Local among ATU pageant contestants
Eleven students have registered as contestants in the 70th Miss Arkansas Tech University scholarship pageant, including a southeast Arkansas resident. The event will take place at 7 p.m. Friday at Witherspoon Auditorium at the ATU campus in Russellville.
Contestants include Savannah Brown of Rison, daughter of Marche and Chris Brown. Her talent will be vocal. Her platform is Early Detection Saves Lives and her sponsors are Bruce Brown Phone Service and Kappa Sigma, according to a news release.
Other contestants are Amanda Carson, Damaris Castaneda, Trinity Emmons, Akira Forrest-Mock, Kenleigh Garner, Rose Gunther, Gianna James, Faith Kelly, Kylee Lineberry, and Kennedy Stroud. Admission will be $8 for adults, $5 for minors and free with a current and valid Arkansas Tech identification card.
Area Agency sets bass tournament
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas (AAASEA) will host its 28th annual Reeling for Meals Bass Tournament on April 11 at Regional Park on the Arkansas River.
“This annual tournament raises critical funds for AAASEA’s Meals on Wheels program, which delivers nutritious meals and daily wellness checks to seniors across Southeast Arkansas,” according to a news release. “Proceeds from the event help ensure that homebound seniors continue to receive the meals and support they depend on.”
Tournament winners will receive a $2,500 cash prize, with cash prizes guaranteed for the top 10 places. The first 75 registered teams will receive a free official tournament shirt. Each team will receive two tickets to the King Kat Fish Fry, held immediately following the weigh-in, and each fisherman will receive a swag bag.
Boats will launch according to paid registration numbers. The entry fee is $110 per two-person team, which also includes entry into the $500 Big Bass Pot. Day-of registration will include an additional $25 fee. Details: (870) 543-6300, toll-free at 800-264-3260, or email Samantha Stichert at sstichert@aaasea.org.
TOPPS to give away food
TOPPS, 1000 Townsend Drive, will give away food at 10 a.m. Feb. 10 on a first-come, first-served basis. One box per household will be provided. Recipients must be present to receive a box and proof of ID is required, according to a news release.
The agency thanks all its sponsors: Canaan Christian Center, Super 1 Foods, Walmart, Calvary Baptist Church in Little Rock, Dollar General on University Drive, private donors, Tyson Foods, and community volunteers.
TOPPS (Targeting Our People’s Priorities with Service) is a nonprofit organization. Annette Howard Dove is the founder/director of TOPPS Inc. Details: (870) 850-6011.
Civic meeting date changes
The Civic Auditorium Complex Commission meeting scheduled for Tuesday has been rescheduled for noon Feb. 18. This meeting will be held in person, according to a news release. Details: Pine Bluff Convention Center, (870) 536-7600.
City spotlights UAPB interns in ‘The Pine Bluff Pulse’
The city of Pine Bluff is featuring University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff student interns in a new video series on YouTube titled “The Pine Bluff Pulse.” In its debut episode, “Investing in the Future,” viewers meet each intern, witness the experience gained from city employees, and discover how the interns’ ideas and knowledge positively impact the community, according to a news release.
The UAPB Fall 2025 interns included:
Jerrion Lee of St. Louis, Mo., a computer science major, IT Intern
Ronald Sombright of Pine Bluff, an Industrial Technology Management & Applied Engineering major, Code Enforcement intern
Jada Belcher of Pine Bluff, an Industrial Technology Management & Applied Engineering major, Code Enforcement intern
Raelyn Geiggar of Pine Bluff, a business administration major, mayor’s office intern
Aareyon Wallace of Little Rock, a political science major, mayor’s office intern.
“Investing in our youth is investing in Pine Bluff’s future,” reads a description of the video series. “Our interns bring fresh ideas, energy, and a new perspective to city work, while gaining real experience that prepares them for their next steps. Programs like this help young people see their value, build confidence, and realize they have a place in shaping the future of our community.”
UAM group sets free tax filing
The Accounting Society at the University of Arkansas at Monticello will offer Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) events on the first three Saturdays in February. These services provide the community with the opportunity to have simple tax returns completed and filed free.
On Feb. 7, Feb. 14 and Feb. 21, VITA will be offered from 9 a.m. to noon in classroom 213 in the Babin Business Center on UAM’s Monticello campus. This opportunity is free and open to the public, according to a news release.
Taxpayers must bring photo identification and either a Social Security card or a 1099-SSN. If filing jointly, both spouses must be present. Participants should bring all relevant tax documents, such as W-2’s, 1099-Rs, 1099-NECs, 1099-INTs and 1099-SSNs. Parents must bring their children’s Social Security cards. If expecting a refund and wishing to have it directly deposited, financial institution routing and account numbers must be provided. Students should confirm whether they will be claimed as dependents on their parents’ tax return.
Details: Becky Phillips, associate professor of accounting at UAM, at phillips@uamont.edu or (870) 460-1111 or contact the UAM School of Business at (870) 460-1041.