Library board schedules 2 meetings
The Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library System will hold two special board of trustee meetings. Meetings will be held at 10 a.m. today and at 10 a.m. March 23, according to a news release. To attend by phone, interested persons should call the main library at 870-534-4802.
City to honor businesswoman, lawman
The city of Pine Bluff will host a special event to celebrate late business owner Wanda Bateman and Pine Bluff Police Det. Kevin Collins.
On March 23, at 1 p.m., a parade will begin at Eighth Avenue and Convention Center Drive. At 2:15 p.m., a celebratory program will start at the eastern steps of city hall,according to a news release.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Bateman died in February 2020 and Collins was fatally wounded in the line of duty in October 2020. Details: https://www.cityofpinebluff-ar.gov/
Housing board to meet next week
The Pine Bluff Housing Authority will hold its Board of Commissioners meeting at 6 p.m. March 24 at Colonial Steakhouse, 111 W. Eighth Ave., according to a news release. Details: 870-541-0706.
Mayor urges follow-up vaccine shots
Mayor Shirley Washington’s office is urging those who received a first dose of the covid-19 vaccine on Feb. 26 to schedule appointments for the second dose.
Those who received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine will need to call Doctor’s Orders Pharmacy to schedule a time to receive the second dose on March 19. Those who received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine will need to call Doctor’s Orders to schedule an appointment to receive the second dose by March 26, according to a news release.
If individuals don’t remember which vaccine they received, they should contact the pharmacy. Details: Doctor’s Orders Pharmacy, 870-671-4914.
Altheimer lock reopens to river traffic
Joe Hardin Lock (No. 3) NM 50.2 at Altheimer reopened to navigation traffic Tuesday. Delays were possible while work crews relocated equipment, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
From March 1-11, intermittent delays were scheduled for cleaning and preparation for the centerpost pull test. A full lock closure was planned for the test beginning March 12, according to the news release. Details: Little Rock District Office, (501) 324-5739 or CESWL-OP-OM@usace.army.mil.
Blood drive set at convention center
The Arkansas Blood Institute is hosting a community Blood Drive from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 25 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center in the banquet hall. All blood donations will support Jefferson Regional Medical Center, according to a news release.
To check eligibility or to schedule an appointment, interested people may visit https://www.yourbloodinstitute.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/348517.
Online horticulture conference near
The 11th annual Bi-States Cooperative Extension Program Horticulture Conference will be held virtually March 25 beginning at 9:30 a.m. The conference is sponsored by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Small Farm Program and Prairie View A&M University Agriculture and Natural Resources Program, according to a news release.
Topics will include lost heirloom apple cultivars, specialty crops, small acreage crop production, soil health, plant diseases, beneficial insect pollinators in the garden and urban forestry. To register, interested participants should go to https://pvpanther.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0scu-hqzMoGNS85w9lbRCzKmgjTYs4qm66.
Details: Kandi Williams, UAPB Extension program aide, at 870-571-9428 or williamska@uapb.edu or Brandon Hawkins, PVA&MU Extension agent, at 903-6286702 or brhawkins@pvamu.edu.
Grand Prairie arts festival taking entries
The Grand Prairie Festival of the Arts will accept entries in the decorative arts category, according to the Grand Prairie Arts Council news release. Due to the health crisis, all arts festival exhibitions will be online.
Entries from adults and youth will be received from noon to 5 p.m. March 26 and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 27. The exhibit will be open April 5-30, according to the release.
An artists’ reception open house will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. April 6. Entry pick ups will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 30 and May 1.
To enter art work and for details, visit www.grandprairiearts.com. For questions, participants may send emails to arts001@centurytel.net.
The Arts Center of the Grand Prairie at Stuttgart/Grand Prairie Arts Council is committed to safe practice following the guidelines as directed by the governor, Arkansas Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.