Editor’s Note: At press time, the following events and meetings were known to be still scheduled. Organizers or appropriate officials are encouraged to contact Sandra Hope at shope@pbcommercial.com to make additions or changes.
Wednesday, Nov. 3
Election panel to meet
Jefferson County Board of Election Commissioners will meet Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the election center, 123 Main St. The agenda includes public comments on new business (two minutes per speaker). New business includes adjudicating any provisional and absentee ballots and approving the manual audit of unofficial election results. Attendance will require face masks, observing social distancing and using best practices for everyone’s safety, according to a news release.
Pine Bluff Commercial sets church news deadline
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Church news is printed in The Commercial on Friday. The deadline to submit church announcements is noon Wednesday. Pastors, ministers or others interested in writing for the Devotional Page may also submit columns for consideration. Column writers should have connections to Southeast Arkansas. Articles should be submitted by email to shope@pbcommercial.com. Details: (870) 534-3400, ext. 5.
Thursday, Nov. 4
PBHS Class of 1960 to meet
The Pine Bluff High School Class of 1960 will meet at noon Thursday at Wright’s Ranch House, 6224 Dollarway Road. Classmates are urged to attend. Participants may also email any updates on fellow class members to nlrharper@hotmail.com or call (870) 535-0303.
Friday, Nov. 5
ASC hosts Live@5 featuring Platinum Hitz
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, welcomes back Platinum Hitz for its Live@5 concert series from 5-7 p.m. Nov. 5. Visitors will hear the soulful tunes by the local R&B band at the ARTSpace on Main’s ART Yard, 623 S. Main St. In case of inclement weather, the performance would be moved to the Catherine M. Bellamy Theater at ASC’s main facility, 701 S. Main St. Entry is $5 for ASC members and $10 for nonmembers. Alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages will are provided and guests must be 21 or older to enter, according to a news release.
PWA plans scholarship
auction
The Progressive Women’s Association (PWA) of White Hall will hold its annual Fall Scholarship Auction at 6 p.m. Nov. 5 at the White Hall Community Center, 9801 Dollarway Road. The public is welcome to attend. “We will be auctioning gift certificates, jewelry, home decor and much more. We will provide free refreshments,” Brenda Doucey, PWA member, said. The money raised will go into their Ann Douthit Memorial Scholarship Fund. Details: Bernice Foster at (870) 489-3600 or Brenda Doucey at (870) 692-0101.
Saturday, Nov. 6
All About Improv Workshop set at ASC
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansasx will host an All About Improv workshop from 6-8 p.m. Nov. 6 at ART WORKS on Main, 627 S. Main St. This workshop is for ages 16 and older. Participants will learn about exaggeration with Pine Bluff native Thomas Hunter, and what makes it funny through various improv group games. Hunter runs a monthly improv/variety show at Fayetteville. The cost is $50 for ASC members and $65 for nonmembers. Space is limited. For details, contact Rhodes Daigle at (870) 395-7059 or rdaigle@asc701.org.
Beginning Saturday, Nov. 6
CrEATe Lab with Faith Anaya set at ASC
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas’ nutritious cooking series CrEATe Lab will be held from 1-3 p.m. Saturdays, Nov. 6, Nov. 13, Nov. 20 and Dec. 4. The program is open to ages 10-17, with a maximum of 10 students. The cost is $35 for all sessions with partial scholarships available. To register, visit asc701.org/create-lab or call ASC at 870-536-3375. ASC continuing its partnership with Faith Anaya and her Kids Cook! team. The fall series is sponsored by Saracen Casino Resort. The series will include a session with a registered dietitian on Nov. 6, and a Saracen chef demonstration on Dec. 4.
Through Saturday, Nov. 6
UAPB Art Exhibition featuring Amanei Johnson open
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s art department has opened a new exhibition featuring paintings from student Amanei Johnson at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas. This exhibition will be on display in The ARTSpace on Main’s loft gallery at 623 S. Main St. Johnson recently received a $1,000 award from the national group Black Girls Who Paint. This exhibition will run through Nov. 6, according to a news release.
