Governor Sanders, AEDC award $10M to 13 Arkansas communities for industrial site development

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.– Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today joined the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) to award 13 communities with $10 million through the Arkansas Site Development Program. This funding will be used to enhance industrial sites across Arkansas, increasing their readiness for job-creating economic development projects.

The communities receiving funds include Arkadelphia, Berryville, Hope, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Malvern, Monticello, Morrilton, Newport, Prescott, Searcy, Stuttgart, and Texarkana. 

“The sky is the limit for Arkansas’ economy when our government and private sector work together to grow investment and jobs,” said Governor Sanders. “The Arkansas Site Development Program tells companies worldwide that Arkansas is open for business and will help each of the recipient communities attract new businesses.”

Under Governor Sanders’ leadership and in partnership with the Arkansas State Legislature, AEDC developed and announced the Arkansas Site Development Program in June 2024. Eligible recipient locations are industrial sites of at least 30 contiguous acres of land, listed on the Arkansas Site Selection Database, and owned or optioned by the applicant.

“Ensuring that our communities have company-ready sites is critical for Arkansas’ economic success,” said Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald. “The Arkansas Site Development Program has been a model of collaboration between Governor Sanders, the Arkansas General Assembly, the Arkansas Department of Commerce, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, and local stakeholders to build a program that will set a course for future success across our state.”

AEDC received a total of 28 applications for the Arkansas Site Development Program, totaling $44,646,370.37 in requested funding.

“Strong communities with competitive industrial sites are essential for winning economic development projects, and the Arkansas Site Development Program will play a major role in equipping our state’s communities to win,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “The Arkansas Site Development Program is the first program of its kind in our state, and it is an important step that will help us continue to secure economic development projects in the years to come. This program would not have been possible without the support of Governor Sanders, the Arkansas General Assembly, and the local communities that applied for funding – we appreciate their support and look forward to continued success.”

The funds can be used for a range of site development projects, including the extension and improvement of public infrastructure to the site; right of way acquisition; easement acquisition; soil borings and analysis; construction costs for site improvements, including drainage improvements, easement, dozer or dirt work, grading, site mitigation, and site rehabilitation; due diligence study costs; and other site development-related activities deemed necessary by AEDC to improve a site’s competitiveness.

See the Arkansas Site Development Program awards below:

• AR-TX Regional Economic Development Inc. (REDI) – Texarkana, $2,000,000

• Berryville Business Park – Berryville, $400,000

• City of Prescott – Prescott, $698,845

• Conway County Economic Development Corporation- Morrilton, $109,800

• Economic Development Corporation of Clark County – Arkadelphia, $1,013,710

• Forward Searcy Inc. – Searcy, $314,165

• Hempstead County Economic Development Commission – Hope, $4,602

• Hot Spring County – Malvern, $133,250

• Jonesboro Unlimited – Jonesboro, $2,000,000

• Little Rock Port Authority – Little Rock, $2,000,000

• Newport Economic Development Commission – Newport, $335,700

• Southeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Facility Authority – Monticello, $166,520

• Stuttgart Industrial Development Corporation – Stuttgart, $823,408

2023 GDP in Arkansas’ 10 largest counties was almost 67% of state total

Of the top 10 largest Arkansas counties by GDP, only Washington County posted a GDP (gross domestic product) decline – down 0.6% – between 2022 and 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

The BEA county and metro area GDP numbers were posted Wednesday (Dec. 4), and are the most recent metro and county GDP numbers available.

Arkansas’ GDP ended 2023 at $142.86 billion, up 2.4% compared with $139.56 billion in 2022. Of Arkansas’s top 10 counties by GDP, only Craighead and Washington counties had percentage changes below that of the state. Following are the top 10 counties by GDP, with percentage increase from 2022.
• Pulaski: $31.61 billion, up 3.2%
• Benton: $19.712 billion, up 3.1%
• Washington: $13.24 billion, down 0.6%
• Sebastian: $7.271 billion, up 3%
• Craighead: $5.482 billion, up 1.1%
• Faulkner: $4.414 billion, up 4.4%
• Mississippi: $3.823 billion, up 8.6%
• Garland: $3.654 billion, up 2.7%
• Pope: $3.165 billion, up 7.6%
• Saline: $3.072 billion, up 5.3%

2023 GDP in Arkansas’ 10 largest counties was almost 67% of state total

Arkansas Supreme Court upholds election rule changes made in 2021

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday (May 16) upheld four state laws that placed new limits and rules on election procedures. The court’s majority opinion reversed a ruling from Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffin who had overturned the provisions.

The laws, approved by the Arkansas Legislature in 2021, were Acts 249, 728, 736 and 973 of 2021. While complex, the Acts establish the following new procedures.
• County clerks must verify a signature on an absentee ballot with the voter’s registration signature.

