Monthly Archives: March 2021

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State lawmakers are weighing sweeping changes to Pennsylvanias election laws as candidates cautiously test the waters for a 2022 mid-term election that could once again put the state in the bulls-eye of the national debate over election reform.

In Pennsylvania, where unsuccessful court challenges to the 2020 presidential election continued for months, about two dozen proposed changes to the Election Code run a broad spectrum. They range from a bill that would repeal the no-excuse mail-in balloting law, passed in 2019, to several that would expand the deadline for voter registration up to Election Day.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute that tracks such issues nationally, proposals to tighten election and registration restrictions here outnumber those that would expand voter rights by about 2 to 1.

While it appears the 2019 law will remain in place for the May 18 primary election, those monitoring the issue say questions likely will resurface when voters begin casting ballots.

Ray Murphy is state coordinator for Keystone Votes, a coalition of 42 civil rights, civic and community groups that advocated for mail-in voting. He fears the upcoming election will serve only to magnify concerns about the states election laws.

We have to start thinking about this. The primary election in Pennsylvania will start in two weeks. Mail ballots already have been requested. Were going to have a batch of new problems in May, he said.

He predicted issues with provisional ballots and remaining questions about allowing voters to cure faulty mail-in ballots with minor issues will remain at the forefront of the debate. He said its critical that the state resolve such issues before the 2022 midterm elections, when open seats in the governors mansion and the U.S. Senate will again cast the critical swing state into the national spotlight.

Murphys coalition supports measures such as establishing drop boxes at convenient locations where voters can deposit ballots before Election Day; establishing a procedure and timeline for election officials to notify voters of minor oversights on mail-in ballots and allowing them to make corrections so ballots can be counted; accepting ballots postmarked by Election Day if they are received within three days; and allowing county election officials to begin precanvassing mail-in ballots as they arrive.

They say precanvassing, which allows election officials to check in mailed ballots as they arrive and set them aside for counting on Election Day a process that has been widely adopted in states with longstanding mail-in balloting would greatly streamline the process for local election officials.

Although there has been bipartisan support for precanvassing, Democrats and Republicans havent reached an agreement on the specifics of such legislation.

The GOP majority in the Legislature, however, has come down firmly in favor of issues such as requiring signature verification on mail-in ballots and limiting counting to those received by Election Day. They say Pennsylvanias Supreme Court cast the integrity of the 2020 election into question and created a landscape ripe for abuse when it ruled against signature verification, allowed drop boxes and said ballots received in the mail up to three days after Election Day could be counted.

State Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, who was reelected in November, is among those firmly advocating for change as House and Senate committees continue to hold hearings on the issue.

Without question, a top priority that needs to be addressed is the Pennsylvania Supreme Courts overreach during the last election cycle, Ward said. The Pennsylvania Supreme Courts decision put into question the integrity of our states election laws by allowing for the authorization of drop boxes, elimination of signature requirements and permitting late ballot arrivals. In both the state and U.S. Constitution, its clear that the state legislature sets the time, place and manner of elections, not the state Supreme Court.

Changes ahead

Republican lawmakers in 43 states have been pushing changes to adopt restrictions in state election law in the wake of false narratives of election fraud in the 2020 election, which helped spur the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Several states, including Iowa and Georgia, already have passed bills restricting absentee and early voting.

Such measures could face a brick wall in Pennsylvania, where last fall Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed a bill that would have banned drop boxes and changed the time period in which voters can request a mail-in ballot from seven days to 15 days before an election even though it included a three-day period for county election officials to precanvass mail-in ballots.

Ward said Republicans are prepared to take another route to make changes if Wolf refuses to sign off on their changes this year.

If that happens, it means the only way to protect the constitution will be, yet again, another constitutional amendment, to put the decision into the hands of the people, Ward vowed.

She says its all about ensuring election integrity. Others arent so sure the issue that the GOP seized upon in the wake of Donald Trumps defeat is the sole issue driving the debate.

Chris Deluzio, a lawyer who studies election issues as policy director of the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Cyber Law, Policy and Security, said its unclear where Pennsylvania election law will land.

But Im most concerned about the volume of restrictive proposals that are bouncing around the General Assembly that would make it more difficult for people to register or vote. There are so many proposals to end no-excuse mail-in voting, proposals to end the permanent early voting list, proposals to eliminate drop boxes and to mandate more aggressive signature matching, which we know is fraught and can carry significant risks of disenfranchising folks, he said.

