ORSD receives NIDEC donation

Submitted by Tammy L. Young

Mena Plant recently donated coats and jackets to Ouachita River School District for students.

ORSD was thankful to NIDEC Motor Corporation for their continued support and generaous donation to the school district and community.

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A news article was published July 29, 2023, authored by Dr. Marc Siegel and Melissa Rudy, Health Editor, both from Fox News. The subject of tuberculosis was discussed, including the dangers and increases in cases in the U.S. To borrow from the article, the disease kills more people than any other infectious disease. In 2021 the disease infected 11 million people and killed more than 1.6 million worldwide according to the WHO (World Health Organization).

Doctors had issued warnings of a drug resistant strain at our border coming from countries that allow over the counter drugs and antibiotics that have helped the disease become resistant.

The article noted that TB is common in Texas, especially in big cities. Houston is an international point of entry and there are frequent entries by infected persons from TB-endemic areas. Most of the imported TB cases seen at Memorial Hermann are from Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

On July 13, 2023, the city of Houston declared an outbreak of syphilis, citing an increase of 128% among women. Since 2016, cases of congenital syphilis have risen 650%, according to the Texas Department of Health. Between 2014 and 2019, 445 out of 100,00 immigrants and refugees tested were positive for some form of syphilis. This data is from a published article by Dr. Siegel and Melissa Rudy of Fox News as well. TB is not the only disease of concern here.

A 2022 study by the University of Texas showed over an eight- year period that 30% of immigrants crossing into the U.S. from Tamaulipas, Mexico, tested positive for TB. What skews the results, in my opinion, is they reflect those tested and not all that enter. Illegal entries mean there are many untested for diseases, not just TB.

At the risk of sounding paranoid, allowing people infected with disease into our country opens the door to disease being used as a weapon against us as a silent killer. There are many reasons to secure our borders, and this is but one. We should have learned from the COIVD-19 experience how deadly disease can be, how fast it can spread worldwide, and how it could be weaponized. I am not saying COVID was intentional, but the resulting carnage worldwide should have been a wakeup call.

Some of the common childhood diseases we found cures for are now coming back to plague us as immigrants from other countries lacking our vaccines and protocols enter with strains of these diseases, we are defenseless against. We should wake up, but for some reason allow this dangerous threat to continue.

As always, I thank you for a forum to express my thoughts, though we may peacefully disagree.

With respect and kindest regards, Ronald Goss, retired, Mena

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CORRECTION: On page 23 of the Sept. 13 printed issue of The Polk County Pulse, Mena High School junior Reese Montgomery’s name was misspelled.

BIGFOOT continued from page 1 a lot of fun while they’re doing it,” said Shelly Alston, owner of The Blue and the founder of the Ouachita Bigfoot Festival and Conference. In previous years there has been a Bigfoot costume contest and will be repeated once more. Don’t be surprised to find people dressed as the hirsute cryptid.

This year will bring something new with their first Bigfoot Costume Contest for Pets. Dogs, cats, lizards, chickens, goats, pigs… as long as they are under 200 pounds, they are welcome. Dress your pet as Bigfoot or enter your pet in the traditional costume contest (non-bigfoot). $2 entry fee. Win some great prizes from local pet product and service retailers.

It’s to benefit The Humane Society of the Ouachitas. HSO will also be onsite to answer questions any questions about the pet adoption process and any pets that are currently available for adoption.

Numerous vendors are expected to be present along with a flea market, food trucks, a bounce house, kids games, “The Bogman” movie and more. The festival will also include a reptile and amphibian exhibit this year as well as the large native fish aquarium operated by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. (Eds. See ad on page 2 for more events and activities)

In addition to events all day both days, area bigfoot researchers will present a conference from 1-4 p.m. on Friday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Different discussions will be held each hour including by field researchers Dan Nedrelo and Eudell Head, among others. Attendees are invited to ask ques- tions, bring photos and share their own experiences.

“The discussions are going to be great,” Alston said. “We’ve got researchers and speakers coming who have spent decades researching big-

Zeppelin. Tickets are $15 at the amphitheater gate or $10 if purchased in advance. ALmost Guilty will open the show.

Admission to the festival and conference is just $2 while children foot and the mystery around the subject.”

Night-time small group squatchin’ expeditions will be held in nearby areas known for their bigfoot activity over the years. The expeditions are open to those 15 and up and will be limited to the first 40 participants. Squatchin’ starts at 9 p.m. Friday and 10:30 p.m. on Saturday.

“These expeditions will be in an area where we’ve had lots of bigfoot experiences and sightings for years,” Alston said. “There’s no telling what we might see and hear while we’re out there but certainly it will be a great time.”

Saturday night, the Leif Shivley Band will take the stage with a performance inspired by legendary acts such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Led four and under are free. Advance purchase tickets are available and include camping on the festival grounds, concern admission and entry to both days. Service animals and pets are welcome.

