this week’s EVENTS

TODAY Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour

MOUNTAIN VIEW — The Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour, a free selfguided driving tour, will continue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. The tour showcases the working studios of artists within 30 miles of the historic Courthouse Square. More than 30 artists in 23 studios will offer visitors an up-close and personal look at how and where they create their distinctive pottery, jewelry, painting, photographs, leatherwork, woodwork, furniture, baskets and more. Participants can visit with the artists, see their work in progress, and purchase their art and crafts. For more information, contact Becki Dahlstedt, tour coordinator, at (870) 615-4825 or becki.dahlstedt@gmail.com.

MONDAY Gränges Job Fair

NEWPORT — Gränges Americas Inc. in Newport will have a job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Newport Economic Development Commission, 201 Hazel St. Benefits for employees of the company include medical, dental and vision health insurance.

Town Hall Meeting on Child Care

NEWPORT — A town-hall meeting on child care will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Newport Economic Development Commission, 201 Hazel St. The program will discuss child care centers, home-based child care and business-based child care. The American Recovery Act will provide funding for public/private partnerships that help establish a business-based child care option. For information before the meeting, call Debbie Mize at (870) 793-5233 or Elizabeth Scudder at (479) 841-6404.

TUESDAY Small-Business Counseling Sessions

BATESVILLE — The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center will provide Small-Business Counseling Sessions, one-on-one free confidential guidance to business owners and entrepreneurs, from 10 a.m. to

2 p.m. at the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce, 409 Vine St. Primary areas of assistance will include business planning, financial analysis, market research, loan packaging, growth and expansion, marketing, management and profitability. Call (870) 972-3517 to schedule an appointment.

THURSDAY Paul Harris and the Cleverlys Concert Cancellation

MELBOURNE — The Paul Harris and the Cleverlys show, set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday and sponsored by Grassroots Equipment and Outdoors and Townsend Spice & Supply, has been canceled, according to concert organizers. The move is a result of increasing hesitance to host large events due to a rise in COVID-19 cases locally. Online ticket purchases will be refunded to their original form of payment. For refunds of paper ticket purchases, contact Shane Linn at Townsend Spice & Supply, 725 E. Main St. For more information, call (870) 368-3688.

Growing With Grief

BATESVILLE — The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville Community Education and White River Health System will present Growing With Grief from 6-8 p.m. Instructor Maggie Beshears, a licensed professional counselor, will teach participants how to recognize the symptoms of grief and learn coping skills to help them survive the death of a loved one. The class fee is $29. Register at uaccb.coursestorm.com. For more information, call (870) 612-2082.

FRIDAY Harris Foundation Golf Tournament

NEWPORT — The Joe and Helen Harris Foundation will present its second annual golf tournament Friday at the Newport Country Club. The four-person scramble will start at noon, and registration is $300 per team. To register, contact Sheridan at (870) 512-8565.

SATURDAY Barbecue Championship Cook-off

NEWPORT — All are invited to join the 17th annual Jackson County’s Best Backyard Barbecue Championship Cook-off on Saturday. Each team will receive a free Boston butt and a rack of baby-back ribs for judging. To enter the competition, complete the entry form and mail or drop off at the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce, 201 Hazel St., Newport, AR 72112. The team entry fee of $50 includes both the Butt and Ribs divisions. New this year is the addition of an Anything Goes division, which is just $10 extra to enter. For more information or entry forms, call the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce at (870) 523-3618 or email director@ newportarchamber.org.

ONGOING Calico Rock Museum Memorial Bricks

CALICO ROCK — The Calico Rock Community Foundation is selling memorial bricks to be added to the Main Street Memorial Walk in front of the Calico Rock Museum. These 8-by-8-inch bricks cost $100 each and can include up to 21 characters per line, with up to eight lines of text. The bricks must be ordered by Nov. 20 using the official brick order form, which can be completed at the Calico Rock Museum or online at www.calicorockmuseum.com/ memorial-walk.html. For more information, visit the website listed here, or call (870) 297-6100.

