HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — The federal government shutdown is rippling far beyond Washington, leaving Arkansas workers, families and tourists caught in the middle.
On Monday, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders directed cabinet secretaries to work with state agencies to determine which programs would be suspended and which employees would be furloughed. As of Oct. 1, agencies that rely on federal funding were forced to pause operations.
One of the hardest-hit areas is the National Park Service. In Hot Springs, all eight federally owned bathhouses are now closed — a disappointment for visitors who traveled long distances to see the city’s historic centerpiece.
“We can’t learn anything of the history of this place, and we spent over a thousand miles on the road to get here,” one tourist said. “Now we’re