Delta Regional Authority announces $2 million investment in Arkansas’s transportation infrastructure
LITTLE ROCK — On Monday, the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) announced a $2 million investment to support transportation infrastructure improvements at the Port of Little Rock.
The Port of Little Rock is the largest industrial hub in central Arkansas with over 40 businesses employing over 4,000 people, and it serves as a logistical hub for the area having immediate access to rail, highway, and waterway. The DRA’s investment will aid these current businesses at the Little Rock Port Authority Industrial Park, and also provide necessary updates to attract new industries to the area. The investment is necessary to recruit new distribution and manufacturing facilities that will employ an anticipated over 1,500 additional jobs to the area next year.
“The Delta Regional Authority’s investment at the Port of Little Rock is the exact project our dollars are meant for: supporting transportation infrastructure and industry-driven job creation,” said Delta Regional Authority Federal Co-Chairman Chris Caldwell. “The DRA’s investment improves roadways for a major transportation and logistical hub in Arkansas, and it is a vital component in supporting Arkansas’s workforce and attracting new industry and jobs to the Delta region.”
Arkansas’s congressional delegation issued the following statements: “Improvements to infrastructure promote economic expansion and job growth. This investment at the Port of Little Rock enhances a vital resource for current businesses and the local jobs they support, and will also contribute to long-term development in the region,” Senator John Boozman said.
“I appreciate the Delta Regional Authority’s investment in the Port of Little Rock,” said Senator Tom Cotton. “This funding will support the 4,000 Arkansans who already work at the port and make Little Rock a more attractive location for future businesses.”
“I commend the Delta Regional Authority for supporting infrastructure upgrades at the Port of Little Rock. With over 40 businesses that employ over 4,000 people, the Port of Little Rock is the largest industrial hub in our area.
These improvements will make central Arkansas more attractive for new business,” said Congressman French Hill.
Funding for this project was provided by the Community Infrastructure Fund, a DRA grant program that makes strategic investments into projects supporting basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, and flood control.
The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) is a federal- state partnership created by Congress in 2000 to promote and encourage the economic development of the lower Mississippi River Delta region and Alabama Black Belt. The DRA invests in projects supporting transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, workforce training, and business development. The DRA’s mission is to help create jobs, build communities, and improve the lives of those who reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the eight-state region.
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LITTLE ROCK — There’s been a big development in the 2020 Election to make sure Arkansas voters can request and send in their ballots via mail.
Democratic Party of Arkansas Chairman Michael John Gray joined Governor Asa Hutchinson and RPA Chairman Doyle Webb on Thursday to urge Arkansans to request an Absentee Ballot if they’re concerned about the risk of COVID-19 at their polling site. COVID was determined to be a sufficient reason for a voter to request an absentee ballot.
But there is much work to be done to make sure Arkansas voters are able to obtain their ballot.
“We now face the challenge of educating voters on how to properly obtain and use absentee ballots,' said DPA Chairman Michael John Gray. 'But this is how we get things done. We look past our differences to see what makes the most sense. We'll work to make sure that voters know the process, and that local officials have the funding and people needed to carry it out, in addition to maintaining safe in-person polling sites.'
Voters will need to:
• Request an Absentee Ballot Application by contacting their County Clerk or downloading the application from the Secretary of State.
• Return or mail the Absentee Ballot Application back.
• Receive their Absentee Ballot from their County Clerk’s office.
• Fill out their Absentee Ballot and Return it to their Country Clerk’s office by October 27th.
Your ballot must include a copy of a Photo ID.
“Unlike many states, Arkansas won’t be directly sending ballots to voters,” said Gray. “Voters have to STATE NEWS (cont.)
proactively fill out an application to receive their ballot in the mail. It’s up to all of us to make sure voters know how to vote safely this November.”
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LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is now a partner site in a nationwide effort to improve care for orthopaedic conditions by using statistics on outcomes that can help monitor a response to surgery and maybe help determine if a procedure is right for them.
The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) was developed by the National Institutes of Health for widespread use across the health care system to better measure patients’ perceptions of their medical conditions and treatments.
As a PROMIS site, UAMS orthopaedic patients will have the opportunity to complete brief questionnaires to give providers more insight into how their medical conditions are affecting their quality of life.
Surveys in the clinic on user-friendly iPads gather information on physical, social and psychologic factors like pain and mobility before and after the procedure, activity level, mental health and other factors that can influence the success of an orthopaedic surgery.
