News Flash

HS/GC COVID Task Force: COVID cases in Garland County schools drop by 67% in one week

Representatives from Garland County’s seven public school districts reported a total of 33 active student and staff cases at the Sept. 20 meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force. This was a decline of 68 from the 101 total ...

Input sought from area residents and business/organization leaders

Residents and business and organization leaders in the West Central Arkansas Planning and Development District (WCAPDD), which includes Garland and nine other counties, are being asked to complete the following surveys to gauge the effects of the COVID-19...

Event street closure: 2nd Annual Corporal Brent Scrimshire Memorial 5K

The 2^nd Annual Corporal Brent Scrimshire Memorial 5k is scheduled for 7 a.m. until noon on Saturday, Sept. 25, and will include the following intermittent street closures:

• Convention Boulevard, between Laurel Street and Malvern Avenue
• Malvern Avenue, betwee...

Street closure: Bridge Street and Malvern Avenue

Bridge Street and Malvern Avenue, between Convention Boulevard and Spring Street, will be closed from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 24, for the Bridge Street LIVE! event.

Signs and barricades will be in place, and motorists are advised to use an al...

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day set for Oct. 16

Garland County residents can bring household hazardous waste to the Garland County Fairgrounds, 4831 Malvern Avenue, for the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

This event offers safe, free d...

Blasting at Richardson Subdivision at noon on Sept. 20, 22

A permit for blasting has been issued to McGeorge Contracting Company by the City of Hot Springs for work in the Richardson Subdivision, between Twin Points and Higdon Ferry roads, with blasting to take place again at noon on Monday, Sept. 20, and Wednesd...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: COVID statistics trending down, but vigilance should remain high

Although the COVID-19 statistics for Garland County are on a downward trend, Dr. Gene Shelby encouraged the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force at the Sept. 13 meeting to maintain vigilance and use of face masks, as well as promotion of the vac...

Board of Zoning Adjustment Public Hearing on Sept. 22

The Hot Springs Board of Zoning Adjustment will hold a public hearing at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 22, in the Board Chambers at City Hall, 133 Convention Boulevard, to consider the following:

• 106 Horseshoe Point – Front yard setback variance req...

Downtown parking deck closing during nighttime hours

The Exchange Street Parking Plaza at 128 Exchange Street will be closing during the overnight hours of 10 p.m. – 6 a.m., effective Sept. 9, 2021, due to continued vandalism.

Vehicles will still be able to exit the parking facility at any time, bu...

Arkansas Master Naturalists teams up with Parks and Trails

The City of Hot Springs Parks and Trails Department, Visit Hot Springs’ Northwoods Trails and the Diamond Lakes Chapter of the Arkansas Master Naturalists (DLAMN) are partnering to encourage ...

City burn ban lifted

The Hot Springs Fire Department lifted the citywide burn ban, which went into effect on Sept. 2 due to dry conditions, and began issuing burn permits this afternoon, Friday, Sept. 3, 2021. 

Hot Springs residents can obtain burn permits at the Cent...

Notice of application period for Hot Springs boards, committees and commissions

The City of Hot Springs will accept applications until noon on Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, for a total of 12 volunteer positions on various City of Hot Springs advisory boards, committees and commissions.

Applicants must be registered voters of the City of Hot S...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Delta variant challenging hospitals and schools

Even though the COVID-19 case numbers for Garland County continued to decline for the week of Aug. 22 – 29, the highly contagious delta variant is posing new challenges to school districts and has led to the county’s highest weekly COV...

Lane closures: Malvern Avenue

Malvern Avenue, between the Martin Luther King Jr (MLK) Expressway and Hollywood Avenue, will be resurfaced with work taking place during the overnight hours of 7 p.m. – 7 a.m., Sunday nights through Friday mornings, starting on Aug. 29 and cont...

City to have MLK Expressway mowed

In response to citizen complaints, the Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Expressway (state highways 70 and 270) will have litter removed and will be mowed an additional time this season, courtesy of the City of Hot Springs.

The MLK Expressway is one of many tho...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: COVID numbers decline slightly, but risk remains high

Garland County’s COVID-19 statistics for the week of Aug. 15-22 show slight improvements, yet the amount of virus in the community remains high, as does vaccine skepticism and the divisiveness regarding face masks. 

