Monthly Archives: June 2019

Fitness buffs embrace new earbuds

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By Brooke Buckner
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — Anticipation of the next generation of fitness earbuds and Apple AirPods is at an all-time high.

Fitness earbuds are wireless earbuds that have Bluetooth capabilities. Walmart employee Katherine Martin said, “Fitness earbuds are only called fitness to appeal to the fitness crowd… it is good advertising.”

The perks of fitness earbuds are that they are convenient for those with disabilities. The devices are water resistant and because of their design, stay in your ears well.

Martin not only sells earbuds at the retail store, but also uses the product. However, Martin said she chooses to wear normal earbuds because she hasn’t found the need to wear the wireless ones.

Logan Bonner, an AirPods owner, said he prefers fitness earbuds because they are more convenient, especially when he travels.

Bonner thinks people buy fitness earbuds like AirPods more than regular earbuds because, “even if they are not into fitness, they are more convenient.”

AirPods are compatible with most phones and have a microphone in each bud. This allows for voice calls while wearing them.

Bonner said when he works out, he prefers wearing beats wireless headphones because they are better at staying in place during intense movement.

Bonner said he would recommend AirPods because they are quick and easy to operate.

Target store employee Billy Simpson said although the fitness earbuds don’t have wires and are more portable with noise cancellation, he uses regular earbuds and thinks his store sells more of the regular type compared to the fitness.

Simpson predicts they will sell more of the next generation AirPods, once they are released, instead of the original AirPods and that he would recommend Beats brand to somebody looking to purchase fitness earbuds.

Google Introduces new game streaming system

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By Brooke Buckner
Delta Digital News Service

Source: Google

JONESBORO — Google has introduced a video game streaming service that only requires a controller.

The difference between the new game system called Google Stadia, and the Microsoft Xbox or Sony Playstation is that it is streamed and does not have a bulky console that uses discs. It relies on a Wi-Fi signal to stream games, much like Netflix does with movies and TV shows.

Google Stadia is convenient because you can play games on any device— smartphone, laptop, tablet or television.

In regards to specific age appeal, Matt Shimasaki of Game X Change said, “I guess it wouldn’t be a success for like my generation and older generations.” Shimasaki said he could see this product being sold at places like Game Stop and Walmart because Game X Change doesn’t sell new products because they are a buy, sell and trade business.

Shimasaki said that he would not invest his money into the Google Stadia because he has always been an Xbox fan and nothing will change that.

James Mcquay, an Xbox owner, said he prefers Xbox because, “I would rather have a physical disc and have it on hand.” When something is being streamed over the internet, there is a chance the server could crash and the game could lag. That is another reason why people feel more comfortable having a physical disc inside a game console.

Mcquay also said that he believes Google Stadia will take away sales from businesses like Game X Change because there won’t be a need for trading game discs anymore when all the games are available on a digital streaming service.

Kieron Sims at Greenback Games said he could see the Google Stadia being a success because, “it will catch on to the trend of digital media.”

Sims also said he would invest in the Google Stadia because he thinks it has good potential. He also said that Greenback Games doesn’t sell new products just like Game X Change.

Sims said he doesn’t think it would affect his business because they primarily sell retro games and he doesn’t think Google Stadia will make that big of an impact in the video game world because big companies will run them out.

Google Stadia is set to be released this November.

Natural healing is choice for some

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By Blaze Cantrell
Delta Digital News Service

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Lora Borgfield of PC Wellness Centers, says getting a chiropractic adjustment solves daily physical ailments for people.

Borgfield has been the office manager for PC Wellness Centers in Cape Girardeau for a few years. She has seen people come in for many reasons and believes that a visit to the PC office could really help someone.

“People want to use a more natural way to heal their body. We treat infants and all the way to older people in their 90s,” said Borgfield.

Borgfield said people come in for a handful of reason. Some people come in because they have been in serious accidents and a back alignment will help with their recovery, while others just come in because they did not sleep well and they feel “out of whack.”

“My entire family comes in occasionally,” said Borgfield. “I like to make sure everything is going well and they feel good.”

Borgfield said getting your back adjusted can boost your immune system, help relieve migraines, as well as neck, back and joint pain.

Tim Borgfield, Lora’s husband, has made many visits to PC Wellness Centers. He races motorcycles and dirt bikes with his son and he feels like a visit to his wife’s place of employment does the trick.

