News

,

AAA: Summer travel ‘will be on fire,’ over $4 per gallon gas in all states

,

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

According to AAA, U.S. travel volume this Memorial Day weekend is expected to rise by 8% to 39.2 million from last year, as fuel prices continue to increase before the unofficial start to summer.

Still, the travel volume is projected to be down 8% from 2019 levels. Vehicle travel is projected to be down 7%, while air travel is expected to decrease 6% from 2019 levels.

Compared to last year, vehicle travel is projected to rise by 5% to 34.9 million travelers, and air travel is expected to increase by 25% to 3.01 million travelers.

Memorial Day is May 30.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/05/aaa-summer-travel-will-be-on-fire-over-4-per-gallon-gas-in-all-states/

,

Medical marijuana product sales up 1.1% in April

,

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Medical marijuana patients spent $24 million in April at the state’s 38 dispensaries to obtain 4,213 pounds, up from the 4,166 pounds sold in March. Hot Springs is home to two of the top five dispensaries for the amount of product sold.

Sales for the first four months of 2022 total $89.8 million, and 15,678 pounds, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA).

Following are the top five dispensaries for product sold in April.
• Natural Relief Dispensary (Sherwood): 417.92 pounds
• The Releaf Center (Bentonville): 332.02 pounds
• Suite 443 (Hot Springs): 279.46 pounds
• CROP (Jonesboro): 274.44 pounds
• Green Springs Medical (Hot Springs): 222.84 pounds

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/05/medical-marijuana-product-sales-up-1-1-in-april/

,

UAMS Infectious Disease Researchers Awarded $5.7 Million COBRE Grant Extension

,

By Linda Satter

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences within the National Institutes of Health awarded an additional $5.7 million, five-year grant to fund the third and final phase of a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences program that supports infectious disease research.

This final phase of the Centers for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) grant is for the 11th through 15th years of the program, which since 2012 has now received more than $26 million in federal funding.

https://news.uams.edu/2022/05/16/uams-infectious-disease-researchers-awarded-5-7-million-cobre-grant-extension/

, , , ,

UA Cossatot Athletics Department to add Soccer for Fall 2023

, , , ,

UA Cossatot will be adding another team sport in fall 2023. The Colts will compete at the NJCAA Division II level in men’s and women’s soccer.

UA Cossatot’s Athletic Director Robert Byrd announced, “UA Cossatot Athletics is excited to continue to expand our sporting options with the addition of Men’s and Women’s soccer in the fall of 2023. The timing is perfect. We have so many high-quality soccer student-athletes in our area, and we knew it would be the perfect addition for the college. Our student-athletes will compete in Region 2 at the Division 2 level and have the opportunity to compete against programs across the state as well as in Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas.”

UA Cossatot Chancellor Dr. Steve Cole added, "Soccer coming to UA Cossatot is the natural progression of our sports offerings. We wanted to make sure we would have world-class facilities before starting soccer and it looks like we will have that right here in De Queen. It is also natural to have soccer at UA Cossatot because our area has produced more class 4A and 5A high school state soccer championships than any other area. We are proud to build on that heritage. The area UA Cossatot serves also has the absolute greatest soccer fans on the planet, and to add collegiate soccer for these fans in 2023 is just another reason to add this program. We will begin recruiting student-athletes for soccer almost immediately, letting soccer players from the area and the world know the Colts will be playing for championships right away.”

For more information, contact Robert Byrd at 870-584-1105 or rbyrd@cccua.edu.

, ,

UA Cossatot Receives $311,800 ANCRC Grant

, ,

UA Cossatot recently received a $311,800 grant from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council (ANCRC) to finish restoring the remainder of the old Lockesburg Middle School.

UA Cossatot obtained the Lockesburg High School, Middle School, and Gymnasium in 2013.

After completing the renovations to the old middle school with this new grant, UA Cossatot will be making an application to have the entire Lockesburg Campus listed as a Historic District.

