Author Archives: chloeshortwebsite

$95M Highway funding bill impacts Arkansas roads

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Bill brings road construction, repairs and reconstruction across the state

Delta Digital News Service

By Chloe Short | Aspiring Journalist

JONESBORO, Ark. – Interstates, major highways and other roads receive will receive improvements with the $95 million highway-funding bill signed by the governor. The bill helps fix unsafe roads, repair potholes and mend other road problems. 

   Dave Parker, public information officer for the Arkansas Department of Transportation, said growing concerns about congestion and pavement preservation factor into the plans when deciding what areas to focus on. Congestion causes slower traffic or traffic back-ups, while pavement preservation keeps the current roads maintained so drivers experience less deterrents while on the road. 

   “About 76% of our total money goes toward just maintaining the highways and bridges we currently have. The remaining 24% is spent on new projects,” Parker said. 

   “About 76% of our total money goes toward just maintaining the highways and bridges we currently have. The remaining 24% is spent on new projects.”

ARDOT PIO Dave Parker

   ARDOT plans for Jonesboro residents and drivers passing through to experience road construction on I-555 that started April 14 and will continue until later this year. Road work involves reconstructing and overlaying pavement for five bridges. 

   Parker said, “Construction is in full-swing all over the state. ARDOT’s current plans aim at  improving many sections of downtown Little Rock, mending and widening I-30 in Saline County and widening Highway 10 in Pulaski County from a four-lane road to six. Those projects will take two years to complete with a cost of around $80 million,” Parker said.

Big projects like the Bella Vista Bypass in Northwest Arkansas see a predicted opening this fall.  Parker said to make sure the budget gets followed, ARDOT hires contractors who present good reputations with proven track records to deliver quality work on time.

   Joe Quinn, executive director of the Arkansas Good Roads Foundation, said the highway-funding bill won 72 out of 75 counties, making the sales tax allotted to road improvements permanent. Construction starts where the most traffic takes place. Quinn said he and others pushed for voter approval because this bill helps keep state roads safe for all drivers. 

   “If voters had not voted in support of this bill, then every county in Arkansas would have lost 30% of its road budget and every city in Arkansas would have lost 30% of its road budget. For instance cities would have lost $46 million for road repairs,” Quinn said.

Shannon Newton, president of the Arkansas Trucking Association, pushed voter approval for the bill, primarily issue 1 of it and pressed state residents to care about the future safety of their roads and bridges. Newton said the governor’s leadership and the support of stakeholder groups representing all types of Arkansans made for strong voices contributing to the cause.  

“The trucking industry relies on all types of infrastructure throughout the state, which is one of the great things about Issue One. Issue One will help make our state highway system safer by improving over 7,000 miles of roads and repairing dangerous bridges, relieve heavy traffic congestion on highly traveled roads and support over 3,600 jobs annually and provide $8.2 billion in economic activity over 10 years,” Newton said.

Pedestrian bike path nears finish line

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By Chloe Short/Aspiring Reporter
Delta Digital News Service

The city comes close to finished plans for the bike path project. Residents will witness construction soon, bringing bike lanes and bridges to connect all the city. The bike pedestrian trail will make one large circle around Jonesboro to allow all areas within the city to experience different ways of traveling.

Danny Kapales, director of Parks and Recreation in Jonesboro, said plans for the bike path are close to finishing. Currently, the design and property acquisition requires completion, then plans move forward to starting construction. Kapales said the project needs scouted property for purchase and further design touches.

“We’re hoping to be starting by the end of this year with the construction or at least by the following year with construction. We should be done with at least land acquisition and design by the end of this year,”  Kapales said.

Final decisions made to design arrangements will then allow progress to finding the construction company. Kapales said when the project releases, construction companies will place bids and once finalized, the project will move to construction.

Earlier in planning, the project awaited clearance for grants to work the University Heights phase, which gives access to open the east side of Jonesboro and will allow safe travel along Aggie Road. Updates revealed the plans received clearance, Kapales said.

Bill Campbell, director of communications for Jonesboro, said the bike path proposal sits at 90% completion. The parks and recreation, engineering, and grants department received the grant money of $500,000 from the Arkansas Department of Transportation and the Transportation Alternatives Program needed to proceed with construction and to continue the bike path phases.

The project plans continued for almost two years after being released to the public. Campbell said after speaking to city Director of Engineering Craig Light, he found money as the hold up in the schedule.