Im worried that what the Republicans in Harrisburg are up to is to restrict voting so they can continue to win elections, he said.

While such proposals are indeed pending, at the county level where elections are held, officials simply are looking for changes that will make it easier to handle mail-in voting.

Electronic poll books, training, education and adequate time to send out and process ballots are high on the lists of those who administer elections.

Westmoreland County Commissioner Doug Chew is scheduled to testify Tuesday before the state Senate Special Committee on Election Integrity and Reform. He said officials in the county of 350,000 residents were stressed handling the new law and expanded volume of mail-in ballots when ballot approvals were delayed for several weeks last fall because of legal challenges.

Having an earlier date to request mail-in ballots would provide time for lost ballots or delayed ballots to be resent using the U.S. Postal System, without resorting to extraordinary means either by the county or the voter, he said.

Moreover, he said the state needs to clarify gray areas of the law that resulted in counties receiving conflicting guidance last year.

While officials in Harrisburg hold hearings and weigh changes to the state Election Code, Democrats in Congress are promoting H.R. 1, a Biden administration bill that would mandate early voting and same-day registration, and overhaul campaign finance and congressional redistricting.

Republicans have condemned the bill, which would eliminate state-to-state variations in election law, as an assault on states rights to conduct elections.

Deb Erdley is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Deb at 724-850-1209, derdley@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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Election Code proposals trigger debate in Harrisburg as hearings progress - TribLIVE

BOSTON Delays in issuing autopsy reports and death certificates have plagued the States Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for years. Now, the agency says its well on its way to clearing the backlog.

But some families still searching for answers about a loved ones death say the OCME needs to do better.

This week, grieving families took their concerns directly to the chief medical examiner, Dr. Mindy Hull, during a virtual meeting of the Commission on Medicolegal Investigation, which oversees the OCME.

My wife passed away in 2015. I have written several times, Ive asked for any notes, anything regarding her case. And Ive received nothing, said Michael DAmbrosio, a widower from Charlestown who spoke during the meetings public comment portion.

25 Investigates first interviewed DAmbrosio early in 2020.

He had been waiting for more than four years to find out how his wife, Debra, died after a sudden illness in 2015. Following our reporting the agency told DAmbrosio her death was the result of internal bleeding. But he questions that finding because he said an autopsy was never performed on her, and he is continuing to press the OCME for answers.

Theres absolutely no closure on this. Its, you know, one day my wife was there the next day, she wasnt with no answer. No explanation. Its an impossible situation to be in, he said.

The National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) requires most autopsy reports be completed in 90 days.

As 25 Investigates reported last year, the OCME was working hard to meet the requirement because its accreditation depends on it. Cases that exceed 90 days like Debra DAmbrosios no longer count toward the highly coveted accreditation. At the time, two sources familiar with the OCME told 25 Investigates that Dr. Hull, the Chief Medical Examiner, does not prioritize older cases because they dont help her with accreditation. Internal emails provided by one of the sources showed Dr. Hull highlighting cases in jeopardy of missing the 90 day mark.

Maggie Mancuso, a Dorchester mother who waited nearly three years to find out the cause of death of her newborn son, also addressed the Dr. Hull during the Commission on Medicolegal Investigation meeting.

In 2019, 25 Investigates reported on Mancusos experience with the OCME. She told investigative reporter Ted Daniel that an OCME staff member told her on a few occasions that her babys case was not a priority.

Since then, Mancuso has made it her mission to improve the way the OCME communicates and treats grieving families.

Hearing from a doctor would ease the family so immensely, she told the commission and Dr. Hull. Its not an extensive phone call. It would just be a few minutes, just to tell the family exactly whats going on at that moment.

The chief medical examiner was receptive to Mancusos suggestion and assured her that it would be taken into consideration.

Dr. Hull also assured DAmbrosio she would review the particulars of his wifes case and get back to him.

All Im looking for is answers for my family, said DAmbrosio.

During the virtual meeting, Hull also laid out a number of recommendations to improve interactions with grieving families, including implementing a recorded phone line and the hiring of a communications coordinator.

In an email, a spokesperson for the OCME tells 25 Investigates:

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner remains focused on its core mission of determining the cause and manner of deaths that occur under violent, suspicious, or unexplained circumstances. Under Dr. Hulls leadership, OCME has reduced the number of open cases preceding her appointment by more than 70%, while completing 96% of autopsy reports and death certificates on new cases within 90 days. OCME staff have made it a priority to deliver these necessary services in a shorter period of time without sacrificing accuracy, including prioritizing cases whenever possible for family members seeking information on their loved ones deaths.

