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Governor Hutchinson Applauds Supreme Court Nomination

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LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson today praised President Trump’s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Judge Amy Coney Barrett will make an excellent Supreme Court justice,” Governor Hutchinson said. “From her clerkship for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, prestigious career at Notre Dame and judicial experience on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Barrett’s commitment to the rule of law is clear. She is a sound jurist whose years of legal service will bring much-needed diversity to the Supreme Court. President Trump has made a wise choice.”

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Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Arkansans on the Frontlines of Wildfires

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LITTLE ROCK – Wildfires out west have been in the headlines for weeks, and today I’d like to share some news about state and federal responders from Arkansas who are out there fighting them.

These firefighters are among Arkansans (and Oklahomans) who have deployed to at least ten states this year to fight fires. This cooperation among states is essential to recovery from disasters of all sorts – Arkansas power companies sent scores of linemen to Louisiana to assist in the restoration of electricity after Hurricane Laura.

Josh Graham, an employee of the U.S. Forest Service from Hot Springs, and Les Miller, an employee of the Arkansas Division of Forestry, are two of the leaders from Arkansas who have been in Oregon for nearly two weeks fighting the 10,000-acre Thielsen Fire, which started on September 8th.

Les is the boss of the Razorback Crew, a 20-person fire-attack crew that actually includes three Oklahomans. Two of the firefighters are women.

Josh, a smokejumper who has made 160 jumps from planes and helicopters into fire sites, is in charge of two divisions of firefighters, including the Razorbacks.

The crews generally work for 14 days but their assignment can go for 21. The Razorbacks are sleeping in tents and sleeping bags at a ranger district near the fire. Their days begin with a 7 a.m. socially distanced briefing, which incorporates public-address speakers and televisions.

They cut and remove trees and other sources of fuel for the fire. They guide the helicopter pilots who drop water and fire-retardant. At least four members of the Razorback crew spend their days digging fire breaks.

They come off the fire about 6:30 p.m. out of a concern for safety at the site as well as the real possibility of colliding with one of the multitude of elk, deer, and other wildlife that roam the roads at night.

The work doesn’t end at dark. After supper at the camp, they refuel the trucks and clean up the dozers; they sharpen and fuel up the chain saws; they clean the shovels, axes, and Pulaskis – that’s the firefighter’s best friend, a tool with an axe blade on one side of the handle and a sharp grubbing hoe on the other.

A frequent topic among firefighters is the value of prescribed burns, a fire that is set intentionally to consume underbrush and dead wood, which reduces the risk of a wildfire. Even as Josh is fighting the Thielsen Fire, he is thinking ahead to February in Arkansas when the Forest Service plans to work with the Arkansas Division of Forestry on multiple prescribed burns that could total 250,000 acres. These controlled fires are set when conditions are right to reduce the impact of wildfires and make the state and federal forests healthier. 

It was reassuring to hear that even as our firefighters battle a 10,000-acre fire in the Oregon wilderness, they also are taking precautions against COVID-19. I hope they’ll find some time for another preventative action – a flu shot. I’ve had mine, and I’m encouraging everyone who will listen to me to get one. Anytime we can reduce risk in life – whether it’s with a prescribed burn or a vaccination – we ought to do it.

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Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

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Unfortunately each Election Day, many would-be first-time voters in Arkansas do not have their votes counted because they are not actually registered to vote. The deadline to register to vote in the November election is October 5. The postmark on a mail-in application will be considered the submission date.

Many believed they had registered months before, but failed to follow up when they did not receive a voter ID card from their county clerk. The process of voter registration is convenient, but it also places responsibility on the registrant to ensure the process is completed.

Submitting your voter application at a state agency, in a voter registration drive or through the U.S. Postal Service does NOT guarantee your registration. You should follow up on the status of your registration just as you would on any other personal business matter. Before considering yourself a registered voter, you must receive an acknowledgment of your registration from the county clerk.

To register, you must fill out a paper Voter Registration Application. You can find one at the following locations:

Your local county clerk.

The Arkansas Secretary of State Elections Division www.sos.arkansas.gov .

Arkansas Secretary of State

Copyright © 2017 Arkansas Secretary of State. All Rights Reserved.

Local revenue or DMV office.

Public library.

Disability agency.

