Temporary road closure set in Star City
A temporary closure is scheduled on Arkansas 212 in Star City from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 3, according to the Arkansas Department of Transportation.
Weather permitting, crews will replace a pipe culvert that crosses Arkansas 212 between Heflin Street and West Dallas Avenue. Traffic will detour using Arkansas 114 and Arkansas 530 to travel to and from Star City.
Traffic will be controlled with the use of barrels, message boards, and signage. Drivers are urged to use caution while traveling in the area. Additional travel information can be found at IDriveArkansas.com or ARDOT.gov.
St. John to give away food
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
St. John AME Church, 1117 W. Pullen St., will give away food boxes to those in need Jan. 13 from 9 a.m. until all food has been distributed.
State ID’s are required to receive one food box per family. Pickup will be in front of the church on Cherry Street. Recipients are asked to stay in their vehicles and open their trunks, according to a news release.
The event is sponsored by the church’s Soul Food for the Mind, Body and Spirit Feeding Ministry and community partners, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Pleasant Grove Baptist Church.
Those interested in supporting the food ministry may partner with them. Financial donations may be mailed to St. John AME Church-Feeding Ministry, 1117 W Pullen St., Pine Bluff, Ark., 71601, or sent electronically through Givelify St John AME Pine Bluff.
To volunteer, contact Pearl Matlock at pearl1948@sbcglobal.net to volunteer. The Rev. Chestine Sims Jr. is the pastor.
Women-only Cattle Bootcamp set
Women who want to dive deeply into the skills needed to manage a cattle operation will have the opportunity during the Women-only Cattle Bootcamp Feb. 22-24 in north-central Arkansas.
Presented by the Cooperative Extension Service offices in Cleburne and Independence counties, the bootcamp will be hosted at the Chimney Rock Cattle Company of Concord, and the Livestock and Forestry Station in Batesville, part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.
Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge will be the keynote speaker, kicking off the conference on Feb. 22. Rutledge and her husband Jeff operate a farm near Newport. The program will also include subject matter experts from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Ag Heritage, the local Farm Bureau, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, as well as local cattlemen and women.
Participants may register by contacting either the Cleburne County or Independence County extension offices. The cost is $50, which covers food and materials. Registration is limited to 30 participants, according to a news release.
In the United States, 10.9 percent of cattle operations have women as principal operators. In 39.4 percent of cattle operations, women are the secondary operators, according to the American Farmland Trust.
“The idea behind this event is to empower women in the agriculture sector by giving them an opportunity to learn the day-to-day, hands-on skills they need to make informed decisions on the farm,” said Amy Heck, Cleburne County extension staff chair for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “In addition, our hope is that women will come away from this bootcamp feeling inspired and confident in sharing their ag story by serving as an advocate for the agriculture industry.”
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact a local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu