Of the people, By the people, For the people
Home of subscriber
Mary Graf
TUESDAY, October 27, 2020 / Vol. 6 Issue 43 / 75 cents
Deaton holds 'virtual' meeting
Hot enough? - Eric Couch (with Chamber director Jason Hayes) was winner of the Man vs. Hot Chili Contest at Saturday's cookoff. More photos Page 12. (Photo by Warren Johnson)
Halloween events Scare on the Square is this coming Saturday starting at 5:30 p.m. Set up anywhere on Main Street and around the courthouse square downtown to hand out candy. No vehicle traffic will be allowed. Wear your mask when you can’t social distance. October 31 10 a.m. is the Halloween
Spooktacular Pageant. This pageant is costumes only with no formal dress and all ages welcome to participate. All are welcome to enter For more information contact Corrine at 501745-8100. October 31 4-6 p.m. its Boo Bash in downtown Shirley. It will be a drive through Halloween. To stop in for your bagged candy and popcorn turn by the Mona Lisa Café on Brown Street
Accompanying charts, Page 5 Ozark Health held a “virtual” town hall meeting last week as the vote nears for a 1/2 percent sales tax to benefit the hospital facility. CEO David Deaton answered some emailed questions after his presentation, which included the same promotional video that was showed at the last Quorum Court meeting. In his presentation, Deaton said that 14 employees had tested positive for Covid-19 and that all except one of them was back at work. He said Ozark Health is
Scotland will host its annual Trunk or Treat event in the downtown area on October 31. Competition includes Best Costume, Funniest Costume, Scariest Costume, Most Creative Costume, Best Trunk, and Best Pumpkin (carve your pumpkin at home and bring it with you).
• Total active cases 14 • Recovered 190 • Deaths 3
• New cases 667 • Total Deaths 1,655 • Hospitalizations 633 • Active cases 8,113 • Recovered 89,103
Rising cases concerning Gov. Asa Hutchinson appeared on Face the Nation over the weekend and acknowledged that the recent spike in cases is concerning. He also said room is tight in hospital taking care of Covid-19 patients. Many folks in Van Buren County have expressed concern when they hear rumors about local restaurant workers testing positive for the virus. The CDD has this to say: “Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that handling food or consuming food is associated with Covid-19. After shopping, handling food packages, or before preparing or eating food, it is important to always wash your hands with soap
and water for at least 20 seconds. “If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. Remember, it is always important to follow good food safety practices to reduce the risk of illness from common foodborne pathogens. “The risk of getting Covid-19 from food, treated drinking water, or food packaging is very low The risk of getting Covid-19 from food you cook yourself or from handling and consuming food from restaurants and takeout or drive-through meals is thought to be very low.”
See Ozark Health on page 5
On the fence about Halloween - This scene can be seen on Highway 95 East in Clinton. (Photo by Sam Tucker)
2 named to commission
By the numbers - Oct. 25
Arkansas
the sales tax would be used for capital improvements, making repairs, remodels, and expansion of facilities. None of the money would be used for routine operating expenses. The current operating budget is $29 million, he said. The tax would be for 16 years. Deaton said the number of residents in the nursing home has fallen to 73 currently because many families are keeping their elderly home due to coronavirus. Hospitals are a competitive business and if the money is
and drive the loop taking Clinton Avenue to Pruitt Street back to Highway 9.
Coronavirus Van Buren County
the largest employer in the county and provides jobs to over 340 people. He said 67% of them - or 227 - live in Van Buren County. Deaton said that in order to avoid furloughs Ozark Health borrowed “large sums of money” and took part in the federal Payment Protection Plan. Ozark Health is a Level 4 trauma center, as compared to the Little Rock hospitals that are Level 1. It is a Stroke Ready Hospital and the facility had 24,000 “patient encounters” last year, not including home health or the nursing home. Deaton said that
Fall back - Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, Nov. 1, when we fall back an hour. Don’t forget to change the clocks.
Early voting underway Early voting continues this week. Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Courthouse Annex in Clinton, Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Last day of early voting will be Monday, Nov. 2, from 8 a.m.5 p.m. Oct. 5 was the deadline to register.
As of Saturday 3,226 people have cast early votes. Tuesday, November 3, ballots may be cast at Bee Branch Fire Department, Dennard Fire Department, Clinton Library or Fairfield Bay Baptist Church.
Two other Republicans have been named to the Van Buren County Election Commission after the Oct. 19 resignations of the previous ones. Janice Sundelin and Jimmy Kirkendoll have been appointed to the commission by state Republican Chairman Doyle Webb who abolished the county’s chapter over the summer. The chapter had decided earlier to let a Democrat with a lot of experience on the commission be the chairman, but that was not acceptable to Webb. He appointed Will Fosse and Amie Hamilton to the jobs. They resigned Oct. 19 citing “harassment” from county officials,
who also are Republicans. At the beginning of the year, the Election Commission included Johnny K. Rhoda as chairman and George Silva. The two of them are scheduled for trial Nov. 3 for a misdemeanor involving breaking into the Boy Scouts’ trailer that was parked at the Courthouse Annex. The Quorum Court also expressed its dismay over the commission’s spending while Rhoda was chairman. The commission held 25 meetings in a couple of months. Rhoda said they were learning how to use the new voting machines. Election Day is Nov. 3.
Clinton 21, Bald Knob 15 The Clinton runner carries the ball behind heavy blocking in Friday night’s win over the Bulldogs. More photos Page 3. (Photos by Denise Geer Burgess)