UA Cossatot Chancellor Dr. Steve Cole said, “Since obtaining the old Lockesburg High School campus in 2013, we have approached and received over $1,000,000 from the ANCRC to invest in restoring the Lockesburg campus. With this latest grant, we will be able to complete all of the final restorations to the old Middle School and the original high school steps. Once this is complete, we will apply for the Lockesburg campus to become a Historic District. Because of the ANCRC, we have been able to leverage other dollars to help build two major programs dedicated to the Lockesburg campus. Our college will always be looking at additional grant opportunities to help invest in Southwest Arkansas.”

In addition to the completion of renovations on the Lockesburg Campus, UA Cossatot Foundation currently has naming opportunities for the old middle school through the Blue Darter Heritage Campaign. Classrooms, the Museum Room, the building exterior, and brick pavers are available for naming. Proceeds from the Blue Darter Heritage Campaign will help fund the Blue Darter Museum, the Blue Darter Community Room, classroom technology in middle school, the Gymnasium, furnishings for the middle school, athletic support, and

scholarships. Twenty percent of all monies raised through this campaign will go toward funding the Blue Darter Heritage Scholarship, only available to students residing in the 71846 zip code.

For more information on the ANCRC grant, contact Dr. Steve Cole at 870-584-1173 or scole@cccua.edu. For more information on the Blue Darter Heritage Campaign, Contact Dustin Roberts at 870-584-1172 or droberts@cccua.edu

,

Arkansas Foster Care System, Advocates Continue to Innovate as Pandemic Eases

,

By Jacqueline Froelich

During the worst of the pandemic, Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services, as well as faith-based partners and nonprofits like Project Zero had to innovate to maintain their mission to help find secure homes for infants, children and teens in crisis.

https://www.kuaf.com/show/ozarks-at-large/2022-05-13/arkansas-foster-care-system-advocates-continue-to-innovate-as-pandemic-eases

Courtesy/Pixabay

,

UAMS Researchers Find Student Behavior Improves When Schools Serve Breakfast after Class Begins

,

By Kev' Moye

LITTLE ROCK — A research team, which included Andres Cuadros-Menaca, Ph.D., and Michael Thomsen, Ph.D., from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, discovered that schools providing breakfast after the school day begins (Breakfast After the Bell) experienced a decrease in student behavior issues.

The study, published by the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, revealed that because of Breakfast after the Bell, more than 1.3 million additional breakfasts were served to Arkansas students in grades 3-7 during the 2018-2019 school year. That was the final year of the study and the last school year before the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered schools across the state.

https://news.uams.edu/2022/05/12/uams-researchers-find-student-behavior-improves-when-schools-serve-breakfast-after-class-begins/

,

Netflix’s ‘Bandersnatch’ Inspires UAMS Researchers’ Opioid Misuse Game for Adolescents

,

By Seth Hooker

LITTLE ROCK — Alison Oliveto, Ph.D., and Ronald Thompson Jr., Ph.D., know that kids love video games. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) researchers also know that kids don’t love out-of-touch literature about the dangers of drugs. So, they decided to present the repercussions of prescription drug misuse in an interactive video game format.

Oliveto, Thompson and their team recently published a paper in the Games for Health Journal about the initial promise of their game-based opioid misuse prevention intervention: SafeUse.

https://news.uams.edu/2022/05/11/netflixs-bandersnatch-inspires-uams-researchers-opioid-misuse-game-for-adolescents/

,

Attorney General Rutledge Files Suit Against Drug Manufacturers and PBMs for Inflating Insulin and Drug Prices

,

LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today announced a lawsuit against drug manufacturers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) for manipulating and inflating insulin and drug prices in Arkansas. In the complaint, filed in Pulaski County, Attorney General Rutledge alleges that Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Eli Lilly conspired with Express Scripts, Caremark and Optum to significantly increase their revenues by unfairly and deceptively driving up the costs of insulin, making insulin and other diabetic treatments unaffordable for many diabetics in Arkansas and creating an enormous financial burden for Arkansas consumers.

“Thousands of Arkansans rely on insulin every day to live their best life. These drug manufacturers and PBMs have inflated the price of insulin and other diabetes-related medication to line their own pockets,” said Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “They have endangered the lives of thousands of Arkansans and Americans, who simply cannot afford to buy this life-saving medicine. Today we begin the fight to stop this outrageous inflation of insulin pricing.”

