Church to host giveaway
Greater Battle Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 1001 Commerce Road, will have a clothing giveaway Saturday beginning at 9 a.m.
Clothes and shoes will be available for all ages, according to a flyer.
AG honors top officers
Attorney General Tim Griffin honored law enforcement officers from across Arkansas at the 2025 Officer of the Year Awards luncheon Thursday.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Statewide Officer of the Year is Trooper Hunter Grubbs of Arkansas State Police, according to a news release.
Area honorees include:
REGIONAL
Southeast Region: Officer Kevin Robbins, Star City Police Department
Southwest Region: Trooper Hunter Grubbs, Arkansas State Police
Valor Tribute: Sergeant Fredrick T. Coleman Sr., Arkansas Department of Corrections
COUNTY OFFICERS OF THE YEAR
Arkansas County: Deputy Charles Leech, Arkansas County Sheriff’s Office
Bradley County: Investigator Kendall Rawls, Arkansas Department of Agriculture
Chicot County: Trooper David Menotti Jr., Arkansas State Police
Dallas County: Trooper James Reed, Arkansas State Police
Desha County: Sergeant Roland Brown, Desha County Sheriff’s Office
Drew County: Trooper Mitchell Butler, Arkansas State Police
Grant County: Corporal Harlee Robinson, Arkansas State Police
Jefferson County: Special Agent Dustin Thompson, Arkansas State Police
Lincoln County: Officer Kevin Robbins, Star City Police Department.
“The men and women we honored today are true heroes, and it is my distinct honor to recognize them for their outstanding service to their communities,” Griffin said.
“These officers have distinguished themselves in the past year for their excellence and dedication. But this event isn’t just a celebration of their accomplishments, it’s also a celebration of all law enforcement officers and a way for us to say thank you to those who keep us safe each and every day.
“The 2025 state Officer of the Year is Arkansas State Police Trooper Hunter Grubbs. Trooper Grubbs has distinguished himself in the past year, securing 67 felony arrests, 94 misdemeanor arrests, 115 warrants served, nine DWI arrests, six vehicle pursuits, assistance to 211 stalled motorists, 60 vehicle accident investigations, recovery of two stolen vehicles, and 111 hours assisting other agencies. Trooper Grubbs was described by his superiors as exemplifying ‘the highest ideals of the Arkansas State Police — courage, professionalism, and service.’
“I congratulate all those honored today and the countless others who put their lives on the line so that Arkansans can live in peace and safety,” Griffin said.
For details on all the law enforcement honorees, visit https://arkansasag.gov/.
Area Agency tells menu
Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas offers lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays at the senior centers.
Next week’s menu includes:
Dec. 15 — Cabbage roll soup, grilled cheese triangles, marinated tomatoes and cucumbers, emerald pears and milk.
Dec. 16 — Baked pasta, squash blend medley, tossed salad, cobbler and milk.
Dec. 17 — Glazed chicken, green peas, creamed carrots, cake and milk.
Dec. 18 — Beef stroganoff, spinach, corn, fruit and milk.
Dec. 19 — Cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle, potato wedges, coleslaw, hot spice peaches and milk.
Entergy prepares for winter
Entergy Arkansas is prepared for the winter season and encourages customers to prepare, according to a news release.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s climate forecast, while some northern areas may see cooler, wetter conditions, the South will likely trend warmer and drier.
Entergy has taken proactive pre-winter actions to prepare to serve customers during extreme temperatures.
These actions include:
Insulating critical power plant equipment to withstand lower temperatures.
Insulating or draining piping within power generation to prevent freezing and breaks.
Inspecting and maintaining substations and transmission lines critical to the grid.
Completing additional vegetation trimming to reduce tree-related outages.
Reviewing emergency response plans and positioning crews and equipment.
Customers should also take steps to prepare their homes and families for potential winter weather impacts.
Entergy’s Storm Center website provides information on making an emergency plan, assembling a disaster supply kit, and safely operating backup generators.
Customers are also encouraged to download the Entergy mobile app and sign up for outage text alerts to stay informed during severe weather.
Visit entergy.com/stormcenter to access all these resources and more.
Customers can also verify contact information on myEntergy before severe weather strikes, so they receive notifications.
Customers can report an outage quickly and easily through the digital options using the mobile app, online at myEntergy.com.
Customers can also text OUT to 36778 to report an outage.