MyPulseNews.com Mena Arkansas News covering Polk County and the surrounding area
By Jeff Olson During our observances of Patriot Week and Constitution Day, I would like for us to take a brief look back prior to 1787 – the year of the Constitutional Convention – and before 1776 – the year of the Declaration of Independence. Why? The roots of our Constitution run deep and broad, long before and far beyond ...
September, 2020
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9 September
Reflections from History and Faith: Francis Scott Key & The Star Spangled Banner
By Jeff Olson This week I want to highlight the 206th anniversary of our national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, and briefly touch on its history and that of its author. Francis Scott Key was born on August 1, 1779 at the family plantation “Terra Rubra” in what was Frederick County, Maryland. He studied law at St. John’s College in ...
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2 September
Polk County Fair and Rodeo Association: Though fair is canceled, the show must go on
By Jeri Borst Though many were disappointed by the news their would not be a carnival and fair this year, none more so than the members of the Polk County Fair and Rodeo Association. Annually the fair is a large revenue generator for the association, which uses the funds to maintain, repair and up keep the fair grounds. Those who ...
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2 September
From the State House of Representatives
Now that in-person instruction has resumed in Arkansas schools, it is more important than ever to have an adequate level of COVID-19 testing. Without extensive testing, health experts cannot determine the level of community spread or give a reliable forecast. If you have a fever, cough, or shortness of breath OR if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 ...
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2 September
From the State Senate
Arkansas legislators approved a plan to add $300 a week to unemployment benefits, to extend the extra benefits available during the coronavirus pandemic. The benefits will come from federal disaster relief funds. The state Department of Workforce Services administers unemployment claims and its officials hope the additional benefits will be paid soon after Labor Day. Members of the Legislative Council ...
August, 2020
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26 August
Reflections from History and Faith: The Death of God?
By Jeff Olson The death of God: Are you kidding me? What a ghastly thought! What a ridiculous thing to say or even write. Yes, I suppose it is but then again…is it? If, as some believe, God’s existence is dependent solely on man’s acknowledgment of such, then it just might be that God is dead or at least has ...
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19 August
From the Governor’s Office
Leveling the Broadband Playing Field COVID-19 has highlighted some of the shortcomings of our broadband connectivity, but the pandemic also has created opportunities for us to accelerate our expansion of internet service, which I’d like to talk about today. Earlier this year, I created a steering committee to study our needs and recommend the best use of federal money that ...
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19 August
Reflections of History and Faith – Out of Many, One
By Jeff Olson The year 1776 is a notable one in American History, primarily because America declared her independence from the British Crown. Fundamental in the Declaration of Independence is that all men are created equal, possessing unalienable rights which include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These are not conferred upon man by man, but given by God ...
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19 August
From the State House of Representatives
Beginning in-person school again in Arkansas is not easy. A lot has changed since March 2020. Everyone has a lot of questions. In an effort to help answer questions from educators and parents, the Arkansas Department of Education has made new resources available. This week, the department released the Arkansas Ready to Learn Healthy School Guide. We have posted a ...
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5 August
Reflections from History and Faith – An Ending and A Beginning
By Jeff Olson In the summer of 1939, six months after the discovery of uranium fission by German scientists Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann, the publicity of atomic energy increased in some of American news publications, but it didn’t immediately lead to much response and substantive research in our nation’s scientific community. Leo Szilard, a Hungarian-American physicist and inventor, was ...
