By Ethan Nahté Part 2 of

News December 21, 2022 THE POLK COUNTY Pulse State broadband office urges Arkansans to verify federal broadband map

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (December 14, 2022) – The Arkansas State Broadband Office is urging all Arkansans to verify the newly published federal broadband map.

Recently, the Federal Communi-

cations Commission (FCC) released a new national broadband map showing high-speed internet availability across the country. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will use this new map to guide the distribution of funding for building broadband infrastructure through the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. To make sure that Arkansas receives its maximum available funding, and that funding reaches areas of the state that need broadband the most, all Arkansas residents and businesses are being asked to visit the new map and verify the information is correct.

The three-step process is simple: • Visit broadbandmap.fcc.gov and type in your address. • Verify your address’ location.

If it’s wrong, submit a location challenge. • Validate your available internet speeds. If it’s wrong, submit an availability challenge.

By taking these three steps, Arkansans can do their part to help get funding to the areas that most need broadband infrastructure. Residents and businesses are strongly encouraged to submit their challenges by Friday, January 13, 2023.

“This local mapping verification effort is important as the state moves into its next phase of broadband infrastructure buildout, beginning next year,” said Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston. “Not only does this process impact the amount of funding Arkansas may receive, but it may also impact which areas of the state remain eligible for funding.”

While the new federal map is similar to previous broadband availability maps, there are several important differences. Previous maps used Census blocks, but this new map uses address-level data, which provides a more specific and accurate look at broadband availability. The new map also offers a way to verify the data through the challenge process.

“This is an opportunity for local communities to be empowered and have a voice in national and state broadband mapping efforts,” said Glen Howie, State Broadband Director. “Any Arkansan who is unsatisfied with the availability or quality of their internet service should challenge the new federal broadband map as soon as possible. The time to act is now.”

The NTIA will use the new federal map to determine state funding allocations for the BEAD program by June 30, 2023. All challenges must be submitted by January 13, 2023, to impact the distribute of BEAD funding.

After verifying or challenging the information listed on the new federal map, residents and businesses can help in this effort by spreading the word about this map and helping others to complete this process. The more who participate, the more input the FCC has to create an accurate and reliable map to direct funding.

For additional information and direction regarding the challenge process, residents and businesses are encouraged to visit broadband. arkansas.gov/verify/.

THE POLK COUNTY

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1168 Hwy 71S Mena, AR 71953 Phone: 479-243-9600 Fax: 479-243-9603 Email: news@mypulsenews.com KENA 104.1 - KQOR 105.3 MyPulseNews.com Our Team:

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The Humane Society of the Ouachitas is a “no kill” shelter. We are able to function because of grants, adoption fees and donations. We have a small dedicated staff and dedicated volunteers. I am one of those volunteers.

Because we are a “no kill” shelter we are always filled to capacity with active waiting lists. If you call the shelter or bring in one or more animals that have come into your life because either you’ve found them, or worse, they have been dumped on your property, we are normally not able to take those animals into the shelter immediately.

Please be patient with us. We do have waiting lists—we will gladly put you on one of these lists. As soon as possible we will contact you about bringing the animal(s) to the shelter. To do this another animal must leave our care either by adoption or transport to another city for adoption.

We understand your feelings of anger, but harsh words directed at the staff or threats against the animals only serve to increase the frustration. We do this work because we care—not just about the animals but about you.

We understand the anxiety of wanting to resolve the problem but our hands are tied. In a perfect world all God’s creatures would have the food, care, comfort and love they need. Our hope is that one day this will happen.

Denie Westphal, vice president, Humane Society of the Ouachitas,

Letter to the Editor

On December 8th, 2022, President Biden signed a bill to bailout some union pension funds. Not all of them, just a few. The cost to US taxpayers will be $36 BILLION Dollars. The money comes from the Covid-19 relief package. Was this even legal? Why was that funding not directed to Social Security that benefits all Americans and not just the $350,000 this pension fund serves? What did this pension fund have to do with Covid-19 relief?

Did anyone look at the benefits paid out and if they were in line with some kind of norm or if the benefits are sustainable? There are experts that look at a fund’s solvency. They also factor in the current labor force paying in not only for current retirees but for their future retirement as well. This is a private retirement fund that did not live up to promises made. As best as I can tell, no one questioned how this happened or if the influx of taxpayer money would prevent future shortfalls. There was no expectation of oversight or accountability or anything to keep the fund from mismanagement again. No expectation of repayment. Just the government throwing money at a problem hoping to fix it, but sadly, only in the short term. This reeked of payback for union support at the expense of taxpayers.

I am retired. Part of my income is from my employer who paid into a state retirement fund that many cities, counties, and state agencies contribute to. Another part is from social security, which I paid into while working, not only for my future, but for those already retired. My third income is monies I invested for retirement in the event the other two funds failed. I try to avoid the “all your eggs in one basket” retirement investment strategy. My point is each of us must make some of our own plans for the future.

For the U.S. Government to set a precedence of bailing out private retirement funds is dangerous and throws good money after bad. It opens the door to every private pension fund in this country to cry for help if they over deliver and continue to under fund.

Every citizen of this country will now pay for the mismanagement of a union fund. How many more will follow? That is but the tip of a big financial iceberg waiting to sink our economy. To our politicians I would say if you needed to bail out a retirement fund try Social Security. Stop the influx of illegal aliens flooding our country looking for free food, healthcare, and housing. Sorry, it’s not free. You and I are paying for it. Are these politicians deliberately trying to bankrupt us or are they just incompetent? Are these the same politicians that would not approve $5 billion for a border wall?

