Wabbaseka candidate coming off ballot
A candidate for recorder/treasurer in Wabbaseka will be deleted from the ballot, according to a news release.
Blake Gary, Municipal League Counsel, informed the Jefferson County Clerks’ office Friday that the recorder/treasurer seat in Wabbaseka is currently filled with an appointed official until 2026 and that the position is a four year term.
The city of Wabbaseka did not properly notify the county clerk’s office of this appointment, thus causing the seat to be open for acceptance of filing petitions. This notification effects candidate Lakesha Williams and therefore she will need to be de-certified and removed from the ballot, according to the release.
Breath of Life sets back-to-school event
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The 10th annual Back-to-School Giveaway will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 16 at the fellowship hall parking lot of Breath of Life Church, 1313 Pine St.
The event will include school supplies, personal hygiene items, sack lunches and free haircut vouchers to Smith Barber Institution, according to a news release.
The event is sponsored by the Breath of Life Rosie A. Foster Willing Workers Ministry, Youth Department back-to-school drive, and Smith barbers. The pastor is the Rev. Kerry Price Sr.
Rollin Lions RV Club sets Golden Gala
The Arkansas Rollin Lions RV Club is hosting its Golden Gala from 7 p.m. to midnight Aug. 17 at the Pine Bluff Country Club.
The RV club serves as goodwill ambassadors for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Athletic Department and the proceeds from this event will benefit the department, according to a news release.
“It is our goal to enhance our partnership with Golden Lion Athletics by making this our annual fund-raising event for the department,” said Arkansas Rollin Lions President Gregory Summers.
This year the club will recognize three individuals who have made an impact on the university and the community. The honorees are:
Carlton Saffa, chief market officer of Saracen Casino Resort;
Aaron Austin, senior vice president of Common Spirit Health;
Karen Blunt, director of spirit teams at UAPB.
Tickets are available on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rollin-lions-rv-club-golden-gala-tickets-918489816767.
28 EAST Initiative programs earn honors
Twenty-eight EAST Initiative programs in Arkansas earned the Program of Influence Level 1 distinction for work during the 2023-2024 school year, including southeast Arkansas schools.
EAST Program of Influence is a recognition for programs that acknowledges engagement and best practices that can be shared with school officials and partners in their communities, said Troy DeBill, Program Coordinator for Facilitator Services.
DeBill said that 54 percent of programs received the POI distinction at one of two levels during the 2023-24 school year. Only 24 percent of programs qualified for POI during the previous school year. More than 100 programs achieved Program of Influence Level 2 honors, according to a news release.
EAST programs that achieved Level 1 distinction include:
Drew Central High School, Monticello
Hamburg Middle School
Arkansas Arts Academy High School, Rogers
Arkansas Virtual Academy High School, Little Rock
Bayyari Elementary School, Springdale
Bentonville High School
Bob Folsom Elementary School, Farmington
Central Junior High School, Springdale
Douglas MacArthur Junior High School, Jonesboro
Foreman High School
Helen Tyson Middle School, Springdale
Huntsville High School
Jessieville High School
Joe T. Robinson Middle School, Little Rock
Joe T. Robinson High School, Little Rock
Lakeside High School, Hot Springs
Lakeside Junior High School, Hot Springs
Lakeside Junior High School, Springdale
Mabelvale Elementary School
Magazine High School
Marshall High School
Maumelle Charter Middle School
Maumelle High School
Melbourne High School
Paragould High School
Paragould Junior High School
Russellville High School
Wynne High School
For a comprehensive list of Level 1 and Level 2 program honors, go to https://eastlink.me/POI.
Armed to Farm event to aid veterans
Veterans pursuing agriculture as a business may require training and want support as they get started in their new journey. A program from the National Center for Appropriate Technology fills that need: Armed to Farm.
Rusty Rumley, a senior staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center, or NALC, is a frequent presenter at Armed to Farm events, having spoken at trainings nationwide over the past decade. He said there is a lot of ground to cover in these presentations, as getting started in agricultural business is no small feat.
Rumley will speak at an Armed to Farm workshop in Harrisonburg, Va., on Aug. 14-15.
Launched in 2013, Armed to Farm’s purpose is to provide training, resources and opportunities to military veterans as they get started in agriculture, connecting them to invaluable resources.
Armed to Farm training events are hosted frequently at locations across the U.S. At the events, veterans learn about farming and sustainable agriculture, develop goals for their business and connect with other veterans and farmers.
Rumley’s presentations utilize research materials published on the NALC website. Much of this research is stored in the NALC’s numerous “Reading Rooms.” The Reading Rooms cover a range of agricultural subjects, many of which Rumley has developed over the years. These include topics of interest to new farmers, such as business organizations, agritourism, and landowner liability. Information on topics such as these is crucial in helping veterans in their new endeavor.
A full list of upcoming Armed to Farm events can be found at https://www.armedtofarm.org/events/.