“If my son and I have been at a race all weekend, I make a point to call Lora and schedule an appointment on Monday to get my back realigned,” he said.

He said there is nothing like hearing his back pop all over and feeling instant relief upon leaving the office. Tim is a firm believer that his visits to PC Wellness Centers allow him to continue to do what he loves.

People of all ages go to the chiropractor, so Lora sees college students every day. She says a lot of college students come in because they have been in car accidents or had major problems their entire life.

Tori Davis has had chronic pain in her back since she was a child. She is now 22 and still experiencing the pain.

“I have realized the pain will more than likely never go away but at least it feels better for a little while after I leave the chiropractor,” she said.

Lora thinks a visit to the chiropractor is the best and most natural way to heal your body and says she thinks everyone should make an appointment and visit as regularly as needed.

Editor’s Note: Photo by Jesper Aggergaard on Unsplash

Water-resistant and waterproof cellphones defined

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By Brooke Buckner
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — Phone companies are creating what they call waterproof phones, but not all of them are necessarily waterproof.

The difference between waterproof smartphones and water-resistant smartphones is that water is incapable of getting inside a waterproof phone, however, a water-resistant phone may get water inside of it.

Sprint employee Ken Daley said they sell more water-resistant phones than non-water-resistant phones and he would rather splurge and buy a water-resistant phone instead of buying an ordinary one and getting a water-proof case for it.

“I would say the Samsung Note 9 is the best when it comes to water-resistant phones,” said Daley.

If you are looking to buy a waterproof phone case, he said Lifeproof is the only fully waterproof one. When it comes to waterproof cases, he said they sell the most of Insipio and Otterbox brands.

Stevie Ivy at T-Mobile said, “The resistance for iPhone and Samsung is 6 feet for 30 minutes,” which is pretty good, but he still doesn’t recommend that people take their phones in the shower.

Ivy said there is a big price difference between water-resistant phones and ordinary phones and he would be willing to pay more money to have a water-resistant phone rather than buying a non-water-resistant phone and getting a fancy phone case for it.

T-Mobile has a selection of phone cases to pick from and Ivy said, “We sell most of Otterbox cases.”

Bishal Verma from Neha Wireless gave a few tips on how to try to fix a phone with water damage. He said don’t try to charge it and to try and dry it as much as possible.

Neha Wireless video

“The best water absorber is rice,” said Verma.

Verma said most of the time his company sells iPhones and that Samsung is better than iPhone in regards to being waterproof.

Neha Wireless sells a variety of phone cases as well.

 

Editor’s Note: Photo by Igor Rodrigues on Unsplash

Veterans Village Plans for the Future

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By Chloe Short
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — The Veterans Village coming to Jonesboro features major plans.

More than 5,000 veterans live in Craighead County and around 200 of those veterans are reported as living below poverty level. The Veterans Village plans to help homeless veterans get back on their feet.

The Beck Pride Center will be active in the Veterans Village by making sure the right services and paperwork are provided to the homeless veterans. Interested students with majors in social work, counseling, physical therapy and other degrees from Arkansas State University will work with The Beck Pride Center through volunteering or internships to assist in the Veterans Village. Individuals from the Veterans Village will be able to receive those services after they have left.

Beck Pride Center director Lynda Nash (photo by Chloe Short)

“Veterans have been a productive member of society in the past. Something’s happened, so at that point we want to put them back in that role again. They’ve given to society, they continue to give and they should be honored for that,” said Lynda Nash, director of Beck Pride Center.

Other organizations waiting to get involved are the Disabled American Veterans Group, Veterans of Modern Warfare and the PTSD Foundation. The village will find residents through word of mouth but also through law enforcement expressing concern, veteran’s service groups, contacts through other veterans, and by contacting those who show up at the HUB downtown.

Nash said she’s pleased the Veterans Village is set for Jonesboro, since she will now have local options for them and their families if needed. Sending veterans needing housing assistance to Memphis, Tennessee or Poplar Bluff, Missouri are currently the only options available.

“Once accepted, they’re willing to work a program, so it can lead to a more permanent setting for them,” Nash said.

The village’s development on Aggie Road will be built down from Pepsi Beverage warehouse. The Cooper-Mixon Architect Firm originated all of the design aspects and created housing to meet the needs of each individual. Hillary Starnes, Jonesboro’s community services manager, said the homes should be completed by late 2020.

