Cancer Awareness Fashion Show set
A fashion show will showcase and celebrate breast cancer survivors as well as honor the memory of Billie Jean “BJ” Jackson.
The Survivors Rockin’ the Runway for BJ will be held at 10 a.m. Aug. 31 at Grace & Mercy Missionary Baptist Church, 5103 W. Malcomb St.
Vendors, music, raffles and other activities will be featured during this event, according to StuffinTheBluff.com.
Tickets are $30 per person and may be purchased online or at the door. A percentage of the proceeds will be donated to a breast cancer organization. The community is invited to attend. For details, call or text (870) 872-6485.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Cooperatives offer energy saving tips
The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas are sharing tips to stay cool and save money this summer.
Most of electricity use billed during the summer is related to the air conditioner, said Mitch Ross, energy efficiency manager for the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas.
One easy way to save money is to adjust the thermostat while away from the home, according to a news release.
What drives heat gain is the difference in temperature between the outside and inside of the home, and the greater the difference in temperature the faster heat transfers from the outside to the inside, he said.
TIPS TO FOLLOW:
Set the thermostat to what’s comfortable when you’re home.
Adjust the thermostat to a higher temperature while away.
If you use a ceiling fan, you can set the thermostat higher and maintain the same comfort level.
Check for gaps and cracks in your home and seal them with caulk or foam.
Weather strip windows and doors.
If affordable, invest in a smart thermostat.
“Setting your thermostat higher while away and lower when you get home does not increase your bill,” Ross said. “Running your unit for one long cycle as opposed to short cycles, multiple times a day, will dehumidify a home more efficiently. One long cycle also places less stress on your HVAC unit.”
Delta Innovator Search seeks ideas
Entrepreneurs, scientists, agricultural leaders and other innovators with ideas for advancing the health and economy of the Mississippi Delta region of Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana are encouraged to enter the inaugural Delta Innovator Search.
The Rural Innovation Alliance, a multistate initiative committed to transforming the Delta region into a thriving, diversified and integrated economic driver, will accept applications for the search through July 30 at ruralinnovationalliance.org, according to a news release.
The search, part of a planning process launched in May 2023 and funded by the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines program, will identify new solutions that have the potential to advance the region’s economy and contribute to better health outcomes for Delta residents.
Solutions could include new goods or products, scientific or technical innovations, services, business models, financial strategies or other projects that help build the necessary infrastructure for resilient economic growth in the Delta.
Finalists will present their proposals to the Rural Innovation Alliance and its partners at a showcase and awards banquet in September. Innovators will be selected to receive awards of $20,000, $10,000 and $5,000 to support their initiatives, in addition to gaining access to networking support and additional funding opportunities — including a pathway to participate in the upcoming $160 million second-phase NSF Regional Innovation Engines grant application process.
Projects should align with at least one of three target categories: Scientific or Technical Innovations, Economic or Financial Innovations or Community Impact 2040, according to the release.