Civic meeting rescheduled
The Civic Auditorium Complex Commission meeting scheduled for Jan. 27 has been rescheduled for Feb. 3 at noon. For participants unable to attend, they may join the conference call via phone, according to a news release.
Dial Number: (978) 990-5002 Access Code: 7020010.
Art League announces events
PBAL MEETING
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Pine Bluff Art League will host its monthly meeting from 2-4 Feb. 1 at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Center, 211 W. Third Ave., in room A & B.
Kerry Kemp, owner and operator of Art Outfitters in Little Rock, will present a multimedia demonstration using newspaper, paint, and supplies. After the demonstration, the exhibition committee will open suggestions for art show themes for March and April.
April’s meeting will be held April 12 due to the Easter holiday. Little Rock-based artist, Holly Tilley, will present. Her primary mediums are oil, acrylic and pastel. For more information, contact co-President Claudia Spainhour at (870) 718-1058.
EXHIBITION RECEPTION
PBAL will present a new exhibition with a free reception from 4-6 p.m. Feb. 5 at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Center.
This exhibition will feature 12-by-12-inch art pieces. Members were challenged to create work under the constraint. Any medium and types of canvas were allowed. Attendees may vote on their favorites during the reception. Afterwards, the PBAL will present a People’s Choice Award. For more information, contact co-President Gerry DeLongchamp at (870) 692-5001.
PBAL MEMBERSHIP
Yearly membership dues are $40 until March 15. Artists can mail a check to Pine Bluff Art League, Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Building, 211 W. Third Ave., Box 8, Pine Bluff, AR 71601. Members may have their work shown at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas during the “Annual Pine Bluff Art League Juried Exhibition.” Details: pbal.org or mediapinebluffartleague@gmail.com.
Ivy Center plans programs
The Ivy Center for Education announces upcoming events.
CLUB SCRUB
Feb. 3 — Future Medical Professionals “Club Scrub Workshop” will meet from 6-7 p.m. at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences South Central Medical Center, 1601 W. 40th Ave., according to a news release. The topic will be Heart Smart: Caring for Your Heart Today presented by Dr. Lee Davis, a cardiologist. Students in 7-12th grades and parents are encouraged to attend in person or on Zoom using Meeting ID: 856 8296 4187 and Passcode: 351061.
FREE ACT BOOT CAMPS
Ivy Center will host two free ACT Boot Camps for seventh to 12th graders with facilitators Charity Smith-Allen of Fetterman & Associates on Zoom only using meeting ID: 856 8296 4187 and passcode: 351061.
Workshops will be held:
Feb. 5 — from 6-8 p.m. Subjects to be reviewed are English and math.
Feb. 12 — from 6-8 p.m. Subjects to be reviewed are reading and science.
Details: Mattie Collins, president, at mattie1908@gmail.com.
Agri webinar to address law, ICE actions
The National Agricultural Law Center will host a free webinar, “Guarding the Gates: Ag Employer Readiness for ICE and DHS Actions,” Feb. 4 from 11 a.m. to noon.
As federal immigration enforcement increases at both the workplace and community level, agricultural operations face unique challenges due to their reliance on seasonal labor and, in some cases, mixed-status workforces, according to a news release from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
“Whether managing a small family farm or a large, multi-state operation, agricultural employers must be prepared to respond quickly and lawfully to enforcement activity,” said Misty Wilson Borkowski, partner at Hall Booth Smith and a leading practitioner in employment-based immigration for the agricultural industry.
“This webinar is designed to give employers practical tools to protect their workforce, maintain compliance and keep their operations running smoothly,” she said.
Borkowski will explain what U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is legally permitted to do, the differences between administrative inspections and raids, and the rights of employers and workers during each type of encounter.
Participants will learn concrete, operational steps to reduce risk, including strengthening hiring and Form I-9 practices, assessing whether documents satisfy I-9 requirements, establishing internal protocols for unexpected government visits and communicating with workers in a manner that avoids panic or liability. The webinar will also address how to respond if ICE arrives at a field, packing shed, barn or housing site; how to manage the aftermath of an arrest or worksite action; and how to navigate legal options available to foreign workers.
“Misty brings extensive experience advising agricultural employers on workforce immigration issues, and this webinar will draw directly from that practical expertise,” said Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center.
Borkowski advises farms, producers, labor contractors and ag-related businesses on a wide range of workforce immigration matters, with a particular focus on the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program, U.S. Department of Labor audits, seasonal workforce planning and compliance strategies.
Fluent in Spanish, Borkowski has lived and studied in both Spain and Mexico. In spring 2023, she served as an adjunct professor of immigration law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. She earned her Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Additional information about the webinar, including registration details, is available on the National Agricultural Law Center website.