John Mixon, architect at the Cooper-Mixon Architect Firm, said nine homes will be built: two homes are made for families and the other seven are designed for single occupants. Each house features a different exterior. The village includes a community building and a community pavilion.

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Sign on site of the future home of the Veterans Village. (photo by Chloe Short)

“The Veterans’ Village is a fully accessible community with different scales of experiences and a continuum of public to private life,” Mixon said.

Arkansas Development Finance Authority granted $1 million to cover funding needs for the Veterans Village. The Arkansas Development Finance Authority released a Notice of Funds Available and received three applications. Cheryl Schluterman, president of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority, said each application must meet application completeness, fulfill requirements and be financially feasible. Of the three applicants, Jonesboro met the criteria.

“There is still funding available for other projects. So far, Jonesboro is the only recipient of National Housing Trust Funds in Arkansas,” Schluterman said.

Bill Campbell, director of communication for Jonesboro and spokesperson for the mayor, said the mayor is going forth with the challenge to end veterans’ homelessness.

The city will be providing transportation at the village. There will be a bus stop, bicycles and a bike rack. The JET system will be an option. The village accommodates veteran’s dogs as well.

Raising age limit may prevent adolescent addiction to e-cigarettes

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By Colby Sigears

Delta Digital News Service

Watermelon Rancher flavored liquid for electronic cigarettes is pictured here. E-cigarettes come in a variety of flavors.

JONESBORO – If began at an early age, tobacco products may cause harm to individuals in their adolescent years. For some, raising the age limit for the purchase of tobacco products may be the solution to thwarting potential health risks.

Charlina Smith, a store manager at a local Jonesboro tobacco shop said electronic cigarette sales for young adults continue to grow at her store.

“More adults purchase the e-cigarettes for children…we turn parents away for picking up e-cigarette flavors for their children,” Smith said.

Arkansas House Bill 1519, introduced by Rep. Lee Johnson, R-Greenwood, would allow people only 21 and older to purchase tobacco, vapor, alternative nicotine or e-liquid products in Arkansas unless they have a military ID.

“They help with cardiac problems and not as bad as people think,” she said.

Sebastian Hanner, a cashier at Kum & Go said most people did not know of a recall on Juul e-cigarettes before they hit the market in Jonesboro.

“They were a piece of (expletive), originally killing people. They recalled flavors because they contained benzoic acid,” Hanner said.

Although awareness of the potential dangers of e-cigarettes has grown, the state may be unwilling to change its laws seeing as how sales from the product bring in more money to the state.

“Sales would be affected but it is necessary, it’s easy for a minor to purchase them,” Smith said. “We can card all day and they still could get them.”

Candace Cline, an employee at Vape Maven said, vaping helped her quit her smoking addiction.

“I have been vaping for six months and it helped me stop smoking when I got pregnant,” she said.

Two cities in the state have raised the minimum age to 21, Harrison and Helena-West Helena. Surgeon General, Gregory Bledsoe, said the age shift would positively impact collective health for decades to come.

“I did not have to spend as much money, got better sleep and was more relaxed when I switched to vaping,” Cline proclaimed.

 

Tattooist educates as he creates

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By Yu Bai
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO —  In downtown Jonesboro, The Mutiny Tattoo Co. provides great service to a variety of tattoo lovers.

The Mutiny Tattoo Co. is more than just a tattoo design shop for tattoo lovers, but a destiny for people to experience the culture of tattooing and understand the colorful body modification process.

Andrew Null, the proprietor of The Mutiny Tattoo Co., and a professional tattooist, brought his art to Jonesboro a few years ago. Null does not like ordinary and boring work, but hopes he can create a colorful work of art and enthusiastic style of delivery for his clientele.

“Since I started knowing something about tattoos, I fell in love with the art. I enjoy doing special things in my life, and tattoo makes me brave and outgoing,” Null said.

The history of tattoos can be traced back 1,000 years. Having first originated from ancient Asian cultures, Null said that it was a symbol of criminals. With social progress, “it became a specific popular culture among people,” he said. To better master his tattoo skills, Null learned a lot about tattoo culture from various regions and customs. He combined his unique insights into tattoos with his artistic creations.

“Null is an outstanding tattoo artist, he can always understand the preferences of costumes and design the unique tattoo for me,” said Kristen Robinson, a client who frequents the shop.

