President Barack Obama has declared 24 Arkansas counties federal disaster areas after torrential rains struck the state in December, according to the Associated Press. Ouachita County is one of those counties.

Information from the office of the president’s press secretary states that the declaration pertains to flooding and severe storms that occurred during Dec. 23 - Jan. 2.

The disaster declaration makes federal funding available to state and local agencies, along with some private nonprofit organizations, for recovery efforts, the AP stated.

Other countie...