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, March 23
Housing board plans meeting
The Pine Bluff Housing Authority Board of Commissioners will meet at 6 p.m. March 23 at Colonial Steakhouse, 111 W. Eighth Ave. Details: (870) 541-0706.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Pine Bluff Commercial sets church news deadline
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.
Underway
Nature Center hosts programs
The Delta Rivers Nature Center at Regional Park will host activities for Spring Break through March 26, according to a Facebook post. Events will be held daily and include such projects as archery, fish feeding, snakeskin bookmarks, turkey call, wetlands tour, fish dissection, crappie counter craft, wetlands canoe trip, birding hike, raptor feeding, and reptile feeding. To register for events visit www.register-ed.com and choose Outdoor Skills Network. Details: (870) 534-0011 or http://www.deltarivers.com.
Center offers youth free tennis camp
The Bloom Tennis Center, 2101 S. Hickory St., will hold a free tennis camp for youth 6-14 during Spring Break, through March 25. Sessions will be held from 9-11 a.m. The tennis coach, Kreth Simmons, will be the instructor, according to a Facebook post.
Police set ‘Real Talk’ for boys
The Pine Bluff Police Department will host a free “Real Talk” camp for boys ages 12-16 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through March 25. during Spring Break. The event will be held at 1921 S. Olive St., according to a Facebook post. To sign up, youth should call (870) 730-2086.
Thursday, March 24
City announces spring health fair
A spring health fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 24 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. The city of Pine Bluff Advancing Health Literacy Program will host the event, according to a news release. The health fair will include free health screenings and medical information provided by the Arkansas Minority Health Commission. Covid-19 vaccines will be available for all ages and everyone who receives their first, second or third dose will receive a $25 gift card. Drawings for free gift cards will be done every 30 minutes beginning at 10:30 a.m., according to the release.
City, Waste Management set meeting
The city of Pine Bluff and Waste Management will host a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. March 24 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. All residents are invited to attend the town hall to share feedback, provide suggestions and ask questions, according to a news release. Officials will provide updates concerning collection of residential trash, obtaining replacement or second trash carts, bundling trash, reporting bulk and yard waste, and many other topics. Details: Mayor Shirley Washington’s Office, (870) 730-2000, ext. 7.
GOP committee to meet
The Jefferson County Republican Committee will meet at 6 p.m. March 24 at Larry’s Pizza, 4901 Dollarway Road, White Hall. The guest speaker will be Mark Lowery, candidate for Arkansas Treasurer of State, according to a news release.
VA plans next virtual claims clinic event
The Little Rock VA Regional Office will hold its monthly virtual Claims Clinic from 4-6 p.m. March 24. Arkansas veterans should call (501) 370-3829 before 5 p.m. March 23 to reserve a timeslot to speak with a VA benefits representative regarding their claims for VA benefits. Staff is available to answer questions about existing VA benefits claims and how to file a new one, according to news release. For details about VA’s benefits, go to http://benefits.va.gov/benefits/ or call 800-827-1000.
Friday, March 25
ASC slates Weave and Unwind Workshop
Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas patrons can learn the skill of weaving from 5:30-8 p.m. March 25 at the ARTSpace on Main, 623 S. Main St. “Make something beautiful with instructor Morgun Henson in ASC’s beginners Weave and Unwind workshop. This class will take you on a step-by-step journey to create a beautiful wall hanging using weaving techniques: tabby weaving, soumak, rya, and more,” according to the release. The session is for ages 21 and older. The cost is $25 for ASC members and $35 for nonmembers. Materials are included. No experience necessary. Complimentary wine and beer will be provided by sponsor MK Distributors.