• Reduce the time for delivery of in-person absentee ballots.

• Voters submitting a provisional ballot must show a photo ID by the Monday after the vote or the ballot will be rejected.

• People will not be allowed to loiter or stand within 100 feet of a polling site.

The rules were implemented following allegations of widespread irregularities in the 2020 general election. More than 60 legal challenges and numerous investigations found no validity to the claims of election fraud.

Arkansas Supreme Court upholds election rule changes made in 2021

Arkansas seeks federal disaster relief after winter storm earlier this year

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has asked President Joe Biden to issue a disaster declaration for 13 counties that experienced the worst of a four-day winter storm that hit the state in late January and early February.

The request for federal public assistance covers 11 counties in southern Arkansas — Bradley, Calhoun, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln, Nevada and Ouachita — and Searcy and Stone counties in northern Arkansas.

“The sheer magnitude of this event created disastrous amounts of debris, caused extensive power outages, and resulted in the death of two Arkansans and the injury of many others,” Sanders said in a statement Monday afternoon. “We have determined that these storms are of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary federal assistance is necessary.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-03-21/arkansas-seeks-federal-disaster-relief-after-winter-storm-earlier-this-year

University Of Arkansas System Division Of Agriculture

A tree made top-heavy by ice tumbled into the side of a house in Pulaski County, Arkansas, during the winter storm of Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 2023. The tree was uprooted as soils became saturated.

Fire ant quarantine expands to include seven new Arkansas counties

By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has expanded an Imported Fire Ant quarantine in Arkansas to include seven new counties, bringing the quarantined area in the state to 50 counties.

NORTHWARD MARCH — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has expanded an Imported Fire Ant quarantine in Arkansas to include seven new counties, bringing the number of quarantined counties in the state to 50. (Image courtesy Arkansas Dept. of Agriculture.)

The quarantine, issued through USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, confirms the presence of the invasive species in Cross, Franklin, Johnson, Lee, Monroe, St. Francis and Woodruff counties. The new quarantine area essentially includes the southern two-thirds of Arkansas.

Kelly Loftin, extension entomologist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said that the ants have been introduced northward over the decades through the movement of plant nursery items, grass sod, soil and baled hay. But that doesn’t mean business owners in these industries must shut down.

“If you’re running a nursery or sod farm, it’s just a matter of entering a compliance agreement with the Arkansas State Plant Board, agreeing to certain procedures that will help enforce the quarantine,” Loftin said. “It means you have to follow certain, very specific treatment programs to make sure that product is free of fire ants.”

Loftin said the red imported fire ant was first confirmed in Arkansas in Union County in 1958, having first crossed the southern border of the United States in the 1930s. Previous efforts to eradicate them in Arkansas have failed.

“That was tried decades ago, and it was unsuccessful,” Loftin said. “And that was at a time when you had products with a lot of residual presence — you also had products that weren’t as restricted, in terms of where they were used. So, if it didn’t work then, when the products were longer lasting, it sure won’t work now.”

Paul Shell, head of the Arkansas State Plant Board’s plant inspection and quarantine efforts, said the insect’s progress northward is primarily limited by cold seasonal temperatures.

“They are suppressed by sustained cold weather,” Shell said. “There’s a northern limit to where they’re going to be perennial.”

Shell said the fire ants will often overwinter near asphalt sidewalks or in parking lots, where the artificial surfaces help to radiate heat into the ground, helping the ants to survive longer.

Within the quarantine area, homeowners who encounter the red imported fire ants on their property should refer to the Cooperative Extension Service publication FSA7036, “Fire Ant Control in Two Easy Steps,” available here.

If an individual outside of the quarantined area in Arkansas suspects an infestation of the imported fire ants, Loftin said he or she should contact their local Cooperative Extension Service agent about collecting sample insects for identification. A directory of county agents can be found here.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Tuesday's COVID-19 Update from the AR Dept of Health

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Total Cumulative Cases: 1,665
Confirmed Cases: 1,378
Probable Cases: 287
Total Active Cases: 85
Active Confirmed Cases: 35
Active Probable Cases: 50

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Total Cumulative Cases: 777
Confirmed Cases: 645
Probable Cases: 132
Total Active Cases: 55
Active Confirmed Cases: 30
Active Probable Cases: 25

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Total Cumulative Cases: 611
Confirmed Cases: 513
Probable Cases: 98
Total Active Cases: 66
Active Confirmed Cases: 42
Active Probable Cases: 24

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Total Cumulative Cases: 710
Confirmed Cases: 657
Probable Cases: 53
Total Active Cases: 168
Active Confirmed Cases: 156
Active Probable Cases: 12

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Total Cumulative Cases: 351
Confirmed Cases: 322
Probable Cases: 29
Total Active Cases: 42
Active Confirmed Cases: 34
Active Probable Cases: 8

LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson provided today's update on Arkansas's COVID-19 response.