Military recruitment office.

If you are registering to vote by mail, you must provide either your driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number on your Arkansas Voter Registration Application, or check the box in #9 on the application to indicate that you do not possess either a driver’s license or Social Security number.

If you have moved from one county to another within Arkansas, you must update this information with the county clerk no later than 4 days

prior to Election Day via a Voter Registration Application.

Feel free to call your county clerk and inquire about the status of your application. You may also check your voter registration status online by visiting www.voterview.org.

Amidst the global pandemic, election officials are hard at work to provide safe and secure voting opportunities for Arkansans.

Voting in person on Election Day, early voting, or absentee voting are options available to voters. Early voting begins October 19.

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Fewer Arkansas Women Getting Screened For Breast Cancer During Pandemic

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Some doctors and hospitals have adopted new practices to encourage women in Arkansas to get breast cancer screenings. Dr. Ronda S. Henry-Tillman, a breast cancer surgeon at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, says fewer women are getting checked since Gov. Asa Hutchinson issued a directive on April 3 banning elective medical procedures amid the coronavirus pandemic.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/fewer-arkansas-women-getting-screened-breast-cancer-during-pandemic

Fewer Arkansas Women Getting Screened For Breast Cancer During Pandemic

Some doctors and hospitals have adopted new practices to encourage women in Arkansas to get breast cancer screenings. Dr. Ronda S. Henry-Tillman, a breast cancer surgeon at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, says fewer women are getting checked since Gov. Asa Hutchinson issued a directive on April 3 banning elective medical procedures amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Huckabee Sanders Discusses New Book About Time in Trump White House

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Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the former White House press secretary under President Trump, has a new book titled Speaking for Myself: Faith, Freedom and the Fight of Our Lives Inside the Trump White House. She discusses the memoir with Roby Brock of Talk Business and Politics in today's edition of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal Report.

https://www.kuaf.com/post/huckabee-sanders-discusses-new-book-about-time-trump-white-house

Huckabee Sanders Discusses New Book About Time in Trump White House

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the former White House press secretary under President Trump, has a new book titled Speaking for Myself: Faith, Freedom and the Fight of Our Lives Inside the Trump White House. She discusses the memoir with Roby Brock of Talk Business and Politics in today's edition of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal Report.

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U of A Division of Agriculture Trains New Generation of Farmers

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A new certificate program from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is offering training for aspiring farmers in an effort to reinvigorate the state's small farms and develop local foodways. 

https://www.kuaf.com/post/u-division-agriculture-trains-new-generation-farmers

U of A Division of Agriculture Trains New Generation of Farmers

A new certificate program from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is offering training for aspiring farmers in an effort to reinvigorate the state's small farms and develop local foodways.

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Friday COVID-19 Update

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COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Total Cumulative Cases: 1,199
Total Active Cases: 10
Total Recovered Cases: 1,173
Total Deaths: 16

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Total Cumulative Cases: 465
Total Active Cases: 16
Total Recovered Cases: 440
Total Deaths: 9

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Total Cumulative Cases: 353
Total Active Cases: 11
Total Recovered Cases: 317
Total Deaths: 25

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Total Cumulative Cases: 257
Total Active Cases: 7
Total Recovered Cases: 246
Total Deaths: 4

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Total Cumulative Cases: 225
Total Active Cases: 8
Total Recovered Cases: 214
Total Deaths: 3

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LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson provided today's update on Arkansas's COVID-19 response. 

In its Friday update, the Arkansas Department of Health reported 897 new cases; 7,249 active cases; 484 hospitalized, which is up 27 from Thursday; 95 on ventilators, which is down 2 from Thursday; deaths added today, 20, for a total of 1,266; a total of 79,946 cases; 69,521 recoveries; PCR tests, 9,908; antigen tests, 1,810.

The Health Department reported that the top counties for new cases are Pulaski, 63; Washington, 47; Craighead, 43; Sebastian, 43; and Crawford, 42.

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

“Today we exceeded our September testing goal with over 200,000 tests performed this month. We will continue working to increase testing capacity across the state to help us identify COVID-19 cases and slow the spread of this virus. While our cases are down from yesterday, we cannot let our guard down. Let’s all do the right thing this weekend for the benefit of our family and friends.”