“It&rsq...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: COVID claims 15 lives over weekend in Hot Springs

There were 15 COVID-19 deaths this past weekend at the two Hot Springs hospitals, according to representatives of CHI St. Vincent and National Park Medical Center at the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force meeting on Monday, Aug. 16. 

T...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Record case numbers force hospitals to expand ICU capacity

Garland County’s active COVID-19 case count has reached record levels and area hospitals have had to expand their intensive care units. With schools starting next week, the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force is urging everyone who ha...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Districts plan for challenging start to school year

With the active COVID-19 case count currently more than three times higher in Garland County than compared to the same time in 2020, school district representatives discussed their plans and challenges ahead for the upcoming school year at the meeting Mon...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Community facing ‘major crises’ from COVID Delta variant

With a near ten-fold increase in Garland County’s COVID-19 active cases in the past five weeks, Dr. Gene Shelby gave a stark report at the virtual meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force meeting on Monday, July 26.

&ldqu...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Delta variant fueling COVID ‘super spike’

The Delta variant of COVID-19 appears to be a primary factor in what Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby described as a “super spike” in new cases during his report at the July 12 virtual meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland Co...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Local hospitals treating younger COVID patients

During the bi-weekly Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force meeting on June 21, representatives from CHI St. Vincent (CHI) and National Park Medical Center (NPMC) both reported seeing two recent trends – more younger COVID-19 patients than compare...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Continuing to promote need for vaccines

Garland County’s COVID-19 active case count rose from less than 30 in mid-May to a high point of 129 on May 25, before starting to decline.

At the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force’s June 7 meeting, Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelb...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Garland County COVID numbers remain low

Compared to other populous counties in Arkansas, Garland County has the lowest number of COVID-19 cases per capita as the county remains on its six-week low plateau of new and active cases, according to Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby at the...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Business leaders encouraged to help in vaccination efforts

Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby, citing a concerning trend in the county’s COVID-19 statistics, hopes creative efforts to increase public knowledge of the importance of vaccinations will lead to a greater percentage of the county becoming in...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: County’s vaccination efforts have saved lives

At the April 19 meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force, Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby commended the area’s vaccination efforts and offered encouragement for the public to continue to get inoculated.

“I want to applaud...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Waning COVID vaccinations concerning to task force

A lack of information getting to the public about the open eligibility and the wide availability and critical importance of COVID-19 vaccines continues to be a concern for the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force, which was a primary topic of di...

COVID rent/utility funds available for Hot Springs residents

Hot Springs residents who have experienced financial hardship related to COVID-19 and, as a result, are behind on rent or utility payments can now apply for assistance through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) CARES Act funded emergency rent an...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Promoting vaccinations and use of face masks

At the March 29 virtual meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force, representatives planned ways to increase the county’s percentage of people who are fully vaccinated from the current 14% of all residents and 39% of the 65-and-older ag...

Intracity Transit giving free rides for vaccination seekers

The City of Hot Springs Intracity Transit public bus system is offering free rides for those seeking COVID-19 vaccinations beginning Thursday, April 1. 

The free rides will be in effect to and from scheduled COVID-19 vaccination appointments, and ...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: COVID task force hopes to increase percentage of vaccinated residents

At the March 29 virtual meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force, representatives planned ways to increase the county’s percentage of people who are fully vaccinated from the current 14% of all residents and 39% of the 65-and-older ag...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: COVID vaccine hesitancy could slow county’s return to normalcy

Garland County’s COVID-19 numbers continue to be on a great downward trend, according to Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby, but residents need to remember that the virus is still here and that the vaccines are key to returning to normalcy.&...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: COVID vaccine effectiveness shown locally from Phase 1-A participants

As COVID-19 case numbers continue to decline at the local and state levels, members of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force urge continued vigilance in wearing masks, socially distancing and hand washing, as well as seeking out a COVID test ...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Cases continue decline, but vigilance needed 'to get to zero'

As COVID-19 case numbers continue to decline at the local and state levels, members of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force urge continued vigilance in wearing masks, socially distancing and hand washing, as well as seeking out a COVID test ...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Mitigation efforts, now guidelines, will continue

