Help Arkansans Get Internet Access

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PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. (January 9, 2023) –Pulaski County Government is asking all county residents to complete three simple steps (below) by Friday, January 13 to help areas that need broadband access.

Recently, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a map showing broadband availability across the U.S. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will use this map to guide the distribution of funding for building broadband infrastructure through programs such as the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.

To make sure that the funding reaches the areas that need broadband most, residents and businesses are being asked to look at the map and verify the information is correct. The deadline for challenges to be filed is Friday, January 13, 2023.

  1. Visit https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home and type in your address.
  2. Verify your address. If your address is incorrect or missing, click the “location challenge” link and fill out the form notifying the FCC.
  3.  Validate your services under the “availability challenge.” If the information is incorrect and you are unable to access the speeds or services listed, click the “Availability Challenge” link and complete the form to notify the FCC.

Pulaski County land use study advisory committee kickoff meeting

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PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. (January 9, 2023) – Pulaski County Land Use Study Advisory Committee members are having a meeting Monday, Jan. 23 at the Pulaski County Administration Building, Room 410 at 2 p.m.

Planning and Development staff is working with the Garver Planning Team over the next several months to conduct a comprehensive land use study for unincorporated areas within the County. 

The purpose of the study is to create a realistic and implementable plan that can move the County toward a future that reflects the character and needs of the citizens, communities, business owners, and other County stakeholders. 

Study deliverables will include an assessment of future infrastructure needs, a master street plan, and a future land use plan—accompanied by data-driven recommendations to assist with the County’s future decision-making. 

The advisory committee will discuss needs and opportunities related to land use, development, infrastructure, and other resources and offer feedback as the study moves forward.

The committee is connected with leaders from the following community organizations and regional entities serving the County:

 

  • Municipalities within the County
  •  MetroPlan
  • Central Arkansas Planning and Development District
  • Little Rock Port Authority 
  • PAGIS
  • Little Rock Air Force Base
  • Camp Robinson
  •  Little Rock Regional Chamber
  •  Rock Region Metro
  • Arkansas State Parks
  • Arkansas Parks and Recreation Association
  • Utility providers and school districts serving unincorporated Pulaski County.

For more information or questions about this meeting contact Pulaski County Planning and Development Director Van McClendon at vmcclendon@pulaskicounty.net  or (501) 340-8260.

Pulaski County Youth Services preps over 5,000 students for the ACT

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Preparing for college exams such as the ACT can be difficult. However, Pulaski County Youth Services strives to help students excel with its ACT Prep program. Since 2006, the free program has served more than 5,000 students.

The program focuses on English, math, reading, science reasoning, and test-taking strategies with a variety of model options including the following:

  • Saturday morning courses
  • One-day boot camps
  • Virtual sessions 
  • On-site pre and post-test instructions
  • Intensive summer camp 

“I’m amazed by how many students come focused, ready to learn. It is an early Saturday morning where they have the choice and they choose to attend and be attentive to the instructors,” said Pulaski County Youth Services Program and Special Events Coordinator Whitney Dobbins.

Licensed and experienced instructors throughout Pulaski County teach these sessions that help them train students to prepare for the ACT exam, assisting with their eligibility for more college scholarship opportunities. Youth Services staff said the prep helps reduce the number of students required to complete remedial courses.

During the pandemic, the ACT Prep sessions were made virtual via zoom for the youth and parents to join.

“I love to see the youth and parents take advantage of the resources provided in their community,” said Youth Services Assistant Program and Special Events Coordinator Monique Levvi.

Youth Services has several students who achieved high ACT scores including former prep student Ananya Uddanti, who made a 35 on her ACT in February 2022. During the summer, Ananya interned with Youth Services.

Youth Services has several students who achieved high ACT scores including former prep student Ananya Uddanti, who made a 35 on her ACT in February 2022. During the summer, Ananya interned with Youth Services.

“I’m very excited to be interning at Pulaski County Youth Services to be able to further both of my passions!” Ananya said

She is a rising junior at Little Rock Central High School.  During her free time, she tutors and creates YouTube videos for Test Prep and a variety of AP Courses on her Prep with Ananya YouTube channel. 

Youth Services looks forward to increasing its services with this program with the hope that all youth throughout Pulaski County can benefit from it. 

