Category Archives: Health

Fifth WNV death sets state record

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Admin

Arkansas’ fifth West Nile Virus related death set a record for the highest number of fatalities resulting from the disease in a year, the Arkansas Department of Health told Arkansas News on Wednesday. The previous record was set in 2005 … Continue reading →

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Arkansas rises in obesity ranking

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Admin

Arkansas may have some benefits when it comes to battered and fried foods, but along with those delicious fares comes the seventh highest obesity rate in the county, according to Arkansas News. A recent study released today showed the state … Continue reading →

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El Dorado USA Drug survives Walgreen acquisition

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Admin

El Dorado’s USA Drug is one of fewer than half of all 144 USA Drug stores to survive a massive closure following Walgreen Company’s acquisition in July of Little Rock-based Stephen L. LaFrance Holdings Inc., for $438 million. According to … Continue reading →

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Student group blames SouthArk teacher for lost work

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Admin

South Arkansas Community College administrators received a complaint today from a group of surgical technician program students who allege their professor failed to send out the applications that would allow them to be certified to work in their field. The … Continue reading →

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Advisory cautions against outdoor activity

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Admin

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory until 7 p.m. tonight with expected heat index values up to 109 degrees resulting from a mixture of high heat and humidity. Residents are urged to keep indoors as much as … Continue reading →

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Medical marijuana initiative challenged in lawsuit

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Admin

The controversy surrounding the medical marijuana issue in Arkansas continued today with a lawsuit filed by several Christian conservative groups intent on removing the initiative from the ballot come November. Last week the secretary of state determined that petitioners had … Continue reading →

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MCSA stats stack up well against state, nation

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Admin

Even recent controversy involving the acceptance of a major health care insurer doesn’t overshadow the numbers the Medical Center of South Arkansas puts up against the state and nation on hospitalcompare.hhs.gov for quality of care. Hospitalcompare.hhs.gov, a hospital quality of … Continue reading →

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West Nile death reported in Arkansas

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Admin

The Arkansas Department of Health announced the first West Nile Virus death in the state on Wednesday via a release that didn’t indicate the name of the deceased or where the death occurred. Only one case has been reported in … Continue reading →

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West Nile on the rise in Arkansas, surrounding states

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Admin

We’re surrounded! … By the West Nile Virus, that is. The West Nile Virus is on the rise, according to the Arkansas Department of Health which advises that 80 percent of the 390 cases have occurred in Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma … Continue reading →

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Boatloads of debt accompany CHS’ decision to terminate BCBS contract

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Admin

In light of the Community Health System and Blue Cross Blue Shield contract non-negotiation debacle that essentially left much of El Dorado without hospital insurance coverage, a reader sent me this little tidbit Wednesday morning showing that CHS is approximately … Continue reading →

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Hospital terminates contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Admin

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arkansas patients, break your legs now because on Sept. 1, the Medical Center of South Arkansas will no longer accept BCBS-insured patients. Kyle Swift, MSCA chief executive officer, confirmed in an email this morning that … Continue reading →

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UCSO, EDAC take into custody severely starved dogs

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Admin

Based on an anonymous tip, Union County deputies and El Dorado Animal Control officers discovered what they deemed one of the worst cases in animal cruelty they’d ever witnessed on Wednesday in El Dorado, according to a UCSO report. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, By Allison Gatlin, Crime, Health, News | 5 Comments

Report: Well-being on the rise for Arkansas’ children

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Admin

An annual report compiled by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which ranks the well-being of children across the country, listed Arkansas’ minors at no. 42, up from 47 in 2011. Released today, the 2012 Kids County Data Book puts Arkansas … Continue reading →

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#teamcorrie takes El Dorado

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Admin

I’m rarely one to pimp out petitions for prayer, but a figurative littering of online posts and #teamcorrie T-shirts across El Dorado sparked my interest this week and led me to discover the story of Corrie Gross Bechtelheimer, an El … Continue reading →

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HIV pill gets the go ahead from the FDA

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Admin

On Monday, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Truvada, the first pill meant to lower the risk of contracting HIV in high-risk individuals. According to the Associated Press, when taken as a preventative measure, the pill is able to … Continue reading →

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