Free back-to-school event set
Fun Without Guns will present a free back-to-school engagement from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday at Amos Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 1307 W. 16 Ave. Leaders will “cover the children with prayer” as well as offer essentials for going back to school, according to a news release from organizer Dee Clay.
There will be free haircuts by James Smith, owner and CEO of Smith Barber Institute, and colleagues; pizza and care packages for going back to school on Monday and others are preparing to return to school in August.
St. John to give away food boxes
St. John AME Church, 1117 W. Pullen St., will give away food boxes to people in need Aug. 9 from 9 a.m. until all food has been distributed. State ID’s are required to receive one box per family. Pickup will be in front of the church on Cherry Street. For safety reasons, recipients are asked to stay in their vehicles and open their trunks.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
To help support the feeding ministry, people may send a financial donation to St. John AME Church-Feeding Ministry, 1117 W. Pullen St., Pine Bluff, Ark., 71601, or electronically through Givelify St John AME Pine Bluff.
Preservation program offers grants
The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program announced the opening dates for the County Courthouse Grant and Historic Preservation Grant application period. AHPP will begin accepting letters of intent for both grants on Sept. 15. Submission of applications begins Nov. 12, according to a news release.
“Our County Courthouse and Historic Preservation Restoration Grants (HPRG) truly exemplify historic preservation throughout our state. These grants highlight our mission to save Arkansas historic resources for future generations,” said AHPP Director Scott Kaufman. “Both grants provide funding for local projects from the state, but they also bring in the private sector for this type of specialty rehabilitation which provides economic benefits to our state.”
First time applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a letter of intent. Once a letter of intent has been submitted, AHPP staff will provide feedback, technical assistance, and help with project development. The County Courthouse Grant application deadline is Jan. 26, 2026, and the deadline for Historic Preservation Restoration Grants is Mar. 4, 2026. Details: https://www.arkansasheritage.com/arkansas-preservation/about/available-grants.
Entergy offers tips, resources
Entergy Arkansas is committed to helping customers stay cool and save money throughout the hotter months with bill management tools and resources. The company’s online Bill Toolkit connects customers to energy efficiency tips and resources, as well as information about bill management and financial assistance options, according to a news release.
Customers can set electric usage alerts and monitor how much energy they use each day through bill management tools like myAdvisor which is available through their myEntergy account online. Tracking usage over time can help customers identify trends that contribute to higher usage and budget their monthly expenses.
With the myAdvisor dashboard, customers have access to not only usage and cost details, but also bill history and projections, analyzer tools and more. On the Entergy mobile app, this information can be found by clicking the “usage” tab.
Entergy offers several flexible payment options so customers can choose when, where and how they receive and pay their bills.
These include:
Pick-A-Date allows customers to pay their bills when it works best for them.
Level Billing allows customers to “level out” seasonal energy use fluctuations, making their bills more consistent every month.
PaperFREE billing allows customers to get their bills emailed as soon as they post and instant access to two years of billing history.
AutoPay allows customers to avoid late fees, writing checks and paying for postage by having bills automatically deducted from their bank accounts.
Also, Entergy encourages customers who may need additional payment options to reach out because some qualify for deferred payment arrangements or payment extensions. Customers can visit the mobile app or myEntergy to learn more.
Details: BillToolkit.entergy.com.