Pulse THE POLK COUNTY
FREE WEEKLY 1168 Hwy 71 S Mena, AR 71953 479.243.9600
December 14, 2022
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Alcohol questions answered
INSIDE:
By Ethan Nahté (Part 1 of 2)
Bomb Threat Arrest
Coach Dover Fundraiser
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After much debate, and more than one attempt at getting the “wet vs. dry” issue on the local ballot, a majority of registered Polk County voters voted to approve the manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquors. Over 57% of registered voters in Polk County participated in this
year’s general election. The final certified results reveal approximately 60% voted for the measure and 40% against. (You can see more details for each of the 17 precincts at https:// results.enr.clarityelections.com/ AR/Polk/115825/web.307039/#/detail/0032?v=313920%2F/, which is broken down into votes cast on Election Day, as well as early and absentee voting.)
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Holiday Express Images
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Beer and wine are sold at what are considered private clubs such as The Ouachitas on Mena Street, which serves several craft beers. (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)
See ALCOHOL continued on page 18
ANRC approves $270M for American Rescue Plan Act LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC) approved $270 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding distribution at its meeting on Friday, December 2, 2022. A total of 157 projects will receive funding across 58 counties. A full list of the awarded projects can be found at agriculture.arkansas.gov/american-rescue-plan-funding-water-and-wastewater-grant-program/. Governor Asa Hutchinson said, “In January, I laid out my “W.I.N.S. in 2022” initiative. One of those initiatives was infrastructure. We know that there is a large water and wastewater infrastructure need throughout the state and I am delighted to see the announcement today regarding funding distributions through the American Rescue Plan Act to help address this statewide need.” Governor Hutchinson established the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Steering Committee through Executive Order 21-08 to make recommendations on the best use of ARPA funding provided to the state. In June of 2021, a working group for water and other infrastructure projects was formed to make a recommendation to the ARPA steering committee. The Working Group conducted an extensive assessment of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater needs across the state. Based on over 1,400 responses, an overall water infrastructure need of $5.2 billion was identified. On August 31, 2021, the working group submitted a final report to the ARPA Steering Committee. A timeline, eligibility requirements, and scoring criteria were also developed and included in the report. On July 27, 2022, a House and Senate City, County and Local Affairs Committee met to hear statewide water and wastewater needs and the Department’s proposed ARPA funding plan. On August 18, 2022, the American Rescue
See ARPA continued on page 10