Delta Digital News Service reporters report on efforts to complete the 2020 Census.
Editor’s Note: Feature image courtesy of Bullitt County Public Schools
By Brooke Buckner
Delta Digital News Service
More than half of 18-24 year-olds in the United States live with their parents and will be counted in the 2020 Census, but the other 45% of young adults do not live with their parents which makes it harder to include them in the Census.
Many young and mobile people between the ages 18 and 24 are the youngest members of the millennial group or older members of Generation Z who were born after 1996.
Photo credit: Bullitt County Public Schools
More than 39% say they are not familiar with the 2020 Census and over 18% say they are unlikely to respond, according to the United States Census Bureau.
Demographer for the Arkansas Economic and Development Institute, Diego Caraballo, said “what you want to keep in mind is you’re going to be counted wherever you expect to be for most of the year.”
This can apply to college students who live in dorms on campus. They will still be counted through the University instead of their parents’ household.
The Census is more important than the young and mobile people realize because communities depend on it. The Census Bureau is recruiting applicants on college campuses across the United States to fill up 500,000 temporary positions to help count everyone in the country.
In regards to being counted in the Census, Caraballo said, “It helps everyone around you even if you feel it doesn’t do much for you personally.”
Photo by Enayet Raheem on Unsplash
By Chase Gage
Delta Digital News Service
JONESBORO – Amid a global pandemic and the aftermath of a natural disaster, the city of Jonesboro had somewhat of a return to normalcy with a remote city council meeting Tuesday night.
The meeting was the first held since the state of Arkansas declared a national emergency regarding COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus. It was also the first meeting held since an EF3 tornado tore through Jonesboro on March 28.
“Before we get started, I’d like to take a moment to praise the people of Jonesboro and the workers for the City of Jonesboro. We’ve been through a lot as a citizenry and a government,” Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin said in his opening statement. “The citizens of Jonesboro have been strong and come to each other’s rescue. We are a loving people.”
The Jonesboro City Council held their meeting virtually amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The new format led to a unique viewer experience, though. it had its faults as well. Screenshot by Chase Gage.
It was far from a typical city council meeting, though, as the members were forced to meet online via video chat in response to social distancing policies in effect across the state and nation. The meeting was then broadcast on local television and Facebook Live so citizens could attend and participate from home.
Residents had several communication options for the meeting, including a special phone line and email address to contact as well as live comments on Facebook during the meeting.
The shift came with a handful of downfalls, as technical difficulties plagued some segments of the meeting. Resident participation was also relatively limited compared to in-person participation, but the council seemingly did the best they could with their available options.
“The coronavirus and tornado have created a new landscape, and our duty is to adjust. I ask for patience as we do so. This is not a new future, it is simply a temporary fix,” Perrin said on the shift to online meetings. “It isn’t going to be perfect. Any change this drastic is going to have glitches, so please be kind and patient.”
Councilman Gene Vance said several improvements needed to be made for the council to continue to hold online meetings, adding that he struggled to hear other members even with his volume cranked up.
Virtually all members of the council were adamant in praising the emergency response of both city employees and the public in the aftermath of the tornado that struck just over a week before the meeting. Miraculously, there were only 22 injuries and no deaths due to the storm.
“The citizens of Jonesboro have been strong and come to each other’s rescue. We are a loving people.”
Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin
Perhaps the most impactful topic of the night dealt with the mayor’s power to enact a city-wide curfew in times of declared state emergencies. Previously, a curfew could only be enacted for 48 before the city council had to meet to approve any extension.
However, the members voted unanimously to overturn that precedent, allowing the mayor to enact a curfew for up to 120 days — or until the next scheduled meeting — the maximum number of days allowed under state law.
As a direct result of the motion passing, Perrin will meet with city officials including Chief of Police Rick Elliot and Jonesboro Chief of Staff Mike Downing on Wednesday to iron out the details of a forthcoming curfew. Perrin said a curfew is “coming soon,” and that citizens should be prepared to follow it during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I want everyone to wear a mask. Protect yourselves and your loved ones. This is no time to worry about appearances. You look better with a mask. Please help your city by being responsible,” Perrin said.
Ironically, the first order of business was to pass a motion allowing the online meeting to happen, overturning an in-person requirement in times of a state emergency. Of course, the motion passed unanimously.
Several other issues brought up were related to re-zoning, but most were postponed to be discussed at a later date. Councilman David McClain insisted suspending a vote on ORD-20:010 until citizens could participate in person to discuss the details.
Unlike typical meetings, resident interactions were very few throughout the evening. There was one call-in and only a handful of emails and Facebook comments.
The viewer count peaked around 100, but dipped as low as 50 viewers toward the end of the meeting, likely much lower than in-person attendance would have been under normal circumstances.
A decent number of comments related to how well the city has handled not one, but two emergency situations in the past month.
“I appreciate that the city is continuing to operate in this fashion. Different and dark times require creative solutions,” Jonesboro resident Scott McDaniel commented on the live stream. “Keep it up.”
Watch the full meeting here.
By Tristan Bennett
Delta Digital News Service
JONESBORO – The Jonesboro city council showered the mayor, first responders and residences with praises in the wake of the EF-3 tornado and amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The council held their first virtual meeting on April 7, 2020, in order to comply with social distancing guidelines. Councilmembers and residents alike shared their praises to the Jonesboro community for its resilience in these unprecedented times.
Councilmember John Street said, “The response from our neighbors in Northeast Arkansas was just unbelievable, overwhelming, and the spirit of the people in this city is not to be matched anywhere.”
Mayor Herald Perrin said in his mayor’s report that he has spoken with AML insurance adjusters about the condition of city property. It was determined that the flight station building, several traffic signals and a few vehicles were considered “total losses.”
The council along with the mayor’s office continue to work to provide support for residents following the March 28 tornado.
“There are a few homes in one section of the tornado area that did not have insurance on their homes, and we will be picking that debris up as well for public safety, peace, safety and health,” Perrin said. “Also, when they get ready to build and come back on that there will be no fee for the permits to get going on the property.”
The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality approved a new landfill site on Strawfloor Road to help the city dispose of the debris from the storm. Jonesboro will be receiving $362,524 from the CARE Act, and Perrin has asked the Arkansas Economic Development Commission for special consideration in regard to their $7.8 million fund for emergency services.
Councilmember David McClain said, “The Saturday that the tornado hit, our neighborhood was affected drastically, am I am truly grateful for everything you (Perrin) have helped us with as far as getting extra patrols out here and whatever we asked. I think you’ve helped make us feel safe.”
Also discussed in the meeting was the rezoning of 400 E. Highland in order to build a new hardware store to be built by Ditta Enterprises. There had been opposition from the public in previous council meetings, but the parties involved came to a compromise, and many from the neighborhood expressed support for the new store.
Carolyn Ponce, a resident of the neighborhood phoned in during the meeting to share her thoughts.
She said, “I think it’s wonderful that Jonesboro is trying to bring more small businesses to the town and not big box stores, and would absolutely love to see a smaller, home business in the Highland area.”
After some discussion, the amendment to the ordinance passed unanimously.
Other issues discussed included:
By Christine Miyawa
Delta Digital News Service
JONESBORO – The Jonesboro City Council passed an ordinance April 7, allowing Mayor Harold Perrin to impose a curfew of no longer than 120 days in response to the COVID -19 pandemic.
Perrin chaired the meeting with council members participating via webcam. Accompanied by City Attorney Carol Duncan, they both wore filtered face masks and practiced social distancing by seating several feet away from each other.
“This is not a time to look good, you just look good in your masks,” Mayor Perrin said as he began the meeting.
The agenda for the meeting did not contain any special presentation as members voted to postpone several items to a time when the council would meet physically.
Several members also complained that the audio system wasn’t clear enough to allow proper participation via webcam.
Dr. Charles Coleman requested the council postpone to the first meeting in June, a proposal to change the single-family residential to family residential, on a property located at 1130 Jonesboro Rd. Coleman said the postponement would allow several members of the public to physically be present at the meeting to participate in the discussion.
Members also voted to postpone other zoning codes, including the ordinance to amend Section 117 of the zoning code to the next city council meeting.
Some of the items the council passed included a unanimous vote to purchase a property at 409 North Fisher St. at $2,243 plus regular closing cost. A unanimous vote was attained to condemn property at 304 Walnut St.
Also, an ordinance to place traffic signals at determined locations as determined by the Traffic Control Commission.
Mayor Perrin said, so far, the city’s revenue exceeded expenditure, but because of the COVID-19 and the Tornado that recently swept the city, they are watching the finances for any significant deviation.
He said the city received $7.8 million for emergency services for COVID-19 and tornado damage relief and because a few homes in tornado affected areas did not have insurance, the city will clear the debris but will charge a fee for re-building.
Councilwoman Anne Williams commended KAIT 8 News for warning the public in time about the tornado.
Councilmen John Street and Joe Hafner thanked the mayor, police department and fire department for their swift action during the tornado.
“You did your best under the circumstances, no deaths,” Street said to Mayor Perrin.
Street and Hafner both said the hand of God played a role in saving the lives and properties during the tornado.
“People as far as Conway and Little Rock came to help. I see the hand of God in this- everybody, hang in there,” Hafner said.
Councilman David McClain also thanked JPD for keeping patrol around the community to ensure no looting of property.
Perrin asked members of the public to send in their comments via email through councilcomment@jonesboro.org, via phone (870) 336 7248 or via Facebook live on the city’s Facebook page.
Members of the public participated by sending messages via email and Facebook live to the meeting.
Dr. Paul Vellozo, a physician in the Jonesboro area, requested the council pass a resolution for food handlers and grocery workers to wear masks.
Several members of the public sent in requests. A woman requested to have all churches closed because a particular church in her neighborhood was still holding meetings and posing a threat to her safety. Another complained that the park equipment and basketball court were still open. Someone requested the city council to close child-care centers during the pandemic because the centers put the health of children and workers at risk for lack of social distancing and a physician requested that all Jonesboro residents wear masks in public.
The North East Arkansas Bicycle Coalition said there is an increase in the number of cyclists and pedestrians during the pandemic and requested the public through the council to increase public outreach to motorists to be aware of cyclists and pedestrians using roads.
Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash
Delta Digital News Service 