Gov. Asa Hutchinson changed the statewide COVID-19 directives to guidelines on Feb. 26, yet he and Secretary of Health Dr. Jose Romero said it is essential that individual behaviors regarding wearing masks, socially distancing and washing hands continue. ...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Low testing numbers due to weather skews statistics

The week of Feb. 14-22 had the lowest total of COVID-19 test results recorded for Garland County since August due to the winter weather, but Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby is still pleased by the continued downward trajectory of the county’...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Weather inhibits COVID testing

Cold temperatures most likely led to a lower number of COVID-19 testing being done the week of Feb. 8-14, and the continued effects of inclement weather will likely skew the pandemic outlook for weeks ahead, according to Garland County Health Officer Dr. ...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Cases increase, but positivity rate and active cases hold steady

Although the week of Jan. 31 – Feb. 7 saw a 64% increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Garland County from the previous week, a higher number of test results kept the positivity rate steady and the number of active cases fell by 10.&...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Cases declining; vigilance should remain

Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby told the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force at the meeting on Monday, Feb. 1, that the county has seen across the board improvement this past week. He warned, however, that there is a long road ahe...

On a vaccine waiting list? Be sure to answer your phone

Those in Garland County who have registered to be on a COVID-19 vaccine waiting list are encouraged to answer their phone as vaccination clinics continue to be scheduled. 

Those involved in vaccine distribution are using the waiting lists to conta...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: COVID numbers trending downward as vaccinations continue

Although a significant number of active COVID-19 cases remain in Garland County, the trend of new cases is on a downward slope as vaccinations continue for Phase 1-A groups and the start of Phase 1-B – education workers and those 70 and older.

Along with t...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: High COVID numbers continue, but may be nearing peak

The number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Garland County for the week of Jan. 10-17 of 815 was a record high for the third-straight week, but with the holidays behind us, Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby is hopeful that the county is at or...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Record-setting trend continues to strain hospitals

The drastic upward trend of new COVID-19 cases in Garland County following the Christmas and New Year’s holidays is continuing, putting a strain on local hospitals.

“We have a surging, deadly pandemic that is getting worse here. The chances of getting COVI...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Cases and hospitalizations continue post-holiday rise

Although the start of the vaccine rollout offers hope, it will still likely be months before doses of the vaccine are available for the general public. In the meantime, record-level COVID-19 statistics for Garland County, including rising hospitalizations...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Hospitals at highest levels as task force dissuades COVID fatigue

At the virtual meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force on Dec. 28, representatives from CHI St. Vincent and National Park Medical Center shared their anxiousness about a likely increase in cases in the weeks following the Christmas h...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Garland County begins inoculating healthcare providers

As the active cases in Garland County continue to rise, the beginning of the phased distribution of COVID-19 vaccines was a primary topic of discussion at the Dec. 21 virtual meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force.

CHI St. Vincent Ho...

HS/GC COVID-19 Task Force: Garland County COVID-19 numbers ‘off the charts’

Several COVID-19 statistics for the week of Dec. 6 – 13 in Garland County far exceeded previous record highs, according to Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby at the Dec. 14 virtual meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland County Covid-19 Task Force.

A...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Shorter quarantine guidelines for non-symptomatic close contacts

Representatives on the Hot Springs/Garland County Covid-19 Task Force are bracing for what may be a rise in post-Thanksgiving cases this week while preparing for a change in quarantine guidelines and upcoming vaccine deliveries.

During the Dec. 7 virtual t...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Task force urges adherence to recommendations this holiday

Over the past week, Garland County’s COVID-19 statistics plateaued from the previous weeks’ upward trajectory, but health officials continue to urge area residents to be vigilant this Thanksgiving holiday.

Even though case numbers have stabilized, the coun...

HS/GC COVID-19 Task Force: More pandemic records set locally; ‘it’s everywhere’

“The virus has continued to spread throughout our community, our county, with no particular source; it’s everywhere,” said Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby at the Nov. 16 virtual meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force.

S...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Past week's new case count total all-time high

As area nursing home COVID-19 cases begin to decline from the spike in recent weeks, community spread is keeping the number of new cases and the active case count at or near record high levels.