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States Medical Examiner Office says its making progress, but grieving families say more is needed - Boston 25 News

After months of steadily declining cases in Ohio, progress in reducingnew COVID-19 infections stalled out this week.

State health officials reported 1,551new cases on Friday, bringing the week's daily average to 1,506, a bit beneath the three-week average, but only three fewer than last week's average daily infections.

On Thursday, the state reported 2,104 new infections, about 500 above the three-week daily average, to markthe first time cases exceeded the 2,000-mark since March 3.

In a no-audience appearance at the Cleveland City Club on Friday, Gov. Mike DeWine said of the numbers, "We feel pretty good about where we are ... what is driving this down is the vaccine." Yet, he remains worried about more-contagious virus variants.

The state will eclipse 1 million coronavirus infections in coming days with the pandemic total standingat 997,336as Ohio nears the one-year mark since the state's March23 stay-at-home order.Slightly less than one in every 12 Ohioans has contracted the virus.

Amid limited testing for the strain, cases of the more-communicableB.1.1.7 virus variant detected in Ohio increased from 91 to 108 across 29 of Ohio's 88 counties, according to revised figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

State health officials fear thevariant that originated in the United Kingdom could become the dominant strain in Ohio. DeWine called the variant a "dark cloud" on Friday, saying, "The cycle indicates this should be coming back up. We're concerned."

The state on Friday reported the deaths of 348more Ohioans, boosting the total among state residents to 18,340. The increase rests partly in the state previously withdrawing deaths from the total until they wereverified by federal health officials.

The total number of coronavirus patients being treated in hospitals Friday was 855, down 30% from three weeks ago.

Another 81,656vaccinations were reported, bring the total of vaccines started to 2.6million or 23% of Ohio's population. A total of 1.5 million, or 13% of the population, havereceived second and final doses.

Ohioans age 40 to 49 and those with certain health conditions became eligible for shots on Friday, with all Ohioans age 16 and older now cleared to receive vaccinations beginning March 29 as supplies increase.

rludlow@dispatch.com

@RandyLudlow

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After months of decline, Ohio COVID-19 cases not dropping this week - The Columbus Dispatch

The mayor and commissioner say investigations will look into the culture of the Portland Police Bureau.

Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty announced "significant progress" Friday on the investigations into the unauthorized and inappropriate release of information that falsely identified Hardesty as a suspect in a hit-and-run crash.

The March 19 announcement also said there had been progress into broader issues of public trust, racial and political bias, and culture within the Portland Police Bureau.

Hardesty had been falsely accused of being in a hit-and-run crash in a police report that was determined to be false after it had been leaked to the media and pro-police activists. Hardesty is a leading police critic.

Wheeler and Hardesty confirmed that police bureau and Bureau of Emergency Communications internal investigations have been underway since shortly after the initial incident occurred. Both Wheeler and Hardesty expect both bureaus to move as quickly as possible to complete their investigations.

In addition, Wheeler and Hardesty also said the city has contracted with the OIR Group to conduct an outside, independent investigation of the unauthorized and inappropriate release of information. The contract was completed this week and the OIR Group is beginning its independent investigation immediately.

Wheeler and Hardesty also said they are close to completing the scope for an additional independent look at broader issues related to the police bureau and community trust. The initial scope for the third investigation includes:

Racial bias: Are the police bureau's policies, culture or actions influenced by racial bias? If so, what is the extent of any racial bias, what are the root causes of any racial bias, and what are the best practices to addresses those root causes?

Political bias: Are the police bureau's policies, culture or actions influenced by political bias? If so, what is the extent of any political bias, what are the root causes of any political bias, and what are the best practices to address those root causes?

Resistance to change: Are the police bureau's policies, culture or actions resistant to change sought by the community? If so, what is the extent of that resistance, what are the root causes of that resistance, and what are the best practices to address that resistance?

Wheeler and Hardesty hope to finalize the scope and select an independent party to conduct the third investigation as soon as possible.

You count on us to stay informed and we depend on you to fund our efforts.Quality local journalism takes time and money. Please support us to protect the future of community journalism.

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Pamplin Media Group - Wheeler, Hardesty announce progress on leak probes - Pamplin Media Group

Mikel Arteta has had time to sleep on Arsenal's performance against Olympiakos - albeit not much time, given he is back at London Colney for a 9am start - but his assessment the following morning is no less scathing than the one he gave after the game.