“New School” is the most popular American tattoo style. It perpetuates the cartoon, beauty and seafarer life elements based on the old style. The color aspect distinguishes the old-style tattoo from the large-scale solid color flat and the tangential line without any rhythm change.  Aside from the New School style, The Mutiny Tattoo Co. provides a variety of patterns for customers to choose. For example, realistic style, portrait style and Ukiyo-e, a well-known Japanese art style, are some of the many choices customers have to choose from.

People get tattoos for many different reasons, however each is a form of self expression.

“Tattoo is an art to encourage people to express themselves and release their emotions, it is a new way to show yourself to others,” said a fellow tattooist and employee, Troy Levon.

Nonprofits play pivotal role in helping homeless

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By Brooke Buckner
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — Nonprofits provide resources for the increasing homeless community.

The Salvation Army is the only homeless shelter in Jonesboro, but there are many other resources for the homeless.

United Way of Northeast Arkansas and The Hub help the homeless community, but don’t house them.

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Nanette Heard and Shaila Creekmore at United Way of NEA. (photo by Brooke Buckner)

United Way helps the working people and serves eight counties. They provide a backpack program for kids in need of food with the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas and fund a program called Homeless to Self-Sufficient with Mission Outreach of Northeast Arkansas.

Nanette Heard, executive director of United Way, said, “A lot of what we do is raise funds for programs. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of shelters in our area.”

UWNA helps people get back to work by providing work clothing, boots, childcare and transportation. Most of their programs are geared toward kids.

Gwendolyn Zugarek, executive director of The Hub, said the 2-year-old resource center provides a 90-day program for the homeless. The first step to helping people is tracking down their birth certificate or getting them an ID so that they can move forward from there.

HUB“The main thing that we do is we sit down with our guests and we talk to them about what is going on in their life,” Zugarek said.

The Hub offers a bike program allowing guests who don’t have transportation to ride a bike to their job. The guest’s responsibility is to buy the bike lock.

Currently, the Hub is a community-funded organization. They usually see an estimated 40 new homeless individuals every month and they helped 532 individuals in their first year of being open. Their mail center helps the less fortunate receive benefits.

Shelters Outside of Jonesboro

Shelters in Blytheville and Paragould provide help year-round for the homeless.

Blytheville’s Mississippi Union County Mission helps women, children and men. Most of the children who come in are 17 to 18 years of age. The majority of residents are single.

There’s no time restraint for living at the Mission, but the average time is three to four months.

Mission Outreach of Northeast Arkansas in Paragould takes all ages and people can live there for up to two years. Director Cheri Peters said she sees more single people coming into the shelter. In 2018, Mission Outreach of NEA provided shelter for 452 people.

The Mission houses 55 and Mission Outreach houses 58 people. Both of these shelters house increasing numbers during the winter and summer.

In addition to housing and feeding residents, Mission Outreach helps residents with birth certificates, employment and insurance.

Lisa Willard, executive director of The Mission, said they offer a work program consisting of yard work or odd jobs. The charge for the community is $10 per hour and the workers get paid $8.50 per hour.

Similarly, Mission Outreach offers jobs and provides transportation for their working residents like United Way does.

Both of these shelters feed the less fortunate by serving food boxes. The Mission serves 100 food boxes per week.

Mission Outreach’s food pantry feeds low-to-moderate income families. These families can come once a month to get food boxes. They also have a soup kitchen that prepares three meals per day.

“For the food box, you have to be a Greene County resident,” Peters said.

Willard and Peters said they enjoy working at these shelters because they watch lives transform.

The community can help each of these organizations by volunteering or donating toiletry items, canned goods, blankets and furniture.

NEARK Confronts the Homeless Issue

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Charles Haven seeks assistance on Red Wolf Boulevard. (Photo by Jessica Ladd)

Students from the Multimedia Reporting course investigated homelessness in the Delta.

  • Jessica Ladd details the lives of a homeless couple coming through Jonesboro.
  • Chloe Short examines plans for a Veterans Village in Jonesboro.
  • Brooke Buckner details services and shelters for Northeast Arkansas’ homeless population.
  • Yu Bai examines food banks providing sustenance to the homeless.
  • Colby Sigears notes how governments in the Delta approach the homeless issue.

 

Homelessness Grows in the Delta

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By Colby Sigears
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — Poverty and homelessness impact the Delta area, keeping people under the poverty line.

