WC school board to meet
Watson Chapel School Board will hold a special called meeting at noon Friday at the district office, 4100 Camden Road, according to a news release.
Details: (870) 879-0220.
Corps urges Labor Day safety
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reminding everyone to practice good water safety habits and to be courteous with each other over the Labor Day weekend.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
This weekend is one of the busiest times of the year at USACE parks and recreation areas, according to a news release.
USACE is also warning boaters to exercise additional caution on the water.
Due to heavy rainfall events throughout the spring and the first half of summer, water levels at some of the region’s lakes are slightly higher than usual for Labor Day weekend.
Officials urge boaters to take extra safety measures as some areas may encompass underwater obstacles such as tree stumps, rock formations and standing timber.
Boaters should use depth finders or other navigation resources, stay in main river channels and give the shoreline a wide berth.
USACE is asking everyone to wear their life jacket, not drink alcoholic beverages and operate a boat, never swim alone and only swim in designated swim areas.
Recreation information can be found online at www.swl.usace.army.mil and at facebook.com/littlerockusace.
Agencies plan Labor Day closings
Several offices announced their closing schedules for Labor Day on Monday.
Pine Bluff City Hall and related offices will be closed Friday and Monday. Pine Bluff City Council will be held Sept. 2.
Jefferson County Courthouse and related offices will be closed Friday and Monday.
Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas offices and senior centers will be closed Monday, however Southeast Arkansas Transportation will still be running for dialysis and cancer patients.
Waste Management will be closed Monday. WM will run residential routes one day late next week.
Liberty Utilities will be closed Monday.
Locals in U of A Honors College
The Honors College at the University of Arkansas selected 16 freshmen for the Path Program, which offers financial support and personalized guidance to students who are first-generation college students, have significant financial need or come from less-served areas of the state.
Two local recipients are Keyon Smith of Pine Bluff, majoring in electrical engineering, and Walker Stringfellow of Pine Bluff, majoring in architecture.
In addition to receiving scholarships, mentorship and academic advising, Path scholars live in Hotz Honors Hall and benefit from academic and study abroad opportunities, according to a news release.
Schools can receive shade trees
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Shade Trees on Playgrounds program is accepting applications from Arkansas schools through Sept. 19.
Selected schools will receive up to five Arkansas-native shade trees, along with mulch, watering supplies, planting guidelines and on-site assistance from department staff.
Each planting will take place this fall during a ceremony involving students, according to a news release.
Launched to help reduce childhood exposure to direct sunlight and lower long-term skin cancer risks, the STOP program has provided trees to approximately 185 schools statewide in the last 23 years.
Participating teachers also receive curriculum resources highlighting the environmental benefits of trees, how shade reduces skin cancer risk and how to care for young trees.
To participate in the STOP program, a school must:
Have a lack of shade on a school playground or outdoor learning area.
Participate in a STOP workshop virtually Oct. 7.
Use provided curriculum resource materials to emphasize the importance of trees during the weeks leading up to the tree-planting event.
Have a plan for maintaining the trees after planting.
Eligible applicants include any public or private Arkansas school serving grades pre-K through 12, as well as nontraditional educational facilities such as juvenile detention centers, residential childcare institutions and long-term care facilities.
Details: https://agriculture.arkansas.gov/forestry/urban-community-forestry/stop-program/