Jefferson County notebook

Leadership class tours 2 campuses

PINE BLUFF — The Leadership Pine Bluff Class of 2020 toured the campuses of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Southeast Arkansas College on Feb. 11.

At the UAPB Museum and Cultural Center, class participants viewed exhibits detailing the university’s rich and extensive history. While at UAPB, the class also toured several departments, including fine arts, music and the J. Thomas May Field House.

At Southeast Arkansas College, participants toured the Technical Studies and Nursing & Allied Health Programs, where they participated in a mock live birth in the simulation lab.

The day closed with a leadership presentation provided by Rev. Lanette R. Frazier.

Blue & You’s $7,700 goes to food pantry

PINE BLUFF — Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Blue & You Foundation awarded a $7,700 grant to the Southeast Arkansas College Food Pantry. The food pantry has distributed more than 500 boxes of food and served nearly 1,800 individuals since it opened in the spring of 2018, according to Tamera Lambert, director of Adult Basic Education & Literacy.

The Blue & You grant will be used to increase monthly assistance to food insecure students and their families.

The Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce Redcoats attended a check presentation ceremony on Feb. 12 at Southeast Arkansas College.

More information about the food pantry, adult basic education or the college’s literacy council, is available from Lambert at (870) 543-5915 or at tlambert@seark.edu.

Planning in works for business expo

PINE BLUFF — The Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for Business Expo 2020.

This year’s theme is “Business Expo 2020: Our Future in Focus.” Exhibitors are encouraged to use the theme when designing their booths.

Business Expo is a community event that is aimed at bringing together residents, business owners and entrepreneurs to support business growth in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County and Southeast Arkansas. Attendees will explore local businesses, get advice and gain new contacts.

The Business Expo Breakfast is scheduled from 7:30 a.m.-9 a.m. for May 7 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center Banquet Hall. Tickets to the breakfast are $15 each or $200 for a table of eight.

The Business Expo opens at 9 a.m. May 7 for exhibitors and invited guests. Doors open to the general public from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission is $5.

Booth rental for members is $250. For nonmembers, it is $350. More information is available from Mandy Owens at mandy@jeffersoncountyalliance.com or at (870) 5350110.

Festival to explore cultural heritage

PINE BLUFF — The 2020 Crossroad Festival, scheduled from 1-8:30 p.m. March 7, will explore Jefferson County and Southeast Arkansas’ diverse cultural heritage through oral history, music and performing arts.

This year’s festival will focus on the historical and cultural contributions made by women of the Southeast Arkansas Delta with an overarching theme of “family ties.”

All events will be held in the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas at 701 S. Main St. in Pine Bluff.

Events include a two-hour youth program from 1-3 p.m. focusing on family stories “uncovered” during the center’s 2015 “Heritage Detectives” project. This family program will include a hands-on “family movie maker” activity and interactive “family album” skits with participants.

The second afternoon program from 3:30-5 p.m. titled “Women of the Arkansas Delta” focuses on the 1976 oral history project by the Pine Bluff Women’s Center.

The project’s original photography prints and final publication were discovered in the Arts & Science Center’s Permanent Collection in the summer of 2018.

The Crossroad Festival program addresses the project’s history, discovery of the materials, interpretation of the collection for the 2019 exhibit, and forthcoming touring exhibition based on the oral history project.

The evening program from 6:30-8:30 p.m. will explore the area’s tradition of female gospel groups from Jefferson County and Southeast Arkansas. The program will feature performances by The Spiritualettes, Sweet Melody and The Williams Singers.

A booth rental application is available at https://bit. ly/37R1lQQ.

A community spotlight entry form is available at https:// bit.ly/2SY2ccS.

All festival events are open to the public, and admission is free.