Sunday, Nov. 6
Art League slates meeting
The Pine Bluff Art League will meet from 2-4 p.m. Sunday at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Center, 211 W. Third Ave., in Room A & B. League members will vote on new officers. League member Matthew Howard will present web design ideas and functions for their upcoming website. Members then can provide further input on its scope, according to a news release. This session is free for the community to attend. Visitors 17 and younger should be accompanied by an adult. Due to covid-19, the league will require all members and visitors to wear masks. Social distancing is encouraged.
Through Sunday, Nov. 7
Walk Across Arkansas
underway
The fall edition of Walk Across Arkansas, a team-based event, runs from Sept. 13-Nov. 7 and uses friendly competition among teams to motivate exercise. There’s no cost to register at https://walk.uada.edu/walk/. The public health initiative is open to all who want to get into the habit of exercise or renew a commitment to fitness. The event isn’t limited to walking, according to a news release.
Beginning Monday, Nov. 8
Highway 83 work to cause lane restrictions
Improvements to culverts on Highway 83 will result in lane restrictions near the University of Arkansas at Monticello and Drew Central Schools. Beginning Nov. 8, crews will restrict traffic to one lane on Highway 83 at the main entrance to UAM and Drew Central Schools between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., weather permitting, according to the Arkansas Department of Transportation. This closure will allow crews to extend the two culverts currently in place and install two additional culverts. This closure will occur daily until the work is complete. The closure is estimated to last one week. Orange barrels, message boards, and signage will control traffic.
Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 9
New St. Hurricane announces revival
New St. Hurricane Baptist Church, 3319 S. Ohio St., will conduct a revival Nov. 9-10. Classes begin at 6 p.m. and worship begins at 7 p.m. (in person and virtual via Facebook and YouTube), according to a news release. The Rev. Carlos Kelly, pastor of Beulahland Bible Church, will be the guest speaker. Class topics are Developing a Devotional Life (personally and as a family), Contentment in a Crisis, The Fire & Fruit of Rejoicing, and YOUTH – Believing the Gospel. The event is open to the general public. Derick Easter is the host pastor.
Friday, Nov. 12
ART WORKS Presents: Slam Poetry
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas will host a new slam poetry event from 6-8 p.m. Nov. 12. The event will be in the Adam B. Robinson Jr. Black Box Theater at ART WORKS on Main, 627 S. Main St. Nationally awarded poet and author Tru Poet will host the open-mic night. The event will also feature special guest Michael Merritt, who is a writer, director, producer and New York Film Academy alumnus. Merritt will recite a selection of writings. Ages 16 and older are invited to share spoken-word selections and creations. Entry is $5 for ASC members and $10 for non-members, and may be paid at the door. No registration is required. Participants can enter for a chance to win door prizes. Complimentary drinks and snacks will be available.
Through Friday, Nov. 12
Arthritis Foundation hosts walking event
The Arthritis Foundation will host Walk With Ease at the Jefferson Regional Walking Track, 1301 W. 40th Ave., to be held at 9 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday through Nov. 12. Registration is required, according to the newsletter of the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce. Health guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be followed. These include health screenings, face masks and social distancing. To register or for details call (870) 879-1440 or contact ndbates@uams.edu.
Beginning Friday, Nov. 12
Buck Fever Festival set at Banks
The city of Banks will host the 35th annual Buck Fever Festival Friday and Saturday, Nov. 12-13, according to a news release. At 6:30 p.m. Nov. 12, the event will begin with pageants for children under age four. Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. vendors will sell a variety of items. Also, the Big Buck Contest features a $250 prize for the biggest buck deer. The big buck and big doe contests will continue until Saturday evening. The parade begins at noon. The headlining band is Tilluride, a country band with rock roots from Texas, which will play at 8 p.m. Nov. 13 on the main stage. Details: Buck Fever Festival on Facebook.
SEA concert group begins performances
The Southeast Arkansas Concert Association 2021-22 season returns to live events, according to a news release. Several events will be held at the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) Fine Arts Center. Programs include: Pirates of Penzance Musical Review — on Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the fine arts center. Christmas Around the World — Dec. 5 at 3 p.m. by the West Edge String Quartet at the center. Tuba Skinny — on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at the center. The Little Mermaid, the annual musical, will be held March 7-12 with 13 shows at the center. For tickets and details, visit: https://searkconcert.org or Facebook.
