County Community Fun Day set today
Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson announced the second annual Jefferson County Community Fun Day will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
With an expected attendance of more than 2,000 participants, the Community Fun Day aims to foster stronger bonds among residents while offering an array of free activities, according to a news release.
From 8-10 a.m., the day will start with a fishing derby in partnership with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, providing young anglers with an opportunity to showcase their skills and compete for prizes.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., attendees can look forward to free activities, including rides and games, food, and giveaways. A Can-Am Defender XD7 XT and a Can-Am 110 Renegade are two of the grand prize giveaways, according to the release.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“The second annual Jefferson County Community Fun Day is a testament to our commitment to fostering a sense of unity and camaraderie within our community,” Robinson said. “We invite everyone to join us for a day of celebration and enjoyment at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park.”
Details: Office of County Judge Gerald Robinson, (870) 541-5360.
Event targets minority, female businesses
The Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise division of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission is hosting its annual matchmaking event May 29 at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock.
Minority and women-owned businesses will have the opportunity to pitch themselves to area business and state government for a chance to be selected as a preferred vendor. Some of the success stories go on to have working relationships with large companies, according to a news release.
Registration is open to owners of minority and women-owned businesses and vendors. There will be a $15 registration fee for sellers to register. The deadline is May 24. For details or to register visit https://info.arkansasedc.com/matchmaking2024.
Extension sets produce safety training
To help Arkansas fruit and vegetable growers across the state learn practices to reduce the risk of foodborne illness, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will offer a remote produce safety training workshop via Zoom from May 29-30.
The training will provide important information on best practices, worker health, hygiene and training, soil amendments and more, according to a news release.
Registration is $25 per person for Arkansas residents and $100 per person for out-of-state residents. The deadline to register is May 22, and there are 20 seats available in the training. Participants must have access to Zoom software, a web camera, microphone and stable internet access. Register at uaex.uada.edu/producesafety.
Participant attendance and engagement will be monitored during the training. Participants are only eligible for PSA/AFDO Certificate of Course Completion if they are present for all modules of the course.
“This program is targeted to commercial produce growers, but small or beginning farms can learn valuable information for building their operations,” said Amanda Philyaw Perez, extension associate professor of food systems and food safety specialist for the Division of Agriculture. “Farmers who have previously attended this training should plan to attend a training about every three years to stay up to date on the latest regulatory information.”
The training, developed by the Produce Safety Alliance and presented by the Cooperative Extension Service’s Arkansas Produce Safety Team, teaches growers about regulatory requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. FSMA is the first federally regulated standard for growing, harvesting, packing, and holding fresh produce.
For more information, contact Rip Weaver at rweaver@uada.edu or (501) 671-2388.