Pilgrim MBC to give away food
Raven’s Nest Food Pantry at Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, 2507 Hill St., will give away food Nov. 8 from 8-10 a.m. or until all the food has been handed out. Food will be given away on a first come, first-served basis. Participants must bring a picture identification. The pantry is a U.S. Department of Agriculture distribution site and an equal opportunity provider, according to a news release.
Faith church plans bazaar
Faith Community Church, 3703 Ryburn Road, in the Watson Chapel community, will hold its Christmas bazaar from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 22, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. The bazaar will include handmade crafts, decorations, baked goods, candies, frozen casseroles, soups, wreaths and other items, according to a flier. Participants may also register to win four gift cards. The drawings for the cards will be made hourly between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Winners must be present to receive the gift. Details: (870) 879-3360.
Area project among grant recipients
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, alongside the Arkansas Department of Commerce, announced that the Arkansas Waterways Commission is awarding more than $4.6 million in grants for four Arkansas ports and one intermodal authority through the Arkansas Port, Intermodal, and Waterway Development Grant Program. One project is in southeast Arkansas, according to a news release.
The projects receiving funding are:
Chicot-Desha Port Authority in McGehee on the Mississippi River, awarded $199,917 to relocate and refurbish truck and grain scales.
Central Arkansas Intermodal Authority in Morrilton on the Arkansas River, awarded $400,000 for roadwork in a new port area.
City of Fort Smith Port Authority on the Arkansas River, awarded $1,980,252.32 for warehouse space, a concrete materials storage pad, and signage.
Little Rock Port Authority on the Arkansas River, awarded $665,552.62 for installation of safety railings and gates along the dock edge of three docks, three claw lid lifters, and eight sectional barges to create a floating dock for lid-handling.
Osceola Port Authority on the Mississippi River, awarded $1,342,732.50 for the construction of retaining walls to prevent bank erosion.
The program reinvests ad valorem taxes paid by industries on the value of commodities shipped on Arkansas’ navigable waterways into public ports and intermodal authorities to fund capital improvements and dredging projects. Details: waterways.arkansas.gov.
Test smoke alarms as time changes
Daylight saving time ends on Sunday and the American Red Cross encourages everyone to test their smoke alarms as they turn their clocks back to make sure the devices are working. “Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half as you only have about two minutes to safely get out,” said Riva Brown, executive director of Red Cross serving Greater Arkansas. “Every second counts when there’s a home fire and the sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get to a safer place. When daylight saving time ends this weekend, test your smoke alarms to help prevent a tragedy in your home,” Brown said in a news release. Over the past nine months, local Red Cross volunteers helped 1,475 people in Greater Arkansas affected by 471 home fires, which account for most of the about 65,000 disasters that the Red Cross responds to annually across the country.
SMOKE ALARMS
When turning your clocks back this weekend, test your smoke alarms and replace the batteries if needed. Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including an escape plan to create and practice with your family, or download the free Red Cross Emergency app by searching “American Red Cross” in app stores. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years or older. Components such as sensors can become less sensitive over time. Follow your alarm’s manufacturer instructions. Practice your two-minute home fire escape plan. Make sure everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes — the amount of time you may have to escape a burning home before it’s too late. Include at least two ways to get out of every room and select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone can meet.
IF YOU NEED HELP
If you cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or are physically unable to install one, the Red Cross may be able to help. Contact your local Red Cross (or fire department) for help.
HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN SAVES LIVES
Since October 2014, the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, working with community partners, has saved at least 2,284 lives by educating families about fire safety, helping them create escape plans and installing free smoke alarms in high-risk areas across the country. To learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved, visit redcross.org/homefires.