LR receives $1M
in CARES funding
Little Rock received more than $1 million this month through a third round of funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson announced the allocation of the remaining $1.988 billion CARES Act funding for the Community Block Grant program, which is being distributed across the country.
The focus is on places with households facing higher risk of eviction, the agency announced earlier this month.
Little Rock received $1,016,477. The funds can be used to provide financial assistance for rent for up to six months.
They are specifically focused on communities with:
• High rates of workers in industries that had lots of job loss in states with high unemployment.
• More businesses in industries with job loss in states with high unemployment.
• Concentrations of people most at risk of virus transmission and eviction, with greater amounts for states with high rates of coronavirus infections.
Award recognizes
museum program
The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History received the "Outstanding Achievement in Education Award" at the Arkansas Museums Association annual business meeting, the city announced Friday.
The Little Rock museum was given the award for the Reading Brigade, its youth literacy program for students in pre-kindergarten-through-fifth grade. Lessons consist of reading a book about U.S. military history aloud to students followed by activities that meet common core standards in literacy.
These activities include crafts, drawing, character analysis and plot mapping, among others.
Last year, the program served more than 11,000 students, coordinating with the Little Rock School District and the city's Parks and Recreation Department.