Stories from Thursday, April 30, 2020

The Arkansas Department of Health is monitoring the spread of COVID-19 daily. As of 7:20 a.m. Thursday, April 30, according to the ADH website, there were: 3,207 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 46,505 people total have been tested, 43,298 people have tested negative, 1,279 recoveries, 1,911 active cases, 59 deaths, 93 currently hospitalized, 18 currently on ventilators, 208 total nursing home residents/115 staff members infected and 285 healthcare workers infected...

Officers from the Arkansas Highway Police Division of the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) are distributing 100,000 masks to commercial truck drivers at weigh stations and rest areas across the state. “Our officers are glad to be a part of this massive effort to distribute one million masks to truck drivers who are traveling our nation’s highways and keeping our supply chain operational during the pandemic,” stated Arkansas Highway Police Chief Jay Thompson...

Donald D. Walton, 46, Trumann was arrested this past Monday in Jonesboro. Meth, various pills and a shotgun were found in Walton's truck. Jonesboro Police Officer Cody Howard pulled Walton over due to his license plate being obstructed. Howard noticed that Walton was extremely nervous and a check showed he had a prior drug arrest. Officer Evan Henry and his K9 ran the vehicle and the dog alerted to the presence of narcotics...

The crash happened at 2:06 p.m. this past Wednesday at the intersection of Highway 14 and Old Weona Lane in rural Poinsett County, according to Arkansas State Police. Matthew L. Bishop, 30, of Jonesboro was southbound when he failed to stop his 2014 Polaris Ranger at the intersection...

At his daily news conference, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced that restrictions on gyms, fitness centers, and indoor athletic facilities in Arkansas will be lifted on May 4. The facilities, however, will have to follow these guidelines: Screening for staff and patrons, no entry for those who’ve recently visited New Orleans, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut or who’ve traveled overseas, no entry for those with fever, symptoms or recent contact with a COVID-19 patient, no entry for anyone with compromised immune systems or chronic diseases, face coverings for staff, patrons - except when actively exercising, no pools, spas, showers, saunas to be opened, hand sanitizer available, equipment sanitized after each use, 12-foot distancings while working out and during training sessions, classes and no personal contact.. ...