“Musculoskeletal health affects most of the population, and costs related to care are some of the greatest in the U.S. health system – over $162 billion a year,” said David Bumpass, M.D., associate professor of orthopaedic surgery, who is heading the PROMIS effort at UAMS.
“Despite this, much research still needs to be done on how effective many orthopaedic procedures are, and how much of an improvement in quality of life patients see afterward.”
For example, one patient considering a knee replacement may look at the statistics and discover that patients of similar age, activity level, and pre-surgery pain saw a large decrease in pain after surgery and an increase in mobility. However, a second patient may look at the statistics and discover that similar patients only reported minor improvements after surgery. Patients can weigh this information against their other priorities, such as cost and desired participation in sports, exercise or returning to work.
“Having better data will enable physicians and patients to work together to find the right solutions that best meet the patient’s goals and lifestyle,” said Jeffrey Stambough, M.D.
assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, who is also part of the study team.
“Medicine is moving toward what is known as ‘value-based care’ – in which physicians are reimbursed on how well they take care of patients and not just by the number of procedures they do. With our participation in PROMIS, UAMS is leading Arkansas toward establishing the value-based benchmarks needed to make this shift – which ultimately better serves patients as well.”
The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is piloting PROMIS with spine and joint-replacement patients, but the intention is to expand it to other surgeries and procedures in the department. The program is also easily applicable to other disciplines.
“As the only academic medical center in Arkansas, it is part of UAMS’ public mandate to be a state and national leader in using research to improve care,” Bumpass said. “We make data-driven decisions every day at UAMS, and through projects like PROMIS, we are able to push innovation forward as we move toward value-based care across the country.”
About the PROMIS project
The PROMIS project at UAMS is also supported by the UAMS Translational Research Institute’s Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Center for Advancing
Continued on Page 14 STATE NEWS (cont.)
sports, exercise or returning to work.
“Having better data will enable physicians and patients to work together to find the right solutions that best meet the patient’s goals and lifestyle,” said Jeffrey Stambough, M.D.
assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, who is also part of the study team.
“Medicine is moving toward what is known as ‘value-based care’ – in which physicians are reimbursed on how well they take care of patients and not just by the number of procedures they do. With our participation in PROMIS, UAMS is leading Arkansas toward establishing the value-based benchmarks needed to make this shift – which ultimately better serves patients as well.”
The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is piloting PROMIS with spine and joint-replacement patients, but the intention is to expand it to other surgeries and procedures in the department. The program is also easily applicable to other disciplines.
“As the only academic medical center in Arkansas, it is part of UAMS’ public mandate to be a state and national leader in using research to improve care,” Bumpass said. “We make data-driven decisions every day at UAMS, and through projects like PROMIS, we are able to push innovation forward as we move toward value-based care across the country.”
*** Entergy: Beware of scams requiring payment before installing new meter LITTLE ROCK — Don’t be a victim of scammers.
An Entergy Arkansas customer received a phone call June 26 from a number her caller ID said was Entergy.
It wasn’t. The caller said the customer needed to go to Walgreens and put $398.62 on a GoBank card, then tell them the code on the card before Entergy could install her new meter. This is a scam. Entergy will NEVER ask for any form of payment before installing a meter. Before we install your new meter, we’ll share either a mailed or emailed letter with detailed questions and answers about what to expect during your meter upgrade. Another notification will be sent a few weeks prior to your scheduled installation. Before beginning installation, the installer will knock on your door so you can be prepared and informed about the process. Installers will have a badged I.D., uniform and automobile cling displaying the Entergy logo.
As a reminder, here’s another common scam to be on the lookout for: Scammers call the customer directly, pretending to be an Entergy employee. Scammers threaten to disconnect the customer’s electrical services if instant payment on a past due bill isn’t received. They then direct the customer to transfer funds electronically, sometimes through money wiring systems or pre-paid cards such as MoneyPak or GoBank. In recent instances, callers have even started demanding immediate payment over the phone.
The callers often use sophisticated spoofing technology to replicate the local utility’s name and number on the customer’s caller ID, making it particularly
What should you do?
Remember, Entergy NEVER demands immediate payment from customers over the phone. You shouldn't give your personal information to strangers.
If a call sounds suspicious, hang-up and call 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) to speak directly with an Entergy customer service representative. If you believe you are a victim of this scam, notify the proper authorities, such as the local police or the state attorney general's office.
See entergy.com/scams for more information on scams and how to avoid being a victim.
Entergy Arkansas provides electricity to approximately 700,000 customers in 63 counties. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, with approximately 13,600 employees.
