Women’s Connection sets luncheon
The Christian Women’s Connection will hold its luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 18 at the Pine Bluff Country Club.
The speaker will be Catherine Zoller of Tulsa, a noted author and speaker.
Also featured will be Jason Rogers of Pine Bluff, manager of the Jefferson Regional Wellness Center.
Zoller’s topic will be “The Chapters of My Life.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“Her life is proof that God can take the most unlikely person and transform them by the ‘washing of the water of the Word’ into a voice that shares His heart and exhilarates a room full of people,” according to the release. “Her passion for the Word of God drives her goal for each and every person in the audience to leave with their minds revolutionized by truth and their hearts magnetized toward the Living God.”
She will also have books available for sale at the luncheon, according to a news release.
The luncheon is $21, which includes the meal, drink, dessert, tax, and gratuity. Everyone is invited to attend. For reservations or cancellations, call Jennifer Keahey at (870) 540-9302. All reservations must be made three days in advance. Participants will be charged for reservations they don’t keep.
Road projects obtain funding
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture announced that nine projects will receive a total of $558,756 in funding through the Arkansas Unpaved Roads Program. The AURP funds projects that reduce sediment and nutrients from entering streams, rivers, and lakes to maintain and improve water quality, according to a news release.
The projects receiving funding in 2024 are as follows:
Arkansas County, Eldridge Road Project;
Lincoln County, Longview Road Project;
Independence County, Big Creek Road Project;
Pope County, Silex Road Project;
Scott County, Dooley Road Project;
Sevier County, Allen Road Project;
Sharp County, Bakers Cemetery Road;
Van Buren County, Brickey Road Project;
Yell County, Buckman Road.
Details: agriculture.arkansas.gov/natural-resources/divisions/water-management/arkansas-unpaved-roads-program/.
Webinar to address concerns about ticks
A tick found in a Boone County cattle herd has been confirmed as the invasive Asian longhorned tick, known for carrying a parasite that can be deadly to cattle.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association are partnering to host a webinar to discuss how to look for the Asian longhorned tick, signs of Theileria orientalis infection, prevention methods and more.
The webinar will be at 6 p.m. on July 11 and is free to attend. Those interested can register at https://uada.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LsL7Bu7wRfaSCKix5o_rkg#/registration.
The Asian longhorned tick, also known as bush, cattle or scrub tick, was first found in Arkansas in 2018 on a dog in Benton County. The tick can kill its host by swarming the animal but can also transmit a protozoan parasite called Theileria orientalis. One Theileria genotype, Ikdea, can impact cattle by attacking blood cells, according to a news release.
Since its arrival in Arkansas, the Asian longhorned tick has been confirmed in Benton, Independence and Washington counties with Boone County added in June.
Three researchers with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture are collecting ticks as part of a broad surveillance project. They include extension entomologist Kelly Loftin; veterinarian and animal science professor Jeremy Powell; and assistant professor of entomology Emily McDermott. The team aims to evaluate the prevalence of Asian longhorned ticks in Arkansas, determine whether Theileria orientalis is present in the tick population and evaluate host preference.
WC board to meet
Watson Chapel School Board will hold its regular meeting Monday at 6 p.m. at the district office, 4100 Camden Road, according to a news release.