Arkansas
Access to trail near Arkansas River to be briefly restricted for Southside dam project
Pueblo Water will temporarily restrict access to a trail near City Park so it can safely continue its reconstruction of the Southside Diversion Dam and Raw Water Intake facility.
In a news release Wednesday, the agency stated that a trail that runs between City Park and the Wild Horse Creek Bridge south of the Arkansas River will be closed so crews can continue constructing its Waterworks Park project.
A trail on the north end of the river that runs between Pueblo Boulevard and the same bridge will remain open.
It’s unclear exactly how long the closure will last, but work to install a new pedestrian bridge in the area will take at least several weeks, said Joe Cervi, public relations specialist for Pueblo Water.
In the release, Pueblo Water noted that the closure is in place to “ensure the safety of visitors and construction workers.” It went into effect on Wednesday.
Pueblo Water and Holcim WCR, the project’s contractor, began the rehabilitation effort in November. The project seeks to improve safety on that portion of the Arkansas River and will revitalize the area with a water park, which, in part, will allow people to better navigate downstream.
A series of six drops, or pools, will be built along the north side of the river and will fall incrementally at a total of 12 feet. Each pool will be about 3 to 4 feet deep and feature “beaches” alongside them if people want to temporarily exit the water.
The area’s 12-foot dam will be replaced with a chute spillway that will offer people a “safer and less dangerous” path downstream, said Seth Clayton, executive director of Pueblo Water. The project’s design maintains some of the dam’s key functions, including the ability to divert water to the Riverside Dairy Ditch.
The new pedestrian bridge will tie into a new trail system, which will connect with an existing trail near the north end of the river. A separate pedestrian bridge that’s currently there will no longer be relocated upstream but instead removed to make way for the new one, Cervi said.
The $11 million project is mostly covered by a nearly $10 million low-interest loan Pueblo Water secured from the Colorado Water Conservation Board. The city, county and Pueblo Conservancy District each pitched in $325,000, while Pueblo Water will pay the remaining costs.
Pueblo Water first announced the project in 2021. The agency accelerated efforts to complete it after a father and son drowned on that stretch of the river when they were ejected from their raft.
At the time of the project’s start, construction was estimated to last between 10 and 12 months.
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Chieftain reporter Josue Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @josuepwrites. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.
Arkansas
Arkansas making progress against human trafficking, official tells Rotary
Arkansas
Doctor gives coping tips during Arkansas’ elongated allergy season
Little Rock, Ark. (KATV/KAIT) – With allergy season arriving early this year, one doctor is advising people on how to cope with different types of pollen.
According to our content partner KATV, Dr. Eddie Shields with Arkansas Allergy and Asthma Clinic says three types of pollen cause allergies. Tree pollen, grass, and weeds are the main three types of pollen.
“The less exposure you have to the pollen, the better off you are. So, leave the windows shut in the house and in the car. If you’re going to be outside working in the yard in the pollen, wearing a mask and eye protection is helpful. As soon as you’re finished, shower and get the pollen off of you,” says Dr. Shields.
Dr. Shields says that over-the-counter medications like nasal sprays work best during allergy season.
As a last result, you can treat allergies by getting an allergy shot.
“That’s what we see all the time. It works 80 to 90% of the time,” Dr. Shields added. “They tell me I should have done this ten years ago because it really is that effective and it really does change the course of the disease.”
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Copyright 2024 KAIT. All rights reserved.
Arkansas
Former Arkansas House Speaker dies
JONESBORO, Ark. (KARK/KAIT) – Former Arkansas House Speaker Benny Petrus has died at the age of 67.
According to our content partner KARK, Petrus died Friday, May 17.
Petrus served as a Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2002 until 2009. He served as House Speaker from 2007 to 2009.
Petrus was a successful Stuttgart businessman who owned several car dealerships.
He is survived by his wife and two children.
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Copyright 2024 KAIT. All rights reserved.
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