Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Roebuck tells Rotary she's working for area

Gurdon Rotary Club president Billy Tarpley opened this weeks meeting with

opening remarks and introductions of Rotary District Administrator Joe Fish,

owner of Pharr Funeral Home Terry Pharr, Regional District Manager Scott

Brown and manager of Pharr Funeral in Gurdon, Mike Chandler, with Pharr

and Brown expressing interest in becoming members of Gurdon Rotary.

After club discussions and updates, Tarpley introduced the guest speaker,

State Rep. Johnnie Roebuck. Tarpley applauded Roebuck on how well she

has served this area in more ways than one, task-forcing for higher education

and working tirelessly for Gurdon and Clark County.

Roebuck addressed the club by asking everyone to encourage others to vote

and take someone to vote. Roebuck said, People are going to have a lot to

vote for this year, adding that the goal is to have the largest voter turnout in

the state. Roebuck said she has been hitting the ground working, ever since

shes been in office, trying to help the State of Arkansas. The term limit for

the state legislature is six years, and before you know it, that time will be

expired.

Roebuck spoke on her major issues and concerns, including higher

education. She said she sponsored a bill to create a task force to do research to

solve the problems of remediation, retention and graduation. Students could

get into college but couldnt get out. Roebuck said, When students take

remedial classes they dont receive credit for those classes. Studies show if a

student takes one remedial class they have a 10 percent chance of graduating,

two remedial classes 5 percent, and 3 remedial classes, zero chance.

On the topic of litter, Roebuck said, Arkansas is the Natural State, but to me

it has become a filthy state, and we just have a real problem. She said she

hopes to sponsor an anti-litter bill again, with the goal of making it important

to keep litter off roads, and help recycle, especially plastics.

On Code of Ethics for Teachers, she said that on Sept. 1, a bill went into effect

for every teacher to sign an ethics contract which must not be violated. Also,

teachers will have to pay $100 for a license.

Roebuck said that she is committed to studying the escalating rates of

hospital infections in the State of Arkansas and will give a report on how each

hospital rates on infection control. Citizens will have the choice as to which

hospital they want to be admitted. Roebuck said, There are concerns that

people enter into hospitals, get treated for their illness, but contract an

infection due to some hospitals being unclean.

My priorities are whatever your priorities are, and if you have a concern,

contact me, I want to hear from you. I will do the research, and inform you on

the results. Just know there are 135 people in legislature hardworking, and are

working for you, Roebuck said.