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COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THE RIVER VALLEY & OZARK AREA

MONDAY

Arkansas Coding Academy Open House CONWAY — The Arkansas Coding Academy will have an open house from 5-7 p.m. at UCA Downtown, 1105 W. Oak St. Are all invited to meet the staff and learn about the opportunities coding offers. For more information, call Anita at (501) 450-1715.

MONDAY AND MAY 14

Lunch and Learn Program CONWAY — The Faulkner County Library will present a new series, Lunch and Learn, at noon every second Monday. Participants, who are asked to bring a sack lunch, will hear about the amazing state of Arkansas. On Monday, Emily Beahm from the Arkansas Archeological Survey will discuss Arkansas Prehistory, and on May 14, Dr. Reinaldo Morales of the University of Central Arkansas will present a program titled Rock Art in Arkansas. All library programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (501) 327-7482 or email nancy@fcl.org.

TUESDAY

Cleburne County Retired Teachers Meeting HEBER SPRINGS — The Cleburne County Retired Teachers Association will meet at noon at the Rustic Inn, 404 S. Seventh St. The group will have a business meeting with emphasis on the Area II meeting set for May 8 in Marshall. All retired school personnel are encouraged to attend and become members of the state group, the Arkansas Retired Teachers Association. For more information, call Lavern Penn at (501) 206-0357.

WEDNESDAY

MFA Workshop Reading CONWAY — The fourth graduating class of the University of Central Arkansas’ Arkansas Writers MFA Workshop will read from their work at 7 p.m. April 11 at UCA Downtown, 1105 W. Oak St. The readings are free and open to the public. Participating writers include Khillian Alexander of Spokane, Washington; Enbarr Coleman of Spiro, Oklahoma; Drew Cook of Hot Springs; Shane Curry of Warren; J.J. McNiece of Conway; and Callie Smith of Mabelvale. For more information, contact Stephanie Vanderslice, director of the MFA Workshop, at (501) 450-5764. UCA Percussion Ensemble Concert CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas Percussion Ensemble will be in concert at 7:30 p.m. in UCA’s Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall. The concert is free and open to the public. The program will include “Tinplay,” by Per Andreasson; “Music for Pieces of Wood,” by Steve Reich; and “White Pines,” by Michael Burritt. For more information, contact Paige Rose, chair of the UCA Department of Music, at (501) 450-5752 or prose@uca.edu.

WEDNESDAY  FRIDAY

Tuba-Euphonium Spring Fling CONWAY — David Zerkel, professor of tuba and euphonium at the University of Georgia, will present a full recital as part of the University of Central Arkansas’TubaEuphonium Spring Fling. The concert, free and open to the public, is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall. Zerkel will be accompanied on piano by John Krebs, associate professor of music and chair of the humanities area at Hendrix College. Two other events, both for tuba and euphonium students, include a lecture on careers and music at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Snow Fine Arts Hall 120 and a Zerkel masterclass at 2 p.m. Friday in Snow Fine Arts 107.

THURSDAY

Conway Arts Awards CONWAY — The Conway Arts Awards celebration and reception, sponsored by the Conway Alliance for the Arts (CAFTA), will take place at 7 p.m. in the Trieschmann Fine Arts Building at Hendrix College. Karen Griebling, professor of music at Hendrix, will be recognized with the Faulkner County Library Lifetime Achievement Award, and a variety of other awards will be given. The public is invited to attend the free ceremony, which will be followed by a reception at 8 p.m.; refreshments will be served. Maumelle AARP Meeting MAUMELLE — Maumelle AARP Chapter 5359 will meet at 6 p.m. at the new Maumelle Center on the Lake, 2 Club Manor Cove, behind Kroger and the new fire station. The speaker will be Doug Shackleford from Central Arkansas Water, who will tell the group about the process involved in switching Maumelle water over to Little Rock water. All who are 50 or older are invited to attend this informative meeting. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact chapter president Carol Slaymaker at (501) 529-9833 or membership chairwoman Kathy Kafka at (501) 851-4771. Master Gardener April Meeting RUSSELLVILLE — The Pope County Master Gardeners will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 414 of First Assembly of God Church, 124 E. G St. The topic will be Native Trees and Shrubs for Landscaping, and the speaker will be Jon Barry, assistant professor of forestry-extension. The public is invited to attended. Networking and Business Development CONWAY — Networking and Business Development will be offered from 6-8 p.m. at UCA Downtown, 1105 W. Oak St. Participants will learn the art of networking and ways to build and leverage a business network. This is a free course sponsored by Old Chicago. For more information, call Autumn at (501) 450-3118.

THURSDAY  APRIL 15

UACCM’s Steel Magnolias MORRILTON — The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton Theatre will present Robert Harling’s comedy-drama Steel Magnolias at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. April 15 in the Fine Arts Auditorium on campus. Jim Harris, UACCM’s theater and speech instructor, will direct the play. For tickets in advance, call (501) 977-2045, visit the Student Accounts window in the University Center lobby or buy them at the door. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for UACCM students and employees. Children 12 and younger will be admitted free. For more information, contact Jim Harris at (501) 977-2118 or harris@uaccm.edu.

FRIDAY

Fashion Gala FAIRFIELD BAY — The 25th annual Fashion Gala, presented by the Xi Gamma Kappa chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, will take place at 1 p.m. at St. Francis Parish Hall,

250 Woodlawn Drive. The event will feature prizes on display, homemade desserts and a style show. Style-show tickets are $7, and raffle tickets are two for $1 — both available at the door. Proceeds will be donated to local charitable organizations.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

Spring Plant Sale RUSSELLVILLE — The Arkansas Tech University Department of Agriculture will host its 35th annual spring plant sale from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the Tech Greenhouses on the north side of the campus. Signs will direct customers to the greenhouses, 380 W. Harrell Drive. Matthew S. Wilson, assistant professor of agriculture and director of the plant sale, said that annual flowering plants, potted flowering and foliage plants, hanging baskets and vegetable transplants will be among the items available for purchase. For more information, call (479) 968-0251.

SATURDAY

Concord Gifted and Talented 5K Run/Walk HEBER SPRINGS — There will be a 5K Run/Walk at Josh Park Trail (Dam Site Park) at 10 a.m., hosted by Concord Gifted and Talented. Packet pickup and registration will be from 8:309:30 a.m. Race fees are $20 for adults and $15 for students if registered by Friday, or $25 and $20, respectively, the day of the race. For more information, call or text (870) 668-6079 or (870) 307-8241. To register online, go to racesignup.com, and type in “Concord GT” under “Find a Race.” Spaghetti Dinner NEW DIXIE — St. Boniface Catholic Church will hold its spaghetti and sausage dinner, featuring homemade rolls and peach cobbler, from 4-7 p.m. in St. Boniface Hall. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 6 to 12. Children younger than 6 may eat free. For carryout meals, call (501) 759-2876. Book Signing CONWAY — The Faulkner County Library will welcome