Aquatics center sets Christmas celebration
A Christmas celebration will be held at the Pine Bluff Carl Redus Jr. Aquatics Center, 400 E. 11th Ave., from 1-4 p.m.. Dec. 17.
The Santa Fire Truck will also be there from 2-4 p.m. The community is invited to attend.
“Hang out with us for Christmas movies, games, goodie bags and various prizes, including free memberships and day passes,” a spokesperson said in a news release.
The aquatics center is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Details: (870) 850-7620.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Moscow church to open pantry
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church at Moscow will open its food pantry at noon Dec. 16. The food will be given away on a first come, first served basis in a drive-thru event.
Participants are asked to bring a picture ID and stay in their vehicles as the staff brings food to them, according to a news release.
Minority health panel offers scholarships
The Arkansas Minority Health Commission is accepting applications for its Minority Health Workforce Diversity scholarship until Dec. 31.
Minority college students who plan to pursue a career in health are encouraged to apply. Full-time scholarship recipients will receive $1,000 per academic year and part-time recipients, $500 per academic year.
The goal of the scholarship is to help increase diversity in the state’s healthcare workforce, which could have positive effects on the health of minority populations and the quality of care in Arkansas, according to a news release.
Applications are available at arminorityhealth.com/initiatives/workforce-diversity-scholarship.
The completed application form must be emailed to AMHC’s human resource specialist, Onekia Freeman, at Onekia.Freeman@arkansas.gov.
Summit Soundz to present concert
Summit Baptist Church, 901 Ridgway Road, will host the Christmas Spectacular Concert presented by the Summit Soundz Celebration Band at 6 p.m. Dec. 17. The concert is free and open to the public, according to a news release.
The program will feature Christmas favorites including songs from the movie, “Polar Express.” A medley of 30 familiar tunes entitled, “Christmas In A Nutshell,” will be presented using themes from the Nutcracker Suite.
Instrumental features will involve student baritone soloist Henry Chase; a special trumpet duet by White Hall High School Band Directors – Kameron Willis and Christa Haynes; and solos performed by Garry Henson on trumpet and Al Wimberly on alto sax. Special guest vocalist will be Barry Bates singing “Sweet Little Jesus Boy.”
“This concert will truly be spectacular,” said Lewis Hinkle, director of Summit Soundz. “We are playing such a variety of Christmas music that you are going to enjoy it!”
Many of the band’s students attend White Hall or Star City schools. The school with the most people in audience attendance will receive $100 for their band booster program.
Legal Services has new director
The Center for Arkansas Legal Services announced that Milo Mumgaard is its new executive director.
CALS, based at Little Rock, has a 44-county service area with satellite offices at Pine Bluff, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, El Dorado, Russellville, Benton, and Rogers, according to a news release.
CALS provides low-income Arkansans with free legal assistance on some of the most challenging and pressing legal problems they face, including evictions, domestic violence, debt collections, and family financial support, according to the release.
Mumgaard has more than 30 years of experience leading civil legal services and public interest legal programs across the country.
Most recently, Mumgaard served seven years as executive director of Legal Aid of Nebraska, a statewide legal services non-profit law firm based in Omaha.
During his tenure there, the agency doubled its staff to more than 100 (including almost 60 lawyers), nearly doubled its revenue and budget to more than $11 million annually, launched new community-based projects to more effectively bring critically needed civil legal services to families and communities and significantly increased its pro bono (volunteer) legal profession support and participation, according to the release.