Hutchinson to discuss ethics
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will be discussing legal ethics in agriculture at the 12th Annual Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference in June.
Hutchinson, who is also former head of the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and undersecretary of Homeland Security, will lead a legal ethics session at the Mid-South, “Legal Ethics for Ag Industry Professionals: CFIUS, Foreign Ownership, & National Security.”
CFIUS is the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.
“Governor Hutchinson brings an extraordinarily unique legal and public service background to the table, and we’re very honored that he will be a part of this year’s Mid-South conference in Memphis,” said Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center, or NALC.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Hutchinson has many years of experience in the topic. In addition to his time as governor and in Congress, he served as undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and head of the DEA during the George W. Bush Administration. He is also the founder of Asa Hutchinson Law Group, an international business and immigration firm with offices in Arkansas, Washington, D.C., Madrid and Paris.
The Mid-South conference is co-hosted by the NALC and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation.
Hutchinson said the conference is a great opportunity to address unique federal and state issues and the ethics issues presented by them.
“I’m looking forward to speaking with professionals from across the agriculture industries at the Mid-South,” Hutchinson said. “We’ll explore relevant legal issues stemming from timely national security topics, such as foreign investments in U.S. land, and how to balance compliance with aggressive state laws, CFIUS regulations and good ethics and fairness.”
The Mid-South will be held June 5-6 at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in Memphis, Tenn. The program features networking opportunities and legal education credit for agricultural professionals including students, producers, attorneys, policymakers and more.
Those who register by May 13 are eligible for bonus CLE/CE during the online “Early Bird” on May 14. Conference registration is available online at nationalaglawcenter.org/midsouth2025.
EOD to destroy Arsenal items
Personnel from the Little Rock Air Force Base Explosive Ordnance Detachment will be destroying obsolete production items at the Pine Bluff Arsenal on Monday.
Residents living close to the Arsenal should not be alarmed if they hear loud noises and see smoke coming from the site Monday, according to a news release.
Sheriff’s office warns of scam
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office issued a public warning about a recent email scam reported by concerned citizens.
“We want to ensure the safety and security of our residents and to prevent anyone from falling victim to this fraudulent activity,” according to a news release.
This email is fake. Scammers pretend it’s a message from Judge John Kearney and requests the receiver to select to view content.
“We want the public to know that this is not from Judge John Kearney and by clicking on the view content could release malware into your computer or be a request for money,” according to the release.
If citizens have any information related to this incident or have been targeted by a similar scam, they should contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Criminal Investigations Division at (870) 541-5496.
Retired teachers to meet
The Jefferson County Retired Teachers Association will meet at 11:30 a.m. April 17 in the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Center, 211 W. Third Ave.
Mark White, executive director of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System, will discuss the benefits and current health of the retirement system.
Additionally, Trenton Powell of Arkansas Game & Fish Commission will speak briefly about recruiting volunteers for the Delta Rivers Nature Center at Regional Park.
Member reservations are required for the luncheon to be provided by Ms. Dee’s Diner at $12 per person. Members are asked to bring dry macaroni pasta or rice to be donated to Neighbor to Neighbor to assist families in need.
For details and to make luncheon reservations for April 17, call Lura Campbell at (870) 543-0127.
Irby sets Wabbaseka Easter event
Author Jason Irby and the Jason Irby Innovation Foundation will present a $100 Easter Egg Hunt at 3 p.m. April 20 at the Wabbaseka United Methodist Church, 101 U.S. 79 in Wabbaseka.
Youth in grades 1st through 12th are welcome to participate, according to Stuff in The Bluff.com.
The $100 egg and $200 in prizes will be awarded to commemorate the old church building’s 100th anniversary.
Irby plans to utilize the historic building as a Wabbaseka Area Farm Families Preservation Center. Several commemorative events are planned to take place at this location throughout the year, according to the news release.
Disaster case training set
Arkansas United Methodist, in partnership with Arkansas Community Foundation will host a disaster case management training in Pine Bluff.
The two-part training will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26 and May 3 at Lakeside United Methodist Church, 1500 S. Olive St.
Participants will learn how to help victims of disasters get connected with resources, work with local disaster committees, navigate through insurance and FEMA appeals, and connect with experts who have disaster case management experience, according to a news release.
The training will offer a unique opportunity for volunteers who want to help out following disasters.
Disaster case managers work with families and households to fully recover. Having trained disaster case managers is especially important for spring in Arkansas, and the severe weather and heavy rains that can come along with it.
In especially widespread events, disaster case managers may even be paid positions, according to the release.
Training is $10 per person. Interested participants should contact Lauren Morris at lmorris@arcf.org or at (501)-372-1116. Details: arcf.org.