What Arkansas’ experts foresee in the pandemic

By Steve Brawner
© 2021 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

I’m not an expert in infectious disease epidemiology now, any more than I’m an expert in presidential impeachment law. But I can tell you what the people who are experts are saying: This is going to be a rough stretch in the pandemic in Arkansas.

Here’s Dr. Jose Romero, Arkansas’ secretary of health, at the governor’s weekly press conference Dec. 29: “We are seeing increased numbers of cases. And I expect, unfortunately, to see further increase in cases in the next couple of weeks.”

Dr. Joe Thompson, Arkansas Center for Health Improvement president and CEO, told me, “I think we still have a couple of months that … will be very challenging for the health care system, and also just for the general public.”

Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, the state’s epidemiologist, said, “We are headed into several weeks of potential great difficulty because of the high number of cases, the high number of hospitalizations, and unfortunately an increasing number of deaths.”

And Dr. Cam Patterson, chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, tweeted Dec. 30, “Unless circumstances change drastically, this will get worse before it gets better.” Continue reading →

Pittman won by winning three games, and not more

By Steve Brawner
© 2021 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

The Arkansas Razorbacks finished the season 3-7, but they were 10 points from being 6-4. For Coach Sam Pittman’s long-term job security, it was better that they were 3-7.

The Razorbacks had gone 2-10 the past two seasons, often looking embarrassingly overmatched. Former UA Athletic Director Frank Broyles’ worst nightmare had come true: Arkansas State probably was better.

The program reached such a low that Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek fired former coach Chad Morris with two games left in only his second season, triggering a $10 million buyout.

Pittman wasn’t the glamorous choice for a replacement, but he had two things going for him. Continue reading →

Arkansans of the Year: Servant-healers on the front lines

By Steve Brawner
© 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

If the first Gulf War in 1990-91 was when Americans relearned respect for military service personnel, and the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 reminded us of the bravery of firefighters, then 2020 is the year to appreciate doctors and nurses who are battling the COVID-19 pandemic on the front lines.

Each year, Time magazine names its Person of the Year, and in that spirit I argue for an Arkansan or Arkansans of the Year in my little newspaper column. This year, there can be only one choice: the state’s brave, caring medical professionals. Continue reading →

Arkansan of the Year – almost

By Steve Brawner
© 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Time magazine annually names its “Person of the Year,” or “Persons,” and in that spirit I write a little column about my Arkansan of the Year. This year, Time chose President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, wrongly. This was not the year to name an elected official.

But I will name one as the runner-up in Arkansas: Gov. Asa Hutchinson. The Arkansans who rank ahead of him are in my next post.

Time’s Person of the Year is based not so much on greatness or even goodness but on impact and significance, which is why it’s chosen Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Putin in the past.

Under that standard – impact and significance – Hutchinson would surely qualify. Who knew the governor could be so important? His actions have more directly affected all Arkansans’ lives this year than any elected official’s have since … maybe Franklin Roosevelt? Continue reading →

No Pearl Harbor moment this time

By Steve Brawner
© 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

In the years before World War II, Americans were aware of the conflicts that were happening overseas, but they were determined to stay out of them. George Washington had urged the nation to avoid taking sides in international affairs, and that sentiment had endured. The country’s involvement in World War I, known then as the “Great War,” had not accomplished much besides getting a lot of people killed. The Great Depression had only recently ended.

Given all that, it’s not surprising that many Americans wanted to stay out of the latest in a thousand years of European wars. Charles Lindbergh, the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, was an outspoken leader of the 800,000-member America First Committee. As explained by the National World War II Museum’s website, one poll in January 1940 found 88% of Americans opposed to declaring war against the European Axis powers led by Germany.

In fact, some Americans were on Germany’s side. Some of German descent formed the German American Bund, which drew 20,000 people to a rally in Madison Square Garden in 1939, along with lots of protesters outside of it.

Sentiment shifted as Americans witnessed Germany’s bombing campaign against the British. By April 1941, 68% favored going to war against the Axis if there were no other way to defeat them. At that point, Americans were divided. Continue reading →