TOPPS sets Tuesday food giveaway
TOPPS (Targeting Our People’s Priorities with Service) Inc. will give away food at 10 a.m. Tuesday at TOPPS, 1000 Townsend Drive. Food boxes will be given away in a drive-thru method until all boxes are gone, according to a news release.
Sponsors include the Pine Bluff Police Department, Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, Arkansas Food Bank, Canaan Christian Center, TOPPS and private donors. Details: TOPPS, (870) 850-6011.
Mayor’s State of City speech slated
Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley M. Washington will deliver the State of the City address at 6 p.m. March 18 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. The event was rescheduled because of inclement weather.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Washington looks forward to sharing major accomplishments in the city from the past year, as well as its goals for this year, according to the mayor’s Facebook page.
Because of covid-19, capacity will be limited to protect the health and safety of the public, and safeguards such as social distancing and mask wearing will be implemented. The address will be streamed on Facebook @MayorShirleyWashington.
Association plans for talent show
Because of recent weather events, Southeast Arkansas Concert Association rescheduled the Ashley County Talent Hunt show for 3 p.m. March 13. Winners will be filmed by arrangement. The deadline for audition videos is 11:59 p.m. Saturday. Videos can be sent to searkconcertassociation@gmail.com or by Facebook or Instagram. Audition fees are $5 for solos and $10 for groups.
The Desha County Talent Show will also be held March 13 at 10 a.m. at the McGehee Boys and Girls Club in McGehee. Shows will also be held in Bradley County and Lincoln County on April 10. Details: (870) 460-1888.
Area’s spellers to compete in bee
The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas will sponsor the Arkansas State Spelling Bee on March 13 at the Arkansas 4-H Center at Little Rock. Because of the pandemic, the bee will be closed to the public. One winner from each county is eligible to participate, according to a news release.
Southeast Arkansas contestants include Arkansas County, Trinitee Davis; Bradley County, McKenley Grace Bryant; Cleveland County, Allison Leigh Fugate; Grant County, Avery Grayson Williams; Jefferson County, Rosie Garner; and Lincoln County, Boston Thomas Standridge.
The Arkansas winner will proceed to The Scripps National Spelling Bee. Details: www.aecc.com/spellingbee.
Items needed for children’s center
The Children’s Advocacy Center of Southeast Arkansas is in need of supplies. The center needs juice, water, snacks, fast-food gift cards and paper towels, according to the newsletter of the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Last year, the center served nearly 300 children in the community.
“The mission of The Children’s Advocacy Center is to reduce the trauma to abused children during the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases and to improve the system’s response to child abuse by uniting the efforts of all agencies involved,” according to the newsletter.
To make donations, people may call (870) 850-7105.
The Pine Bluff Commercial