KUAR

Arkansas Sets New Daily Record For COVID Hospitalizations

By Talk Business & Politics Staff • 10 minutes ago

UAMS covid-19 coronavirus — Michael Hibblen / KUAR News

COVID-19 hospitalizations set a new daily record and Arkansans on ventilators jumped back above 100 in Monday’s report from the Arkansas Department of Health. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the numbers are “somber reminders” of the pandemic’s reach.

Confirmed and probable known cumulative cases totaled 106,727 on Monday, up 612 cases. COVID deaths numbered 1,833, up 21. With 16 more Arkansans hospitalized because of the virus, the number in hospitals reached a daily record of 649.

Hutchinson said Arkansans need to prepare for what could be a “challenging winter.”

7th Arkansas Legislator Tests Positive For Coronavirus

By Associated Press • 5 hours ago

An Arkansas state senator has tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the 7th virus case among lawmakers in the past week.

Sen. Cecile Bledsoe tested positive Sunday for the virus. That's according to Senate President Jim Hendren.

Bledsoe is the latest lawmaker to test positive in an outbreak that prompted a halt to budget hearings last week. Bledsoe co-chairs the Joint Budget Committee and the Legislative Council.

She's the mother of state Surgeon General Greg Bledsoe.

North Little Rock Mayoral Candidates: Alice Kunce

By Sarah Kellogg • 12 hours ago

Listen

Listening...

/

7:11

Hear the interview with North Little Rock mayoral candidate Alice Kunce.

Voters in North Little Rock will have four candidates to choose from to serve as their next mayor. Incumbent Joe Smith said last year he would not seek a third term in office.

KUAR spoke with each of the four people running in the nonpartisan race. The first in the series is middle school educator Alice Kunce.

Arkansas Sets Another Daily COVID Record; Active Cases Rise In Public Schools

By Talk Business & Politics Staff • Oct 23, 2020

Corona — U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

Arkansas set another daily record Friday with 1,337 new known COVID-19 cases reported by the Arkansas Department of Health. The daily tally pushes the cumulative number of confirmed and antigen-positive cases to 104,135.

Friday’s report also included a rise in active cases, deaths, hospitalizations and ventilator use.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson urged Arkansans to avoid gatherings in which people aren’t wearing masks or practicing social distancing.

Taste Of The Fair Taking Place This Weekend As Arkansas State Fair Was Cancelled

By Alexandria Brown • Oct 23, 2020

Vendors were setting up for last year's Arkansas State Fair on Oct. 8, 2019. While the fair is not be taking place this year, people can still come to the state fairgrounds this weekend to enjoy eating traditional fair favorites. — Michael Hibblen / KUAR News

The Arkansas State Fair is one of many events that have been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. But an alternate event is being hosted this weekend at the state fairgrounds where people can eat their favorite fair foods.

The fair's Director of Sales and Promotions Will Hornburg said he wanted to have an event where people could come out and enjoy food, while also giving vendors the opportunity to generate business since they’ve been severely impact by the outbreak.

Arkansas County Clerks See Uptick In Absentee Ballot Requests, But Feel Prepared For 2020 Election

By Sarah Kellogg • Oct 23, 2020

Election early vote — Michael Hibblen / KUAR News

With the general election less than two weeks away, Arkansans currently have three ways to vote: on Election Day, Nov. 3, during early voting which runs until Nov. 2, or with an absentee ballot, where the deadline to apply to receive one by mail is Oct. 27.

On the Arkansas absentee ballot application itself, voters must choose between three options for requesting a ballot.

They are:

Arkansas School Districts In COVID-19 ‘Red Zones’ rises to 42; New Daily Cases Again Top 1,000

By Michael Tilley/ Talk Business & Politics • Oct 22, 2020

New daily COVID-19 cases again topped 1,000 in Thursday’s report, and the number of public school districts in “red zones” rose to 42, up from 26 a week earlier, according to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI).

Program To Provide Food Boxes To Arkansas Students, Families

By Daniel Breen • Oct 22, 2020

arkansasfoodbank.org

Arkansas students receiving school-based food assistance could be getting some extra help thanks to a new program by the Arkansas Food Bank.

The food bank announced the Emergency School Pantry Program, which is a partnership with five other food banks in the state, and will provide food boxes for 36 weeks.

Rhonda Sanders, CEO of the Arkansas Food Bank, says the goal is to have the program continue even after the COVID-19 pandemic is under control.

Arkansas’ 2nd District Congressional Candidates Discuss Hostile Political Environment

By Samantha Romano • Oct 21, 2020

Candidates for Arkansas' 2nd District Congressional seat speaking with the Delta Grassroots Caucus on Oct. 14. Democratic state Sen. Joyce Elliott (left) spoke first, followed by U.S. Rep. French Hill. — Delta Grassroots Caucus

With recent polling showing a razor-tight race for Arkansas’ 2nd congressional district, money from national political organizations is flowing into Arkansas. As voters are being inundated with negative advertising between the two candidates, they are about to get another chance to hear the candidates’ views.

Arkansas Joins Multi-State Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google

By Daniel Breen • Oct 21, 2020

File photo. Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (R). — Michael Hibblen / KUAR News

A group of Republican state attorneys general, along with the Department of Justice, is accusing Google of forming a monopoly on internet search engines and online advertising.

Arkansas joins 10 other states and the DOJ in bringing the lawsuit against the tech giant, which was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.