Here are today's COVID-19 statewide numbers:

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VIDEO: CARES Act Steering Committee Meeting Friday (09.25.20) 10AM

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The CARES Act Steering Committee, created by Governor Asa Hutchinson to recommend the best use of federal COVID-19 aid, meets virtually at 10 a.m. Friday, September 25, 2020. (Click on Play Button Above)

$165 Million Approved For Unemployment Fund

The group tasked with disbursing the $1.25 billion Arkansas received from the CARES Act has approved new funds to go toward stabilizing the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.

Members of the state CARES Act steering committee on Friday voted to approve the infusion of $165 million from the federal coronavirus bailout to the fund at a meeting held virtually. This comes as the panel faced a deadline of Sept. 30 to stabilize the fund, otherwise employers would have to pay an extra $10 per employee per year in taxes.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-panel-approves-165-million-unemployment-fund

Arkansas Panel Approves $165 Million For Unemployment Fund

The group tasked with disbursing the $1.25 billion Arkansas received from the CARES Act has approved new funds to go toward stabilizing the state's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. Members of the state CARES Act steering committee on Friday voted to approve the infusion of $165 million from the federal coronavirus bailout to the fund at a meeting held virtually.

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$1.7 Million Grant To Fund UAMS Myeloma Research

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A researcher with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences will use a $1.7 million grant to find new ways to treat a deadly blood disorder.

The grant from the National Cancer Institute is going to Dr. Jesus Delgado-Calle, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics at UAMS, who is studying ways to improve bone health to prevent or delay relapses in patients with multiple myeloma.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/17-million-grant-fund-uams-myeloma-research

$1.7 Million Grant To Fund UAMS Myeloma Research

A researcher with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences will use a $1.7 million grant to find new ways to treat a deadly blood disorder. The grant from the National Cancer Institute is going to Dr. Jesus Delgado-Calle, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics at UAMS, who is studying ways to improve bone health to prevent or delay relapses in patients with multiple myeloma.

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League Of Women Voters Files Lawsuit Over Arkansas Absentee Ballot Process

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A lawsuit was filed Tuesday by the League of Women Voters of Arkansas to alter the process for accounting for absentee ballots this fall. The lawsuit claims the state's requirements for accepting absentee ballots is unconstitutional, and seeks a court-ordered change before the Nov. 3 general election.

The lawsuit – League of Women Voter of Arkansas v. Thurston – was filed in federal court against Secretary of State John Thurston and several members of the State Board of Election Commissioners.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/league-women-voters-files-lawsuit-over-arkansas-absentee-ballot-process

League Of Women Voters Files Lawsuit Over Arkansas Absentee Ballot Process

A lawsuit was filed Tuesday by the League of Women Voters of Arkansas to alter the process for accounting for absentee ballots this fall. The lawsuit claims the state's requirements for accepting absentee ballots is unconstitutional, and seeks a court-ordered change before the Nov. 3 general election.

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Virtual Home Learning Pods Trending During Pandemic

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This fall semester, more parents with children enrolled in public schools are placing their kids into virtual small-group education pods, private off-campus classrooms facilitated by qualified instructors. Such learning pods for now remain unregulated by districts and the state.

https://www.kuaf.com/post/virtual-home-learning-pods-trending-during-pandemic

Virtual Home Learning Pods Trending During Pandemic

This fall semester, more parents with children enrolled in public schools are placing their kids into virtual small-group education pods, private off-campus classrooms facilitated by qualified instructors. Such learning pods for now remain unregulated by districts and the state.

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Lawsuit Aims to End Arkansas's COVID-19 Emergency

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In early September, 18 Arkansas lawmakers and seven citizens filed a lawsuit against Arkansas Secretary of Health Jose Romero to take control of the COVID-19 public health emergency the governor declared in March. The declaration, which has been extended through the end of the year, resulted in a list of protective directives and mandates issued by the governor in collaboration with the Department of Health.

https://www.kuaf.com/post/lawsuit-aims-end-arkansass-covid-19-emergency

Lawsuit Aims to End Arkansas's COVID-19 Emergency

In early September, 18 Arkansas lawmakers and seven citizens filed a lawsuit against Arkansas Secretary of Health Jose Romero to take control of the COVID-19 public health emergency the governor declared in March. The declaration, which has been extended through the end of the year, resulted in a list of protective directives and mandates issued by the governor in collaboration with the Department of Health.