"Not acceptable," he tells Sky Sports with a shake of the head. "Our demands internally and individually have to be much higher than that. We cannot just accept losing a game. We are qualified, we are happy. But we know if we continue to do that we will be in trouble."

As ever with Arteta, the message is clear. His Arsenal side have developed a habit of making life difficult for themselves. Their last four games, starting with the 1-1 draw against Burnley and including Sunday's 2-1 win over Tottenham, are proof of that.

But there is no doubting Arteta's determination to rectify the issues and there seems little danger of his standards slipping.

Just ask Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, dropped against Spurs after reporting late on the morning of the game. Or any of the players pushed towards the exit since his appointment.

"When you have clear ideas and principles, it's about applying them," explains Arteta. "There's no point just telling people what we expect from them, then not making the decisions when those things are not accomplished."

The Spaniard is trying to build something at Arsenal, and while he is under no illusions about the areas in need of further attention - of which there are plenty - it is worth listening when he says, as he did last week, that his project is primed to explode into life.

"There are still margins for improvement," he says. "Sometimes it's been the game management. Sometimes it's been the poor decision-making. Sometimes it's been a lack of discipline. Those are the things we have to eradicate if we want to fight with the top teams.

"But I'm seeing the direction that we're taking. I'm seeing the energy that we play with, that we train with. I'm seeing the environment that we are creating around Colney and how involved everyone is, including the staff, the board, everybody.

"That gives me a positive feeling, that if we make some good, positive decisions, we will be really strong."

For now, Arsenal remain 10th in the Premier League, a long way from where Arteta wants them to be. But performances have improved markedly in recent months. The Boxing Day win over Chelsea was the catalyst and the table since Christmas has them in fourth.

The frustration, of course, is that they would be higher if not for those familiar acts of self-sabotage but the underlying numbers suggest better results will come. Opta's expected goals model shows Arsenal have become more dangerous at the top end of the pitch and more resilient at the other.

"I think the ratio of what we are creating and conceding is really, really positive," Arteta says. "When we look at all the stats in the games, the winning probability is really high all the time."

Even, he points out, during Thursday night's defeat to Olympiakos.

"Again, I insist that in possession we weren't at our best, but we still created more than enough chances to win the game," he added. "It was probably not a fair result for what we did on the pitch."

The challenge is to increase efficiency in front of goal - "the solutions have to be found from the players we have," Arteta says - and cut out the errors when playing out from the back. He can only do so much from the dugout but insists both areas are his responsibility.

"I think it's always my responsibility when it's related to things that happen on the pitch," he says. "We have some rules and some principles we have to apply. The worst thing is to send someone out to do certain things and them be scared to do them.

"That's when we have to stay strong. It's about risk and reward. Where you do it and when you do it. You have to get that feeling right and that's obviously a decision for the players to make on the pitch.

"It's true that sometimes, when conceding very little [in terms of chances], we have conceded a goal," Arteta adds, using the recent meetings with Wolves and Burnley as examples.

"We need more clean sheets and we have talked about that. We haven't had enough, even though the defensive performances have been really, really strong."

Arteta will hope to see progress in that department against West Ham on Sunday but his Arsenal side is already a lot closer to what he wants than it was in the first half of the season.

He puts the improvement, in large part, down to the comings and goings of the January transfer window, when Arsenal trimmed their squad of Mesut Ozil, Shkodran Mustafi and others while also recruiting Martin Odegaard and goalkeeper Mat Ryan.

Arteta felt the upheaval was necessary.

"I think what we did in January is unprecedented," he says. "If you look at the amount of changes that we've made in 12 months, it's incredible.

"That has consequences as well because you need some stability. You have to get to a point where you can do two or three things [in a window] and it's done.

"But we had to establish ourselves as a squad as well as a team. We are no longer 32 players, which was impossible to manage. We've got some players who have given us a real boost. I'm talking about the young players but also senior players who started to raise their level.

"We changed our formation, which helped us as well, and we started to find more chemistry around the players and more fluidity. We were much more of a goal threat, and we got more confidence when we started to get results, which in football is one of the main parts."

The mood around the club is now transformed from the first half of the season, when a run of one win from 10 Premier League games between October and December put Arsenal on the brink of crisis.

But as challenging as that period was for everyone at the club, not least the rookie manager at the middle of it all, Arteta believes it also taught him valuable lessons about his players.