In its Monday update, the Arkansas Department of Health reported 1,017 new cases; 16,727 active cases; 974 hospitalized, which is up 12 from Sunday; 164 on ventilators, which is up 1 from Sunday; deaths added today, 30, for a total of 2,387; a total of 146,190 cases; 113,946 recoveries; PCR tests, 10,693; antigen tests, 890.

The Health Department reported that the top counties for new cases are Pulaski, 157; Washington, 75; Benton, 69; Sebastian, 57; and Saline, 54.

Governor Hutchinson released the following statement on today’s COVID-19 numbers:

“We saw a decrease in new cases from last Monday, and this is a hopeful sign; but our hospitalizations are still going up. How we handle Thanksgiving this year will determine our hospitalizations around Christmas. Thanks for being a part of turning this fight around.”

Here are today's COVID-19 statewide numbers:

Monday COVID-19 Update from the AR Dept of Health

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Total Cumulative Cases: 1,577
Confirmed Cases: 1,335
Probable Cases: 242
Total Active Cases: 103
Active Confirmed Cases: 47
Active Probable Cases: 56

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Total Cumulative Cases: 721
Confirmed Cases: 612
Probable Cases: 109
Total Active Cases: 74
Active Confirmed Cases: 42
Active Probable Cases: 32

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Total Cumulative Cases: 558
Confirmed Cases: 476
Probable Cases: 82
Total Active Cases: 50
Active Confirmed Cases: 26
Active Probable Cases: 24

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Total Cumulative Cases: 567
Confirmed Cases: 525
Probable Cases: 42
Total Active Cases: 155
Active Confirmed Cases: 139
Active Probable Cases: 16

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Total Cumulative Cases: 317
Confirmed Cases: 291
Probable Cases: 26
Total Active Cases: 32
Active Confirmed Cases: 21
Active Probable Cases: 11

Sunday's COVID-19 Update

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Total Cumulative Cases: 1,571
Confirmed Cases: 1,333
Probable Cases: 238
Total Active Cases: 111
Active Confirmed Cases: 49
Active Probable Cases: 62

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Total Cumulative Cases: 715
Confirmed Cases: 606
Probable Cases: 109
Total Active Cases: 73
Active Confirmed Cases: 40
Active Probable Cases: 33

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Total Cumulative Cases: 556
Confirmed Cases: 474
Probable Cases: 82
Total Active Cases: 49
Active Confirmed Cases: 25
Active Probable Cases: 24

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Total Cumulative Cases: 555
Confirmed Cases: 514
Probable Cases: 41
Total Active Cases: 155
Active Confirmed Cases: 136
Active Probable Cases: 19

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Total Cumulative Cases: 316
Confirmed Cases: 292
Probable Cases: 24
Total Active Cases: 30
Active Confirmed Cases: 21
Active Probable Cases: 9

Friday COVID-19 Update from the Arkansas Department of Health

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Total Cumulative Cases: 1,545
Confirmed Cases: 1,318
Probable Cases: 227
Total Active Cases: 110
Active Confirmed Cases: 41
Active Probable Cases: 69

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Total Cumulative Cases: 702
Confirmed Cases: 601
Probable Cases: 101
Total Active Cases: 72
Active Confirmed Cases: 44
Active Probable Cases: 28

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Total Cumulative Cases: 536
Confirmed Cases: 464
Probable Cases: 72
Total Active Cases: 33
Active Confirmed Cases: 17
Active Probable Cases: 16

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Total Cumulative Cases: 507
Confirmed Cases: 468
Probable Cases: 39
Total Active Cases: 120
Active Confirmed Cases: 97
Active Probable Cases: 23

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Total Cumulative Cases: 307
Confirmed Cases: 286
Probable Cases: 21
Total Active Cases: 24
Active Confirmed Cases: 16
Active Probable Cases: 8

LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson provided today's update on Arkansas's COVID-19 response.

In its Thursday update, the Arkansas Department of Health reported 1,809 new cases; 14,491 active cases; 805 hospitalized, which is up 4 from Wednesday; 116 on ventilators, which is unchanged from Wednesday; deaths added today, 18, for a total of 2,144; a total of 128,09 cases; 102,355 recoveries; PCR tests, 11,164; antigen tests, 1,740.

The Health Department reported that the top counties for new cases are Pulaski, 154; Washington, 70; Sebastian, 66; Craighead, 60; and Benton, 58.

Governor Hutchinson released the following statement on today’s COVID-19 numbers:

"Yesterday was a strong day of testing for Arkansas. Our increased testing efforts continue to reveal consistently high numbers of new COVID-19 cases throughout the state. When you get out each day, be mindful of the pressure on our hospitals, doctors, and health care workers. Let's reduce the hospitalizations by doing our part to protect each other."