Hillary Starnes, an employee of the Jonesboro Grant Department, said approximately 1,800 homeless people live within Craighead County.

“We’re getting a homeless task force to help be resources for the people in the community to get them back on their feet,” Starnes said.

A preliminary meeting of the task force in mid-September discussed potential resources for the homeless. Limited resources contribute to homelessness in the area because people do not have jobs; some do not have a driver’s license. Starnes said the task force will help once they get a homeless shelter built; that way it will keep the homeless off the streets.

Todd Stovall, chief of police in Paragould, said the city does not have a lot of homelessness because of the community effort such as churches helping with the homeless with free meals.

“The mission outreach keeps a lot of people off our streets and other people in the community provide resources for the homeless,” Stovall said.

Lack of affordable housing in Arkansas for people with low incomes and secondary causes such as physical illness, substance abuse, lack of incentive to work, poor work ethic and lack of appropriate education also contribute to the homeless problem in the Delta.

Lisa Williard, director at Mississippi County Union Mission in Blytheville photo by Colby Sigears

Lisa Willard, director of the Mississippi County Union Mission, said it’s a broken system. People with mental illness get left behind because people don’t want to deal with them anymore, e.g. women being dependent and leaving their husbands without any resources or even men with children but no jobs.

“We get people their benefits when they check in such as Medicaid benefits, food stamps and driver’s license,” Willard said. “If they stay here, they must have a job and half their checks go to their savings. We provide other side jobs in the community to make extra money.”

MCUM provides a food pantry and clothing for people at the shelter, as well as help with people having trouble with water and light bills. Willard noted MCUM gives out food boxes to Mississippi County residents at 1 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The food box program runs under the income-based guidelines of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

A lot of homelessness occurs in the Jonesboro area because it is the center for most of the Delta. There are 600 known within the city. Places such as The HUB and Salvation Army provide resources in the community. Also, the food bank is the biggest in the area and sends help to places such as Mississippi County Union Mission.

“Volunteering in the community and help from government resources and getting jobs for people will help lower homelessness in the area,” Willard said.

Couple Makes Best of Tough Situation

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By Jessica Ladd
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — In America, 553,000 people experienced homelessness in 2018. Of those, 2,712 lived in Arkansas.

The homelessness issue in America continues to rise due to a lack of housing options for those with a low income. Without housing options, people face eviction, instability and homelessness. Low-income households don’t make enough money to pay for food, clothes or a home.

In recent years, Jonesboro took steps to reduce its homeless population. Mayor Harold Perrin enacted a task force to end homelessness. The HUB, a homeless resource center, opened in 2017 and the city has multiple food pantries available to help those in need. These services help, but people are still falling through the cracks.

Patricia Eggers and Allen Wheelis married 15 years ago. The two fight and argue like most couples, but they love each other more than anything. They own a registered service dog named Prints. A devoted Christian, Eggers carries a Bible with her everywhere. Wheelis enjoys playing the guitar and singing. The pair also suffer from homelessness.

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Eggers’ service dog, Prints (photo by Jessica Ladd)

“I don’t wish it on anybody,” Wheelis said. “Once we get back to square one, we get knocked down again.”

The couple came through Jonesboro in the spring and said they’ve been homeless for over a year and a half. Eggers worked at a Save-A-Lot but lost her job. A few months later, Wheelis lost his job, too. They didn’t know what to do. Wheelis’ sister lives in Missouri. She told them they could stay with her. She called them to cancel while they were driving through Louisiana. They didn’t know where to go or what to do.

Their car broke down in Louisiana. The two couldn’t afford to have it towed, so they left it behind. Now, they hitchhike or travel on foot. The pair have been all over Louisiana, Texas, Missouri and Arkansas.

Hurricane Harvey flooded the woods they were sleeping in. They lost most of their stuff.  Another time, a levee broke and flooded their campsite. Eggers said she later went back and waded through knee-deep water for her Bible.

Through all the hardships, Eggers kept her faith. She served five months at Phelps County Jail in Missouri. During that time, she was all alone. She said it was the hardest thing she’s ever gone through. She turned to God for support. Eggers said God is watching over them and everything happens for a reason.

They carry all their belongings in a Hobby Lobby shopping cart. The pair came to Jonesboro in April. During the day, they tried to panhandle money. Wheelis said he didn’t want to panhandle, but they need money for food and shelter. He couldn’t find a job. Employers want an address, driver’s license or birth certificate. Neither one of them possesses a valid form of identification.

