Editor’s Note: At press time, the following events and meetings were known to be still scheduled. Organizers or appropriate officials are encouraged to contact Sandra Hope at shope@pbcommercial.com to make additions or changes.
Today
Watson Chapel board to meet
The Watson Chapel School Board will hold its monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the district office, 4100 Camden Road. The agenda includes the financial statement, recruitment and retention plan, comprehensive school counseling plan, and staffing update, according to a news release.
Beginning today
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Bridge work to close Pickens road
Bridge maintenance to the Highway 159 Bridge over the Boeuf River requires temporary highway closure near Pickens, according to the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT.) Weather permitting, ARDOT crews will close Highway 159 between Highways 65 and 138 from July 11 through July 21. Message boards and signs will guide drivers through the available detour. Eastbound travelers will use Highway 65 to Highway 138. Westbound travelers will use Highway 138 to Highway 65, according to the news release.
CrEATe Lab Camps open
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas is offering summer camps for ages 7-20. For details, registration and scholarship applications, visit asc701.org/summer-camps. Sessions include: CrEATe Lab Jr Camp — students will receive hands-on training in the kitchen with Kids Cook! owner Faith Anaya. Youth can learn cooking and food preparation skills while exploring different cuisines. The camp will run from 9 a.m.-noon Monday through Friday, July 11-15. It is open to ages 7-10 and is limited to 10 participants. The cost is $100 for members and $120 for nonmembers. For ages 11-17, CrEATe Lab Pro Camp is offered. Students will gain skills and use tools that can enable them to feel confident creating in the kitchen. The camp will run from 1-4 p.m. July 11-15. It is open to ages 11-17 and limited to 10 participants. The cost is $100 for members and $120 for nonmembers.
UAM Kids’ University set
UAM Kids’ University will be held July 11-14. The University of Arkansas at Monticello will host the summer enrichment day camp for youth entering first through sixth grades in the fall. The morning session is for grades 1–3 and will be held from 9 a.m.–noon. The afternoon session is for grades 4–6 and will be held from 1-5 p.m. An early drop-off option is available for both sessions. For registration and details, visit https://www.uamont.edu/about/kids-university.html. Details: Rebecca Newton at kidsu@uamont.edu or (870) 460-1596.
Underway
Pine Bluff area grants available
The Pine Bluff Area Community Foundation (PBACF) will accept grant applications July 10–Aug. 15. Nonprofits in Pine Bluff and Jefferson County may apply online for Giving Tree grants through PBACF. The Giving Tree Grant program is the foundation’s signature grant cycle supporting a broad range of projects to meet immediate local needs, according to a news release. Organizations can apply at https://www.arcf.org/apply-for-giving-tree-grants/ For organizations providing services aimed at educating, assessing and screening members of their organization or the larger community regarding health issues, Jefferson Regional Medical Center has created the JRMC Community Health Endowment. Projects with a special emphasis on early literacy are eligible for Early Literacy grants. Details: https://www.arcf.org/apply/nonprofits/ or call the Pine Bluff Area Community Foundation, at (870) 850-7934.
Beginning Tuesday, July 12
Game on Main set
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas invites 5th-12th graders to a biweekly program at The ARTSpace on Main, 623 S. Main St., Tuesdays, July 12 and July 26, from 3:30-6 p.m. Game on Main provides students with a fun space to socialize with friends and express their creativity with a variety of games. This event will feature strategy and role-playing games as well as classic games like Guess Who, Uno and chess. Game on Main is facilitated by ASC staff members Kayla Earnest and Matthew Howard. This is a free community program, and no registration is required. For more information, contact Howard at mhoward@asc701.org or (870) 536-3375.
Wednesday, July 13
Pine Bluff Commercial sets church news deadline
Church news is printed in The Commercial on Friday. The deadline to submit church announcements is noon Wednesday. Pastors, ministers or others interested in writing for the Devotional Page may also submit columns for consideration. Column writers should have connections to Southeast Arkansas. Articles should be submitted by email to shope@pbcommercial.com. Details: (870) 534-3400, ext. 5.
Thursday, July 14
SBA region chief to visit Pine Bluff
Edward “Ted” James, the Region VI administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, will present opening remarks and a welcome during the SBA Arkansas On the Trail to You event from 10 a.m. to noon July 14 at the Pine Bluff Library, 600 S. Main St. James will be joined by Edward Haddock, SBA Arkansas’ district director, according to a news release. Registration for the free event is available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sba-arkansas-on-the-trail-to-you-july-14th-1000-am-central-time-tickets-332237670817?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery. Details: Arkansas_DO@sba.gov.
Beginning Thursday, July 14
Neighborhood Watch Groups to meet
The Pine Bluff Police Department announced the Neighborhood Watch meetings have resumed and residents are urged to attend July events: Central Park and Taylor Association meets July 14 at 6 p.m. at Family Church, 2309 S. Poplar St. Faucett Road, along with Jefferson Heights and Calvary Association, will meet July 19 at 6 p.m. at Destiny Worship Center, 4700 W. 28th Ave. Sheraton Park meets July 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Church, 4101 Hazel St. East Harding and Belmont/Broadmoor meets July 25 at 6 p.m. at Mt. Harmony Baptist Church, 812 E. Harding Ave. University Park meets July 28 at 6 p.m. at Family Community Development Center, 1001 N. Palm St. Details: Alicia Dorn at adorn@pbpd.org or Chief Lloyd Franklin Sr. at lfranklin@pbpd.org.
