Vol. 2, No. 12
Thursday, March 26, 2020
`Wet’ status sought in Pike By P.J. Tracy Murfreesboro Diamond
Shaded wet counties with an underlined name still have dry areas within their borders. In wet counties, the retail sale of alcoholic beverages is legal. Even in dry counties, a private club permit may be issued.
MURFREESBORO — Petitions have begun to circulate here to add to the November election ballot a referendum on making Pike County “wet.” A group calling itself the Pike County Improvement Committee is behind the effort to obtain a spot on the ballot in the general election. With more than 5,000 registered voters in Pike County, the movement will have to get qualified signatures from 38% of that number — around the 2,000 mark. Signees must be registered voters of the county, 18 years or older, and the petitions must be certified by the Pike County clerk. Should the group get enough sup-
port in the form of signatures, the Pike County Quorum Court would pass an ordinance and place the motion on the ballot. The group reportedly plans to seek volunteers from the Delight, Kirby and Glenwood areas to distribute and collect petitions. The petitions are one-page documents, so the signee will be privy to the fact that they supported playing the measure on the ballot. More than 200 petitions have already been collected. “This is not just for Murfreesboro; it will benefit the entire county,” said group spokeswoman Jean Floyd. “The cities can then pass their own taxes. It’s all about revenue. We will have to get with the other towns
because it has to be a countywide effort.” Floyd reminded voters that Arkansas tourism is a $7.3 billion industry and especially critical to Pike County. She said there’s no point in losing revenue to other counties that can remain in Pike County. “Taxes would go to the municipalities and county general revenue funds, allowing for schools, roads and other general projects to benefit directly,” Floyd said. And while Floyd has said some people have refused to sign a petition, she still feels that it is a worthwhile exercise. “This is a positive thing and a real See Wet • Page 4
Lodge closes; great outdoors open
Perhaps more difficult to deal with is the guilt she occasionally conjures up in her mind wondering if she might have passed on the virus. “Two people have been tested because they’ve been close to me,” she said. “That’s a huge burden.” No doubt, dozens of others
Special to the Dispatch LITTLE ROCK – Four state park lodges, including that of DeGray Lake Resort State Park, have been closed to ensure the safety of guests and employees during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Initially, at least, the closure will last from Monday, March 23-Friday, April 17. Other affected lodges are at Mount Magazine State Park, Petit Jean State Park and Queen Wilhelmina State Park. Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, announced the closings Saturday, noting that cabins and campgrounds will remain open, and that carry-out service will remain at park restaurants. At DeGray, the lodge’s Shoreline Restaurant will be open for pickup orders from 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Takeout orders may be made by calling 501-8655866. Despite the closures, park visitors will still be able to enjoy park trails and other outdoor amenities. Lodge guests will receive cancellations by email. Any deposits to the parks will be refunded and any lodgebased fees will be waived. Questions about reservation cancellation should be made to the parks directly. Other closings, mostly until further notice, announced last week by the state Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism include: • Lobbies of the 13 welcome centers around the state, which serve the traveling public. • Division of Arkansas Heritage’s Little Rock museums, including the Historic Arkansas Museum, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and Old State House
See Positive • Page 4
See Parks • Page 4
Dispatch photo/Bill Sutley
Salena Caldwell was on hand Wednesday night to help anyone arriving at Arkadelphia’s Baptist Medical Center as part of a 24-hour screening process aimed at detecting coronavirus early. Until about a week ago, Caldwell’s job was at the Chick-fil-A
franchise at Henderson State, where she’s a student. But her employer, food service provider Sodexo, which has contracts with the hospital and both universities, offered this as a way for her to get more work hours since Chick-fil-A is now closed.
County virus total moves to 15
By Bill Sutley Dispatch Editor
Fifteen persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Clark County as of Thursday, April 26, and it’s been just 15 days since the statewide total has risen from 2 to 335. Statewide, two COVID-19 deaths have been confirmed. Meanwhile, both Arkadelphia universities, Henderson State and Ouachia Baptist, have decided to extend online instruction to the end of the spring semester. They’re also both taking steps to limit on-campus residents. Commencement for both universities, as well as Arkadelphia High School, has been canceled. AHS has also announced the cancellation of its April prom. Dozens of Arkadelphia-area churches closed their doors to worship on Sunday, but many
improvised with sophisticated livestreaming or simple Facebook Live streaming. At Second Baptist Church, pastor Louie Heard moderated a panel discussion with three local physicians, all church members, seeking to cope with the coronavirus’ crisis among health care professionals. All three mentioned the difficulty of keeping well patients separate from those possibly ill from COVID-19. Dr. Wesley Kluck, a longtime Arkadelphia pediatrician, sees patients at his Arkadelphia Clinic for Children and Young Adults off Twin Rivers Drive and, normally, he would be splitting his time between there and a branch of the clinic at OBU, where Kluck also is university physician and vice president for student affairs. “The absence of 3,000 people in our town’s population is actually very beneficial in not over-running our health care system,” Kluck
said, referring to HSU and OBU sending most students home in mid-March. Next Sunday, SBC is hosting a similar discussion among counselors in the community. Several local churches made calls to elderly members offering to fetch groceries or run other errands. Many Sunday school classes and home groups gathered online using Zoom, Google Hangouts and other teleconferencing options. Other churches kept the youngest attendees in mind as well. Nancy Harrell, children’s minister at First Baptist, delivered customized, Bible-oriented activity packets to the church’s children in advance of Sunday. Trinity Temple Assembly of God brought its praise team in to a mostly empty worship center to help senior pastor Rick Mays lead See Virus • Page 4
Chamber VP tests positive By Bill Sutley Dispatch Editor
Shelley Loe
It’s Monday morning, and Shelley Loe has just taken advantage of the spectacular spring weather to walk the property west of Arkadelphia where she lives. After all, someone’s got to feed the fish in her pond. For the most part, she’s feeling fine — not at all how you would
expect one of Clark County’s 13 or so coronavirus victims to feel. The most visible symptom she’s coping with is a pronounced sense of fatigue and occasional body aches. “A case of the flu, for me, is 10 times worse,” says Loe, executive vice president of the Arkadelphia Alliance for Economic Development and Area Chamber of Commerce.
Magazine offers unique look at city From Dispatch Reports
The Arkadelphia Area Chamber of Commerce recently released the newest edition of Arkadelphia Life, a 66-page magazine guide that strives to share tips on making the most of living in and around the city. “This guidebook shows the best of what we have to offer in regards to our education systems, outdoor tourism, relocation opportunities, et cetera,” said Shelley Loe, vice president of the local chamber. “We are very proud of the hometown feel that our locals share with guests. This guidebook adds to
the efforts made by the chamber to showcase what a wonderful area Arkadelphia-Clark County is.” From a dip into the city’s rich history to finding a new home, Arkadelphia Life also delves into the city’s public and higher education. The magazine is not just a resource guide for visitors, but also a roadmap for locals wishing to reconnect with the city. Designed to be a go-to resource for new and prospective residents, as well as visitors to the area, the magazine can be picked up at the local chamber office. It is filled with in-
formation on the area, including a 10 Things to Do listing, a 2020 events calendar and a detailed downtown map. Arkadelphia Life is made possible by and distributed through the Arkadelphia Area Chamber of Commerce, 201 N. 26th St., and the chamber’s Diamond Lakes Regional Visitor Center in Caddo Valley. It can also be viewed online at arkadelphialife.com. For more information on Arkadelphia Life, contact Loe at 870-246-5542 or email her at shelley@arkadelphiaalliance.com.