Eggers said her identification was stolen. She was walking along a road late at night in Lafayette, Louisiana. A man offered her a ride. She accepted. Eggers asked him to stop so she could use the bathroom. Once she got out of the car, he drove off, taking her purse with him. She lost the little money she had, her ID and important family photos she can never replace.

The couple said people treat them differently because they’re homeless. Eggers has been embarrassed more times than she can count.

“I had one guy tell me to go out and sell my body,” she said. “For you to sit there and say that to me— I’d rather sit here holding a sign than sell my body.”

They’ve been kicked out of gas stations, restaurants and even Walmart. One McDonald’s told them they were taking up space and needed to leave. They are constantly refused service. Once, they were arrested for sitting on church property.

Wheelis said most people assume they’re hooked on drugs or alcohol. When people hand him money, they’ll tell him not to spend it on the substances. Eggers said people don’t trust others nowadays. Eggers blames individuals who panhandle and don’t need the extra help. She said it hurts the people who actually need it and makes people less likely to help.

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Allen Wheelis, Patricia Eggers and Nick Bennett stand outside the Walmart Super Center on Highland Drive. (photo by Jessica Ladd)

However, good people still exist who will lend a helping hand. Nick Bennett, a Jonesboro resident, saw Eggers and Wheelis sitting outside the Walmart Super Center on Highland Drive. Instead of giving them money, he gave them time and compassion. Bennett stopped and spoke with the couple for about 45 minutes. He said sometimes people just want someone to speak with.

“I’m here because I care. They’ve told me about the harassment they’ve gone through. It’s a disgrace — having water thrown on them. There’s no call for that,” Bennett said.

Bennett returned later with some clothes for Wheelis. He said he knows they’re just down on their luck. He called them genuine, down-to-earth people.

Eggers has a 23-year-old son from a previous marriage. She maintained contact with him but he isn’t financially stable enough to help them. The rest of her family and friends, she said, didn’t bother to check up on her. To her, that’s what hurts the most. Wheelis has a daughter from a previous relationship and they don’t talk much. None of his family offered to help either.

Wheelis said their situation is only temporary. He wants to get both of them valid forms of ID. Then he wants to get a job. Eggers suffers from PTSD and she has very bad anxiety. She said that’s why they could never stay at homeless shelters. The shelters always wanted to split them up. Wheelis agreed. He said he wasn’t going to sleep without his wife. They hope to get Eggers started on disability soon.

Both managed to keep a positive outlook on life. These two endured so much. They still try to smile at people and thank them for the help. Wheelis said he’s had people give him as little as 20 cents. He said it doesn’t matter the contribution, just as long as it from the heart. They said the key is staying humble and not letting pride get in the way.

Free Food Transfer Hub for the Homeless

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by Yu Bai
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — About 48,000 homeless people live in Arkansas: 8.5% of them are veterans and 20% of them have a serious mental illness. People who suffer homelessness are also struggling with a serious problem: hunger.

Many factors are contributing to this problem. Homeless people in the age group of 60 to 65 in Arkansas are mostly African-American or Hispanic and they lack transportation to the food vendors, so they are more susceptible to food deprivation.

“I don’t think there is anything that directly contributes to homelessness other than the circle of poverty. People cannot buy food without money. The most difficult problem I have to face is about getting fresh food,” said Vonte Benjamin, who has been homeless since 2018.

Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas

The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas started in Jonesboro in November 2012. This organization distributes food to people in need through nonprofit agencies and networks.

“We are a member of Feeding America. We have served more than 30 million pounds of food to homeless and the poor since we established,” Corporate Partnerships coordinator Amber Horton said.

Living in an agricultural state, FBNA makes every effort to ensure it provides the freshest and safest food. Local and national manufacturers, retailers and growers supply the food sources. Otherwise, people who work in the Department of Food Security will destroy other unidentified food.

Benjamin said the place he has been living has no kitchen to cook in so he went to the food bank to find fresh food.

The organization runs its work with a mature industrial chain. It distributes four-to-five kinds of food to 20 locations in 12 different counties each year. People must check a schedule list before they go to the designated location to get food.

Homeless people have a chance to get an emergency box that includes sufficient food once a year. It is the only special program requiring them to show their identification.

