TRI-LAKES AREA — Read below to find out what's going on in the Tri-Lakes Edition.
TUESDAY
Saline Crossing Meeting
BENTON — The Saline Crossing Regional Park and Recreation Area Inc. will have its January meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Gene Moss building at Tyndall Park. Certain formal business must be conducted at this meeting. The group’s bylaws require that one member of the five-member board be up for appointment each year, after staggered five-year terms are set. Other items of business will include the annual finance report. This is a tax-exempt organization that accepts membership fees, monetary donations and gifts of certain properties to develop the recreation area at Saline Crossing. Annual membership fees are $10.
WEDNESDAY
Registration Deadline
HOT SPRINGS — The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service and the Garland County Extension Homemakers Council will offer a single-session class on using a slow cooker. Set for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, the class will feature recipe demonstrations and slow-cooker tips. Students will enjoy lunch, sampling the dishes prepared. The class will be held at the EHC Building on the Garland County Fairgrounds. The fee for the class is $6 and includes lunch. Space is limited, so register before Wednesday. Call the Garland County Extension Service at (501) 623-6841, e-mail Lwashburn@uaex.edu or visit the Extension Office at 236 Woodbine in Hot Springs.
THURSDAY
Grand Opening
BRYANT — Bishop Park will host its grand opening with events happening throughout the day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. There will be a ribbon cutting from 11:30 a.m. to noon, followed by a Highlight Bryant Lunch. Tours of the new facilities will be from 1-2 p.m., and there will be a swimming exhibition at the aquatic facility from 3:30-7 p.m. For more information, call (501) 258-6161.
Chili Cook-off
BENTON — The First Presbyterian Church in Benton, 501 N. East St., will have a chili cook-off at 6 p.m. The Junior United Presbyterian Youth will receive the proceeds from the cook-off to help defray the costs of their mission trips this summer. The cost is $6 for adults and free for those younger than 12 for all-you-can-eat chili. Interim Pastor Dari Rowen will be one of the judges.
Genealogy Help
BRYANT — Steve Perdue, head of local history and genealogy for the Saline County Library, will be available to help individuals with local history and genealogy questions from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2-5:30 p.m. at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library. Call (501) 778-4766 to reserve a time.
Chamber Banquet
MALVERN — Tickets are available now for the Hot Spring County Chamber Banquet, scheduled for Thursday at the Malvern Community Center. Tickets are $25 before Monday and can be picked up at the Chamber. Prize-drawing tickets are available, too. Go by Farmers Bank and Trust to see the 42-inch Sanyo TV that will be one of two prize drawings at the Chamber Banquet. The TV will later be on display at Malvern National Bank. Tickets are $2 each or six for $10 and are available at Farmers Bank and Trust. The TV retails for $628 and was partially donated by Walmart and T&S Backhoe. The second prize drawing is for a one-night stay at Branson Stone Bridge Resort, along with four tickets to Presley’s Country Jubilee. David Bazzel, former Razorback and host of the Buzz Radio Show, will be the keynote speaker. Community awards will be presented. For more information, call (501) 332-2721.
THURSDAY-SUNDAY, JAN. 23
One-act Play
BENTON — The Young Players will present The White Cat With the Crystal Blue Eyes at the Royal Theatre in downtown Benton. Directed by Daphne Shoppach with music director Karen Owings, this is a play in one act. It is based on a fable by Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy. The book is by Bob May, lyrics by Bob May and Karen Owings, and music by Karen Owings. Performance times are at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 23. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $5 for students. Call the theater at (501) 315-LIVE (5483).
THURSDAY AND TUESDAY 25
Book Signing
BENTON/BRYANT — Local author Pat Laster will sell and sign copies of her novel A Journey of Choice from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library in Benton and from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25, at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library in Bryant. Both events are open to the public. For more information, call (501) 778-4766 or visit the author’s blog at
Upcoming
Book Signing
BENTON/BRYANT — Local author Judy Nickles will sell and sign copies of her two full-length novels, Where Is Papa’s Shining Star? and Finding Papa’s Shining Star, from 1-2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28, at the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library and from 3-4 p.m. that afternoon at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. Both events are open to the public. Call (501) 778-4766 for more information.
Souper Bowl Cook-off
BENTON — Habitat for Humanity of Saline County will present the 2011 Apostles Build Souper Bowl Cook-off soup and chili competition from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center. Registration is open now. Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door. Call (501) 315-5434 for more information or to register.
To submit a school or community event for the Tri-Lakes Calendar of Events, mail information to Calendar of Events, Tri-Lakes Edition, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR, 72203; fax to (501) 378-3500; or e-mail to wbryan@arkansasonline.com.