Blues trail marker fundraiser Saturday
Blues fans will gather to celebrate the legacy of Jefferson County blues legend, Big Bill Broonzy, who was born near Lake Dick and spent most of his childhood years in the Pine Bluff area. The event will be a fundraiser for a special Arkansas River Delta Blues Trail marker to be erected honoring Broonzy. It will be held at 8 p.m. Nov. 15 at RJ’s Grill & Bar, 128 S. Main St. The doors will open at 7 p.m. Admission is free, according to a news release. There will be special performances by Jason Lee Hale, Detroit Johnny & the Delta Soul Children, Chad Marshall Band, Port City Blues Players, Mark Morgan, Mary Bohlar (Daughter of James Tail Dragger Jones) and others. The event will feature a presentation about Broonzy’s life and legacy. There will also be a silent auction with autographed items from another blues legend and Grammy Award winner Bobby Rush and other opportunities to contribute to the trail marker.
“Big Bill Broonzy (born Lee Conley Bradley) was an influential American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist who was a key figure in the development of blues music in the 20th century,” according to the release. “Broonzy started his musical journey playing a homemade cigar-box fiddle in Jefferson County before moving to Chicago in the 1920s, where he honed his guitar skills in South Side clubs. His long and varied career spanned country blues, urban blues, and the American folk music revival, making him an international star in the 1950s.”
The Arkansas River Delta Blues Trail is a project of the newly formed non-profit, Arkansas Originals. The trail is a heritage initiative designed to preserve, celebrate and amplify the musical history along the Arkansas River Delta. “The Arkansas River Delta Blues Trail is not just about honoring the past, it’s about owning our place at the national table of a music conversation,” said Kat Daniels, founder of Arkansas Originals. “These stories are foundational to our history as a state and southern culture, and this trail helps connect people to the soul of Arkansas through storytelling and the sharing of their music. It’s entertainment, but it is also educational, establishing a common thread and hopefully installing hope into potential future talents who are drawn down the same path.”
Duck Season Social set
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The fifth annual Duck Season Social will be held at The Venue at Westwind in North Little Rock to celebrate the coming of duck season and the winter waterfowl migration. The Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation will open the doors at 6 p.m. Dec. 3 to this event presented by Lile Real Estate, according to a news release. “We’ve lined up a great night of food and festivities, and we’ve even mixed in a little education on the latest studies being conducted by the Osborne Lab at the University of Arkansas at Monticello,” Tyler Lawrence, director of events and programming for the AGFF, said. “Doug Osborne and noted conservationist David Snowden Jr. will participate in a fireside chat with guests of the event. We’ll also have a huge raffle with great prizes, including guns, hunting gear and other great items. And we’ll have live music from Seth Van Dover.”
Deke Whitbeck, president of the AGFF, said the event is a great way to contribute to conservation while having a great time with family, friends and the rest of the duck-hunting community. The social follows the close of the first segment of Arkansas’s duck season, so hunters will already have a few opportunities to build up some new stories to share. “We are thrilled to bring back the Duck Season Social,” Whitbeck said. “Funds raised through this event directly empower the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s work in youth education, improving habitat and ensuring access for all outdoor enthusiasts.” For details and tickets, visit www.duckseasonsocial.com.
Sheraton Park neighbors to meet
The Sheraton Park Neighborhood Watch/Taylor Association Watch will meet Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. in Grace Episcopal Church’s Brown Hall, 4101 S. Hazel St. Brown Hall is located at the back of the church. The speaker will be Joyce Kimbrell, chief of staff for Mayor Vivian Flowers. The meeting is open to Ward 2 residents as well as everyone else, according to a news release.
Simmons declares dividend
Simmons First National Corp. announced Monday that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend on Simmons’ Class A common stock of $0.2125 per share, which is payable on Jan. 2, 2026, to shareholders of record as of Dec. 15, 2025.
The cash dividend rate represents an increase of 1% from the dividend paid for the same time period last year, according to a news release.
Election board to meet
The Jefferson County Board of Election Commissioners will hold a called meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the election center, 123 S. Main St., according to chairman Michael Adam. The agenda includes new business including reviewing the names and titles as proposed to be used by each candidate on the political practices pledge. Comments may also be made on the new business.