"I think it was necessary," he says. "Sometimes you have to reach those levels to have a better picture of why you are there, but also to see who is going to react when those difficult moments come, because you are going to have difficult moments in a season.

"You want to see who stands in front of people and says, 'I'm ready to push', and who just holds the boat.

"Then you can make some decisions.

"I'm really proud the way we managed that situation because there were a lot of things going on - and not just on the pitch.

"To manage that, in this environment, when we can't really spend a lot of time together as well because of the Covid situation, I think we did it well. I'm thankful to everyone that was there because they really pushed to be where we are now."

Arsenal's squad is tighter as a result, and Arteta believes the improved chemistry is helping them on the pitch.

"Every day, you see their faces when they walk to the training ground, always paying attention, and then how they connect with each other and how they talk to the staff," he says.

"When they are doing any activity, where is the energy there? What is the focus when they are training? How much attention are they paying to what we are demanding to do? How do they interact with each other when things aren't going that well?

"And, for me, the most important thing in the end is when they talk about the club, about how they are feeling here, how is their body language? What are the words that they use to describe how they are? When that's positive, I think you are in the right direction."

That is not to say Arteta isn't keeping them on their toes.

Aubameyang's absence against Spurs was a reminder that the manager's stance on his "non-negotiables" is unchanged.

"It's our platform, it's the way we live together, and if there is not respect, if there is not trust, if there are not values that we represent every day, nothing is going to happen to achieve what we want to do," Arteta adds.

"We have to be so stable. We have to be so specific, so detailed and so good to challenge the top teams in this country and in Europe, that if you don't have that discipline and that togetherness, you're not going to achieve it, I'm 100 per cent sure, because quality-wise we are still not there."

Arsenal hope to add more quality this summer. Arteta says he is already in "constant communication" with technical director Edu about potential targets and areas in which they can strengthen.

"We are planning everything for the summer, the same with the board, with [chief executive] Vinai [Venkatesham], with [non-executive director] Tim [Lewis], and with the owners," he says.

"We are very clear on how we want to do it.

"When you have to change 10 or 12 things in one window [as in January] it's a lot, and that has some consequences with what has happened in previous months and what is going to happen in the following months.

"We still have to do quite a lot of things to do, but we will get to the point, hopefully, where it's just ticking off a few things and the stability is there, because you need that as well to be consistent and be competitive."

One important consideration for Arteta when it comes to this summer's recruitment is ensuring pathways are not blocked for the club's young players.

Academy graduates Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka have become key figures for Arsenal in recent months while Gabriel Martinelli's late cameo against Olympiakos, following a period out of the side, was a reminder of his considerable talent.

For Arteta, it is a question of striking the right balance between patience and opportunity.

"It's about doing things in the right moments, when they can shine, when they protected and when they have the right players around them as well," he says.

"It's not about playing all the young players in every game, but we are putting a plan together, so they have space around the squad, space in the team, and we have the right flow between the players so they can become really important at the club. That path is being created."

It is just another reason for optimism about what Arteta is doing at Arsenal. The Premier League table does not yet reflect their progress and results like Thursday's are a reminder of the work ahead. But the future looks brighter with him at the helm - even if there are a few more of those scathing assessments still to come.

Watch West Ham vs Arsenal live on Sky Sports Premier League HD from 2.30pm on Sunday; kick-off 3pm

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Mikel Arteta exclusive interview: Arsenal evolution, progress since Christmas and the lessons of adversity - Sky Sports

Believe it or not it is getting easier to receive a vaccine here in Rockland; nearly 23 percent of our population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. That equates to 73,783 people who have gotten a shot in their arms to protect themselves, their families, and our community from this disease.

And with New York State finally removing some of the internal hurdles they set up we are now able to give doses to ANY eligible individuals. Prior to this week we were extremely limited in who we could give shots to due to NYS mandates. I am incredibly pleased that the State has finally seen the error of their ways and agreed to let local health departments vaccinate those who we know need it most.

We have heard of additional doses also being supplied to pharmacies by the Federal government though we dont know how many or to which locations. Still, every vaccine coming here to Rockland is a great step in the right direction. Our recent allocations are vastly improved over the numbers we were seeing in the early weeks and we are making hard fought progress.

Our Health Department is working with community groups and municipalities to host vaccine clinics around Rockland in the areas which need it most. We were in Spring Valley last week and you can expect to see them in Haverstraw soon. You can check on our local vaccination progress by visiting the newest map created by our Planning Department here:

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/d074e0336e81449393a76d1768ceb096

The map shows a breakdown of zip codes and the percent of their population which has received a vaccine. Some areas are doing very well, others not as well. The professionals in our Health Department will continue to focus their efforts on the areas lagging behind because this disease affects everyone regardless of gender, race or religion and the only way to fully protect our community is to get everyone vaccinated.

