Community Briefs: Election panel to meet next week; Summit plans patriotic concert June 25

Election panel to meet next week

The Jefferson County Board of Election Commissioners will hold two called meetings, according to Michael Adam, chairman.

The commissioners will hold an election day meeting Tuesday from 7 a.m. until approximately 9 p.m. when unofficial election results are announced at the election center, 123 Main St. In the event commissioners are required to make a decision requiring a vote while the polls are open, it will be at the election center.

The commissioners will hold a regular meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the election center. The agenda includes public comments on new business agenda items (two minutes per speaker). New business includes adjudicating any provisional and absentee ballots and approval of the manual audit of unofficial election results.

Summit plans patriotic concert June 25

Summit Baptist Church, 901 Ridgway Road, will host a patriotic concert by the Summit Soundz Celebration Band at 6 p.m. June 25. The concert is free and open to the public, accorcding to a news release.

The band includes high school and college students from Jefferson County as well as area band directors.

“Bring your family and friends to this concert,” said Lewis Hinkle, Summit’s worship pastor. “We will have a time to honor all of our veterans and current military personnel.”

A free-will offering will be accepted to help fund the scholarship fund for the band.

Area student attends ATU institute

Taylinn Lee of Pine Bluff is among students who completed the 2022 Arkansas Tech University First Generation Institute recently at Russellville, according to a news release.

During the program, high school students who are seeking to become the first member of their family to attend college learn what’s like to be an ATU student. Details: www.atu.edu/firstgen/fgeninstitute.php.

UAPB alumni plans meet set for August

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff/AM&N National Alumni Association is planning its Virtual Summer Conference for Aug. 5-6 beginning at 9 a.m.

Everyone registered by June 30 will be entered in a prize drawing. The registration fee is $25. To register, visit uapbalumni.org.

The association is seeking the “Dedicated Decade” to shout-out for bragging rights during the conference. Alumni can participate in this competition by donating the amount of their class year to the National Alumni Scholarship. For example, if someone is from the class of 1989 then they would donate $19.89 and be counted in the 1980’s decade, according to a news release.

Payment options include Credit or Debit Card by phone to the National Alumni Office at (870) 536-2309; or CashApp to UAPB/AM&N National Alum at $uapbamnalumni, and put Scholarship Donation and the class year in the notes.

Also, interested alumni may “Submit Your Questions to The Administrations” at summerconference@uapbalumni.org. The deadline to submit via email will be July 20. Details: uapbalumni.org.

Bureau announces district farm families

Eight district Farm Families have been named in the 75th annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program, which includes southeast Arkansas residents. The district families will be judged to determine the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year, who will be announced Dec. 8, according to an Arkansas Farm Bureau news release.

Area recipients are:

Southeast District: the Young Family of Poplar Grove (Phillips County) – Clay Young and his wife Shannon have been farming for 30 years. They grow soybeans, cotton, corn and wheat on 9,000 acres. Young also owns Young’s Custom Service, a water well drilling business, with his brothers Tommy, Danny and Will. Clay and Shannon Young have two adult children, Allie and Cole.

Southwest District: the Robertson Family of Hope (Hempstead County) – Tim Robertson and his wife Jana have been farming for seven years. They raise cattle and poultry in addition to growing mixed grass hay on 495 acres. The Robertson family has four children, Hunter, Zoe, Brooklynn and Cooper.

Other winners were:

East Central District: the Lindsey Family of Forrest City (St. Francis County.)

North Central District: the Hays Family of Pleasant Plains (Independence County.)

Northeast District: the Smith Family of Paragould (Greene County.)

Northwest District: the Hostetler Family of Green Forest (Carroll County.)

West Central District: the Huneycutt Family of Arkadelphia (Clark County.)

Western District: the Stobaugh Family of Atkins (Conway County.)

Details: www.arfb.com.