Ag Hall of Fame plans ceremony
The Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame has postponed its induction ceremony until 11:30 a.m. March 25 at the Embassy Suites at Little Rock. The change was made because of the increase in covid-19 cases, according to a news release. Those set for induction are retired Cooperative Extension Service Director Rick Cartwright of Fayetteville; long-time ag educator Joe Don Greenwood of Hermitage; the late Russell Roy Reynolds, director of the U.S. Forest Service Crossett Experimental Forest for 34 years; former Arkansas Farm Bureau President Randy Veach of Manila; Mark Waldrip of Moro, founder of Armor Seed Co.; and Andrew Wargo III of Watson, farm manager for the 15,000-acre Baxter Land Co. for more than 50 years. For tickets or details visit https://www.arkansasaghalloffame.org/pages/induction-luncheon/
Saturday, March 26
Summit Soundz to present concert
The Summit Soundz Celebration Band will present a spring concert at 6 p.m. March 26 in the worship center of Summit Baptist Church, 901 Ridgway Road. The program will include the American classic: “Shenandoah” as well as the Dixieland arrangement of “Just A Closer Walk With Thee,” according to a news release. The concert is free to the public but a freewill offering will be accepted to help establish a scholarship fund to help students pay for summer band camps and private lessons.
Through Sunday, March 27
UAPB in contest for Home Depot grant
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is rallying for a top spot in the annual Home Depot Retool Your School Grant Program competition. UAPB could win a campus improvement grant worth between $20,000 and $75,000, according to a news release. The grants are awarded based on each school’s number of online votes on the Retool Your School website, https://retoolyourschool.com/vote/ and by counting the use of the hashtag #RYSUAPB on Instagram and Twitter posts. Retool Your School voting ends at 10:59 p.m. March 27. The community can help UAPB win by voting daily and by using the hashtag #RYSUAPB on all their Twitter and Instagram posts.
Monday, March 28
NARFE Chapter 287 to meet
The NARFE (National Active and Retired Federal Employees) Chapter 287 monthly meeting will be held at 11:30 a.m. March 28 at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Building, 211 W. Third Ave. A program will be presented by the Delta Rivers Nature Center, according to a news release. Waymond Meins is president of NARFE Chapter 287.
A&P panel reschedules meeting
The Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Finance Committee will meet at noon March 28 at offices of the Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission, 623 S. Main St. Participants are asked to notify the A&P office about plans to attend the meeting, according to a news release. Details: Betty Brown, administrative assistant, A&P Commission, (870) 534-2121 or bbrown@explorepinebluff.com.
Tuesday, March 29
PBSD facilities committee seeks members
The Pine Bluff School District Facilities Committee is seeking new members. The first organizational meeting will be held at 6 p.m. March 29 at the Little Theater at Pine Bluff High School, according to the district. Details: https://www.pinebluffschools.org.
Beginning Tuesday, March 29
Black maternal mortality topic of talks
Virtual discussions will be held on Black maternal mortality rates and the short film, Toxic: A Black Woman’s Story. A Zoom session will take place March 29 at 6 p.m. and a panel discussion with special guests will be on March 30 at 5 p.m. The Little Rock chapter of The Links Inc. partnered with Pine Bluff and Northwest Arkansas chapters, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and the National Healthy Start Association to host the events, according to a news release. To sign up for the March 29 session, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtc-yhqzIiE93t-KerRl9bh2PUU5TTVdv4. To sign up for the March 30 discussion, visit https://uams.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xbLEzxclRR2lU2viER0nGg.
Through Wednesday, March 30
Small Works open at Alma; local artists included
The 2022 Small Works on Paper traveling artist exhibition will be open at the Alma Performing Arts Center gallery through March 30. The display features works by 28 artists, including Rashawn Penister of Pine Bluff and Crystal Jennings of Rison, according to an Arkansas Arts Council news release. Details: https://www.arkansasheritage.com/arkansas-art-council/aac-programs/small-works-on-paper.
Through Thursday, March 31
UAPB AgDiscovery applications available to teens
Applications are being accepted for AgDiscovery, a residential career and science exploration program for teens, said Christopher C. Mathis Jr., AgDiscovery program director. The program is scheduled for June 11-24 at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. March 31 is the application deadline. “During the application process, students can select their host university,” Mathis said. “There are 21 universities participating in AgDiscovery 2022.” The program allows participants ages 14-17 to live on campus and learn about agricultural science, environmental biology, industrial health and safety, plant and soil science, animal science, aquaculture and fisheries, and human sciences, said Mathis, assistant dean of research and associate research director for the UAPB School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences. Details: www.aphis.usda.gov/agdiscovery or Mathis at (870) 575-8543 or mathisc@uapb.edu.
