Monthly Archives: November 2020

Paragould voters speak out on election day

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By Courtney Edwards
Delta Digital News Service

PARAGOULD, Ark. — Voting in this year’s presidential election was unlike anything the nation had ever seen before during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo by Courtney Edwards

There was a record number in absentee ballots cast. Some voters in Paragould said that it made it easier for those who did show up at the polls on election day.

“This is the easiest I’ve ever voted before,” Paragould voter J.J. Qualls said. “Normally, there’s lines and lines and it takes an hour or two, but I walked right in and came out five minutes later. I don’t know if it’s been like this all day or what, but it’s amazing.”

Although the pandemic may have made the line at the polls shorter, the nation’s voter turnout has increased by over 2% compared to the 2016 general election, according to the Washington Post. Out of the voting eligible population, 62.4% voted in the 2020 election as of Nov. 4, compared to 60.1% from 2016.

President Donald Trump won the state of Arkansas in the 2020 presidential election with 62.6% of votes. However, former Vice President Joe Biden won the presidential election with 290 electoral votes as of Nov. 7, according to the Associated Press.

Arkansas’s results may have been disappointing for Paragould voter, Wilburn McCracken, but the national results were still in his favor.

“We definitely need a change. The one we have is just too rambunctious and too radical,” McCracken said.  “He doesn’t have sensibility for the little man, and we need somebody who will represent everybody.”

Mayoral candidate, Josh Agee was recently elected as Mayor of Paragould on Nov. 3. Jonathan Walker, a voter from Paragould, said he was excited to see the results of the mayoral election.

“I liked [Agee’s] energy and I liked how prepared he was for everything, so we’ll see how he does,” Walker said.

Along with the presidential election, Arkansas ballots included three proposed constitutional amendments to decide:

Issue 1: 0.5% permanent sales tax for state highways, country roads, city streets, bridges, and other surface transportations.

 

Issue 2: Arkansas term limits amendment to eliminate life-time term limits and prohibit legislators from serving more than 12 years in a row but allow them to serve for 12 more after four years have passed.

 

Issue 3: Change the date when voter signatures are due for statewide ballot measures from four months ahead of the election to Jan. 15 of the election year, increase the number of counties where voter signatures must be collected from 15 to 45, establish Apr. 15 of the election year as the deadline for filing lawsuits challenging statewide ballot measures, and eliminate the cure period for local ballot measures if the first found of signatures does not meet the threshold.

Issue 1 and 2 were approved on Nov. 3, but Issue 3 was not approved.

Residents in Paragould generally were not worried about disturbances from the public after the election results were announced, but nationally no one knows what could happen. Retailers all over the nation have been preparing for unrest after the election since October.

“I’m not so much worried here, in our little, small town, but throughout the United States, I’m scared there are going to be some bad things that happen,” Kelly Gibson, a voter from Paragould, said.

In Little Rock, police said they had an operation plan in place with how they would respond if civil unrest took place. Portland, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis are among cities which have already seen unrest as of Nov. 4, before the election results were even released. Fox News reported that many of the protests were being led by Black Lives Matter movements.

“The past several presidencies have really caused a lot of tension from right and left,” Walker said. “But I think here in Arkansas everybody seems to get along for the most part.”

Note: Featured photo by Courtney Edwards

Trunk ‘r Treat event provides safe Halloween participation

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By Yoshika Shibata
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO, Ark. – In the shadow of the upcoming Halloween holiday, coronavirus cases continue to surge in Northeast Arkansas.

According to the White House Coronavirus Task Force’s weekly report, Craighead and five other NEA counties remain in the “red zone” for COVID cases.

Craighead was third in the state, behind Pulaski and Washington, with the highest number of new cases over the last three weeks.

However, Halloween celebrations continued despite the rise.

Halloween this year looked a little different in order to keep everyone safe.

After much thought and consideration, organizers with Miracle Kids Success Academy decided to provide something fun for the Jonesboro community that also followed social distancing guidelines.

The event was a ‘Drive-Thru Trunk or Treat’ where participants experienced a Halloween trick or treating experience with a twist.

Samantha Goodwin of Miracle Kids Success Academy said, “This is actually the first year that we are doing the Trunk or Treat, and the reason we did it is because we wanted to provide a little bit normalcy for the Jonesboro Community during pandemic that we have.”

All volunteers wore costumes and masks and sanitized their hands after distributing candy and treats to each car.

“We asked businesses about it and to kind of see where they are at, where their heads were at and if they wanted to participate. The overwhelmingness of everybody wanting to have that normalcy… was really what drove us to this,” Goodwin said.

Several businesses and organizations such as NEA Baptist Clinic, Premiere Auto, Alpha Omicron Pi and Diego Ranch participated in the event along with Miracle Kids.

Volunteers decorated vehicles and provided candies for visitors.

Lynn Elliott of NEA Baptist Clinic said, “We are just wanting to support Miracle Kids and also to let people know about our clinic as well as about NEA Baptist Clinic Pediatrics, about doctors and providers there.”

