City, county offices closed Good Friday
Pine Bluff City Hall and related offices and the Jefferson County Courthouse and county offices will be closed April 15, Good Friday. Emergency services won’t be affected, according to a county spokesman.
County to host active shooter drill
The Jefferson County Office of Emergency Management, in conjunction with the County Sheriff’s Office, will conduct an active shooter drill for the county courthouse on May 26 at about 10 a.m. The drill will last no longer than two hours and the courthouse will be closed during the event, according to a news release.
This drill will be held to test evacuation procedures in response to an active shooter, test internal communications between departments and to ensure employees follow guidelines established in the Courthouse’s Emergency Plan.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
All county offices located in the courthouse are expected to participate in the drill. Details: Office of Emergency Management, (870) 541-5470.
Child care training rescheduled
Due to the snow in March, the annual Best Care Child Care Provider Training was re-scheduled for 8 a.m. April 23 at the Parish Hall of St. Joseph Catholic Church, 412 W. Sixth Ave. Registration for the free event will begin at 7:30 a.m.
Participants are asked to bring their own lunch. Healthy snacks will be provided, according to a news release.
Instructors will be family and consumer sciences agents Mary Ann Kizer for Jefferson County, and Susan Thomason for Grant County, along with the state Best Care coordinator, Rebecca Simon.
Topics include: Child Care Prepared, Effective Communication, Growing Young Gardeners, Healthy Habits: Nutrition and Fitness Practices, Infant Care and Self-Regulation, Music in Early Learning, Making a Clean Sweep, Playground Safety, STEAM in Outdoor Learning, and When Accidents Happen.
A total of 10 credit hours can be earned for attending the entire day. The pre-registration deadline is April 21. Child care providers need at least 15 in-service hours each year.
For details or to pre-register, contact Mary Ann Kizer at the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service, (870) 534-1033 or mkizer@uada.edu.
Area Agency tells menu
The Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas is serving lunches from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays at the senior centers. Lunches available next week include:
Monday — Tuna Salad, broccoli slaw, tomato wedges, lite lemon cheese cake, and milk.
Tuesday — Pnto beans with ham, sliced tomato and onion, cooked cabbage, cornbread, angel food cake withs strawberries and milk.
Wednesda — Meatloaf, okra and tomatoes, scalloped potatoes, peaches, and milk.
Thursday — Breaded chicken strips, macaroni and cheese, beets, tropical fruit, and milk.
Friday — Pepper steak over rice, green beans, roasted carrots, autumn delight, and milk.
Details: Strachota Senior Citizens Center, (870) 543-6323.
House of Bread opens pantry April 16
House of Bread Deliverance Church, 500 S. Main St., will open its food pantry April 16 from 11 a.m. to noon or until all the food boxes are gone.
Food will be given away on a first come, first served basis and only one box will be given per household. Clients must bring utility bills and driver’s license or ID. Everyone is required to wear a mask, according to a news release.
All clients must fill out new intake forms for 2022 if they haven’t already done so. Participants won’t get a box if they don’t have the information required, according to the release.