Saturday, Nov. 13
ASC plans FunDay with artist Virmarie DePoyster
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas will welcome pastel artist Vimarie DePoyster during Second Saturday Family FunDay, from 1-3 p.m. Nov. 13. The event is free. DePoyster will lead visitors in a hands-on art demonstration for the whole family. Her exhibition “Beyond Labels | Más Allá De Las Etiquetas” will be on display through Jan. 29. ASC’s Second Saturday Family FunDay program offers monthly hands-on arts and science activities.
Friday, Nov. 19
Deadline set for Stepps scholarship applications
The Sharon D. Stepps Memorial Scholarship is now available for qualifying high school seniors. The deadline to apply is Nov. 19, according to a news release. An applicant must have a grade point average of at least 3.0, be a permanent resident of Arkansas, be a graduating high school senior with a commitment to attend a two- or four-year accredited historically black college or university in 2022 and demonstrate school/community leadership. The Stepps scholarship was created to honor the memory of Dr. Kristopher Stepps’ sister.
Beginning Friday, Nov. 19
Razzle Dazzle: The Show Must Go On opens
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas’s 2021 biennial fundraiser “Razzle Dazzle: The Show Must Go On,” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19-20, and 2 p.m. Nov. 21. This production will be in the Catherine M. Bellamy Theater in ASC’s main building, 701 S. Main St., according to a news release. Proceeds benefit youth theater programming and shine a light on talented performers in Southeast Arkansas. This year’s show features a selection of songs from popular movie soundtracks and Broadway numbers. Tickets are $25 for the show, or $50 for the show and a pre-show cocktail hour at ART WORKS on Main, 627 S. Main St., at 6 p.m. Nov. 19-20. To purchase tickets, visit artssciencecenter.tix.com or call (870) 536-3375. Details: asc701.org.
Saturday, Nov. 20
TOPPS to host November food event
TOPPS will hold a Thanksgiving food distribution at TOPPS, 1000 Townsend Drive, Nov. 20 from 10 a.m. until all boxes are gone. The drive through distribution will remain in effect. The mentoring program students will be present and caution must be used when children are present, according to a news release. TOPPS (Targeting Our People’s Priorities with Service) is a non-profit agency.
Through Tuesday, Nov. 23
Kennel Club to hold classes
The Southeast Arkansas Kennel Club is sponsoring a dog obedience class for eight-weeks. The class began Oct. 5 at Hestand Stadium. The class will be held from 7-8 p.m. Tuesdays. The cost is $65 and registration will be held at the door, according to spokesman John Segars. Details: (870) 879-3384.
Through Tuesday, Nov. 30
Locals among Small Works display at HSU
The 2021 Small Works on Paper, an annual touring visual arts exhibition, is open at Russell Fine Arts Gallery at Henderson State University at Arkadelphia. The show features 26 artists from across Arkansas, including two from Southeast Arkansas: Crystal Jennings of Rison and Kimiara L. Johnson of Pine Bluff. The exhibition is free for public viewing and most works will be available for sale, according to a news release. The project will be on display through Nov. 30. The Russell gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Farm to School grant
applications available
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the second-annual Arkansas School Garden Grant Program and the new Taste Test Grant Program to help schools start or expand farm to school activities. Applications will be accepted through Nov. 30, according to a news release. The grant programs are available to public and private K-12 schools, early childhood education facilities, and alternative learning environments. Applicants are welcome to apply for one or both grant opportunities. The applications can be found at https://bit.ly/3bkrYSd.
Through Thursday, Dec. 9
Leadership Pine Bluff
applications available
The Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for the 2022 Leadership Pine Bluff class. The application deadline is Dec. 9, according to the Chamber newsletter. The class is a formal program to identify, inform and motivate emerging leaders for Pine Bluff and Jefferson County. Running January through September, the group meets one day each month to network, develop, and learn more about industries and non-profits in the region. The cost of the program is $575 plus a $35 non-refundable application fee, according to the newsletter. The application is available at https://files.constantcontact.com/91329166001/9a768598-baa6-4756-b4bd-3ab7f968c318.pdf or by emailing ulanda@jeffersoncountyalliance.com.
