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Leaders of Southside Baptist Church came to the Pine Bluff School Board Tuesday bearing a gift that would reap benefits at Jack Robey Junior High School.
The men announced they have adopted Jack Robey as part of the Partners in Education program advocated by Interim Superintendent Linda Watson.
Jerry Bell of Southside Baptist Church said they want to “transform the climate and culture at Jack Robey. We plan to transform the teacher’s lounge with new paint and new furniture. We believe that this is a win-win proposition.”
Associate Pastor Paul Huenefeld said Jack Robey is the closest school to the church and fits in well with Southside’s initiative to reach out to the community.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“We are going to try to make a different Pine Bluff and a different Jack Robey,” Huenefeld said.
“We want to emphasize the values of responsibility, accountability, honor, integrity and respect that are given to us by our Creator,” explained the Rev. Matt Leaver. “The best way to do that is to be in partnership with one another. We desire to reintroduce Southside to this community.”
More churches and organizations can make a real difference in our schools.
Fatal virus
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The Arkansas Department of Health earlier this week reported the first death this year in the state from West Nile virus. So far this year, there have been 15 cases of the deadly virus in Arkansas.
The Centers for Disease Control and Protection have reported 1,118 reported human cases nationwide, with 41 deaths. This is the highest number of West Nile cases reported to CDC through the third week in August since virus was first detected here in 1999. Epidemiologists emphasize that West Nile virus poses very serious health problems for certain people, especially the elderly; immune-compromised persons; those who suffer from serious chronic illnesses; and some others who might become very sick if they become infected.
The virus is transmitted to people by infected mosquitoes. There are no medications to treat, or vaccines to prevent, human West Nile virus infection.
Regardless of the reasons for the recent increase in confirmed cases, Arkansans should be made aware of the virus in their vicinity and take action to protect themselves from mosquitos.
The best way to prevent West Nile virus disease is to avoid mosquito bites. That’s easier said than done when you reside in South Arkansas.
The “Three Ds” help: Drain standing water from yards and empty containers; don’t go out at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes feed without protective clothing; and use insect repellents with the active ingredient DEET when outdoors.
Our health department should make public the counties were deaths and the virus have been reported in Arkansas. Other states make that information available to the public. Give the public the warning they deserve.
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Criminals may be stupid, but they’re not dumb, a wise man once wrote. The difference in the two: Dumb suggests an absence of knowledge; stupid goes to judgment.
A 29-year-old man who allegedly robbed a convenience store here last week was arrested Wednesday after being identified in a surveillance photograph, police said.
The robber entered the Hazel Street Food Mart, 2201 W. 17th Ave, and took a 30-pack of beer. A surveillance camera photograph that appeared on The Commercial’s website was credited with leading to the arrest.
Detective James Williams said that after the photograph appeared on the website, police received a tip giving the robber’s name and his location.
The thumb up is for the tipster.