Rison woman vies for Miss ATU
A southeast Arkansas resident is among nine students competing in the 69th Miss Arkansas Tech University scholarship pageant at 7 p.m. Friday at Witherspoon Auditorium at ATU in Russellville.
Savannah Brown of Rison is the daughter of Marche and Chris Brown. Her talent is vocal, singing “How Great Thou Art.” Brown’s platform is Early Detection Saves Lives-Breast Cancer Education and she’s sponsored by RNR Boutique, according to a news release.
Admission to the event is $8 for adults, $5 for minors and free with a current and valid Arkansas Tech identification card.
Miss Arkansas 2024 Camille Cathey of Wynne and Miss Arkansas Tech 2024 Kate Manuel of Green Forest will provide special entertainment.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Miss Arkansas Tech University pageant is an official preliminary to Miss America, and the winner will compete in the 2025 Miss Arkansas pageant in Little Rock.
Hotel ground-breaking set
The P3 Group Inc. invites the public to the ground-breaking ceremony of the Pine Bluff Convention Center Courtyard by Marriott hotel.
The event will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at 1 Convention Center Drive, according to a flier.
Sponsors include city of Pine Bluff, Go Forward Pine Bluff, Marriott, Beechwood Pinnacle Hotels, Chasm, H.E. Mitchell Construction and Farmers State Bank.
Transportation applications available
The Arkansas Highway Commission announced that applications for the Arkansas Transportation Alternatives Program and the Arkansas Recreational Trails Program are available.
TAP and RTP provide federal grant funding to local public agencies for transportation and recreation projects. Both programs operate on a reimbursable basis, according to a news release.
Virtual seminars will occur Feb. 19 and March 4 to discuss TAP and RTP requirements and responsibilities.
These funds can only be used for certain types of projects and can’t be used for improvements to highways.
Applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. April 30. For applications and registration visit www.ardot.gov/TAP or www.ardot.gov/RTP.
Trucking group offers scholarships
For the ninth year, the Arkansas Trucking Association plans to award scholarships of up to $7,500 to students interested in pursuing careers as medium- and heavy-duty truck technicians.
“The Carl Tapp Memorial Scholarship has invested $97,500 in Arkansas’s future technicians,” said ATA President Shannon Newton. “By helping young people access quality education, we’re not just filling jobs — we’re ensuring Arkansas has the skilled workforce needed to keep commerce moving safely and efficiently on our highways. Each scholarship recipient represents both individual opportunity and our commitment to Arkansas’s economic future.”
Applicants must be graduating seniors from accredited high schools. A scholarship of up to $7,500 will be awarded for students attending a minimum two-semester medium- and heavy-duty truck technician program at an Arkansas institution.
Applications will be accepted through April 4 for students beginning coursework in August 2025 or January 2026. ATA plans to name the 2025 recipients in May.
Details: Sarah Newman at sarahnewman@arkansastrucking.com. Find the application at https://www.arkansastrucking.com/scholarship/.
WMAs closing for feral hog control
Several Arkansas wildlife management areas will be closed temporarily to daytime public access during February and March. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services, in cooperation with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, will be conducting aerial operations to facilitate feral hog control efforts.
The flights will be dependent on the weather. Individual WMAs will only be closed to public access for one to two days each to allow for the aerial flights. Access won’t be allowed during ongoing operations to provide public safety, according to a news release.
The WMAs that will be temporarily closed include: Cut-Off Creek WMA, Seven Devils WMA, Beryl Anthony Lower Ouachita WMA, Freddie Black Choctaw Island WMA, Trusten Holder WMA, George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto WMA, U of A Pine Tree WMA, Henry Gray Hurricane Lake WMA, Steve N. Wilson Raft Creek WMA, Big Lake WMA and McIlroy Madison County WMA.
The AGFC and USDA APHIS thanks the public for their patience and understanding while these activities are underway and apologize for any inconvenience related to the operation, AGFC Feral Hog Program Coordinator Ryan Farney said.
“These targeted control efforts are essential to reducing feral hog populations and protecting the long-term health and sustainability of our wildlife management areas,” he said.
Details: Ryan Farney, (501) 382-3945 or Robert Byrd, Arkansas APHIS director, (501) 835-2318.
Small Museum grants available
Arkansas Heritage, a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, is accepting grant applications for the Small Museum Grants Program, which funds projects of up to $2,500 for Arkansas history museums, historical societies, military museums and historic houses and sites. The spring deadline for applications is April 3.
Eligible organizations must have an annual operating budget of $250,000 or less; must have a staff of at least one person, either paid or volunteer; and must be open to the public at least 90 days per year.
Eligible activities could include buildings and grounds maintenance, operating costs and utilities, equipment purchases up to $1,000, accessioning of artifact collections, conservation resources, exhibits, website design and other projects.
Details: https://www.arkansasheritage.com/available-grants/division-of-arkansas-heritage-grants or Debra Fithen, grants manager for Arkansas Heritage, at debra.fithen@arkansas.gov.