Thank you for a forum to express my thoughts though we may at times disagree peacefully.

With respect and kindest regards,

3 Want to share your opinion?

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Letters are published at the discretion of the Editor and Publisher.

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THE POLK COUNTY Pulse

From the State House of Representatives

John Maddox

This week, the Arkansas Legis- And medical professionals testilative Council received a report re- fied that more than 36,000 adolesgarding the state of mental and be- cents in Arkansas had a major dehavioral health in Arkansas. pressive episode in the last year.

This report was months in the Arkansas is not unique in facing making. It makes clear that medical these challenges. According to the professionals are facing a mental Centers for Disease Control (CDC), health crisis in our state but the col- 1 in 5 Americans will experience a laborative efforts involved in this mental illness in a given year. The study also provide a path forward CDC also states that 1 in 5 chilto improving care. dren, either currently or at some

Act 802 of 2021 required a study point during their life, have had a of Mental and Behavioral Health conditions in seriously debilitating mental illness. Arkansas. The Department of Human Services partic-

The purpose of the study was to assess the ipated in these working groups and discussed strengths and weaknesses of the mental and what could be changed by policy. As a result behavioral health resources and care current- of the concerns raised in the working group, ly available and to recommend legislation to DHS agreed to several policy changes which the General Assembly. will allow Medicaid providers to be reimbursed

For the last several months, legislators, for more preventive care and provide more mental health providers, medical profession- oversight for at-home care. als, and behavioral health stakeholders have In the 94th General Assembly, we could been meeting to discuss various services of- see several pieces of legislation introduced fered to persons suffering from mental health as a direct result of this study. issues. The group has also been discussing The final report states that legislation is the current difficulty is providing these ser- being drafted, studied, and considered which vices without a professionally trained work- will address several concerns raised including force. increasing the number of Psychological Ex-

Representatives of the Arkansas Chapter aminers practicing in the state, enhancing the of the American Academy of Pediatrics testi- availability of intensive treatment for young fied that many pediatricians in the state are children and adolescents, and advocating for spending the majority of their day on working school counselors to be trained on suicide behavioral health right now and struggle to awareness and prevention. find access to proper care for their patients. We have posted the study on our website

Arkansas Children’s Hospital reported see- www.arkansashouse.org. ing a 25% increase in mental health and be- We want to remind anyone struggling with a havioral health cases since the beginning of mental health crisis to call 988 to be connectthe pandemic. ed to resources near you.

Contact Your Legislators!

John Maddox john.maddox@ arkansashouse.org 520 Church Avenue Mena, AR 71953 Call: 479-394-6060

Larry Teague Larry.Teague@senate. ar.gov P.O. Box 903 Nashville, AR 71852 870-845-5303 John Boozman 1120 Garrison Ave. Suite 2B Fort Smith, AR 72901 Phone: (479) 573-0189 Fax: (479) 575-0553

Bruce Westerman 101 Reserve St. Suite 200 Hot Springs, AR 71901 Phone: (501) 609-9796 Fax: (501) 609-9887

From the State Senate

Legislators finished the calendar year with a final round of recommendations for spending federal relief funds and reserve funds.

The recommendations include using another $93.8 million for broadband projects and $20 million to up- Larry Teague grade computerized case management for the state court system.

Also, $6.25 million was recommended to help cover the expenses of opening the new Sevier County Medical Center.

The subcommittee also recommended using $75 million from reserve funds for expansion of a prison unit in Calico Rock. It would add space for 498 beds.

Sevier County has been without a hospital since 2019, when the previous one at DeQueen closed. Since then, voters in Sevier County approved raising their sales tax by half a cent to back a bond issue for new hospital construction.

Rural hospitals have been hard hit by the pandemic and have submitted numerous requests for financial aid. The subcommittee decided to recommending hiring an independent firm to analyze requests from as many as 26 rural hospitals.

The state Administrative Office of the Courts has been installing a computer system over the past two years, and will be able to accelerate the process with the $20 million allocation. Updating technology used in Arkansas courtrooms should improve collection of fines, fees and restitution. It will make enforcement of court orders more efficient, an official at the courts told legislators.

A modern digital system can send messages to people reminding them of scheduled dates in court and due dates for fines and other payments. In Arkansas more than 1.2 million court cases are processed every year. The funding of broadband projects is part of a massive state investment to provide highspeed Internet access to all areas of Arkansas. Almost $400 million in grants have been awarded for 163 projects by the Arkansas Rural Connect program. The actions were taken by the Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Subcommittee (PEER) of the Legislative Council. Its agenda has been lengthy and its meetings well attended since it became the legislative panel that considers requests for federal relief aid.

A steering committee appointed by the governor makes initial recommendations, but the legislature has the ultimate authority under the state Constitution for government spending.

Arkansas received more than $1.5 billion in American Rescue Plan relief funds. In addition, hundreds of millions of dollars in other categories have been designated for Arkansas recovery projects. The PEER subcommittee has seen its workload grow significantly due to the amount of relief funds flowing into Arkansas and the number of proposals for spending it.

At the final PEER meeting of the year, legislators expressed differences of opinion about how to prioritize the remaining applications for relief funds. State finance officials estimate that less than $300 million in relief funding is left to allocate. However, PEER has more than $700 million in requests for funding.

Some of the most heated comments were made when legislators discussed funding requests that were not approved. Some senators on PEER disagreed with proposals to fund localized projects based on negotiations among influential legislators, because it would not be fair to applicants and lacks transparency.

The senators prefer a grant system that allows communities to apply for grants, and the applications are awarded on merit or need.