KEEPING YOU UPDATED
Library returns to curbside pickup
Curbside pick-up is once again available at the Bella Vista Library from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
These are uncertain times and as such there may be circumstances such as holidays, inclement weather, illness, quarantines, special internal projects, etc. which may necessitate an unexpected pause in curbside services. The website and social media will be updated as soon as possible in these cases. General Information: In order to reserve and pickup, you must be in good standing and have an active card with the library. Only books, DVDs and audiobooks may be checked out. A patron may have up to three holds at a time. All items will have a three-week loan period, including DVDs.
To request an item, use the Place a Hold function in the catalog section on the website or call 479-8551753 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The library will notify you when items are ready. Just because you have placed a hold does not mean that materials will be immediately ready. Please wait until you have been notified by the library.
Pickup and Return Procedures:
After the library has notified you that your request is ready, you may pick up your books from the tables outside of the library’s front doors. After notification, you have until 3 p.m. Thursday of that week to pick up the material. You may park near the tables for a quick stop to retrieve your bag. Only one person at a time may approach the table to retrieve a bag. Bags are labeled with the patron’s name and the last four digits of the patron’s library card.
You are welcome to send someone to pick up your request for you, but remember you are responsible for all materials checked out to your account.
All returns must be placed in the book drop, not on the tables.
Please note that the library is not accepting donations at this time and requests that you do not leave donations on the tables or in the book drops.
Contact the library at 479-855-1753, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m to 3 p.m., or send an email to library@ bellavistaar.gov for further information.
Grief program via Zoom
For many of us, 2020 brought profound grief. Maybe this grief was caused by the loss of a loved one, the loss of health, the loss of a job, the loss of companionship. Whatever the cause, you may be suffering from a crisis of the heart. If this is you, please consider “When Mourning Dawns: Living Your Way through the Seasons of Grief” as a journey together in search of a new beginning in life, a fresh start.
Each Thursday evening from 5:30-7:30 p.m., beginning Jan. 21, for nine weeks, First United Methodist Church of Bella Vista offers a gathering to learn about and walk through grief together. This is not a “spill your guts” kind of gathering. Instead, you learn what grief does to us, share experiences in ways that are healing, watch videos that offer suggestions of how to heal, and lift burdens through the love and care of each other.
Gatherings will take place on Zoom each week. Register to receive the Zoom link at https://fumcbellavista.com/grief — or call the church office at 479-855-1158. This invitation is open to everyone.
For questions or for more information, please contact Rev. Brenda Wideman at Brenda@fumcbellavista.com or 479-855-1158.
Veterans Walk of Honor
The NWA Veterans Council will be arranging different events in the coming months — automobile shows, auctions, and other fund-raising events in its quest to make reality a Veterans Walk of Honor at the site of the Veterans Wall of Honor in Bella Vista.
Details of the expansion can be accessed at http://vetwallofhonor.org/veterans-walkofhonorpark.html. Just click on the expansion image.
The mission of the council is to honor veterans, educate the next generation and provide it with an understanding of our veterans’ sacrifices for our freedom.
If you have any questions, email vppr@vetwallofhonor.org or by telephone at 501-944-2967.
Bella Vista Historical Museum
The Bella Vista Historical Museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Visitors are asked not to enter if they have flu-like covid symptoms. Masks are required and visitors will be asked to practice social distancing while in the museum and, if visiting with a group, to stay together. The number of visitors at one time will be limited to 10. If visitors happen to arrive when the museum is at maximum capacity, they will be asked to wait outside until there is room for additional visitors. These plans are subject to change, based on the latest covid-19 data from the Arkansas Department of Health. The museum is located at the corner of Highway 71 and Kingsland, next door to the American Legion building. Telephone: 479-855-2335. Website: www.bellavistamuseum.org.
