AGFC postpones Squirrel Challenge
The Umarex Big Squirrel Challenge, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, will be postponed until Feb. 7-8 to avoid winter weather predicted to hit Arkansas during the event.
“No one is more disappointed to postpone the Big Squirrel Challenge than our Education and Private Lands Habitat Division staff,” said Eric Maynard, assistant chief of education for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. “They’ve put a lot of extra effort into programming that will take place during the event and always enjoy seeing the smiles on the hunters’ faces when they come in to weigh their squirrels. But we want to make sure that everyone in the state has the opportunity to get out, hunt and come to the nature centers and other weigh-in locations safely. Because of that, we had to make the call to move the event.”
Squirrel season runs through Feb. 28, so hunters still have plenty of time to get out and hone their woodsmanship skills for a late-season bushytail hunt.
The Umarex Big Squirrel Challenge is an easy-to-join hunting event where teams of two spend an afternoon and morning gathering the three biggest bushytails they can find and bring them to an official weigh station to compare to the other participants’ take for the day. Details: www.agfc.com.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
LeadAR program seeks applicants
LeadAR, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s leadership program, is accepting applications for its next class. The in-depth learning experience covers economic and social issues impacting communities throughout the state.
Operated by the Cooperative Extension Service, the outreach and teaching arm of the Division of Agriculture, the 18-month program will include two-day seminars in multiple regions of the state.
Topics will include infrastructure and public health, natural resources, public policy and media, community and economic development, according to a news release from the Division of Agriculture.
“Through the LeadAR program, participants receive a unique, hands-on experience in skill development,” said Julie Robinson, extension professor and LeadAR director for the Division of Agriculture. “They will gain a better understanding of local issues, which helps them see policy impacts at the community, state and national level.”
LeadAR members will participate in a mock legislative session at the state Capitol. They will then travel to Washington, D.C., in September for a weeklong tour, where they will meet with officials representing government agencies, nonprofits and industry. They will also meet with the Arkansas congressional delegation and aides to discuss issues in their own communities.
The program culminates in September 2026 with an international study tour, during which participants will study political dynamics and how global issues impact Arkansas.
The cost to participants is $3,500, which covers seminar expenses, most lodging, meals and travel expenses. Class members are encouraged to seek tuition support from outside sources and scholarships are available.
Each applicant must be an Arkansas resident and 25 years old by the date of the first seminar. The deadline to apply is Feb. 7. For details and to apply, visit uaex.uada.edu/leadar or contact Julie Robinson, LeadAR director, or Lisa Davis, program coordinator, by emailing LeadAR@uada.edu.
Ag webinar to discuss election impact
With the 2018 Farm Bill having expired and an election cycle that has come and gone, what’s on the horizon for agricultural law and policy?
According to Hunt Shipman, principal and director at Cornerstone Government Affairs, one word encapsulates what can be expected: change.
On Jan. 15, Shipman will present the National Agricultural Law Center webinar, titled “Looking Ahead: Impact of the 2024 Elections on Ag Law and Policy.” The presentation will begin at 11 a.m. Registration is free of charge online on the NALC website.
“Election cycles bring with them many changes that have lasting impacts,” Shipman said in a news release from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Shipman brings an insider’s view to this webinar. He has served in the agriculture law and policy industry for more than two decades, with roles in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Senate Agriculture Committee and more. In 2002, he was USDA’s principal negotiator with Congress on the 2002 Farm Bill. Details: nationalaglawcenter.org.
GOP to meet Jan. 23
The Jefferson County Republican Committee will hold its monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Jan. 23 at Larry’s Pizza in White Hall.
“We will also be holding elections for county committee executive officers. chairman, 1st vice chair, 2nd vice chair, treasurer, and secretary, additionally will vote to reauthorize and elect a fundraising chairman to be placed on the executive committee,” according to a news release.
Area Agency sets menu
Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas offers lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays at the senior centers. The menu includes:
Wednesday — Taco soup, tortilla chips, salsa, lettuce salad, fruit, and milk.
Thursday — Smothered pork cutlet, pickled beets, broccoli, roll, cobbler, and milk.
Friday — Meatballs with gravy, carrots, mashed potatoes, wheat bread, fruit cocktail, and milk. Details: Strachota Senior Center, (870) 543-6323.