Community Briefs

River bridge to be inspected June 7

One lane of the Highway 63/79 bridge across the Arkansas River will close from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. June 7 so work crews can conduct a routine bridge inspection, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Corps officials regret any inconvenience this may cause and ask for the public’s cooperation until the work is complete. Flaggers will be present to assist with the flow of traffic, but motorists should plan alternate routes and allow extra time to reach their destinations, according to a news release.

The closure is being coordinated with emergency services and law enforcement agencies. Details: Pine Bluff Site Office, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, (870) 534-0451.

Recreation information can be found at www.swl.usace.army.mil, at www.facebook.com/littlerockusace and www.twitter.com/usacelittlerock.

Kansas college honors local student

Pine Bluff resident Braylon Moody was named to the 2022 honor roll at McPherson College at McPherson, Kan. To qualify for the honor roll, a recipient must be a full-time student and earn a grade point average of 3.55 or higher during the previous term, according to a news release.

OBU names locals to Who’s Who

Thirty students at Ouachita Baptist University at Arkadelphia were named to the latest edition of Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities, including area residents. The students were chosen by Ouachita’s faculty, staff and 2022 senior class based on their academic performance, leadership in extracurricular activities, community service and potential for success.

HONOREES

• Jefferson — Jazmyn-Rayne Parker, 22, is an elementary education major and a graduate of White Hall High School. Named to the President’s and Dean’s lists at Ouachita, she was a member of the President’s Leadership Circle, was a WOW new student orientation leader and served terms as vice president and president of Kappa Delta Pi honor society for education, according to a news release. Parker was elected to the homecoming court, served as keeper of the beaus for the EEE women’s social club and volunteered through Tiger Serve Day. She worked as a summer camp counselor and a unit coordinator at Kanakuk. Parker plans to teach first or second grade at Eastside Elementary School at Cabot and in the future, to pursue Master of Education degrees in curriculum and instruction and in reading intervention.

• White Hall — Matthew Branch, 22, is a communications and media/sports media major and a graduate of White Hall High School. He was named to the President’s and Dean’s lists at Ouachita, where he was the student director and a founding member of the Ouachita Sports Digital Network. Branch received the William D. Downs Outstanding Mass Communications Graduate and Outstanding Communications Sophomore awards and was also a member of the Ouachita Student Foundation, the President’s Leadership Circle and the Varsity Diner Home Group. He volunteered through Tiger Serve Day and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was a broadcast intern for the Mile High Collegiate Baseball League, as well as a radio broadcaster for the Bearden High School Football Team. Branch plans to pursue a career in sports broadcasting at the professional or collegiate level, according to the release.

• White Hall — Michaelyn Ferrell, 22, is a business administration/marketing and communications and media/strategic communications double major and a graduate of White Hall High School. At Ouachita, where Ferrell received the 2022 Dr. Lera Kelly Outstanding Senior in Business Administration Award, she volunteered through Tiger Serve Day, was a member of the WOW steering committee and served as president of the EEE women’s social club. Ferrell plans to join her family’s business, Hunter’s Refuge, at White Hall.

Girls State underway

The American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) units in Arkansas announced the 2022 session of ALA Arkansas Girls State is underway through Friday. The session began Sunday at Harding University at Searcy, according to the news release.

“Arkansas Girls State is a vigorous program that is attended by elite students from high schools representing all counties in the state of Arkansas. The fundamental mission of the Arkansas Girls State program is championing patriotism, responsible citizenship, community involvement, leadership, and a balance of faith and moral conduct,” according to the release.