Turner to talk voting in virtual event
The Rev. Jesse C. Turner, executive director of Pine Bluff Interested Citizens for Voter Registration, will participate in a National Returning Citizens Virtual Conference at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Presenters from around the country will discuss topics such as health, research, technology, business and entrepreneurship, the faith community, juvenile lifers, the school to prison pipeline, family reunification and the role of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Turner will discuss voting and a call to action, according to a news release.
Other guest speakers include U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis, Democratic congressman of the 7th District of Illinois and an alumnus of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The virtual conference is in recognition of National Second Chance Month, and sponsored by the 400 Years of African American History Federal Commission, Catholic Charities USA, and Prison Fellowship. For free online registration, interested participants may visit nrcvc2021.eventbrite.com.
School garden contest entries taken
Entries are being accepted for the eighth annual Arkansas Grown School Garden of the Year Contest until June 6. The contest is sponsored by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas, according to a news release.
Applicants may be any school, early childhood education facility, or alternative learning environment that had a school garden during the 2020-2021 school year or is planning to start a garden in the 2021-2022 school year. Winners will be announced at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year.
Applicants are eligible to apply for the following categories: Best Start-up School Garden Proposal — $500; Best Education Based School Garden — $500; Best Harvest Partnership School Garden — $500; Best Community Collaboration School Garden — $500; Best Overall School Garden — $1,000; Champion of School Garden Sustainability — $1,000.
Entries for the contest will be accepted through June 6. Details: https://www.cognitoforms.com/ArkansasAgriculture1/ArkansasGrownSchoolGardenOfTheYearContest2021.