In addition to our Health Departments outreach efforts to areas that have been underserved by the vaccination process so far, we have now streamlined the sign-up process on our COVID-19 website to make it easier for residents to get appointments to be vaccinated at our clinic in Pomona: http://rocklandgov.com/departments/health/coronavirus-covid-19/

We appreciate hearing from so many of you who have been recently vaccinated and encourage you to tell your friends, families and neighbors to get the shot when it is their turn. In the meantime, if you still need help obtaining a vaccination, we in County government are here to help.

Rockland residents age 60+ can sign up for the Senior COVID-19 Vaccine Waitlist by calling the Rockland County Office for the Aging at 845-364-2110, Monday through Friday (except holidays), 8:00 am 5:00 pm. Spanish and Creole speakers are available. In addition, residents can sign up online at http://rcklnd.us/c19-waitlist.

Anyone else with questions can call the Rockland County COVID-19 Call Center at 845-238-1956 Monday-Friday (except holidays) from 8:00 am 5:00 pm or email [emailprotected]

We truly are making progress and we will get through this process by working together, supporting each other and by acting as true neighbors and looking out for those who are the most at-risk.

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Up Next Hard Fought Progress By Rockland County Executive Ed Day - Rockland Report

At its regular meeting, Monday, March 22, at 7 p.m., the Livermore City Council will hold a public hearing to consider the Annual Progress Report (APR).

This progress report tracks the citys progress toward implementing the housing element of the general plan and meeting its Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA).

The city completed its sixth year of implementing the 2015-2022 housing element.

Government Code Section 65400 requires the city to submit the APR to both the State Housing and Community Development Department and the Governors Office of Planning and Research by April 1.

Government Code Section 65400 also requires that city council consider the report and allow public comment. If council accepts the report, staff will file it with the state prior to the April 1 deadline.

In addition, the Surplus Public Land state law Assembly Bill (AB) 1486 and AB 1255 made changes to the Surplus Land Act and established a new statutory reporting requirement for the 2020 APR. This legislation requires each local agency to establish and report an inventory of publicly owned parcels it has identified as surplus land.

Staff has identified two publicly owned vacant parcels near the northwest corner of Stanley Boulevard and Murrieta Boulevard that will not be necessary for the city's use. The city has not used them, because they have access constraints and are adjacent to a flood channel.

To dial in by phone, call 669-900-6833 (ID: 831 4293 3893).

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Livermore City Council to Review Progress on Meeting Housing Mandates - Livermore Independent

The city of Paragould is to review bids received to build the Eight Mile Creek biking and hiking trail at the end of this month.

The spearheading Greene County Future Fund has been tracking the progress on the project since its inception. According to information made available by Kimberly Dale of the Fund, it has lined up nearly $1 million in grants to make the project happen. And as previously reported, the city of Paragould appropriated $882,500 for the project in its 2020 budget. Of that total, the city spent only $48,040; the balance remains available for appropriation this year.

Paragould Mayor Josh Agee, also a member of the Greene County Future Fund, said on March 8 that the estimated cost of the project will be around $2 million. Well be taking bids at the end of March, he said, so well know.

The bids are to be opened on the 30th at 2 p.m. in City Hall, 301 W. Court St.

When finished, the trail will stretch about four miles from Bland Park on the west to the Highway 412 bridge over the creek between Eighth and 11th Avenues. The trail is to consist of a 10-foot wide, two-inch thick asphalt path, for walking and bicycling. Its aim when completed, according to information from the Future Fund, will be to:

Provide health benefits of biking and walking to area residents, and reduce the incidence of diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

Attract more businesses to Paragould and raise property values, in the expectation that (according to the National Association of Homebuilders) more people will want to move to a city with such amenities, creating more customers for those businesses.

Provide a physical connection among Paragould High School, Paragould Primary School, Greene County Tech Primary School, Harmon Park, Bland Park and Labor Park.

Although the route of the trail intersects Highways 412 and 49, the trail itself will pass beneath the roadways. Then-mayor Mike Gaskill had insisted the trail not actually cross roadways, and routing the trail along the creek beneath the roadways satisfied the concern.

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Future Funds tracks progress of hiking/biking trail - Paragould Daily Press