Volunteers wore costumes while dancing to a music as carloads drove by.

Note: Feature photo by Yoshika Shibata

Halloweeners’ costume hunt amid pandemic

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By Yoshika Shibata
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO, Ark. – Retail store Spirit Halloween filled with customers this weekend shopping for costumes for the Halloween season.

The store sells a wide variety of Halloween décor, animatronics, costumes and accessories for trick-or-treating or throwing a Halloween themed parties.

However, the coronavirus pandemic has interrupted traditional seasonal celebrations.

Like most businesses, Spirit Halloween has made adjustments in the way it does business to compensate during the pandemic.

The store limited its shopper capacity to encourage social distancing for customer’s safety.

Six-year veteran store Sales Clerk Jennifer Huggins has noticed certain challenges when shopping but says shoppers have adapted to the changes.

Huggins said, “It’s been a lot harder because we can’t open our fitting rooms and bathrooms, but it’s been pretty simple with the masks, and people are holding their masks and coming in with their masks, so that helps a lot.”

Huggins loves the themed environment she works in along with helping people.  “It’s fun to see all the kids pick out their new costumes. Adults get excited about little things–It’s a whole lot of fun,” she said.

Shopper Ashley Sellers of Jonesboro came to the store to get some last-minute costumes to celebrate. Sellers lost her job due to the pandemic but still plans to celebrate.

“I think it’s going to be different, but I’m excited that we are still doing it. I just don’t think its many people that are going to be into it like normal,” she said concerning celebrations.

Josh and Bliss Hickerson of Tennessee shopped for costumes for their daughters.

“This year is definitely different cause there is not much going on. We don’t know of many in our area that are celebrating. We are probably taking them to the Memphis Zoo,” Bliss said.

Even though this year’s Halloween celebrations is a particular challenge to enjoy, many people in northeast Arkansas still planned to participate in traditional trick-or-treating events dressing as their favorite characters.

Note: Featured photo by Yoshika Shibata

Voters flock to the polls for early voting

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By Yu Bai
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO, Ark. – Early voting in Arkansas began on Monday, October 19.

As polls closed on Monday, November 2, over 17,000 people have turned out to vote early in Jonesboro.

A sign displayed at the Jonesboro City Annex encourages everyone to vote. Photo by Yu Bai

“If you wait until the last day, and you could run into instance where there could be errors like machines done or power goes out,” said Nathan Coleman, of Jonesboro Police Department.

According to data from the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office, there are around 22,100 eligible residents that voted early in 2016. In contrast, the number of early voters this year is much lower.

Craighead County has more than 15 voting locations in the county, and because there are no locations assigned, voters can vote wherever they please.

In the city Jonesboro, the Craighead County Election Annex on Jefferson Street is the selected location for early voting.

New candidates and elected officials can also place their names on the ballot in the city of Jonesboro municipal election.

Issues such as term limits for certain positions are on the ballot.

“The term limits are important because I will only serve two terms, but my opponents are not for that. I also want the pay rise during the first year for the term, ” said incumbent Jonesboro Deputy Clerk Stan Mitchell.

President Donald Trump has already received the endorsement of the local Fraternal Order of the Police.

“He actually received all 50 states endorsements from FOP, and it’s obviously the first time in the history that one candidate received all of them,” Coleman said.

Voters have to bring a picture I.D. to cast their ballots. Once the voter’s information is verified, each voter will receive a card with a bar code and stylus. The card is used to upload the voter’s unique ballot to the screen.

Once the voters make a choice, they will receive a new code card. Voters will be instructed to put it in another machine when leaving the voting building.

In Jonesboro, there are total of 20 voting machines that include two machines for disabled people.

In order to ensure a safe social distance, only 20 people are allowed to enter the voting hall at the same time.

Monday, November 2, was the last day to return your absentee ballots.

Note: Featured photo by Yu Bai

Lawrence County deals with rise in coronavirus cases

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By Courtney Edwards
Delta Digital News Service

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. – Lawrence County continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases. The Arkansas Department of Health reported a total of 685 confirmed cases as of Oct. 21.

“We are closely monitoring the cases in Lawrence County, as well as the rest of Arkansas, and are taking steps to stop the spread of COVID-19 going forward,” Gavin Lesnick, public information director for the Arkansas Department of Health, said. “These steps include making testing available throughout the state and educating people on the importance of simple precautions that can make a big difference like wearing face masks, keeping a safe distance from others in group settings and washing hands frequently.”

The county reported 134 new known cases over the past week according to USAFacts, a non-profit organization which offers a non-partisan portrait of the U.S. population. There were 747 cumulative confirmed and probable cases as of Tuesday compared to 613 reported on the previous Tuesday. 53 cases were reported in one day on Oct. 15.

Along with 134 new cases, the county also reported two new deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total to 15. The total of recovered cases, however, was 518 as of Wednesday with the total of active cases at 150.

Local businesses have noticed the increase in cases recently. Although, it doesn’t directly affect most businesses, the pandemic has still implemented many changes for them.