Friday, July 15
Small business event set
The 2022 Southeast Arkansas Small Business Development Conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 15 via Zoom. New or aspiring entrepreneurs, business and technical school students, apprentices, veterans, faith-based leaders, and community and economic development professionals are invited to attend the free session. The event will bring together approximately 20 organizations focused on equipping people with resources to start and grow their businesses. An in-person portion will be held at Dermott City Hall, according to a news release. Participants are invited to the “Breakfast with the Lenders Roundtable” at 8:30 a.m. where they can network with local, regional, and statewide lenders. Quanika Jackson, chief executive officer for Platinum Investments Groups Inc., will deliver the luncheon address. The event is free, but registration is required at the Arkansas Human Development Corp. at (800) 482-7641 or (501) 374-1103, ext. 10, or online at https://bit.ly/3A3jaOn.
Blue & You accepts grant applications
The Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas is accepting grant applications from Arkansas public schools, governmental agencies and nonprofit groups. Grants of up to $150,000 are available to support programs focusing on behavioral health resources, the social determinants of health, maternal and pediatric health needs, health equity, whole person health, and medical condition innovation, according to a news release. Applications should be submitted to https://blueandyoufoundationarkansas.org by July 15.
Saturday, July 16
ASC hosts “Big Piph” Morrow Hip-hop workshop
Children ages 10-17 will learn to write and perform hip-hop with “Hip-Hop Community Builder” Epiphany “Big Piph” Morrow 1-2:30 p.m. July 16. The workshop will be held at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas’s home facility, 701 S. Main St. Morrow is a Stanford-educated emcee and a native of Pine Bluff. He performs regularly with his seven-piece band, Tomorrow Maybe, has worked with major industry acts, and was lead coordinator of Global Kids-Arkansas. For more information about Morrow and to see more of his projects, visit his website epiphanymorrow.com. To register for the workshop, visit asc701.org/youth-classes or call (870) 536-3375.
Yoga set at ASC
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas invites patrons 13 and older to exercise and relax with certified yoga instructor Florence “FloEssence” Love every third Saturday from 1:30-3 p.m. during Yoga in the Loft. The next session is on July 16. The cost is “pay-what-you-can,” with $15 being recommended. This program takes place in the Loft Gallery at the ARTSpace on Main, 623 S. Main St. Love will lead participants through an hour of yoga exercise followed by a guided meditation. New and experienced practitioners are welcome. Participants may use the provided yoga mats or bring their own. Please wear yoga-appropriate attire. For more information, contact Shakeelah Rahmaan at srahmaan@asc701.org or (870) 536-3375. The same number can be used for the required advanced registration or by signing up at asc701.org/yoga.
Sunday, July 17
New Community Men’s Day set
New Community Church, 321 N. Birch St. will present its annual Mens Day at 11 a.m. Sunday, July 17. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Jerry Goins, pastor of First Baptist Ladd. The New Community pastor/apostle is Patrick Lockett Sr.
Monday, July 18
Art league hosts watercolor workshop
The Pine Bluff Art League will host award-winning watercolorist Gary Alexander in a watercolor workshop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 18 at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Building, 211 W. Third Ave. The cost is $35 to attend. Alexander previously presented a watercolor demo to the PBAL where he demonstrated a variety of techniques used in the medium.
Beginning Monday, July 18
Education co-op sets summer camp
Seventh-ninth graders are invited to participate in the STEAM on the River summer camp at the Arkansas River Education Service Cooperative (ARESC), 912 W. Sixth Ave., from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. July 18-21 and July 25-28. The deadline to enroll in ths free event is July 11. STEAM on the River was developed for students interested in science, engineering, art, and innovation, according to a news release. Students will utilize drones, robots, sensors and other technology to conduct experiences in the field. They will use their collected data to solve real world problems and design presentations to communicate their findings to various audiences. Details: Bill Shelly, camp director, (870) 730-2933; shellyb@aresc.k12.ar.us; or ARESC (870) 534-6129 or https://www.aresc.k12.ar.us/aegis.
Science Camp opens at ASC
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas is offering summer camps for ages 7-20. For details, registration and scholarship applications, visit asc701.org/summer-camps. Sessions include: ASC’s Science Camp — Campers will create models and explore activities that will demonstrate various scientific principles to demonstrate how the universe works, whether that be gravity, time, planets, or more. This camp will run from 9 a.m.-noon Monday-Friday, July 18-22. This camp is open to ages 7-11 and is limited to 15 participants. The cost is $100 for members and $120 for nonmembers.
ASC hosts Film Camp
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas is offering summer camps for ages 7-20. For details, registration and scholarship applications, visit asc701.org/summer-camps. Sessions include: ASC’s Film Camp — The camp will explore storytelling as an art form, develop film ideas, shoot video, record audio and edit creations based on the “Space and Time” theme. The camp will run from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. July 18-22. It is open to ages 12-17 years old and is limited to 15 participants. The cost is $100 for members and $120 for nonmembers.
Wednesday, July 20
Chamber sets SizeUp webinar
The Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce is helping new businesses be better prepared for success through improved business planning and marketing with an innovative online service called SizeUp Jefferson County. The service is available free to all local entrepreneurs on the Chamber website. The SizeUp training webinar will be held at 10 a.m. July 20, according to the Chamber newsletter. To register for the SizeUp training webinar, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_v-pdpsK-RdyQ0E2_L9HM-g. To explore SizeUp, visit https://jeffersoncountyalliance.com/chamber/sizeup-jefferson-county-tool/ Details: Jennifer Kline at jennifer@jeffersoncountyalliance.com.