In addition to the museum’s exhibits displaying the 100-plus years of Bella Vista history, and the 1912 Settler’s Cabin open for touring on the museum grounds, a gift shop inside the museum has a variety of Bella Vista souvenir items for sale, as well as other items that have been donated to the museum for fundraising purposes. The museum is operated by the Bella Vista Historical Society.
Membership in the Society is available now for the 2021 calendar year at the cost of $15 per individual or $25 per family. The museum has an all-volunteer staff, which means that dues and donations go entirely toward the operating costs of the museum. In addition to helping support the preservation of Bella Vista’s rich and unique history, and helping educate the public, other benefits of membership include receipt of a quarterly newsletter and an invitation to the annual membership meeting usually held each March. Checks may be mailed to the museum at 1885 Bella Vista Way, Bella Vista, AR 72714. Visitors are also welcome to pay for membership in person by check or credit/debit card during open hours.
Road Closure
Pinion Valley Drive (Lake Ann dam access road) will be closed between Jan. 18 and 22 starting at the base of the dam. Foot traffic is also discouraged. This is to allow mapping of the area that may be involved with the sinkhole that was recently discovered.
Notice of Annual Meeting
The 2021 Annual Meeting for the Bella Vista Animal Shelter Inc. will be held at the Bella Vista Country Club, Board Meeting Room, 98 Clubhouse Drive, Bella Vista, at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, for the transaction of all Bella Vista Animal Shelter Inc. business as may properly come before the meeting. The public and all members are invited to attend. Masks and social distancing will be required.
Applications for board member positions are available at the Bella Vista Animal Shelter Inc. Application deadline is Jan. 20. For more information, contact Deidre Knight-Matney, executive director, at 479278-2510 or at bvas_ed@ yahoo.com.
Facilities Closed through January
Bella Vista city facilities will remain closed to non-emergency public traffic through January 2021 in an attempt to limit the spread of covid-19. The closure will be again assessed by Mayor Peter Christie at the end of January.
Christie cited the number of total covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths that continue to rise as the reason to continue limiting public traffic, and that the work-from-home situation has worked remarkably well for city employees who continue to conduct city business primarily online and via phone and email.
This closure applies to the city’s administration offices at City Hall, Bella Vista Public Library, Bella Vista District Court, Community Development Services and the city’s street department. The lobbies of the police and fire departments will be open to emergency traffic only, with the exception of delivery of supplies.
The Bella Vista Public Library book drop and digital access will remain available during the closure, and library staff is available via email at library@bellavistaar.gov or by phone at 479-855-1753. Cardholders may update their accounts if they have expired and new accounts will be available with appropriate documentation.
If you have business with a specific employee, please contact that employee via email. A staff directory can be found online. For building permits and inspection services, email permits@ bellavistaar.gov. For general city assistance, email info@bellavistaar.gov.
For police and fire assistance, call dispatch at 479855-3771. As always, in an emergency, call 911.
If you do not have access to email, you are also able to call or text the city’s main number at 479-8761255.
The city appreciates your patience during this time, as the health and safety of the public and employees remain of utmost importance.
Surrounding Area
Pea Ridge National Park — Implementation of
Highway 62 Mitigations are planned to begin in the park this winter and early spring with various phases occurring throughout the year.
“The purpose of this project is to provide a safe and convenient access road and new parking for our visitors at key features within the park, while at the same time protecting and preserving the cultural and natural resources. As a result of the relocation of Highway 62, a new access to and improved circulation in the park will be constructed that will provide visitors additional opportunities to learn about the Civil War battle that occurred here,” said Superintendent Eads.
Information about the schedule and access during each phase of the project will be provided through news releases and postings on social media, https://www.facebook. com/Pea-Ridge-National-Military-Park, and the park webpage, https://www.nps.gov/peri/index.htm.
Pea Ridge National Military Park preserves and commemorates the site of the March 1862 Civil War battle that helped Union forces gain control of Missouri. The park is located 10 miles north of Rogers just off U.S. Highway 62.