Friday, April 1
HSU banquet to honor former educator
Henderson State University at Arkadelphia will honor eight alumni at the Alumni Association’s annual awards banquet at 6:30 p.m. April 1, including the late Maurice R. Horton Sr., former Dollarway School District superintendent. The event will be held in the Garrison Center’s Grand Ballroom. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at hsu.edu/RSVP. Horton became the first African-American student to receive the B.S. degree from HSU, then Henderson State Teachers College, in 1957. He also was the first African-American to receive both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Henderson. Details: hsu.edu/AlumniAwards.
Beginning Friday, April 1
Good Faith Carr UMC plans fundraiser
Good Faith Carr United Methodist Church will hold its annual fundraiser Friday, April 1, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, April 2, from 7 a.m. to noon. “This is the first church-wide rummage sale since the pandemic and promises to be one of the largest,” according to a news release. Items will include clothes, toys, and home decor. The church is located at 3703 Ryburn Road (Interstate 530 and U.S. 79 South.)
Sunday, April 3
First Baptist slates Passover observance
Messiah in the Passover, a demonstration showing how Jesus fulfilled the ancient feast of Passover, will be held at 5 p.m. April 3 at First Baptist Church Pine Bluff, 6501 S. Hazel St. Boris Goldin of Chosen People Ministries will conduct this visual presentation which begins with the traditional Passover Seder table, according to a news release. The speaker will explain the symbolic meanings of the various items of the Passover feast and highlight their relationship to the Last Supper the Messiah celebrated with the disciples. This meeting is open to the public. A love offering will be accepted for Chosen People Ministries. Details: First Baptist Church office, (870) 534-4741 or www.fbcpinebluff.org.
Beginning Tuesday, April 5
Kennel Club slates class
The Southeast Arkansas Kennel Club will sponsor a dog obedience class for eight weeks starting April 5. Participants will be meeting at Hestand Stadium each Tuesday from 7-8 p.m. The cost is $65 for the eight weeks and registration is done at the door, according to a news release from John Segars. Details: (870) 879-3384.
Friday, April 8
Alphas to host fundraising gala
The Delta Sigma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and the Southeast Arkansas Jewel Foundation (SEAJF) will hold the annual Valentine Scholarship Fundraiser gala at 7:06 p.m. April 8 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. The original date was changed from Feb. 11, a spokesman said. The community is invited to attend. The colors will be all black with a touch of gold. This fundraiser will include a catered meal by First Class Catering/James Rice and dancing, according to a news release. Organizers will follow guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although the date changed, the ticket prices will remain the same: individual tickets are $40 each or a table of 10 for $400. Donations to the SEAJF are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Checks should be payable to the Southeast Arkansas Jewel Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organization, or Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., P.O. Box 3159, Pine Bluff, AR 71611. Details: Gregory Murray at (870) 550-4281.
Beginning Friday, April 8
Home & Garden Show set at PB
The annual Home & Garden Show and Plant Sale will be held at Hestand Stadium from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 8-9. Admission is free, according to a news release. Jefferson County Master Gardeners, Cooperative Extension Service and Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Clean and Beautiful Commission will host the event. There will be speakers, how-to sessions, vendors and a live plant sale. There will also be three raffles held for two quilts and a handmade bee hive. Persons interested in renting space to exhibit their wares may call (870) 540-7521 for details.
Beginning Saturday, April 9
Day center to provide free lunch, supplies
Lula Mae’s Day Center Inc. will give away lunch and blessing bags from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 9 at Salvation Army, 501 E. 12th Ave., and May 14 at Neighbor to Neighbor, 1419 S. Pine St. The center is giving back to the community in this project. The bags will include hand sanitizer, face masks, toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, chips, cookies, peanut butter crackers and a water bottle, according to a news release from Shaneka Hamilton, Lula Mae’s executive director. Details: (870) 345-9596.