Diabetes is an epidemic in Arkansas. More than 400,000 people in Arkansas have been diagnosed with diabetes and more than 800,000 are pre-diabetic. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, and lower limb amputations. In Arkansas, it’s the seventh-leading cause of death despite the availability of effective treatment. Many Arkansans rely on daily insulin treatments to survive. Millions more use oral medications, insulin, or a combination to control their diabetes. The inflated costs have made it more difficult for Arkansas diabetic patients to buy their medications, leading to avoidable complications and higher overall healthcare costs.

Insulin has been around since the 1920s, but the first synthetic insulin was produced commercially in the 1980s, where it was originally priced at $14. Now it ranges between $300 and $700. While insulin costs hundreds of dollars to buy at the pharmacy, it costs less than $2 to produce. In the last decade alone, manufacturers and PBMs have worked together in an insulin-pricing scheme to increase the price of insulin up to a thousand percent. According to AG Rutledge’s complaint, CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and OptumRx have collectively dominated the pricing system for insulin and boosted their cash flow during the pricing surge while harming every Arkansan who purchased this life-saving drug.

Attorney General Rutledge is suing the insulin and drug manufacturers and PBMs who created the insulin-pricing scheme for violations of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (ADTPA), unjust enrichment, and civil conspiracy. The lawsuit is seeking injunctive relief, restitution, damages, and civil penalties to address and stop the harm caused by their Insulin-Pricing Scheme.

,

Walton: NWA poised to be ‘hub’ for advanced air mobility technologies

,

by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)

Among many examples, one thing Northwest Arkansas is good at is scaling things up. Walmart Inc., Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt Transport Services are just three of the business illustrations of that claim.

Steuart Walton sees an opportunity in the region for similar successes in a burgeoning space Morgan Stanley predicts will become a $1.4 trillion market by 2040. Advanced air mobility (AAM) is a new concept of air transportation that moves cargo and people between places using innovative aircraft.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/05/walton-nwa-poised-to-be-hub-for-advanced-air-mobility-technologies/

Tom Ward, from left, Steuart Walton and Cyrus Sigari spoke Thursday at Thaden Fieldhouse in Bentonville, The discussion was part of the Heartland Summit.

,

Governor: Arkansas builds steel mill faster than Pennsylvania would permit one

,

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Arkansas’ newest steel mill will be built faster than it would have been permitted in Pennsylvania, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Wednesday (May 11).

In a speech before the Arkansas Trucking Association’s Annual Business Conference & Vendor Showcase in Hot Springs, Hutchinson recalled a conversation he had with U.S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt. The company recently announced it was building a $3 billion steel factory in Osceola that is expected to create 900 jobs with an average salary of more than $100,000.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/05/governor-arkansas-builds-steel-mill-faster-than-pennsylvania-would-permit-one/

,

Arkansas Tourism Ticker: Early 2022 numbers show broad recovery in Arkansas’ tourism sector

,

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Hospitality tax collections and tourism job numbers in the first two months of 2022 show a post-COVID-19 recovery, with double-digit percentage gains in tax revenue compared to the pre-pandemic months of January and February 2020.

Arkansas’ 2% tourism tax revenue in January and February was $2.704 million, up 48% compared with the $1.827 million in the same period of 2021 and up 17.6% over the same period in 2019. The 2021 collections of the tax ($20.544 million) set an annual record for the tax, and January and February 2022 set new monthly records.

January-February hospitality tax collections among 17 cities surveyed for the Arkansas Tourism Ticker were up 27.3% compared with the same period in 2021, and up 14.5% compared with the same period in 2020.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/05/arkansas-tourism-ticker-early-2022-numbers-show-broad-recovery-in-arkansas-tourism-sector/

,

Attorney General Alert: Don’t Let Scam Artists Invade Your Devices

,

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is warning Arkansans of a prevalent tech support scam infecting common electronic devices, such as smart phones, laptops and tablets. This antivirus software scam usually begins with a phone call or pop-up message on the consumer’s electronic device. The communication is actually from a fake tech support representative claiming to be from a well-known technology company.

“I urge all Arkansans to be cautious when anyone asks for access to their devices or private information,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “Scam artists scour the internet and phonebooks to find unsuspecting victims who are willing to share their sensitive information.”