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Waiver Permits Schools to Serve Free Meals Through End of Year

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The USDA has issued a waiver allowing schools to serve free meals to all children, not just students, through Dec. 31 or until funding runs out. From the closure of schools in March to the beginning of August, the district has served more than 165,000 meals on 109 serving days.

https://www.kuaf.com/post/waiver-permits-schools-serve-free-meals-through-end-year

Waiver Permits Schools to Serve Free Meals Through End of Year

The USDA has issued a waiver allowing schools to serve free meals to all children, not just students, through Dec. 31 or until funding runs out. Fayetteville Public Schools is one district that has opted in to the program.

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Thursday COVID-19 Update from AR Dept of Health

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COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Total Cumulative Cases: 1,196
Confirmed Cases: 1,187
Total Active Cases: 8
Active Confirmed Cases: 7

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Total Cumulative Cases: 463
Confirmed Cases: 453
Total Active Cases: 15
Active Confirmed Cases: 11

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Total Cumulative Cases: 352
Confirmed Cases: 337
Probable Cases: 15
Total Active Cases: 13
Active Confirmed Cases: 13
Active Probable Cases: 0

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Total Cumulative Cases: 253
Confirmed Cases: 252
Total Active Cases: 3
Active Confirmed Cases: 3

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Total Cumulative Cases: 223
Confirmed Cases: 221
Total Active Cases: 7
Active Confirmed Cases: 7

Governor Hutchinson Provides Today’s COVID-19 Update

LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson provided today's update on Arkansas's COVID-19 response. 

In its Thursday update, the Arkansas Department of Health reported 1,086 new cases; 7,061 active cases; 457 hospitalized, which is down 11 from Wednesday; 97 on ventilators, which is up 7 from Wednesday; deaths added today, 17, for a total of 1,246; a total of 79,049 cases; 68,902 recoveries; PCR tests, 8,405; antigen tests, 1,148.

The Health Department reported that the top counties for new cases are Pulaski, 91; Jefferson, 69; Washington, 63; Benton, 58; and Sebastian, 41

Here are today's COVID-19 statewide numbers:

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Wednesday COVID-19 Update from the AR Department of Health

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COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Total Cumulative Cases: 1,194
Confirmed Cases: 1,185
Probable Cases: 9
Total Active Cases: 8
Active Confirmed Cases: 7
Active Probable Cases: 1

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Total Cumulative Cases: 458
Confirmed Cases: 450
Probable Cases: 8
Total Active Cases: 13
Active Confirmed Cases: 10
Active Probable Cases: 3

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Total Cumulative Cases: 351
Confirmed Cases: 336
Probable Cases: 15
Total Active Cases: 12
Active Confirmed Cases: 12
Active Probable Cases: 0

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Total Cumulative Cases: 252
Confirmed Cases: 251
Probable Cases: 1
Total Active Cases: 3
Active Confirmed Cases: 3
Active Probable Cases: 0

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Total Cumulative Cases: 223
Confirmed Cases: 221
Probable Cases: 2
Total Active Cases: 13
Active Confirmed Cases: 13
Active Probable Cases: 0

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Governor Hutchinson Provides Today’s COVID-19 Update

LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson provided today's update on Arkansas's COVID-19 response. 

In its Wednesday update, the Arkansas Department of Health reported 982 new cases; 6,777 active cases; 468 hospitalized, which is up 9 from Tuesday; 90 on ventilators, which is up 2 from Tuesday; deaths added today, 20, for a total of 1,229; a total of 77,963 cases; 68,178 recoveries; PCR tests, 6,460; antigen tests, 1,732.

The Health Department reported that the top counties for new cases are Craighead, 79; Pulaski, 75; Benton, 57; Washington, 51; and Jefferson, 50.

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

"Today we are again reminded of the serious nature of COVID-19. Following the guidelines of the Arkansas Department of Health continues to be the most effective way to mitigate the spread of this virus. Wearing a mask, keeping a six-foot distance, and frequently washing your hands will help slow the spread of COVID-19 throughout the state.”

Here are today's COVID-19 statewide numbers:

Daily_Update 09 23 20.png