City leaders address concerns of speeding

Friday, May 29, 2020

During Blytheville Mayor James Sanders’ Wednesday press conference, he and Blytheville Police Department assistant police chief Ricky Jefferson stated that officers will be addressing speeding in town.

“I’d like to report at this time that we do not have any employees out due to the COVID-19; however, we are getting reports of speeding a lot here lately, especially on the newly paved roadways,” Jefferson said. “So, we are going to have to ramp up our efforts and traffic enforcements and start issuing citations to those who choose to break the laws whether it be by speeding, drag racing or any other violations. There has also been a number of reports of motorcycles, other off-road dirt bikes and ATVs that have been operating on the city highways and they should not be. Therefore, we again are utilizing a no-tolerance policy and will be issuing citations.”

Mayor Sanders said his office has also received calls on reckless driving around the city.

“We, in the mayor’s office, have also been getting phone calls with regard to speeding, violations and those type of things going on,” he said. “Ladies and gentleman, I only go back to a few weeks ago and to remind you that we’ve already had a death as a result to recklessness and that there’s no need for that type of activity. Fun is fun, but that ain’t fun. That’s dangerous and we need to understand the difference in the two.”

Sanders added that he has been in conversation with Arkansas State Police Troop C’s John Carter and Mississippi County Sheriff Dale Cook about starting to conduct traffic stops again in Mississippi County and across the state of Arkansas.

Regarding COVID-19, the current numbers in Arkansas as of Thursday afternoon were 6,277 confirmed cases with 4,424 recovered and 120 deaths.

In Mississippi County, they have done 1,354 tests —1,282 negative cases and 72 confirmed cases with 54 recovered and two deaths. Sanders stated that the two deaths were in the age range of 65 and above.

Sanders added that 276 tests were performed last Thursday at Blytheville First Baptist Church. Sanders stated he hasn’t received the results from those tests yet but he believes Dr. Valencia Andrews-Pirtle, MD will give them out during the Doctors Forum Friday afternoon.

Sanders mentioned that testing is still going on through the Mississippi County Hospital System, Healthy Partners and by certain doctors. Sanders said that all venues ask patients to call ahead for an appointment so they can be prepared.

Jefferson stated the police department is healthy and fire chief Mike Carney stated that the individual that was in self quarantine last week is back to work but since then another member of the fire department has gone into self quarantine.

Carney stated that they believe the individual believes it is just allergies but due to his symptoms reflecting some of the Covid-19 symptoms, his doctor tested him and directed him to self quarantine to be safe.

Carney added the numbers will be going up as testing is becoming more prevalent and to take advantage of the testing in Mississippi County.

Sanders also mentioned that the city is working to get the pool ready to meet Health Department Guidelines and opened soon.

He added that they are going to abide by the state guidelines, and when the pool is opened will allow 50 percent occupancy in the pool.