Through Monday, Jan. 24, 2022
Applications for 2022
Governor’s School open
Student applications are open for the 2022 Arkansas Governor’s School. The deadline to apply is Jan. 24. Arkansas Tech University at Russellville will host the 43rd AGS July 5 through Aug. 1, according to a news release. AGS serves approximately 400 students during the summer before their senior year in high school. Eligible students interested in attending should inquire with their school counselors about the nomination process. Information is also available at www.atu.edu/ags by sending an e-mail to ags@atu.edu.
Through Saturday, Jan. 29
ASC hosts exhibition Beyond Labels | Más Allá De Las
Etiquetas
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas is hosting “Beyond Labels | Más Allá De Las Etiquetas by Virmarie DePoyster,” a portrait exhibition. DePoyster is a bilingual Puerto Rican artist interested in bringing communities together through art. This exhibition will run through Jan. 29.
Thursday, Feb. 10
Waterfowler Hall of Fame postpones ceremony
The Arkansas Waterfowler Hall of Fame will host its induction ceremony at 6 p.m. Feb. 10 at Chenal Country Club at Little Rock. The event benefits the Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie at Stuttgart, which houses the Hall of Fame. The ceremony will highlight honorees from the classes of 2020 and 2021, according to a news release. Details: grandprairiemuseum.com or waterfowlerhof.com.
Saturday, Feb. 19
Jefferson Regional Foundation sets ball
Jefferson Regional Foundation is planning the Winter Wonderland Ball 2022 for Feb. 19. The event will feature live entertainment, according to the Chamber newsletter. Tickets are $250. For ticket and sponsorship information, interested people may contact Laura Beth Shaner, foundation development officer, at (870) 541-7210.
Friday, March 4
Ag Hall of Fame plans
ceremony
The Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame rescheduled its induction ceremony from Aug. 20 due to safety concerns surrounding the increase in covid-19 cases in Arkansas. The induction ceremony is now scheduled for March 4, 2022, according to a news release. The new class includes: Long-time ag educator Joe Don Greenwood of Hermitage; Andrew Wargo III of Watson, farm manager for the 15,000-acre Baxter Land Co. for more than 50 years; the late Russell Roy Reynolds, director of the U.S. Forest Service Crossett Experimental Forest for 34 years; retired Cooperative Extension Service Director Rick Cartwright of Fayetteville; former Arkansas Farm Bureau President Randy Veach of Manila; and Mark Waldrip of Moro, founder of Armor Seed Co. Details: www.arfb.com.
Through Saturday, March 5
‘Deeply Rooted: A Glimpse into Southern Lifestyle’
exhibit open
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 S. Main St., will host “Deeply Rooted: A Glimpse into Southern Lifestyle,” an exhibition featuring work from its permanent collection, through March 5, according to a news release. The exhibit was curated by Torri Richardson, the center’s curatorial intern and 2021 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. This exhibition will show southern lifestyle from various viewpoints.
Thursday, May 5
Chamber to host Business Expo
The Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce has rescheduled its Business Expo for May 5, 2022. Because of rising covid infections, the Chamber postponed the expo that was set for Aug. 19. Due to the fact the expo was postponed as a precautionary measure, the Chamber is reserving participants’ booth payments and/or sponsorships for the 2022 event and holding their spots for them, according to the Chamber newsletter. Details: Jennifer Kline at the Chamber, (870) 535-0110 or jennifer@jeffersoncountyalliance.com.
Through Sunday, May 1
Ministry group seeks
applicants for free home
repairs
Ozark Mission Project (OMP), a non-profit ministry of the United Methodist Church (UMC,) will conduct free minor home repairs for people in need in the summer of 2022. Projects include painting, yard work, building wheelchair ramps or making other minor repairs. People who need this assistance should submit an application for the free projects. The deadline to apply is May 1, 2022, according to a news release. The group will be stationed at Pine Bluff at First United Methodist Church and work projects July 18-21. Applications and details can be found at ozarkmissionproject.org.
Underway
Express Rx is set to provide covid-19 monoclonal antibody
Express Rx pharmacy is offering covid-19 monoclonal antibody by injection. The four-dose treatment is designed to prevent or mitigate the effects of the virus and to protect against severe illness and hospitalization, according to a news release. Arkansans should contact their healthcare provider for a prescription before scheduling a free appointment, according to the release. Express Rx of Pine Bluff is located at 3006 W. 28th Ave. For other locations or details, visit expressrx.net.