National News

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Enterprise Rent-A-Car Makes Donation to UA Cossatot

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Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company donated $2,500 to UA Cossatot Foundation to support Arkansas students and education.
UA Cossatot Board Member, Jay Dooley, recommended that UA Cossatot Foundation be considered for the Enterprise community grant. After the recommendation, Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Little Rock chose to make a donation to UA Cossatot Foundation and support its mission.
Cori Cunningham of Rent-A-Car said, “Enterprise Rent-A-Car is a company that is family owned. Our founder, Jack Taylor was passionate about strengthening communities, employees, and customers everywhere. Enterprise Rent-A-Car gives donations to many good causes and we are excited to support UA Cossatot and its students!”
UA Cossatot Board Member, Jay Dooley said, “My family and I love UA Cossatot and think the opportunities the college provides for its students is great! We appreciate this donation from Enterprise and its impact on local college students. I am proud to be a part of UA Cossatot as it proves to be a powerful force in our community.”
To learn more about the UA Cossatot Foundation or ways to support the college’s students, please contact UA Cossatot Foundation Director, Dustin Roberts at 870-584-1172 or droberts@cccua.edu.

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Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | The Road Back

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LITTLE ROCK – Today I’d like to talk about our plans to shift our economy out of low gear as we look to life after the worst of this health crisis has passed.

I am optimistic about our economy and our ability to recover. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we had been expanding business and creating jobs at a pace that led to months of the lowest unemployment rates in the state’s history.

That was dynamic growth that Arkansans built on a firm foundation of agriculture, tourism, small business, retail, and technology growth. In Arkansas, we have extraordinary entrepreneurs that are part of Arkansas’s DNA. Our labor force is smart, creative, enthusiastic, hardworking, determined, and always willing to learn new skills.

Although COVID-19 staggered our economy, it did not damage the foundation, which is why I am assured we will be fine in the long run. This is a set-back that won’t hold us back for long.

One of the things I did as I considered the best path for Arkansas was to study the White House’s blueprint for Opening Up America Again. This plan is in four phases, and the plan serves as a common roadmap for all the states. Yet it is designed to be flexible and adjusted to the unique circumstances of each state.

The move to reopen the economy must be based on up-to-date data; it must protect the most vulnerable; and it must minimize the risk of a resurgence.

Based on those guidelines, I set May 4 as the date that Arkansas would begin lifting some of the restrictions we have put in place since March 11.

To guide us in the process, I created the Governor’s Economic Recovery Task Force and appointed 27 leaders from around the state to serve on it. I have asked the group to present an initial report by May 4. All of their recommendations will be guided by the best ongoing public health information.

The task force includes representatives from across all facets of life – health care, athletics and physical fitness, education, the faith community, agriculture, tourism, small business, and industry.

Steuart Walton, a business leader and entrepreneur, will chair the group. Steuart is engaged in the hospitality, manufacturing, and retail industries, and he understands the needs of small business.

Arkansas’s road back to recovery won’t be easy, but there is a road back. I am confident of that. I look forward to seeing the initial recommendations on how we can reinvigorate our business, build consumer confidence, and assure the best public health standards.

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Governor Launches Two-Day Arkansas Surge Campaign to Increase COVID-19 Testing

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LITTLE ROCK – In an effort increase testing for COVID-19, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced a two-day Arkansas Surge Campaign today with a simple message: “If you think you have symptoms, don’t wait – get tested.”

The goal of the two-day Arkansas Surge is to increase testing from 1,000 to 1,500 per day over the next two days. The two-day campaign could provide an early diagnosis and quicker treatment for people who might have been reluctant to test early in the pandemic. The increased number of people who go for testing during the Friday and Saturday Surge will also help give the state a more complete understanding of the presence of COVID-19 in Arkansas.

The Governor presented four recommendations from his Testing Advisory Group to expand and increase testing in the state. 

  • Expand testing for all patients with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and those with history of potential exposure.

  • Expand testing for contact investigations

  • Increase testing in high-risk settings such as long-term-care facilities.

  • Develop a strategy for statewide serosurveillance.

“We are hoping to increase the number of people who are tested by expanding the criteria for testing,” the Governor said. “Until now, we have been testing only people who are symptomatic. We’re expanding testing to include all people who have been exposed to COVID-19, even if they don’t show symptoms. This will help us to identify infections and clusters around the state more quickly.

“By adding the history of potential exposure, we broaden the category of those who can qualify for testing. This will provide us the best statewide surveillance to alert us to any community with a new outbreak or new cluster.”

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Governor Hutchinson Announces Certain Nonessential Procedures May Resume April 27

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LITTLE ROCK – Medical service providers can resume certain nonessential out-patient procedures, restricted during the COVID-19 health crisis, on April 27, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced at a news conference today. The Arkansas Department of Health has issued certain requirements for hospitals and out-patient clinics to follow in order to re-engage elective procedures.

The Governor also announced that he has established target dates to decide whether the state will lift restrictions on certain other services and businesses if Arkansas continues its trend of reducing the spread of COVID-19.

“We are moving in the right direction,” Governor Hutchinson said. “I am encouraged with the trends we are seeing. If we stay on target, our desire and intent is to start lifting restrictions. But we’re going to be watching the data every day. We’re going to take it a step at a time.

“Even if we do decide to lift restrictions on certain industries after May 4, I want to emphasize that they will remain under Phase One guidelines that call for masks, social distancing, and limits on the size of gatherings.”  

Governor Hutchinson announced these dates for decisions regarding lifting restrictions:

April 29: Restaurants

April 30: Gyms and indoor recreational facilities

May 1: Beauty salons and barber shops

May 4: Places of worship and larger venues

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Governor’s Working Group To Expand COVID-19 Testing Capacity Will Meet for First Time Today

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LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson has created the Governor’s COVID-19 Testing Working Group to make recommendations to expand the capacity and performance of COVID-19 testing in the state, the Governor announced at a news conference today. The working group will meet virtually for the first time at 3 p.m. today.

“Arkansas’s ability to conduct adequate diagnostic and surveillance testing will affect the state’s public-health strategy and economic-recovery efforts after Arkansas reaches its peak number of COVID-19 cases,” Governor Hutchinson said. “As we prepare to shift Arkansas’s economy out of low gear, it is important for us to have more comprehensive information about the spread of COVID-19 in the state.”

The working group will include senior representatives of the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Baptist Health of Arkansas, and Arkansas Children’s. These leaders will examine the state’s supply of testing equipment and make recommendations to maintain adequate testing capabilities and conduct surveillance testing across the state.

Members of the Governor’s COVID-19 Testing Working Group are:

  • Dr. Nathaniel Smith, ADH

  • Dr. Glen Baker, ADH

  • Dr. Naveen Patil, ADH

  • Dr. Katie Seely, ADH

  • Dr. Jennifer Hunt, UAMS

  • Dr. Jose Romero, ADH, UAMS, Arkansas Children’s

  • Dr. Atul Kothari, ADH, UAMS

  • Mr. Robin Mitchell, Arkansas Children’s

  • Dr. Bobby Boyanton, Arkansas Children’s