Leslie Daniels, case manager, and Andy Tody, new construction trainer, of Youthbuild were the guest speakers at Tuesday's Lions Club meeting in De Queen. Youthbuild is now enrolling. The deadline is August 19th, and the start date is August 23, 2021. Call or text Leslie Daniels at (870)584-1153.
The Sevier County Chamber of Commerce hosted the annual Tri Lakes Big Bass Festival in SW AR on Saturday, July 17 on De Queen, Dierks and Gillham Lakes. Chris McKinney of Hot Springs took home the grand prize.
The deadline for when most laws passed during the 2021 Arkansas Legislative session officially go into effect is fewer than 15 days away. However, some bills are facing legal challenges that could strike them down before become law.
The ACLU of Arkansas filed two lawsuits against two bills passed by the Arkansas legislature this past session. Holly Dickson, executive director of the ACLU of Arkansas says these two bills, one a ban on the practice of abortion with few medical exceptions and the other bill that blocks Arkansas transgender youth from accessing transition related care, threaten the health of Arkansans. According to Dickson, a hearing on the lawsuit concerning transgender healthcare is scheduled for next week, while a decision on the abortion ban bill could come at any time.
Laws passed during the Arkansas Legislative Session without an emergency clause do not go into effect until 90 days after the legislature adjourns. For laws passed in the 2021 Legislative Session, that day is less than 15 days away.
CREDIT MICHAEL HIBBLEN / KUAR NEWS
Today on our Sevier County Chamber Chat, Callie and Christy discuss big bass, ribbon cuttings, and the importance of obeying all traffic laws!
This week on "What's Up Doc?", Dr. Randy and Cody Gallagher of Pilgrim's Pride announce a new partnership between Pilgrim's and the Walker Clinic that will enable Pilgrim's employees and their families to save money on healthcare.
Photos provided by Monte Bartek of Bartek Recon
Prime Country Meats guided tour in Horatio with Charles Morris and Walter Deshazo
The UA Cossatot Board of Visitors said goodbye to outgoing chairperson Kathy Beavert at their July meeting in Lockesburg on Monday. Beavert has served on the board for 21 years and was presented an award from UAC Chancellor Dr. Steve Cole. New officers for the coming year are:
Jimmy Tumey - Chairman
Tim Pinkerton - Vice Chairman
Angie Walker - Secretary
The UA Cossatot Student Occupational Therapy Association recently hosted Kid's College on the UAC Ashdown campus
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 22
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 11
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 10
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 16
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 19
Arkansans know that no summer barbecue is complete without fresh watermelon. Our state may not be the largest producer of watermelon, but Arkansas communities lay claim to being the home of the world’s largest and the world’s sweetest.
The month of July is known as National Watermelon Month. July is typically the largest shipping month of the year, with over 15 states harvesting simultaneously.
The United States currently ranks 7th in the worldwide production of watermelon. Over 1,200 varieties of watermelon are grown across 96 countries worldwide. But the impact the crop has on communities here in Arkansas has been a cause for celebration for decades.
In Arkansas, we have more than 200 farms harvesting more than 1,500 acres of watermelons. Crops are valued at more than $5 million.
The city of Hope annually celebrates its claim as the home of the world’s largest watermelons with a yearly watermelon festival. The event first originated in 1926 and has been ongoing, though not continuous, since 1977.
And since 1980, the residents of Cave City have been coming together to celebrate the "World's Sweetest Watermelons" and reconnect with family and friends. Now, in its 40th year, the watermelon festival is the largest festival in the region.
Researchers are now finding out that watermelons are even more nutritious than previously known. The USDA's Agricultural Research Service recently identified over 1,500 small molecules of diverse chemical characters in the fruit, known as phytochemicals. They concluded that eating watermelon is an excellent way to increase your intake of antioxidants, non-protein amino acids, and lycopene. This means that every time you eat watermelon, you’ll be improving the health of your cells, organs, and nervous system.
In addition to farmer’s markets and fruit stands across the state, you can find Arkansas watermelons and any Arkansas grown produce at supermarkets by looking for the “Arkansas Grown” label. The “Arkansas Grown” logo is a registered trademark of the Department filed with the Arkansas Secretary of State. It may appear in black and white or black and green versions.
We’ve posted more information, including recipes and expert tips on finding the perfect watermelon, on our website www.arkansashouse.org.
ACHI President and CEO Dr. Joe Thompson called for action to be taken to contain the virus before the new school year begins next month.
CREDIT ARKANSAS CENTER FOR HEALTH IMPROVEMENT
Friday was the third consecutive day that new COVID-19 cases in Arkansas topped 1,000, and the rise in active cases in the past three days has risen more than 27%, according to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH).
ADH numbers show 1,000 new cases on Wednesday, 1,210 on Thursday and 1,155 on Friday. The state’s cumulative number of cases is 355,462, and active cases rose by 673 on Friday to 6,605, which is 27.2% more than the 5,192 on Wednesday. Deaths rose by 4 to 5,948, and hospitalizations rose by 16 to 497.
