Urban renewal board to meet
The Pine Bluff Urban Renewal Agency will conduct a special called board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the URA board room, 417 W. Sixth Ave. Details: (870) 209-0323.
3-on-3 basketball event set
A 3-on-3 basketball tournament is set for Sept. 20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at New St. Hurricane Missionary Baptist Church, 3319 S. Ohio St. Registration is now underway for this event.
Boys ages 12 to 17 are eligible to participate. The team size is four players, according to StuffinTheBluff.com.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The tournament is presented by Jefferson-Lincoln County Circuit Court, 6th Division, where Judge Earnest E. Brown Jr. is presiding.
Sponsors include Pine Bluff Group Violence Intervention, Pine Bluff Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Hurricane HYPE Center, New St. Hurricane Missionary Baptist Church and Simmons Bank.
The deadline to register is Sept. 17. Register for 3-on-3 basketball tournament here. Details: Tim Barnett at (870) 718-8968.
Financial workshop set
The community is invited to attend the free Financial Playbook Workshop from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Pine Bluff Library, 600 S. Main St.
Pine Bluff Black Chamber of Commerce and Paradigm Masters Management are sponsoring the program, according to StuffinTheBluff.com.
The presenters will be Jay and Julia Young of Paradigm Masters Management who work to empower middle-class families through entrepreneurship and strategic financial planning.
“Join us for a powerful one-hour workshop designed to help you build wealth and protect what matters most,” according to the news release. “Whether you’re preparing for retirement, looking to minimize risk, or exploring new income opportunities, this session delivers strategies you can use immediately.”
Discussions include how to protect your money from market volatility; how to avoid outliving your retirement income; where to find low-risk, tax-advantaged financial options; and how to become a licensed financial professional.
For details or to register for the Financial Playbook Workshop, visit here.
Details: Pine Bluff Black Chamber of Commerce website at https://pbbcc.org/
AG: DMV, toll road scams increase
Arkansans are experiencing an increase in DMV and toll road scams. In these scams, criminals attempt to steal consumers’ personal information and trick consumers into handing over funds by impersonating a state service, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles (or another state’s toll road management service, according to a news release from Attorney General Tim Griffin.
Scammers are taking advantage of summer travel. While Arkansas does not have toll roads, many Arkansans may have traveled during the summer for vacation to states that do impose tolls on certain roads. Because of heightened travel, some Arkansans might be more easily tricked into thinking these are legitimate texts about unpaid toll fees.
Reminders:
The DMV will never text you about an unpaid parking ticket.
The DMV will never threaten you with jail time.
If you receive a text message from someone claiming to be from a state toll service:
Do not click on the link.
Delete the text message and report it as junk.
Contact the state’s tolling agency or your local DMV office. Be sure to use a phone number or website that you know is legitimate and not the information in the text message.
Take steps to protect your personal information if you clicked the link. Change your passwords, monitor your financial accounts, and dispute any unfamiliar charges.
To report a DMV or toll road scam, visit arkansasag.gov/resources/contact-us/robocall-reporting-form/. Details: contact the office of Attorney General at (501) 682-2007 or oag@arkansasag.gov, or www.ArkansasAG.gov.
Rice, soybeans event topics Aug. 14
The latest rice and soybean research and recommendations will be the focus of the Pine Tree Field Day on Aug. 14. The event starts at 7:30 a.m. with on-site registration at the Pine Tree Research Station at 7337 Highway 306 West in Colt.
The research station is part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Attendance is free, and lunch is provided, according to a news release.
Experts with the Division of Agriculture will cover a wide range of topics, including crop breeding updates, pest management recommendations and soil fertility studies.
“The work these researchers are doing at the station is all about helping Arkansas farmers,” said Shawn Clark, director of the Pine Tree Research Station. “We want to make sure producers and ag consultants have the latest information so they can make the best management decisions possible.”
For more information about the event, visit the 2025 Pine Tree Field Day website.