Fire department holds cooling stations
This week from 1-6 p.m., temporary cooling stations are being set up at several Pine Bluff fire stations to combat the heat and supply some relief from the sun.
With high temperatures expected throughout this week, Pine Bluff Fire & Emergency Services is urging residents to take proactive steps to stay safe during the heatwave, according to a news release.
Residents can go to a fire station, get a drink of cold water and have their vitals checked. Each station will also offer seating and access to electrical outlets for charging devices.
“Our hopes are to identify individuals in the early stages of heat exhaustion and to possibly get them the necessary attention they need,” said Pine Bluff Fire & Emergency Services Chief Randy Compton.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Fire station locations:
Station No. 1 — 200 E. Eighth Ave. (civic center)
Station No. 2 — 2120 W. Pullen St.
Station No. 3 — 601 W. 32nd Ave.
Station No. 4 — 3609 Market St.
Station No. 5 — 3700 Miramar St.
Station No. 6 — 1805 Moreland St.
Station No. 7 — 2208 Ridgway Road.
Wastewater Utility board to meet
The regular scheduled meeting of the utility commission has been rescheduled for July 28 at 8:45 a.m., according to a news release from Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility.
Day of Caring cleanup to be discussed
Jefferson County Clean and Beautiful, the United Way of Southeast Arkansas, and the city of Pine Bluff will hold a planning meeting at 10 a.m. Aug. 4 at the Detective Kevin D. Collins Center in the civic center complex. The purpose is to discuss the United Way Day of Caring in which they work with volunteers to complete a service project.
A cleanup event will be held in the Third Ward on the United Way Day of Caring, Sept. 25, according to a news release from Third Ward City Council Member William Fells III.
This Day of Caring will focus on cleaning up the neighborhood surrounding Edgewood Elementary School. It will involve clearing illegal dumping sites and cutting overgrown lots.
During the planning meeting, officials will share further details on the project such as individual sites, specific action items and overall logistics.
Extension to host relish workshop
At the Southern Chow-Chow workshop, hosted by the Cooperative Extension Service, attendees will learn to combine green tomatoes, bell peppers and cabbage to make the classic relish recipe.
The workshop will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 23 at the C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center in Ferndale. The cost to attend is $10 and participants must register at uada.formstack.com/forms/preserving_arkansas.
The event is part of the extension’s Preserving Arkansas summer series, which aims to teach food lovers and home cooks about the basics of food preservation and value-added foods, according to a news release.
“Whether you’re a beginner or looking to grow your food business, this is a great opportunity to learn, connect and preserve something delicious,” said Amanda Philyaw Perez, extension associate professor of food systems and food safety specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The Cooperative Extension Service is the outreach arm of the Division of Agriculture.
David Hill, extension program associate for food systems and safety for the Division of Agriculture, said Southern Chow-Chow is an ideal recipe for learning about food preservation techniques, including pickling.
“In the South, Chow-Chow is a dish traditionally made of chopped vegetables pickled in a vinegar-based brine with sugar and spices,” Hill said. “Known for its sweet and tangy flavors, it’s used as a condiment for many classic southern dishes.”
The Division of Agriculture’s Local Food and Preservation teams, along with family and consumer sciences staff, will lead the demonstration. They will also be joined by local chef Margie Raimondo.
Raimondo, author, filmmaker and owner of Urbana Farmstead, helped lead a hands-on jam-making workshop for the Division of Agriculture earlier this summer. Hill said Raimondo is a perfect pick to help attendees develop their skills.
Perez said the workshop will walk attendees through the essentials of safe, legal value-added food production in Arkansas. Value-added products, such as jarred vegetables, jams or jellies, are defined as food products that are not fresh, and they can be produced by home-based or commercial manufacturers.
Ingredients for the workshop are sourced from the Arkansas Farm Trail, a program of Arkansas Farm Bureau. The program was created to promote direct-to-consumer farms and teach consumers about where their food comes from.
For more information, contact Amanda Philyaw Perez at aperez@uada.edu. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.