The Health Policy Board of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) issued a statement Friday explaining the danger of the more transmissible COVID Delta variant and urging Arkansans to get vaccinated.
https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-records-3365-new-covid-19-cases-three-days
By GEORGE JARED/ TALK BUSINESS & POLITICS
Repairs to the fractured Interstate 40 bridge connecting West Memphis to Memphis are progressing rapidly and officials with the Arkansas Department of Transportation and the Tennessee Department of Transportation are confident the bridge will re-open by late July or early August.
ArDOT public information officer Dave Parker told Talk Business & Politics that phase one of the work is complete and repair crews are now in phase two of the project which includes inspections.
The initial fracture spot on a primary support beam has been repaired and there have been 500 “weld spots” performed by workers. Each spot had to be inspected and about 10 spots need additional work, Parker said.
Workers position outer and inner anchor weldments in place last month on the I-40 bridge over the Mississippi River as part of the ongoing repair.
CREDIT TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Nearly a hundred LGBTQ+ youth were enjoying activities and comraderie at "Queer Camp" hosted by Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville engaging in art, theatre, outdoors activities — as well as daily facilitated empowerment groups. Dozens of volunteers and parents are assisting. The week-long camp is the largest like it to be held in the South.
kuaf.com/post/fayetteville-lutheran-church-hosts-week-long-queer-summer-camp-kids
LITTLE ROCK – Last Thursday was the first of my Community COVID Conversations in Cabot, and I am so grateful for the crowd who attended and filled every seat with the overflow left standing along the walls. The time was well spent with citizens asking questions and providing ideas as to how to overcome the hesitancy of some in getting vaccinated.
Let me describe the challenge we face. One month ago, our active COVID cases had declined along with our hospitalizations. We were increasing our vaccinations across the state, and we were very optimistic about the return to normalcy.
And then during the last month, we saw our rate of vaccinations stall at about 40 percent, and the Delta variant showed up, a right-left punch that has led to a dramatic increase in the daily number of new COVID cases, along with an increase in hospitalizations.
Someone at the Cabot meeting suggested we offer more incentives to encourage people to take the vaccine, but the success of the incentives we’ve already offered was limited. The fishing licenses and lottery tickets we offered were worth a try, but we learned that the incentive wasn’t effective in changing the mind of someone who isn’t already inclined to get a vaccination.
The most powerful incentive is the reality that if Arkansas doesn’t significantly increase its rate of vaccinations, we won’t be getting rid of COVID-19 and its spinoffs anytime soon.
The best incentive is to appeal to the hearts of Arkansans with the fact that taking the vaccination is the best way to protect family and friends. Education is our most powerful tool.
In Arkansas, we have chosen the path of personal responsibility. The state is wide open. We aren’t mandating masks or vaccinations. We know what we must do, and for the most part, Arkansans have done the hard work. The big task before us now is to vaccinate more Arkansans.
But there is good news and reason for optimism. The three vaccines are effective against all the COVID variants, including the Delta variant. The vaccine reduces the symptoms in those who do catch it; 90 percent of those who get the vaccine are not hospitalized, and the vaccine cuts the chance of death to almost zero. More than 50 percent of the population of Bradley County has been fully vaccinated. In the coming weeks, I expect more counties to reach that interim goal that I set, and then we can go up from there.
Next week, I will hold COVID Community Conversations in Batesville, Blytheville, the Forrest City/Marianna area, and Texarkana. My hope is that Arkansans, as they always do, will rise to the challenge, overcome the objections to the vaccine, and help us beat the pandemic so we can quit having these COVID conversations.
LITTLE ROCK – The National Governors Association closed its virtual summer session today with the selection of Governor Asa Hutchinson as NGA chair for 2021-2022. The Governor served the past year as vice chair.
“This is a highlight of my time as governor, and my pledge is to use the platform to build on the areas where Republicans and Democrats agree and work to remove the obstacles in Washington where we can,” Governor Hutchinson said. “One of my most important missions will be to help facilitate the states' partnership with the White House as we guide the nation out of the pandemic. We must combat the fear that many have expressed about getting a vaccination.
“My initiative as chair will be to improve access to computer science education nationwide. Arkansas has become known nationally for our computer science education program, and I want to showcase the efforts in other states and show why this matters and how we can expand computer science education. We will continue to have honest conversations with the White House and seek bipartisan solutions that work for everyone.”
Governor Hutchinson is the third Arkansas governor elected to chair the NGA. Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee held the position during their terms.
Active Cases Data for Sevier County
Total Active Cases: 21
Active Cases Data for Howard County
Total Active Cases: 21
Active Cases Data for Little River County
Total Active Cases: 10
Active Cases Data for Polk County
Total Active Cases: 12
Active Cases Data for Pike County
Total Active Cases: 19
