ARA as a public private partnership, with 20 private sector chief executives and chancellors of the state’s five major research universities (University of Arkansas, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas State University, UA Little Rock, and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) sitting on the board of trustees. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration National Center for Toxicological Research based in Pine Bluff acts a sixth partner.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/11/arkansas-research-alliance-leadership-change-announced-founder-stepping-down/

Becoming America's Barista Champion

By MATTHEW MOORE

Andrea Allen is the co-founder of Onyx Coffee Lab and recently came in second place in the 2021 World Barista Championship. She shares how she's grown as a barista, what it takes to compete, and what competition she's like to be mediocre at.

kuaf.com/post/becoming-americas-barista-champion

Andrea Allen, holding her 2nd place trophy from the 2021 World Barista Championships

COURTESY / THE POUR CO

Sen. Jim Hendren, founder of Common Ground Arkansas, not seeking re-election

KUAR | By Steve Brawner / Talk Business & Politics

Arkansas state Sen. Jim Hendren, I-Gravette, is not running for re-election in 2022, he announced Monday.

On his website, hendrenforarkansas.com, he said his duties with the government reform organization he founded, Common Ground Arkansas, have left him with less time to focus on his Senate district.

Asked about his decision in a phone interview, Hendren said, “I’ve just got too much on my plate to do a good job of serving the people of the Senate district. Common Ground is taking more and more of my time, my business is at record levels, and we’re in the middle of a $3 million expansion, and my grandkids that I want to spend some time with. So all those things compiled together led me to a place where I just didn’t feel like I could do an adequate job of continuing to serve in the state Senate and do all those other things that I think are more important to me at this point.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2021-11-22/sen-jim-hendren-founder-of-common-ground-arkansas-not-seeking-re-election

Michael Hibblen/KUAR News

State Sen. Jim Hendren, seen here in January 2019, announced Monday he will not run for reelection and has ruled out a bid for governor of Arkansas.

Arkansas lawmaker pushes ahead with plans to introduce Texas-style abortion bill

KUAR | By Michael Hibblen, Remington Miller

As an Arkansas lawmaker remains adamant about introducing abortion legislation similar to a Texas law that is the most restrictive in the nation, Planned Parenthood says it will resume offering medication abortions at its clinic in Rogers.

State Sen. Jason Rapert, a Republican of Conway, said he has a meeting scheduled next week with Gov. Asa Hutchinson to discuss a special session the governor wants to call for the legislature to consider a tax cut package. The session was initially planned to begin on Oct. 25, but Hutchinson said he would wait because of concerns about unrelated issues being introduced.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2021-11-18/arkansas-lawmaker-pushes-ahead-with-plans-to-introduce-texas-style-abortion-bill

Michael Hibblen/KUAR News

Arkansas state Sen. Jason Rapert, seen here in 2017, said he remains determined to introduce abortion legislation similar to a recently-enacted Texas law if Gov. Asa Hutchinson calls a special session of the Arkansas General Assembly.

UAMS College of Nursing Ranks 43rd in Nation in U.S. News & World Report’s List of Best BSN Programs

By Kalee Sexton

U.S. News and World Report ranked the College of Nursing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) among the top 50 undergraduate nursing programs for 2022.

The UAMS Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program tied for 43rd out of 694 schools. UAMS was the only school in Arkansas in the Top 100. This is the first year the report has added the BSN category to its rankings.

Patricia A. Cowan, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, dean of the College of Nursing, said she is proud of the school’s faculty and students.

https://news.uams.edu/2021/11/18/uams-college-of-nursing-ranks-43rd-in-nation-in-u-s-news-world-reports-list-of-best-bsn-programs/

UAMS's BSN program was named one of best in the nation.

Active COVID-19 Cases Update in SW Arkansas from the Arkansas Department of Health

Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 44

Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 30

Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 17

Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 5

Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 21

Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address Arkansas’s Pillars for Educational Success

LITTLE ROCK – Today I’d like to talk about the pillars of our education system that allow Arkansans to adapt to an economy that grows more complex and more high-tech by the day. We must preserve and strengthen these pillars for our young people as they pursue satisfying careers.

The first pillar is an unshakable commitment to the fundamentals of education: in-classroom learning built upon effective instruction in core subject areas taught by high-quality teachers.

In Arkansas, we know that school isn't really school without that pillar. That was one of the crucial considerations when we decided to continue in-person learning throughout the past school year, even in the face of well-intentioned resistance. Arkansas was one of only four states to do that.

The value of in-person school — with sports, band, socializing, and teacher contact — over the isolation of remote learning was clear. In rural areas, we boosted teacher pay to retain good teachers so that all students had adequate instruction regardless of their ZIP code.

A commitment to the fundamentals goes beyond attending school in person. Core reading and literacy skills are vital to success in the classroom, in life, and in every career path.

Here’s a bit of history to confirm our commitment to the basics. In 2017, we saw a pressing need to increase reading skills throughout our schools. We established the Reading Initiative for Student Excellence to provide reading instruction based upon the science of reading emphasizing phonics. We also worked to create a culture of reading in the schools, with individualized help to assure third-grade students read at grade level. This significant initiative will increase the number of students who are reading and performing at the highest level.

The second pillar is our commitment to embrace 21st Century tools as we teach the fundamentals. The first step in that was the computer science requirements we implemented. These requirements have set us apart from other states and contributed to our reputation as an attractive state for innovative companies across a host of industries.

Our success in Arkansas is proof that we can quickly overcome stereotypes and increase test scores. Computer science was just the beginning. Even before COVID struck, broadband connectivity was fast becoming essential for us to compete with other states. When the CARES Act opened new opportunities for funding, we redoubled our efforts to take broadband to students in rural and low-income areas.

The third pillar is our public-private partnerships. When it comes to connectivity and workforce training, the government cannot and should not go it alone. Arkansas’s Ready for Life initiative allows the private sector the opportunity to participate in building our workforce. Ready for Life is a one-stop website where job-seekers, educators, and employers can find each other.

That’s our formula. No. 1. Teach the old-school fundamentals. No. 2. Enthusiastically embrace 21st Century tools to teach the fundamentals. No. 3. Enhance public-private partnerships in support of education. Do those three things, and success will come naturally.