Women With a Purpose

FAIRFIELD BAY— Women With a Pupose meet at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Little Red Restaurant. Guests are welcome.

Lyon College Athletics Season Tickets

BATESVILLE — The Lyon College Athletic Department has announced that season tickets for upcoming 2021-22 home athletic events are now available. Fans can renew or purchase seasonticket packages for baseball, volleyball, softball, football, and men’s and women’s basketball. For more information, contact Megan Bryant at (870) 307-7525 or megan.bryant@lyon.edu.

Library Card Sign-Up Month

BATESVILLE — Residents who apply for a new library card with the Independence County Library, 267 E. Main St., during September will receive an entry to win an Amazon Fire HD8. Through access to technology, media resources and educational programs, a library card gives students the tools to succeed in the classroom and provides people of all ages opportunities to pursue their dreams and passions. To sign up for a free library card or to learn more about the library’s resources and programs, visit indcolib.com. The drawing for an Amazon Fire HD8 will take place Oct. 1.

Coats for Kids

NEWPORT — The Unity Health Newport Auxiliary is hosting a fall Coats for Kids drive for the children of Jackson County through Oct. 15. Donations of new or gently used coats are accepted at the following locations: First United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church, Holden Avenue Church of Christ, the Newport Chamber of Commerce, the Jackson County Courthouse and Unity Health Newport. The free coats will be distributed to those in need from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 23 at the Newport High School Cafeteria.

Main Street Searcy Farmers’ Market

SEARCY — The Main Street Searcy Farmers’ Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday on the east side of the Courthouse Square in historic downtown Searcy. The market features locally grown produce, eggs and meat, as well as locally produced products.

The Invisible Life Exhibit

BATESVILLE — The Batesville Area Arts Council presents The Invisible Life, an exhibition by Markeith Woods, at the BAAC Gallery on Main, 226 E. Main St., through Oct. 9. The Invisible Life explores the psychological state of living as a Black male in the United States and is a narrative of life to demonstrate love, respect, compassion, agony, oppositions, confidence and death. The exhibit is free and open to the public during BAAC’s regular gallery hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

ADWORC Program Certification Classes

NEWPORT — Arkansas State University-Newport’s ADWORC Program is offering certification classes in CPR, OSHA-10 (an Occupational Safety and Health Administration class), forklift and manufacturing at the Tech Depot, 425 Front St. The program is designed to increase the employment rate in the ASUN service area by preparing eligible candidates for jobs in the manufacturing, hospitality and allied-health fields. Participants must meet one of the following requirements: been released from jail/prison within the past two years, have an annual household income of less than $86,475 or be unemployed due to layoffs. For more information, contact Marcus Woodson at (870) 680-8956, or to enroll, email marcus_ woodson@asun.edu.

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines

Sherwood Urgent Care centers in Batesville, Lonoke and Searcy offer Moderna COVID-19 vaccines each Wednesday. The free vaccine is for people ages 18 and older. For more information or to sign up for the vaccine, visit sherwoodurgentcare.com.

COVID Drive-Thru Testing

NEWPORT — Unity HealthHarris Medical Center, 1205 McLain St., offers COVID-19 drive-thru testing from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday. Participants are asked to enter from McLain Street to the registration/ER entrance and remain in their vehicles.

Main Street Batesville Farmers Market

BATESVILLE — The Main Street Batesville Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon the first, third and fifth Saturdays of the month through October in the Citizens Bank Pocket Park. Upcoming markets will include Oct. 2, 16 and 30. Each market offers musical entertainment, as well as a variety of vendors.

Walk With a Doc

BATESVILLE — Everyone is invited to take a step toward better health by participating in a free 60-minute Walk With a Doc at 10 a.m. the third Saturday of every month. Meet in the Batesville Rec Center parking lot, across from the lake. Just 30 minutes of walking per day can help a person sleep better, increase productivity and feel happier within just 10 minutes. For more information, visit www.walkwithadoc.org/ why-walk.