The next ACT Prep session will be Saturday, Feb. 4, and it will cover English.  Registration for February will be open from Tuesday, Jan. 10 to Tuesday, Jan. 31. March ACT Prep will cover science. Its registration will be available from Tuesday, Feb. 7 to Tuesday, Feb. 28. Registration for the April ACT Prep session will tentatively available  March 7-28. Register using this link: https://forms.gle/MCj3xCa7YJYwR1Rq6.

Partnership Brings Life-Saving Naloxone Community Hero Project to Pulaski County

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (January 4, 2023) – Opioid use and overdoses continued to rise through 2022, but a new program in Pulaski County is taking aim at the problem. The Wolfe Street Foundation has received over $14,000 through the Naloxone Community Hero Project of the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP), and starting this month, the Wolfe Street Foundation will begin training people to recognize the signs of overdose and use naloxone nasal spray to save lives.

Executive director Justin Buck says the program is about more than just overdose.

“We’ve been helping people survive and recover from alcohol and other substance use disorders for over 40 years,” Buck said. “And the continued growth of fentanyl poisonings and opioid overdoses across the country are driving us to do even more in the community.”

Thanks to the collaboration of Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde, North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick, and Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr., the Wolfe Street Foundation will receive a credit from the established Arkansas Naloxone Bank to obtain naloxone for its dissemination to families and community members in Pulaski County.

“Supporting this initiative was an easy decision,” said Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde. “We want to do everything we can to curb the abuse of opioids in Arkansas, and the Wolfe Street Foundation’s participation in this project is imperative to fighting opioid addiction in our state.”

ARORP, an initiative of the Arkansas Municipal League and the Association of Arkansas Counties, represents an unprecedented, united front between the representatives of local government to abate the loss of life caused by the opioid epidemic in Arkansas communities. ARORP oversees the strategic disbursement of opioid settlement dollars at the city and county levels and works to reduce overdose deaths through prevention, treatment, enforcement, and recovery.

“This partnership represents wrongs made right, a significant step to abate the loss families and individuals have experienced due to opioid misuse and addiction. Every dollar received by Arkansas cities and counties will be dedicated to targeted, evidence-based solutions on a local level,” Partnership Director Kirk Lane said in a press conference held last November.

Training opportunities will be held throughout central Arkansas beginning in late January free of charge to community members. But the support doesn’t stop there.

“Through our peer support programs, family support meetings, and regular mutual aid group meetings, we’re committed to supporting people and families suffering from opioid and other substance use

disorders for the long haul,” said Buck. The Wolfe Street Foundation was recognized in 2022 as the state’s best Recovery Community Organization. Buck says that’s because of their commitment to partnerships and their mantra – “We Recover Together”.

For more information on naloxone overdose reversal training, visit www.wolfestreet.org or call (501) 372-5662.

Pulaski County Administration building reopens Dec. 29

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PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. (December 28, 2022) – The Pulaski County Administration building will resume normal operations on Thursday, December 29.

The building was closed Wednesday as crews continued waterline repairs. The building was also closed on Tuesday due to no water.

 

 

Pulaski County Sanitation limb pickup for disposal of real Christmas trees

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PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. (December 27, 2022) – Pulaski County Sanitation customers may use a limb pickup to dispose of their Christmas trees. This is only for real trees (no plastic) and all decorations must be removed. Please call 501-210-7508 or use the Pulaski Works app  to schedule this service.

 

 

 

Pulaski County Administration building closed Dec. 27 and Dec. 28 due to no water

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PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. (December 27, 2022) – The Pulaski County Administration building remains closed Wednesday, Dec. 28, as crews continue waterline repairs. The building was also closed on Tuesday due to no water.

 

 

Pulaski County Government Offices Closing at 2 P.M. Due to Inclement Weather

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PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. (December 22, 2022) – Pulaski County offices will be closed at 2 P.M. due to incoming inclement weather.

 

Media Contact:

Madeline Roberts, mroberts@pulaskicounty.net, 501-541-4119

 

Pulaski County 2022 Year in Review

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PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. (December 16, 2022) –Pulaski County has been working throughout the year to serve the citizens through its partnerships with state and local agencies to collaborate on various projects. 

The Public Works Department maintained 1,100 lane miles of county roads, repaired 2,214 potholes, mowed 2,200 miles of right of ways, gave away 2,390 cubic yards of mulch, diverting tree waste out of our landfills. Our Sanitation Department cleaned up 884 illegal dumpsites, picked up 2,944 tires, and responded to over 4,000 scheduled bulk item pick-ups requested by county residents. Pulaski County continues to recycle an average of 22,000 pounds of recyclables from our buildings yearly. 

