The thaw has begun. Hot Springs, facing a critical water situation this week, has said residents may stop dripping faucets because temperatures have risen sufficiently to make frozen pipes less of a problem. Low water pressure prompted the temporary closure of the Saracen Casino in Pine Bluff. The Oaklawn Casino in Hot Springs is open today. It closed at midnight Friday to help with local water issues but reopened at 10 a.m. today. (Saracen is back open, I’m told.)

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Main arteries are open in Little Rock, but many side streets remain a problem. Four-wheel drive vehicles can make it up the hill from my house, sometimes, but clearing is many hours off. I’m hoping for rain Sunday.

Here’s the governor’s daily COVID-19 report. Cases are up sharply, to more than 500 new ones in the last 24 hours, though on only 3,663 tests. That positive rate is high. Vaccine distribution was up in the last 24 hours compared with the previous couple of days but was still only about half of what had been achieved before the big freeze.

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The line is open.

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