ARKADELPHIA—Groundbreaking was held today for the Clark County Child Care center, a new 24-hour facility that will serve up to 100 children per shift and is scheduled to open by the end of 2008.

The center, funded by a $690,000 grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, will be constructed by Southern Community Development Corporation (CDC) on 2 acres of land in the Clark County Industrial Park on U.S. 67 south of Arkadelphia.

The passage of a ½-cent sales tax last summer is the greatest accomplishment of the economic development subcommittee, said Bill Wright, an advisory member. Thanks to the overwhelming support of the county citizens, that money is now being used to bring new business and jobs into Clark County.

The formation of a Boys and Girls Club in Arkadelphia is in its first stages thanks to the leadership subcommittee of the Clark County Strategic Planning Committee. The subcommittee and other interested persons met Thursday afternoon with Ben Steinberg and Tim Schuringa of Southern Financial Partners. Schuringa was one of the founding board members of the Boys and Girls Club in Helena.

All economic development organizations in Clark County are now united into the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance.

The decision to unite was made by committees of the Economic Development Corp. of Clark County and the Arkadelphia Area Chamber of Commerce. Other groups included in the alliance are the Clark County Industrial Council and the Gurdon Chamber of Commerce. There is also a spot for other organizations in the future, said Kelli Lancaster, president of the Arkadelphia Chamber.

…There are 21 charitable clinics in the state, Morrison said. Their purpose is to provide basic health care to persons who have no health insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare.

LITTLE ROCK – Two school districts that had been taken over by the state for financial problems regained local control Monday and seven more districts were added to a list of schools being monitored by the state for money woes.

The board unanimously voted to remove Midland and Helena-West Helena school districts from the list of fiscally distressed schools starting July 1. They are two of three districts that have been under state control for financial problems.

Ben Steinberg of Helena-West Helena has joined the Southern Good Faith Fund Board of Directors, Southern Good Faith Fund President Angela Duran announced today. Herman Davenport of Little Rock, a Southern Good Faith Fund board member since 2002, has been elected to serve as board Chairman, Duran said.

ELAINE—The City of Elaine has received a $5,000 grant from Southern Financial Partners toward construction of a children’s basketball court for the city park, SFP Senior Vice President Joe Black announced today.

The total budget for the project is $10,000. SFP’s grant will be used to match a $5,000 grant from the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. The project will add a basketball court exclusively for children ages 6 to 13.

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has become the champion of payday lending opponents, vowing to shut down an industry that they say preys on the poor and traps them in debt.