Here’s a snapshot of the other work that Pulaski County has accomplished this year:

January 

  • Pulaski County Courts implemented a text notification system. Read more about this story here.
  • Pulaski County awarded $289,000 to the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub at Winrock International to bring STEAM hands-on field trips to students. Read more about this story here.
  • Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde proclaimed January 18 “2022 National Day of Racial Healing.”

February

  • During the February snowstorm, Pulaski County Public Works plowed 80% of snow-covered roads.

March

  • Judge Hyde delivered the State of the County address. Read or listen to the entire speech here.

April

May

  • Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde attended the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of a new pavilion on the Arkansas River Trail. Learn more about this project here. 
  • The Pulaski County Public Works Department established a parks crew for cleaning and maintaining the seven Pulaski County Community Parks. Watch crew members cleaning up the Sweet Home Community Park here.
  • The Pulaski County Brownfields Program celebrated its 10th anniversary of the Main Street building clean-up project. Learn more about this historic area here.
  • Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde proclaimed September “National Historic Preservation Month.”

June

  • Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde presented the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance with $500,000 to improve public health and reduce hunger in the county, especially among senior and homebound residents. Read more about the Pulaski County Hunger Reduction Initiative here.
  • Pulaski County Public Works broke ground on the Inclusive Playground at Two Rivers Park. The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism awarded the county $250,000 through its Outdoor Recreation Grant Program to construct the park. Read more about this project here 

July 

August

  • Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde and the Association of Arkansas Counties met with state legislators to discuss prison overcrowding beds. Learn more about the meeting here. 
  • Pulaski County Government partnered with the Central Arkansas Workforce Center to host a job fair at Arkansas Workforce Center. Learn more about the event here.
  • Pulaski County spayed and neutered over 2,000 pets this year through the County’s contract with Arkansans for Animals and the County’s spay and neuter voucher program. Learn more about the program here.
  • The Pulaski County Hunger Reduction Initiative disbursed $440,000 in funds to food pantries in Pulaski County.
  • Pulaski County begins the cape seal project to repave 116 miles of county roads, increasing road lifespan. Read more about this project here.  

September

  • Pulaski County Quorum Court unanimously passed a resolution calling for the Arkansas General Assembly to ensure public safety and ease jail overcrowding. Read the resolution here. 
  • Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde proclaimed September “Hunger Action Month.” Read more about the proclamation here. 
  • Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde proclaimed September “Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.”
  • Pulaski County and the City of North Little Rock hosted a groundbreaking for the Big Dam Bridge North Plaza project in Cook’s Landing Park. Read more about this event here. 
  • Pulaski County declares Sept. 17 as “Arkansas National Dance Day.” Watch Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde read the proclamation here. 

October

  • Pulaski County declared October Filipino American History Month. Learn more about the proclamation here. 
  • Pulaski County has funded 113 projects focused on environmental clean-up through the Pulaski County Brownfields Program since 2002. The County awarded more than $4.3 million through assessments, loans, and sub-grants. Learn more about the Brownfields Program here.
  • Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde issued a proclamation to wish Mrs. Lovie Arrealure Perkins-Pace a happy 100th birthday. Read more about Mrs. Lovie Arrealure Perkins-Pace here. 

November

  • During the annual employee appreciation luncheon, Pulaski County recognized Courthouse General Services Supervisor Kelvin Medlock for 35 years of public service. Find out what he plans to do next here.
  • Pulaski County held a groundbreaking for its new solar array at the Little Rock Port Authority. After completion, the solar array will save the County approximately $250,000 a year in current electric costs. Read more about the solar array project here.

December

  • Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde and local leaders gathered to celebrate the completed renovation of the iconic One Riverfront Place building in downtown North Little Rock. Learn more about the project here.
  • Pulaski County hosted the first of several informational meetings regarding the Pulaski County Community Village, an affordable housing community for the chronically homeless. Read more about the village here.

 

No Pulaski County trash or recycling routes on January 2

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (December 16, 2022) –Pulaski County Sanitation and Animal Services has confirmed with Waste Management that there will be no trash or recycling routes on January 2, 2023.

Routes will resume and run Tuesday, Jan. 3 through Saturday, Jan. 7. The sanitation office will also be closed Monday, Jan. 2.

County Government offices will also be closed on Monday in observance of New Year’s Day.