Vaughns to lead Veterans Parade
U.S. veteran and Tuskegee Airman Thomas Franklin Vaughns has been named the grand marshal for the Pine Bluff Regional Veterans Parade, scheduled for 10 a.m. Nov. 15 in downtown Pine Bluff.
Sponsors include the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff Arsenal, city of Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff Convention Center, MK Distributors, Pine Bluff Military and Veterans Museum, Saracen Casino Resort and ExplorePineBluff.com.
True Vine E sets event
True Vine E Missionary Baptist Church, 1001 W. Second Ave., will host Fall Revival 2025 at 7 p.m. Oct. 14-16. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Robert Willis Jr., pastor of Amos Chapel Missionary Baptist Church.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The theme is “Transformed Through the Power of Prayer.” Everyone is invited to attend the revival. True Vine E’s pastor is the Rev. Leon Williams Jr.
Rison among Shade Tree schools
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has selected 10 schools for the 2025 Shade Trees on Playgrounds.
One of those schools is Rison Elementary. The others are Arrie Goforth Elementary in Norfork, De Queen Elementary, Gary E. Cobb Middle in Texarkana, International Studies Magnet in Jonesboro, Jessieville Middle, Kingston School, Marvell-Elaine Elementary, Mt. Judea School and Perryville Elementary.
Selected schools will receive up to five native shade trees, mulch, watering supplies and planting guidelines.
Participants must attend a virtual STOP workshop, incorporate curriculum on the importance of trees and forestry in Arkansas, hold a tree-planting ceremony, and commit to long-term maintenance. Department staff will assist with tree transport and planting, ensuring species are suited to each playground’s unique conditions.
Ten additional schools, including Cornerstone Christian Academy in Tillar, will receive a small potted tree, in response to increased interest.
EHC set pecan fundraiser
The Jefferson County Extension Homemakers are selling pecans and chocolate-covered peanuts. Members will take orders at the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Office, 500 Idaho St., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 13, according to a news release.
The fundraiser includes:
One-pound bag of Fancy Mammoth (Georgia) Pecan Halves for $15.
One-pound bag chocolate double-dipped peanuts for $15.
New Holiday Foods Cookbooks for $5.
All orders must be placed and paid for by Oct. 31. Forms can be picked up at the extension office. EHC members will call participants when the pecans and peanuts arrive. “These nuts are excellent for gifts, freeze well, and are great to use in tasty holiday treats,” a spokesman said.
Details: Brenda Robinson, Jefferson County EHC president-elect and pecan sale chairman at (870) 540-6970.
Webinar to guide new farm owners
A webinar hosted by the National Agricultural Law Center will help new landowners and the professionals who advise them to understand their options and responsibilities. The free webinar, “So Now You Own a Farm: A Beginner’s Guide to Farmland Ownership,” will be held Oct. 15 from 11 a.m. to noon.
The session is based on the “Beginner’s Guide to Farmland Ownership,” recently published as a collaboration by the National Agricultural Law Center, The Ohio State University Agricultural and Resource Law Program, and the National Agricultural Library. It will cover practical strategies for estimating the value of farmland; deciding whether to sell, lease, manage, or preserve the land; and protecting farmland from risk.
The webinar will be led by Peggy Kirk Hall and Robert Moore, attorneys with The Ohio State University Agricultural and Resource Law Program. Hall, the Ag and Resource Law Program director, teaches agribusiness law and has received multiple awards for excellence and service in agricultural law.
Moore, raised on a dairy farm in Ohio, brings decades of experience in private practice with a focus on farm succession planning, taxation and business entities.
Together, they bring a combined depth of legal expertise and practical agricultural knowledge to the session. Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center, emphasized the importance of the topic.
“Each year, many people find themselves owning farmland for the first time, often through inheritance,” Pittman said.
“Peggy and Robert bring a wealth of experience and perspective to this issue, and this webinar will be an invaluable resource for anyone navigating the responsibilities and opportunities of farmland ownership.”
Details: nationalaglawcenter.org/webinars. Registration for the webinar is available at https://uada.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__BtAf-HpSaq9QZyeuJ70SA#/registration .