Here are today's COVID-19 statewide numbers:

Monday COVID-19 Update from the AR Dept of Health

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Total Cumulative Cases: 1,498
Confirmed Cases: 1,304
Probable Cases: 194
Total Active Cases: 118
Active Confirmed Cases: 50
Active Probable Cases: 68

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Total Cumulative Cases: 687
Confirmed Cases: 594
Probable Cases: 93
Total Active Cases: 81
Active Confirmed Cases: 54
Active Probable Cases: 27

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Total Cumulative Cases: 517
Confirmed Cases: 455
Probable Cases: 62
Total Active Cases: 36
Active Confirmed Cases: 24
Active Probable Cases: 12

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Total Cumulative Cases: 435
Confirmed Cases: 402
Probable Cases: 33
Total Active Cases: 68
Active Confirmed Cases: 44
Active Probable Cases: 24

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Total Cumulative Cases: 288
Confirmed Cases: 274
Probable Cases: 14
Total Active Cases: 17
Active Confirmed Cases: 15
Active Probable Cases: 2

Sunday's COVID-19 Update

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Total Cumulative Cases: 1,213
Confirmed Cases: 1,197
Probable Cases: 16
Total Active Cases: 10
Active Confirmed Cases: 7
Active Probable Cases: 3

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Total Cumulative Cases: 503
Confirmed Cases: 476
Probable Cases: 27
Total Active Cases: 23
Active Confirmed Cases: 18
Active Probable Cases: 5

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Total Cumulative Cases: 371
Confirmed Cases: 352
Probable Cases: 19
Total Active Cases: 16
Active Confirmed Cases: 15
Active Probable Cases: 1

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Total Cumulative Cases: 279
Confirmed Cases: 277
Probable Cases: 2
Total Active Cases: 22
Active Confirmed Cases: 21
Active Probable Cases: 1

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Total Cumulative Cases: 237
Confirmed Cases: 233
Probable Cases: 4
Total Active Cases: 14
Active Confirmed Cases: 12
Active Probable Cases: 2

Thursday COVID-19 Update from AR Dept of Health

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Total Cumulative Cases: 1,196
Confirmed Cases: 1,187
Total Active Cases: 8
Active Confirmed Cases: 7

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Total Cumulative Cases: 463
Confirmed Cases: 453
Total Active Cases: 15
Active Confirmed Cases: 11

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Total Cumulative Cases: 352
Confirmed Cases: 337
Probable Cases: 15
Total Active Cases: 13
Active Confirmed Cases: 13
Active Probable Cases: 0

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Total Cumulative Cases: 253
Confirmed Cases: 252
Total Active Cases: 3
Active Confirmed Cases: 3

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Total Cumulative Cases: 223
Confirmed Cases: 221
Total Active Cases: 7
Active Confirmed Cases: 7

Governor Hutchinson Provides Today’s COVID-19 Update

LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson provided today's update on Arkansas's COVID-19 response. 

In its Thursday update, the Arkansas Department of Health reported 1,086 new cases; 7,061 active cases; 457 hospitalized, which is down 11 from Wednesday; 97 on ventilators, which is up 7 from Wednesday; deaths added today, 17, for a total of 1,246; a total of 79,049 cases; 68,902 recoveries; PCR tests, 8,405; antigen tests, 1,148.

The Health Department reported that the top counties for new cases are Pulaski, 91; Jefferson, 69; Washington, 63; Benton, 58; and Sebastian, 41

Here are today's COVID-19 statewide numbers:

Tuesday's COVID-19 Numbers and Maps

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Cases
  Total Positive: 861
  Active Positive: 63
  Recovered: 789
  Deaths: 9
  Negatives: 3,939

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Cases
  Total Positive: 178
  Active Positive: 45
  Recovered: 132
  Deaths: 1
  Negatives: 1,921

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Cases
  Total Positive: 65
  Active Positive: 17
  Recovered: 47
  Deaths: 1
  Negatives: 993

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Cases
  Total Positive: 104
  Active Positive: 16
  Recovered: 88
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 1,814

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Cases
  Total Positive: 35
  Active Positive: 15
  Recovered: 20
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 2,210

Friday's COVID-19 Updated Numbers and Maps

COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Cases
  Total Positive: 829
  Active Positive: 52
  Recovered: 768
  Deaths: 9
  Negatives: 3,782

COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Cases
  Total Positive: 158
  Active Positive: 36
  Recovered: 121
  Deaths: 1
  Negatives: 1,751

COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Cases
  Total Positive: 55
  Active Positive: 11
  Recovered: 43
  Deaths: 1
  Negatives: 935

COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Cases
  Total Positive: 98
  Active Positive: 16
  Recovered: 82
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 1,732

COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Cases
  Total Positive: 27
  Active Positive: 12
  Recovered: 15
  Deaths: 0
  Negatives: 2,088