“In recent years, we provided about 2.5 million pounds of fresh produce through the support from grower partners; it’s equivalent to 62 tractor-trailers’ load capacity,” said Jennifer Hannah, FBNA outreach coordinator.

Competition and Cooperation with Arkansas Foodbank

As the distribution center, FBNA works with more than 100 organizations, including the Arkansas Foodbank, which located in Little Rock.

The Arkansas Foodbank started in January 1984, and it is the foundation in the fight against hunger. It forms an important food hub with FBNA for providing fresh food supplies to nearly 34,000 people in 12 counties.

These organizations feature the same programs, such as food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters for homeless people.

Compared with FBNA, the Arkansas Foodbank can access other partner organizations in big cities such as Houston, Texas because of its central location.

“Both of our food banks play a special role as warehousing and distribution facility, and it is more in the sense of complements rather than competes,” FBNA Compliance and Facilities manager Jeff Fielder said.

However, there is a program unique to the Arkansas Foodbank — it has a partnership with the Arkansas Rice Depot.

Rice farmers in Arkansas realized they had a surplus crop and many hungry neighbors in 1982. They tried to improve the lives of hungry Arkansans with the establishment of Arkansas Rice Depot.

Arkansas Foodbank depends on the food source of Rice Depot, and the Rice Depot needs the food bank as a shipment center to help it transport food to other places.

The food bank constantly is looking for better and more efficient ways to deliver much-needed food to people. It is a vital organization to help solve the food shortage and security problems of the homeless.

JET Helps People Get Around

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By Jessica Ladd
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — A Jonesboro transit service changed public transportation, one trip at a time. Jonesboro Economical Transit offers fixed routes and paratransit service.

Fixed routes, the set routes the buses travel every day, now cover the entire incorporated city limits of Jonesboro. The buses operate Monday-Friday 5:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. JET buses do not run on Sunday.

“Mr. Dave” drives a bus for JET. He’s been with the company for 12 years. He said JET is a service people need.

“They (JET) take people to work every day. They rely on JET every day. You see the same people every day,” Dave said.

He said JET is an important service and people are grateful for it. Transit Director Michael Black said about 4,000 people ride the fixed routes every week.

Shantara Gilliam and Louis Crawford think highly of JET. The two are repeat users of the service. Gilliam and Crawford said so far they’ve had good service. Both plan to continue riding with the transit organization.

Gilliam does not own a car and said, “I used to use my sister’s car and my mom’s.”

Now she can use public transportation to get where she needs to be. She said JET makes getting around easier. Crawford said he likes JET’s service because it’s cheap.  They offer the lowest fare in the city. It cost $1.25 per way or $2.50 per trip. Students and senior citizens can ride at cheaper rates.

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A sign posted inside a JET bus explains the bus rates. (photo by Jessica Ladd)

A 10-year transit study conducted by JET shows only 44 percent of citizens drive. Thirty-eight percent ride the bus daily. Twenty-eight percent of riders are going to and from work. Twenty-five percent ride the bus for medical purposes.

The study also found 25 percent of JET users suffer from a disability. JET’s paratransit service makes 70-85 trips a week. Black calls paratransit “a door-to-door service.” Those with a severe disability can arrange to be picked up at their home.  The disability can be permanent or temporary.

The application comes in two parts. The first part is to be filled out by the client. The second part will be filled out by a primary caregiver, such as a physician. The application is sent back to JET for review. Once approved, the client must call to set up a pickup time the day before the pickup date. If a client needs to be picked up on Tuesday they must call Monday by 5 p.m. to set up a time for pickup.  Black said there are nine individuals who use the service to get to dialysis appointments.

Black started working in transit in 2008. He became transit director in 2016. He said he’s worked hard to extend JET’s fixed routes and hours of operation. He pushed for bus routes on Saturdays and two years ago, he opened the incorporated city limits of Jonesboro up to JET. He continues to work to make JET a better service. Black said he loves his job.

“It’s different every day. We’re helping people,” he said.

Black said in the near future he would like to change the Saturday routes. Currently, three buses run on Saturdays. Black wants to have five buses driving the routes, like Monday-Friday. Saturday hours will remain the same.  He also said there are no plans for a Sunday route.

(NOTE: Featured photo shows Michael Black and members of the Advisory Board during a meeting. Photo by Jessica Ladd)

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