Blues series to feature Kent Burnside
The “Blues By Budweiser” concert series will feature Kent Burnside at 8 p.m. June 1 at RJ’s Grill & Bar, 128 S. Main St. The doors open at 7 p.m. Port City Blues Society members are admitted free. General admission is $5. The concert series is sponsored by MK Distributors.
Burnside was born in 1971 in Memphis and spent his early years in Holly Springs, Miss.. He is the oldest grandson and one of the closest pupils of the legendary R.L. Burnside, according to a news release.
Kent Burnside first heard the blues while watching his grandfather perform on the family farm to the locals. He used to sell sandwiches to audience members for a dollar a piece during these performances. The first lesson R.L. Burnside taught Kent Burnside was that to be a bluesman you have to find your own rhythm on the guitar.
Kent Burnside got his start in the music business playing with Jimbo Mathus (Fat Possum Records) and going on tour with Buddy Guy in the early 2000’s. That was when he started developing his signature style of blues: dark, hypnotic, inviting and very danceable.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
He performed for Samuel L. Jackson to help Jackson prepare for his role in Black Snake Moan (2007). He has also worked on The Blues Brothers’ stage shows with Dan Aykroyd. Aykroyd is a huge fan and supporter of Kent Burnside’s work.
He spent decades performing at festivals and has toured all over the world. He has performed at the Blues Rules Festival in Switzerland, and played a two week tour of Australia with The New Savages.
Kent Burnside regularly performs at festivals around the U.S. with The Flood Brothers. Details: Port City Blues Society at pc-blues.com or facebook.com/PCBluesSociety.
Locals among Food Hall of Fame finalists
Finalists were announced Monday for the 2024 Arkansas Food Hall of Fame. Launched in 2016 by the Division of Arkansas Heritage, the program celebrates Arkansas’ unique culinary heritage by recognizing its best restaurants, proprietors and food-themed events.
Honorees will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during a special event in September, according to a news release.
Southeast Arkansas finalists include:
Slovak Oyster Supper (Arkansas County)
Big Banjo Pizza Parlor (Jefferson County)
Ray’s (Drew County)
Details: Arkansas Food Hall of Fame at ArkFoodHOF.com.
House of Bread to give away food
House of Bread Deliverance Church, 1501 W. Second Ave., will hold their monthly food giveaway May 18 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. or until all the food boxes are gone.
Each client must have filled out an intake form for 2024. If not, they must have proof of address–at least a driver’s license or identification card or utility bills. The documents presented as proof must match, according to a news release. Details: Saint Mary Harris, House of Bread senior pastor, (870) 872-2196.
Mission to meet May 20
The City Wide Mission will meet at 1 p.m. May 20 at St. Peter’s Rock Missionary Baptist Church, 1201 S. Catalpa St. The Rev. Kirby Gulley, pastor of Eighth Avenue Missionary Baptist Church, will be the guest speaker, according to a news release.
Participants are asked to bring a box of cereal for the outreach project for the month. The Rev. Darren Edgerson is the pastor of St. Peter’s Rock.
Scholarships set at Star City
The Carnell Russ Foundation will host its annual Scholarship Recipients Recognition Celebration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 18 at Star City’s townsquare.
Book scholarship recipients are Riley Hill and Raeanna Tomboli of Star City High School; Abigail Raines and Jolie Trussell of Warren High School. The event will include entertainment, Granny Ruth Southern Cooking and a bounce house, according to a news release.
UAM to continue as a Teacher Academy
The Arkansas Department of Education approved the University of Arkansas at Monticello for funding to continue as a Special Education Resource Teacher Academy during the 2024-2025 academic year.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, UAM has received a grant to sponsor 30 teachers to obtain their K-6 or 7-12 Special Education Resource Teacher Endorsement. This includes full tuition and fees for 12 hours of graduate credit, all books and materials and the cost of one application of the Praxis exam.
Applications will be accepted until May 17 and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. All requirements must be met by the end of April 2025, according to a news release.
UAM was initially approved as an academy after receiving a grant for the 2022-2023 academic year. Those funds were the result of a grant proposal submitted on behalf of the UAM School of Education by Kim Level, dean of the UAM School of Education, and Deborah Givhan, special education coordinator and instructor.
The new session’s opportunity is open to all licensed Arkansas teachers K-6, P-4, ELA (4-8 or 7-12), math (4-8 or 7-12) and science. The first meeting will be held June 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 102 of the Student Success Center at UAM. This is a mandatory meeting. The four required courses are online and run Summer I: May 28 to June 26; Summer II: July 1 to July 31; Fall I: Aug. 21 to Oct. 10; and Spring I: Jan. 8 to Feb. 27, 2025.
Details: Deborah Givhan at givhan@uamont.edu.