How the scam works is that a representative or message will claim to the consumer that there is a virus infecting a device or that the consumer’s virus protection has expired. The consumer is instructed to install software immediately in order to protect the device and private information. Often times, the scammer claims to need sensitive information such as account numbers, date of birth or Social Security number in order to remedy the issue. Even more terrifying, the scammer will con a victim into giving access to the device. When the device is accessed in this way, the scammers install applications that allow remote access to the device any time without the victim’s knowledge or permission. The scam artists use this information for illegal activities, such as gaining access to consumer's bank accounts. Scammers will quickly drain the accounts and move on to another unsuspecting victim.

Remember these tips when safely navigating online:

  • No legitimate company will ever send you an unsolicited email asking for your personal information.

  • If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply.

  • Contact the business identified in the original message directly by using the customer service number provided to you on a reliable statement to verify the legitimacy of the message.

  • Do not give sensitive information in response to an unsolicited request.

  • Immediately delete all suspicious emails, and never open email attachments or click on links from unknown sources.

The Attorney General’s Office provides a tip card for consumers on how to spot phishing scams, information for parents to spot cyberbullying and tips on internet safety.

For more information and tips to avoid scams and other consumer-related issues, contact the Attorney General’s office by calling (800) 482-8982, emailing consumer@arkansasag.gov, or visiting ArkansasAG.gov.

,

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Be A Part of the Cure Walk Draws 1,000, Surpasses Fundraising Goal

,

By Marty Trieschmann

More than 1,000 people gathered at War Memorial Stadium early April 30 for the 2nd Annual Be A Part of the Cure Walk benefiting the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

Despite predictions of rain, the weather and atmosphere were perfect for the event that brought together cancer survivors, family, friends, physicians, nurses, researchers, and civic and community leaders to support the Cancer Institute’s work.

The walk raised more than $242,000 to fund cancer research, exceeding the event goal by $42,000. Donations are continuing to come in and can still be made online at beapartofthecure.com.

https://news.uams.edu/2022/05/10/uams-winthrop-p-rockefeller-cancer-institute-be-a-part-of-the-cure-walk-draws-1000-surpasses-fundraising-goal/

,

ACLU Lawsuit Progresses Against Washington County Jail Treatment of Detainees with Ivermectin

,

KUAF - Jacqueline Froelich

A federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas on behalf of four Washington County jail detainees who claim they were unwittingly administered Ivermectin, a controversial COVID-19 treatment, is progressing – slowly.

https://www.kuaf.com/show/ozarks-at-large/2022-05-10/aclu-lawsuit-progresses-against-washington-county-jail-physician-treating-detainees-with-ivermectin

Courtesy/ACLU Arkansas

,

Arkansas State Police officials honor fallen troopers

,

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

Family members gathered at the Arkansas State Police headquarters in Little Rock on Tuesday to pay tribute to state troopers who’ve died in the line of duty.

The Arkansas State Police held its annual memorial ceremony to honor the 19 officers and two K9 officers who’ve died in the line of duty in the department’s 87-year history.

State Police Lt. Col. Shawn Garner offered his condolences to the friends and family of fallen troopers, with the department’s honor guard presenting a rose for each officer.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-05-10/arkansas-state-police-officials-honor-fallen-troopers

Daniel Breen/KUAR News

Dr. Wynona Bryant-Williams, whose husband Trooper Louis Bryant was killed in the line of duty in 1984, addresses family and friends of fallen state troopers at the Arkansas State Police headquarters in Little Rock.

,

Two groups gathering signatures for Arkansas recreational marijuana proposals

,

KUAR | By Laura Isensee

Two groups are hoping to place proposals on the November ballot in Arkansas that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana. This comes six years after voters approved the use of marijuana for people in the state with certain medical conditions.

Backers of the separate proposed state constitutional amendments are working to gather enough valid petition signatures before a July deadline.

The proposal by Responsible Growth Arkansas would expand the number of grower licenses in the state to 20 and dispensary licenses to 40. Campaign Chairman Eddie Armstrong says it would enable more craft products to be grown.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-05-10/two-groups-gathering-signatures-for-arkansas-recreational-marijuana-proposals

Npr.Org/NPR News

Signatures are being collected by two groups hoping to legalize recreational marijuana in Arkansas.