Suicide prevention event set
September marks Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and the community is invited to attend a program titled Suicide Prevention: A Community Conversation.
This event will take place at 6 p.m. Sept. 10 at the UAPB Business Support Incubator, 615 S. Main St. The host is the D’Andre Seals Prevention Outreach Project (DSOP), according to a news release.
Speakers include:
Kymara Seals — Moderator, founder and board chair of DSOP
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Bessie Lancelin — Panelist and board member of DSOP
Jane & Joseph of Little Rock — Panelists. Joseph will share his experiences and Jane will share how she supports her son.
The event sponsor is the Saracen Casino Resort. This event is free and the general public is encouraged to attend.
Details: D’Andre Seals Prevention Outreach Project at https://www.thedsop.org/ or follow the project on social media.
Auction raises nearly $600,000
The recent auction of tax-delinquent properties in Jefferson County raised more than $570,000, according to Commissioner of State Lands Tommy Land.
The auction drew 153 registered bidders, who purchased 290 of 499 parcels for $570,606.52. The auctions offered real estate parcels with taxes delinquent since 2020, according to a news release.
“Most owners redeem their property by paying the delinquent taxes; we only auction a fraction of the parcels certified for delinquent taxes,” Land said. “Of course we hope property is redeemed if the owners want to keep it, but it is vital that the parcels return to the county’s active tax rolls.”
The COSL office disburses taxes and interest to the county, whether that money is collected through redemption or sale.
“Last year, the Commissioner of State Lands Office sent more than $18.7 million to school districts and county governments,” Land said. “Of that, more than $1 million went to Jefferson County, helping fund everything from roads to schools.”
Auction sales are final. Unsold parcels may be redeemed at www.cosl.org, using a credit or debit card, or owners can call (501) 324-9422 to request a Petition to Redeem. Redemption does not grant ownership; but it makes the taxes current.
Parcels that did not sell at the public auction will be available after 30 days and can be purchased through an online auction by viewing the Post-Auction Sales List at www.cosl.org.
Great Arkansas Cleanup set
Keep Arkansas Beautiful has opened registration for the 2025 Great Arkansas Cleanup, Arkansas’ largest fall community improvement initiative. The campaign runs from Sept. 6 through Oct. 31.
KAB reported 4,494 volunteers contributed 26,124 hours of work in the fall of 2024, according to a news release.
“Whether you’re restoring a trail, beautifying a schoolyard or removing litter from a local park, the Great Arkansas Cleanup offers everyone a chance to make a difference,” said McKenzie McMath Coronel, director of Keep Arkansas Beautiful. “Every year, Arkansans show their pride and commitment to protecting The Natural State by participating in this effort. KAB aspires to inspire all Arkansans to do their part and help contribute to keeping their communities, and The Natural State, clean, green and beautiful.”
KAB asks Arkansans to do their part and help the agency reach its goal of having all 75 counties participate again this year. Students can also earn required community service hours.
Volunteers, including civic groups, businesses, local governments and individuals, are encouraged to register their cleanup events at www.keeparkansasbeautiful.com to receive free supplies such as trash bags, gloves, safety vests and shirts while supplies last.
Auditor issues $700,000 in checks
Auditor of State Dennis Milligan pushed “Start” on his office’s new Data Match initiative Monday, generating more than $700,000 worth of checks that will be mailed to Arkansans this week.
The new initiative will send checks to eligible individuals who have unclaimed property without them having to file a claim, according to a news release.
Act 114 of 2025 authorized the auditor’s office to mail checks to people owed between $50 and $5,000 if their identity can be proven through multiple data verification sources. Milligan has identified more than 360,000 properties to be verified for the Data Match program, though not all of those properties will be eligible. The auditor’s office began mailing letters to eligible Arkansans July 2 notifying them they will soon be receiving a check in the mail.
Unclaimed property can be any number of financial items, such as uncashed checks, unreimbursed utility deposits, insurance proceeds and more.
“We are working as hard as we can to get this money back into the hands of its rightful owners,” he said. “This effort will help my office get Arkansans their unclaimed cash more efficiently by cutting through the red tape.”
The Data Match program is a best practice currently adopted by 24 other states’ unclaimed property programs. Currently, only individuals are eligible for the Data Match program. Businesses, nonprofits, and people owed less than $50 or more than $5,000 will still be required to file a claim online at www.claimitar.gov. Details: https://auditor.ar.gov/.