At the Nov. 9 meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-...

Cases and deaths in area expected in increase due to COVID-19

With the active cases in Garland County at an all-time high for the second straight week and the greatest percentage of cases being in the most vulnerable population, Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby fears that COVID-related deaths in the cou...

HS/GC COVID-19 Task Force: Active cases reach all-time high

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Garland County has risen to its highest number since the start of the pandemic at 247, according to Garland County Health Office Dr. Gene Shelby at the Oct. 26 virtual meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-...

Garland County’s active cases and COVID-19 deaths rise in past week

Following a downward trend for COVID-19 cases in Garland County, the week of Oct. 11 – 18 saw a higher number of new cases, active cases and deaths, while there was a decrease in the number of tests performed.

“Unfortunately, last week was not a very good ...

HS/GC COVID-19 Task Force: Continued vigilance needed to keep local COVID curve flat

Hot Springs and Garland County continue to flatten the curve of COVID-19 cases, but members of the area COVID-19 task force caution that vigilance is needed to continue to keep down the spread of the virus.

“Our community cannot let our guard down. We have...

State and local health officials dissuade Covid fatigue

Recognizing that many people are experiencing fatigue in respect to the COVID-19 pandemic, Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby seeks to remind the community of the deadly and communicable nature of this coronavirus.

At the Sept. 28 virtual meetin...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: No jump in cases following latest holiday weekend

Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby is optimistic about where Garland County stands in the pandemic as two weeks have passed since Labor Day, yet the COVID-19 numbers locally have not increased as they did following Memorial Day and Independence...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Schools seeking prospective substitute teachers/bus drivers

At this point in the pandemic, school superintendents across Garland County are more concerned that the quarantining of teachers and bus drivers could force a change to virtual learning more so than the threat of positive cases within school districts.

At ...

HS/GC COVID Task Force: Superintendents remind families of quarantine guidelines

If a member of a student’s household tests positive for COVID-19, the student is also required to quarantine rather than continuing to attend school in person. This was the primary message from superintendents during the virtual meeting of the Hot Springs...

Task force seeks to clarify state’s quarantine and isolation guidelines

During the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force virtual meeting on Aug. 31, school superintendents from across Garland County reported a great first week, with hopes that communication from the task force can help clear up misunderstandings in t...

HS/GC COVID-19 Task Force: Garland County COVID cases and testing numbers are down

Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby shared at the Aug. 24 meeting of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force that he is pleased with the current numbers for Garland County, but he continues to stress the importance of wearing masks an...

HS/GC COVID-19 Task Force: Garland County COVID trend continues in right direction

At the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force virtual meeting on August 10, Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby said that the COVID-19 numbers from the week of August 2-9 look better, and that he is pleased with the trend.

There were 171 ...

Garland County virus cases flatten, but positivity rate increases

COVID-19 numbers from Garland County for the week of July 2 – August 2 do show some “positive aspects compared to the previous two weeks” as new cases seem to be “leveling off,” said Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby at the Hot Springs/Garland...

Garland County virus cases continue on ‘major upward trend’

Garland County averaged 30 new COVID-19 cases reported daily from July 19 – 26, with a total of 210 new cases for the week, according to Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby at the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force virtual meeting on...

Garland County virus cases more than double in past week

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and those under investigation more than doubled this past week from 90 on July 12 to 188 on July 19, and the number of active cases went from 65 to 150.

“Garland County is certainly in the mix of this pandemic,” said ...

Garland County positivity rate rises to 6.4%

Although the number of new and active cases in Garland County has plateaued, the positive rate of infection among the 732 tests done between July 5-12 rose to 6.4%, up from the previous week’s 2.7%.

Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby shared at t...

Garland County positivity rate cut in half from previous week

There were 48 new COVID-19 cases reported in Garland County from June 28 – July 5, but because of a record number of tests performed, the positivity rate decreased from the previous week’s 5.8% to 2.7%.

Also, thanks to the number of recoveries in Garland C...

Garland County has increase of 50 new active COVID-19 cases

Following Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force virtual meeting on June 22, where case numbers had stabilized, data from the past week shared at the June 29 meeting showed an upward trend with 50 new cases.

Garland County Health Officer Dr. Gene S...