Local schools on state board agenda
The Arkansas Board of Education will discuss next week a legislative update for the Pine Bluff School District from April through June.
Meetings will be held at 10 a.m. Aug. 12 and 9 a.m. Aug. 13 in the auditorium at the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education in Little Rock. This will be an onsite meeting with a virtual option for presenters, according to a news release.
People are encouraged to watch via live stream at https://bit.ly/39EiaSY. The agendas for the meetings are available at https://bit.ly/3oI9bV2.
The board will continue to receive written public comments. Public comments should be received by 10 a.m. Aug. 11 by email to ade.commissioner@ade.arkansas.gov or mailed to the Arkansas Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, Four Capitol Mall, Room 304-A, Little Rock, Ark. 72201.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Scholarship offered to single parents
Living Vessels Organization (LVO) of Pine Bluff is offering a $500 scholarship for single parents. The deadline to apply is Aug. 15, according to a news release.
An applicant must be a single parent with the primary responsibility of the children; live in the Pine Bluff, White Hall or Watson Chapel communities; be enrolled at Southeast Arkansas College or the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; and have a minimum of a 2.5 grade point average.
The applicant must submit an essay, two letters of references and proof of GPA to Living Vessels Organization Scholarship Committee, P.O. Box 8256, Pine Bluff, AR 71611-8256.
The application and details are available at www.livingvessels.com. The application may emailed to Livingvesselsorganization@gmail.com.
LVO is a non-profit, charitable, tax-exempt organization, according to its website.
“Its sole purpose is to address needs in order to help dispel deprivation and improve the quality of life for individuals in its community,” the website stated. “The organization strongly believes that GOD+EDUCATION+EMPLOYMENT is the formula for a blessed and prosperous life. It specifically focuses on the needs in the areas of education and housing.”
PPP loan forgiveness forms available
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) launched a streamlined application portal for borrowers seeking forgiveness with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
The system will allow borrowers with PPP loans under $150,000 through participating lenders to apply for forgiveness directly through SBA, according to a news release.
The new forgiveness platform began accepting applications from borrowers on Aug. 4. Details: https://directforgiveness.sba.gov/requests/borrower/login/?next=/
Rural Health Partnership appoints VP
The Arkansas Rural Health Partnership Board of Directors announced that Frazier Edwards will join its team as vice president of strategic partnerships and business development.
Medical facilities in Southeast Arkansas are part of the partnership, according to a news release. The agency recently created this position as an initiative to assist the organization with developing and managing service lines and programs created specifically for the purposes of supporting and developing cost efficiencies for rural hospitals and clinics.