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Mayor Greg Ahrent, the city council, as well as area citizens, have been concerned about securing an ambulance service for area residents for the past few months and a tentative agreement was reached during a public meeting on Monday night, March 11 between the city and Medic One. On March 7, Medic One, headquartered in Jonesboro, submitted a bid proposal received by the mayor’s office. The city came to a verbal agreement to sign a five year contract with Medic One to serve as the ambulance service for Corning during the public meeting. The specific details are to be worked out in an official contract.

As we do, I, like most of my friends, spend a lot of time thinking of the good old days. But let’s face it, many of them weren’t as good as you might remember.

With a bit of planning, you can find the perfect spot to see this wonder of nature. WHERE TO WATCH If you’re wanting to see a total solar eclipse, you need to make sure you find a spot within the path of totality.

LITTLE ROCK – Legislators held budget hearings to scrutinize every spending category in state government, in preparation for the fiscal session that begins April 10. Leading off the agenda was the presentation of a balanced budget for next fiscal year.

In the previous column, I discussed the alarming growth of “ambulance deserts” across Arkansas. As we observe a decline in the availability of ambulance services, there is a concurrent increase in both the demand for these services and the cost of private ambulance services. In Arkansas, 15% of emergency medical services (EMS) are fire-based, 12% are hospital-based, 10% are public but not fire-related, and a staggering 63% are privately operated.

Pre-fiscal session budget hearings took place at the Capitol last week. The hearings began with the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) presenting the Governor’s recommendation for a balanced budget.

Many events are lined up for spring as Chamber members discussed at the March luncheon on Monday, March 11 at 11:30 a.m. at the American Dragon in Corning. The guest speaker was Sherry Navarete-Harper with CherryRoad Media, publishing house of the Clay County Courier. Harper shared the mission and priority of the company to keep local, local. Harper stated that regular, consistent advertising in newspapers helps build brand awareness. She described the tools in the Cherry-Road Media toolbox which includes opportunities to celebrate local achievements, such as Graduation and Veteran Editions in special sections. They also provide commercial printing of magazines, guides, marketing postcards and brochures. A good example of is their lifestyle magazine, Arkansas Crossroads, a beautiful magazine that celebrates all things Arkansas with a footprint throughout the state. She explained that CherryRoad Media helps communities with hyper local editorial coverage of the things that are important to them. CherryRoad Media offers digital marketing solutions through websites that they can build for customers for as little as $89 a month with no upfront fee and offered a deal for Chamber of Commerce members at a price of $65. She spoke of the value of targeted marketing tactics such as, pay per click ads, social advertising, targeted display ads streaming radio and tv and direct mail for budgets as low as $150 a month, as well as a digital recruitment platform that spreads a business’ job posting across all general and industry specific job boards.

Following the public meeting concerning the ambulance service, the Corning City Council met for it’s regular monthly meeting on Monday, March 11 at the M.B. Ainley, Jr. Community Center. After the regular preliminary protocols, the meeting began with all councilmen in attendance, along with the mayor, city clerk and city attorney.