“The way we have to do things is so different,” Erika Shields, owner of Shields Home Medical Equipment in Walnut Ridge, said. “That’s where it’s impacted us and been so stressful.”

Shields said the business has had to make changes to the way they handle equipment, how they get the equipment to customers, and even how they handle customers in person.

“Things are a lot less personal than it used to be. We’re a small, locally-owned business, so that’s super important to us,” Shields said. “We’re happy to do a lot of curbside or delivery.”

Shields said although the pandemic has changed the way she runs her business, she’s grateful for her own and her staff’s health. She said her staff has been exposed to COVID-19 from customers who came in before being diagnosed, but no one has tested positive from Shields Home Medical Equipment.

Out of the 747 cases reported in Lawrence County on Tuesday, many of them may be reflected in the number of cases from the Lawrence Hall Nursing Center. ADH reported 120 residents had tested positive as of Monday. 112 of these cases were reported to still be active while six have recovered and two have died. In addition, 62 staff members have tested positive.

“We never like to see cases increase and each death is a tragedy,” Lesnick said.

Lawrence County reported a relatively low number of new cases of COVID-19 throughout the early months of the year, with the highest number of new known cases in one day being 13 cases reported on Apr. 30. Reported cases started depleting in May all the way through July with many days reporting zero new cases. Although Lawrence County peaked in cases around April, it seems as though cases will start to arise with colder weather.

More active cases of COVID-19 were reported in Lawrence County during September and October than ever before. The state of Arkansas reported a total of 95,399 confirmed cases as of Oct. 20 according to ADH.

“The number of cumulative cases shows the extent to which COVID-19 can spread and underscores how important it is to be proactive in preventing continued transmission,” Lesnick said.

The ADH reported a total of 636 hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in Arkansas on Wednesday. Of those hospitalized, 99 are on ventilators.

“Patients with symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested,” Lesnick said. “Testing is available in a number of places, including by appointment at local health units in every county in Arkansas. If a patient tests positive, they will need to isolate to prevent exposing others while they are infectious. They should check with their health care provider as symptoms develop or worsen.”

To help communities remember how to help stop the spread of COVID-19, ADH released directives on how to stay safe during the pandemic. Lesnick said a way people can help is “adhering to the Three W’s: wear a face mask, watch your distance, and wash your hands.”

Note: Featured photo by Courtney Edwards

Imboden Fire Dept gets rating upgrade

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By Courtney Edwards
Delta Digital News Service

IMBODEN, Ark. — The Imboden Fire Department will achieve the second lowest rating possible from the Insurance Services Office (ISO).

“An ISO rating is your ability to do things with your fire department,” said Imboden Fire Chief Jim Jones.

“Based on those ratings, you get a score and that affects the insurance on your homes, businesses, and those types of things,” he said.

The Imboden Fire Department lowered its ISO rating from three to two. The new rating will take effect Dec. 1.

ISO ranks fire departments from one to 10, with one being the best and 10 not meeting basic requirements. A score of five or higher is good, three is great, and one or two places the department among the best in the nation.

This means property owners in Imboden could see lower rates in the coming year. Insurance companies use ISO’s ratings to determine homeowner insurance rates.

Imboden Mayor Chris Jones said, “It saves people money because of our ability to put out structure fires. It also saves on property losses.”

ISO judges fire departments all across the nation on four categories: fire equipment and staffing/training (50 %), water supply (40 %), and efficiency of emergency communication (10 %). The mayor said the fire department improved in all four categories since the last time they received an ISO rating five years ago.

“If there should be an incident,” Jones said, “I think they’d feel comfortable that we’re going to be there as quick as we can with good equipment that’s going to work, we’re going to have a water supply, and the firemen are going to do their job and save their property.”

The Imboden Fire Department has 25 volunteer fire fighters. None are full-time, so many are retirees or work other jobs. Jones said they all care about the community and work hard to protect it. The fire department hosts training meetings once a month along with occasional special training.

“It makes me feel good as the mayor that we have one of the best fire departments in the state, especially for our size,” the mayor said.

It’s uncommon for a small town to reach such a low ISO rating. Maumelle has a population of over 18,000 and the Maumelle Fire Department was given an ISO rating of 2 in 2017, while Imboden’s population is under 700.

The Imboden Fire Department has gone through a few changes since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Along with wearing masks and socially distancing at meetings, Jones said they sometimes get paged to medical calls for which they don’t have the proper equipment to protect themselves. They worry about exposing their families as well. Jones and the mayor are very proud of the volunteers for achieving such an accomplishment even through the struggles the year has brought.

“I’ve been here for about 56 years,” Jones said. “I saw it basically from the beginning to now, and obviously, I’m very proud.”

Jones joined the Imboden Fire Department at 16 years old. After watching the fire fighters, he became interested in participating. He’s been involved with the fire department ever since with an exception to the time he spent in the military.

“Back then we didn’t have any equipment to wear,” Jones said. “We didn’t have any training. It was just a bunch of citizens that wanted to help the community.”

Note: Featured photo and video by Courtney Edwards.