“The project was slowed originally as we looked for additional funding to complete the first phase of construction.  This was ultimately obtained through a second TAP Grant from ARDOT. We just recently received a third TAP Grant from ARDOT to build the final piece of this project which will tie the trail to the A-State campus at the Marion Berry Parkway. We have opted to combine these two project phases into one single project for construction. This decision was made based on a couple of factors, the primary one being that the right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation pieces of the project are expected to take most of the year to complete anyway,” Light said.

New construction brings uncertainty to wildlife in the area, especially if tampered with. Campbell assured that with planning, The parks and recreation, engineering, and grants department must perform environmental studies anytime working with untampered land. Kapales said the bike roads will follow along roads already made, so they do not see any wildlife being interfered with.

Charles Fox, of Gearhead Cycle House, said the community will benefit from the new bike path. Fox said cycling creates a natural high that comes from physical activity, whether the activity runs light or heavy. Active lifestyles can be more conducive to happy living and overall wellness, he said.

“I feel as if it will offer people an opportunity to get out and exercise on their bicycles in a way that they might not have current access to. For a lot of people riding on the streets with automobiles isn’t the most comfortable activity and safer bike paths should give people an entry into the world of cycling,” Fox said.

https://www.jonesboro.org/DocumentCenter/View/4321/BikePedestrian-Plan?bidId=

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.

Concealed Carry Price Lowered

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by Chloe Short
Delta Digital News Service

CHERRY VALLEY — A new law in Arkansas brings down the price of obtaining a concealed carry license.

Arkansas law originally charged citizens $100 to obtain a concealed carry. Following the passage of HB1036, the price decreased to $50 or only $25 for those 65 years or older. Renewal prices for concealed carry license decreased from $35 to $25.

In Arkansas a person does not need a concealed carry license to carry, it does help when entering into federal prohibited places and carrying to different states if they’re in compliance with Arkansas.

Jim Dotson, the state representative from Bentonville behind the law, said the price decrease opens doors for more individuals to attain a concealed carry license. Dotson said the act will go into full effect sometime around August.

“It makes it easier for folks that have limited means to exercise their right of self defense in a legal manner by getting a concealed carry license,” Dotson said.

Dotson said with a concealed carry license, citizens can skip the background check when purchasing firearms since a concealed-carry license requires all background conditions to be met. This makes purchasing firearms an easier process.

Buck Morris, a concealed-carry class instructor from Wynne, said the price decrease allows more people to get their license. He touted the benefits of taking the course.

“You will get hands-on, know how to shoot your gun, and the law states that you have to have six hours of classroom experience,” Morris said.

Citizens fill out an application during a concealed carry class or they can register for a concealed carry license online through usconcealedonline.com for $150. If registered online, they must still fulfill the requirement of completing classes, which is an additional fee.

Concern over the Arkansas State Police’s revenue brought in by the money spent on concealed carry license can be put to rest.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Featured photo of “Phalanx Defense Stealth Operator OWB Holster with Gun” by huntingmark is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Revenue Gains Spur Projects

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By Chloe Short
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — The Craighead County seat will see changes due to recent economic gains and plans for incoming jobs.

Sales tax revenues for Jonesboro have started strong in 2019 and could potentially pass the record-breaking 2018 totals. The increase in money means many new proposals for the city and the continuation of projects and population inflation. It also opens conversation for further development of the city.

“What we can see is that people spent money in 2019 in the city of Jonesboro, which is always a good thing,” said Craig Rickert, the director of communications for Jonesboro Unlimited, a company that works to bring new businesses to the Jonesboro area. “People are shopping, they’re going to restaurants … they’re buying cars and that money goes to a general fund and helps the city pay for the services for its citizens.”

Mark Young, president and CEO at Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce, said these repairs and services would likely not be limited to police and fire protection, parks and recreation and road improvements. One service that is coming to Jonesboro is a new bike trail.

“I think It would benefit the community positively because it would provide more opportunities for people to get out and be active,” said Jordan Nash, a current Jonesboro resident.

Jonesboro Unlimited’s five-year plan focuses on attracting businesses and talent, business expansions, workforce development and community enhancement. Chris Barber, chairman for Jonesboro Unlimited, said they’re targeting jobs and businesses in health care, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics and professional services.  

“We’re not at liberty to say what businesses are coming due to confidentiality agreements that the companies have signed,” Barber said.  

The plan is two years ahead of schedule and the projected outcome is expected to bring 5,153 new jobs.

“Jonesboro is doing very well,” Barber said. “We are seeing a steady community, employment and population increase.”