Students to pledge against gun violence
Students at Pine Bluff schools will take a pledge against gun violence as part of the “Words Not Weapons Initiative” on Oct. 16, the Day of National Concern about Young People and Gun Violence.
Events will be held at 10:30 a.m. at Pine Bluff High School, 4101 S. Olive St., and 2:45 p.m. at Watson Chapel High School, 4000 S. Camden Road.
Friendship Aspire Academy Middle School students will also take the pledge. Youth across the country take the pledge every year, according to a news release.
Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley M. Washington will lead the pledge at PBHS. State Rep. Vivian L. Flowers will lead pledge at WCHS.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Rev. Jesse Turner, executive director of Pine Bluff Interested Citizens for Voter Registration Inc., will help facilitate the pledges. Participants also include Sylvia Bennett-Stone, national director, Voices of Black Mothers United.
Prayer Garden sets chili supper
Prayer Garden Christian Faith Center Church of God in Christ, 800 S. Apple St., will host its annual chili supper from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 19. Pickup or delivery will be available, according to a news release.
For tickets, contact Janice Williams, (870) 717-3280, or Diann Williams, (870) 413-6750, or any member of the church. October is annual Men’s and Women’s Month at the church.
Veterans’ Business Summit set
Military veterans seeking to land contracts with the state or federal government for their businesses are invited to attend the 2024 Veterans’ Business Summit on Nov. 7. The event, which is free to attend, will be held at the Cooperative Extension Service state headquarters, 2301 S. University Ave., in Little Rock.
The program will begin at 9 a.m. with an introduction by Melanie Berman, director of the Arkansas APEX Accelerator program for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Kendall Penn, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, will deliver the keynote address.
The featured speaker will be Ruby Crenshaw Lawrence, chief of the Office of Small Business Programs & Industry Engagements for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. She will discuss the government’s stance on Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence, and associated concerns.
The APEX Accelerators program, formerly known as the Procurement Technical Assistance Program, plays a critical role in the Department of Defense’s efforts to identify and help a wide range of businesses enter and participate in the defense supply chain. The program provides the education and training to ensure that all businesses can participate in the federal, state and local government contract process, according to a news release.
The summit will conclude before noon. Online registration is required at https://arapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/1983.
Extension slates ARegenerate Conference
Arkansas farmers and producers interested in learning more about regenerative farming methods, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will host the inaugural ARegenerate Conference Nov. 8-9 at the Expo Center at Kay Rogers Park in Fort Smith.
The conference will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. There is also a pre-conference farm tour in Hackett from 8-10:30 a.m. on Nov. 7. Tickets are $75 and include breakfast for two days and lunch on the second day, according to a news release.
Register at uada.formstack.com/forms/aregenerate.
Amanda Spradlin, Sebastian County extension horticulture agent, said regenerative agriculture incorporates crucial methods of improving water conservation, soil health and ecosystem resilience to climate change.
“Regenerative agriculture differs from conventional methods because it encourages diversity and discourages soil disturbances like tillage, synthetic chemical sprays and fertilizers, continuous grazing and monoculture systems with little to no crop rotation,” Spradlin said. “Those practices compromise the soil microbiome and are associated with soil degradation over time.”
Another benefit of regenerative agriculture is that it emphasizes low input — such as water, fertilizer and fuel — helping farmers and producers increase their profit margins. Spradlin said that although access to capital is a significant stressor for farmers who want to improve their operations, more funding is becoming increasingly available.
“The good news is that the Natural Resources Conservation Service has excellent programs, such as the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, to make the transition easier,” Spradlin said. “Our regional NRCS office is full of wonderful, helpful people who are receiving more funding for these programs every year.”
Spradlin said she is seeking more vendor and speaker applicants for the conference. Applicants whose research or experience aligns with regenerative methods should submit an abstract or brief overview of their topic to Spradlin.
The deadline to apply as a speaker is Oct. 28. To sign up to be a vendor or inquire about speaking, contact Spradlin at aspradlin@uada.edu.
Details: Spradlin at aspradlin@uada.edu or (479) 484-7737.