In Hope, Arkansas, the officials of Hempstead County have compiled their year-end reports, which outline the trials and tribulations of the last year. While County Judge Wallace Martin reported many difficulties with local roadways, Hempstead County Clerk Sandra Rodgers reported a great number of improvements at the county courthouse, including asbestos abatement.

“We had a tough year weather wise. We had a lot of equipment break down. We have good equipment, we just had a lot of break downs which gets us behind on our work,” Martin said. “We started off like a normal year until all the rain set in. We had a lot of problems due to the rain and weather. The last rains in the fall didn’t affect us as bad due to the previous work. We had damage but didn’t have to have a disaster declared. At one time we had about 16 roads with a problem…We are trying to get that worked through FEMA and that is a slow, slow, process.”

Meanwhile, thing progressed more smoothly at the county courthouse, with renovations and asbestos abatement wrapping up earlier this year. Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and while there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure. Therefore, removal of this carcinogenic substance is of the highest importance. The asbestos at the courthouse was present in aging flooring material.

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