Through Friday, April 15
Nominations open for state Foster Parents award
The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is accepting nominations for its annual Foster Parents of the Year award. The deadline is April 15. DCFS will select one winner for each of its 10 service areas across the state, according to a news release. Winners will be honored at a gala at the Governor’s Mansion. To nominate foster parents for an Arkansas Foster Parent of the Year, visit ar.gov/FPOY.
Thursday, April 21
City of Pine Bluff sets job fair
The City of Pine Bluff will host a job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 21 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. City departments will be seeking applicants for all available job positions. Local employers seeking job applicants are also invited to participate and set up booths, according to a news release. People looking for jobs are urged to bring their resumes. The deadline for employers to register for the job fair is April 18. Registration is free and booth space will be allotted on a first-come-first-served-basis. Employers should register by calling (870) 730-2004 or emailing wfells@cityofpinebluff-ar.gov. Details: mayor@cityofpinebluff-ar.gov.
Through Saturday, April 30
ASC to exhibit PAUSE. People, Places and Scenes
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 S. Main St., will feature Carl E. Moore’s PAUSE. People, Places and Scenes exhibition at ASC’s main building, Feb. 3 through April 30. Moore’s paintings comment on a culture fraught with anti-Black rhetoric and sentiment, where the physical and psychological ramifications of racism seep into the private lives of the community he depicts, according to a news release. Patrons can join ASC Curator Jessica Lenehan for an Inside the Arts studio interview with Moore at 5 p.m. Feb. 3 at facebook.com/asc701/. ASC will host a joint reception featuring artists Moore and Meikel Church from 5-7 p.m. March 3.
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.
Thursday, May 5
Candidate forum set at Convention Center
The Divine 9 and community partners will host a candidate forum at 6 p.m. May 5 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. Court of Appeals Judge Waymond Brown will be the moderator, according to a news release. Candidates seeking these offices are invited to participate: Jefferson County Tax Collector; 11th West Circuit Judge, Division 4; Jefferson County Justice of the Peace District 1; Jefferson County Justice of the Peace District 4; Jefferson County Justice of the Peace District 6; Jefferson County Justice of the Peace District 8; Jefferson County Justice of the Peace District 13; Pine Bluff City Council Ward 1; Pine Bluff City Council Ward 3; and Pine Bluff City Council Ward 4.
Chamber to host Business Expo
The Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce rescheduled its Business Expo for May 5, 2022. Because of rising covid infections, the Chamber postponed the expo that was previously set for Aug. 19, 2021. 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 Saturday, May 7
ASC hosts STEAM Exhibition
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 S. Main St., will host a new interactive STEAM exhibition, “Spectrum of Creativity,” using hands-on applications of color and light through May 7. ASC’s curatorial and public programs staff collaborated to create various illuminating stations to explore. Patrons can find the science behind rainbows, create disappearing drawings, and learn how to use a green screen. Details: asc701.org.
Thursday, May 19
Waterfowler Hall of Fame reschedules event
The Arkansas Waterfowler Hall of Fame has postponed its induction ceremony until May 19. The event will be held at the Chenal Country Club at Little Rock and will include a pre-dinner reception from 6-7 p.m., live music, a live auction and a local flare spread. The event will still highlight honorees from the classes of 2020 and 2021. The event benefits the Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie at Stuttgart, which houses the Hall of Fame, according to waterfowlerhof.com. Additional information and sponsorship opportunities are also available on the website.
Through Tuesday, May 31
Arkansas Century Farm applications available
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the 2022 Arkansas Century Farm program. The deadline is May 31, according to a news release. To qualify, the same family must have owned the farm for 100 years by Dec. 31. The line of ownership from the original settler or buyer may be through children, grandchildren, siblings, and nephews or nieces, including through marriage or adoption. The farm must be at least 10 acres of the original land acquisition and make financial contribution to the over all farm income, according to the release. Applications are available at agriculture.arkansas.gov/arkansas-department-of-agriculture-services/arkansas-century-farm-program/. Applications must be received via email or postmarked on or before May 31. There is no cost to apply for the program. Details: Beth Moore, (501) 539-4027 or beth.moore@agriculture.arkansas.gov.
