PB school board sets meeting
The Pine Bluff School Board will meet at 6:30 p.m. May 20 in the boardroom of the Jordan-Chanay administrative building, 1215 W. Pullen Ave., according to a news release.
Warren resident on scholars’ list
Hinds Community College at Raymond, Miss., recently named Isaac Lindsey of Warren to its list of President’s Scholars for the Fall 2023 semester. President’s Scholars are those with a cumulative 4.0 grade point average, according to a news release.
Barbershop sets 2 celebrations
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The community is invited to celebrations at 5 Star Cutz Barbershop at Pine Bluff and Sherwood owned by Marvin Cawthon.
In Pine Bluff, a ribbon cutting ceremony will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at 817 W. Sixth Ave. Free haircuts will be provided and the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce will assist in cutting the ribbon, according to Stuff in The Bluff.com.
In Sherwood, a grand opening will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Apple Valley Shopping Center. There will be free haircuts, food and activities, including a drawing for a new 70-inch TV.
A former resident of Pine Bluff, Cawthon spent 10 years with the Pine Bluff Police Department. He is now a resident of Sherwood and is currently with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, according to the news release.
Cawthon initially started the barbershop in Pine Bluff six years ago.
“We’ve expanded the location with Pine Bluff being the main hub,” Cawthon said.
He described the new Sherwood location as “family oriented and professional.”
“I believe in going with the community. We’re just trying to give back,” Cawthon said. Details: (501) 295-3720 or FiveStarCutz@yahoo.com or on social media.
Sign-up open for farm conservation
Henry English, director of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Small Farm Program, is encouraging small farmers and urban gardeners to take advantage of funding opportunities by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
NRCS in Arkansas announced two additional sign-ups through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program’s Small Farm and Urban Agriculture Initiative and the Conservation Stewardship Program, according to a news release.
“These additional opportunities will help agricultural producers throughout Arkansas make best use of their natural resources where agricultural production is often limited by competing land uses and higher costs of utilization,” said Arkansas NRCS state conservationist Mike Sullivan. “Urban and small farmers provide critical access to healthy food for local communities, as well as jobs, increased green spaces and community engagement.”
In Arkansas, healthy food access can be limited in urban, suburban and rural areas, and small-scale, sustainable, diversified operations are vital to support local and regional food systems.
NRCS accepts applications for conservation programs year-round, but to be included in this funding opportunity, interested producers should contact their local USDA Service Center and apply by May 17. Applicants are encouraged to work with NRCS and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency to complete eligibility requirements at their earliest convenience during the application process.
For urban operations in this sign-up, NRCS offers technical and financial assistance with conservation practices, such as conservation cover; conservation crop rotation; cover crops; high tunnel systems; irrigation system, micro irrigation; irrigation water management; low tunnel systems; mulching; nutrient management; pest management conservation system; prescribed grazing; raised beds; residue and tillage management – no-till; residue and tillage management – reduced till; roof runoff structure; soil carbon amendment; and wildlife habitat planting. The full list of practices is available at the NRCS office in a local USDA Service Center.
CSP offers additional opportunities to expand on existing conservation efforts through enhancements. Interested producers should submit applications including the NRCS-CPA-1200 and maps that identify and delineate the boundaries of all eligible land uses and acres included in the operation to their local NRCS office.
The CSP-Urban Agriculture sign-up will be offered via ACT NOW. ACT NOW allows NRCS to expedite application approval and contract obligation in a designated ranking pool when an eligible application meets or exceeds a state-determined minimum ranking score, which is 60 for the CSP-Urban Agriculture ranking pool. Eligible applications will be batched and processed in the order they’re received, with selections made weekly.
CSP-Urban Act Now applications will be accepted until May 17 or until funds have been expended. The full list of enhancements is available at a local NRCS office.