As in previous years, the 2023 Ouachita Bigfoot Festival & Conference will serve both as a hub for area bigfoot aficionados and a fundraiser for local charitable causes. Proceeds from the event will go towards the School Lunch Fund of Polk County, which benefits school children whose families are suffering a financial hardship.

For more information and to purchase advance tickets, visit www. blueziplinefarm.com or call 479216-8639.

This week, the House convened for an Extraordinary Session to address tax cuts, vaccine mandates for state agencies, amendments to the Freedom of Information Act, and technical corrections to previously passed legislation. SB8 reduces the top personal income tax rate from 4.7% to 4.4%. The bill also reduces the corporate income tax rate from 5.1% to 4.8%. In addition, it provides a one-time non-refundable income tax credit of $150 to taxpayers making less than $89,600 a year. Married couples filing jointly with an income of less than $179,200 a year will receive a $300 non-refundable tax credit. The credit will be retroactive to January 1, 2023.

Since 2013, the Arkansas General Assembly has $1.6 billion in taxes. The majority of those tax cuts were reducing the personal income tax.

HB1004 and SB1 are identical bills creating the Arkansas Reserve Fund Set-Aside in the Restricted Reserve Fund and directing the transfer of $710.6 million in surplus funds to the newly created reserve fund.

SB10 amends the Freedom of Information Act of 1967 by exempting records that reflect the planning or pro- vision of security provided to the Governor, constitutional officers, the General Assembly, Justices of the Supreme Court, or Judges of the Court of Appeals. This bill also direct the Arkansas State Police to provide the legislature with a quarterly report on the expenses incurred by the Executive Protection Detail.

HB1002 and SB3 are identical bills that prohibit the state government from mandating a vaccination or immunization for COVID-19 or any subvariants.

HB1005 and SB4 are identical bills providing clarity in Arkansas code for schools to keep exterior doors locked apart from transition times during school hours.

SB5 amends the Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids Program Act and the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program to provide access to additional funding for children with disabilities.

HB1006 and SB 6 are identical bills clarifying the sentencing for a felony with a firearm.

You can read the bills and watch the recorded committee meetings and House floor proceedings at arkansashouse.org.

In a four-day special session, the legislature lowered state taxes by almost $250 million this year.

Legislators also approved the governor’s proposal to prohibit state and local government officials from requiring proof of Covid vaccinations in order to qualify for services, employment or education. Arkansas had a ban in effect, but it expired in August.

Legislation to amend the Freedom of Information Act was approved to keep secret security measures in place for constitutional officers, justices of the Supreme Court and judges on the Court of Appeals.

If an agency needs to require proof of vaccinations in order to continue receiving federal funds, the agency may ask the Legislative Council for approval to do so.

Under the previous ban, agencies that offer health services had waivers permitting them to require employees to get vaccinated. Exemptions were granted to employees for religious or health-related reasons.

Legislation also was approved to clarify that schools must lock all doors leading outside during school time.

The tax cuts will benefit Arkansas in two ways. Income tax rates were lowered. The top rate will go down from 4.7 to 4.4 percent, beginning this year. That will save 1.1 million Arkansas taxpayers $75 million this year and $150 million next year.

The top rate for corporate income taxes will go down from 5.1 to 4.8 percent, saving 7,500 businesses $17.2 million this year and $34.5 million next year.

The tax relief measure includes a one-time credit of $150 for all taxpayers whose incomes is below $89,600. For taxpayers with incomes between $89,601 and $103,600 the amount of the credit gradually decreases. People whose income is $103,601 and above will not get a credit. The credit will save taxpayers about $156.3 million this year.

The legislature also created a reserve account and deposited into it $710.6 million from last year’s budget surplus. This reserve fund is a buffer for state government in the event of a downturn in the economy.

Arkansas operates under a strict balanced budget law. When economic activity slows down, people pay less in sales taxes and income taxes. When tax revenue drops, state government reduces spending proportionately.

If there is an economic downturn in the future that lowers tax revenue, legislators and state officials can draw from the new reserve fund to maintain essential state services. It will take approval from the Legislative Council, by a two-thirds majority vote, to draw from the reserve fund. If the legislature is in session, it will require a vote of two-thirds of the Joint Budget Committee.

Changing of the FOI law created the most drama of the special session. The original bill proposed by the governor generated opposition from groups who believed it would go too far in making government operations secret. After lengthy negotiations and lengthy public hearings in the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs, senators reached a compromise that passed by a vote of 29-to-2.

The compromise restricts the public from accessing details about security measures in place to protect elected officials. The State Police are in charge of security for the governor, and recently there have been FOI requests seeking to discover details about the governor’s travel and security arrangements.