Through Wednesday, June 15
Forestry scholarship available
Applications for the Foresters for the Future scholarship are being accepted through June 15. The scholarship will provide $4,000 per semester, for four years, to an incoming freshman pursuing a forestry degree at the University of Arkansas at Monticello’s (UAM) College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources. Students interested in the scholarship can details at uamont.edu/academics/CFANR/index.html. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division and UAM announced the scholarship availability.
Beginning Sunday, June 19
Dermott native’s play to debut in June at Fayetteville
TheatreSquared will produce the co-world premiere of Flex by Candrice Jones, a Dermott native and winner of the 2020 Steinberg Playwright Award, June 19-July 24. Performances of Flex are scheduled Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. at TheatreSquared at Fayetteville. Tickets range from $18-$58. Jones is a playwright, poet, and educator who writes “love letters for and to women of the American South,” according to a news release. Flex tells the story of a girls’ high school basketball team from Plainnole, Ark. It’s 1997, and the women of the Lady Train team are inspired by the successes of the WNBA. Through TheatreSquared’s Lights Up! For Access program, supported by the Walmart Foundation, SNAP benefit recipients can purchase $1 tickets, while students and patrons under the age of 30 can purchase $10 tickets. Fully subsidized, free tickets are also available for clients of a number of local community service organizations. Details: theatre2.org/lights-up, theatre2.org/subscribe or (479) 777-7477.
Underway
Inside dining set at Neighbor to Neighbor
Neighbor to Neighbor, 1419 S. Pine St., returned to inside dining Jan. 3 for fully vaccinated people only. Fully vaccinated means a person has had both shots (of Pfizer or Moderna) and the booster or one shot (Johnson & Johnson) and booster, according to a news release Those entering the building must show their ID and vaccination cards. Take-out lunches will still be provided to unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or people without proper documentation for a limited time. Details: Pat Tate, Neighbor to Neighbor executive director, (870) 534-2883.
Salvation Army Auxiliary hosts fundraiser
The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary won’t hold its annual Christmas Luncheon and Festival of Tables, but will accept donations for the local Salvation Army, which provides food, shelter, socialization opportunities, spiritual enrichment and other services. The festivities were canceled in 2020-21 because of covid-19, according to a news release. Checks should be made payable to the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary and delivered to the Salvation Army Corps headquarters at 501 E. 12th Ave. or mailed to Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary, P.O. Box 8209, Pine Bluff, AR, 71611. Details: Salvation Army, (870) 534-0504.
Covid-19 vaccines, testing available
The Arkansas Department of Health, various pharmacies and healthcare providers offer the covid-19 vaccine, tests and other information about coronavirus. Details: Call the Arkansas Department of Health at (800) 985-6030, visit the website at healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/covid-19-vaccination-plan or contact area medical professionals, according to spokesmen.
Weekdays
Neighbor to Neighbor open 5 days a week
Neighbor to Neighbor, 1419 S. Pine St., has reopened five days a week. The agency will be open Monday through Friday from 9-11:30 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m. For the sake of safety, Neighbor to Neighbor will continue serving to-go lunches at the door from noon to 1 p.m. and are available to anyone who is hungry. Masks are required to enter the building and hand sanitizer will be available at the door, according to a news release. New clients or those seeking assistance with bills or medications should call (870) 534-2883 for an appointment.
Tuesdays
Unity Christian Fellowship offers free financial classes
Unity Christian Fellowship Church (UCFC), 2712 S. Bay St., invites the community to its free Small Business and Personal Financial Education classes at 7 p.m. Tuesdays. Recent subjects included “The Importance of Having a Financial Plan” and “Financial Literacy,” according to Stuff in the Bluff website. “You cannot afford to miss out on these life-changing classes. We are practicing social distancing and will have hand sanitizer wipes available,” according to the site. Anthony Armstrong is the senior pastor. Details: unitychristianfellowship@live.com or (870) 329-1182.