WASHINGTON NEWS IN BRIEF

Malvern college aim: Readiness

D.C. legislators back home

WASHINGTON -- College of the Ouachitas is one of 14 community colleges that has committed to strengthen college readiness since January, the White House announced last week.

The schools have agreed to reduce the need for excess developmental courses, redesign assessments to more accurately identify students' needs and provide better student support, according to a news release.

College of the Ouachitas, located in Malvern, already has developed educational and financial coaching, employment and career development programs, and it has focused on helping low-income students with public benefits, according to the White House.

The college plans to focus on retaining students and ensuring that students are employable when they graduate.

IN THE DISTRICT

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin toured the Diesel Driving Academy in Little Rock, his staff said. The Arkansas Republican also got to drive an 18-wheeler for about five minutes in an empty lot.

U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., was scheduled to speak about the farm bill on Thursday at a RiceTec event in Harrisburg, his staff said.

On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., spoke about storm recovery efforts in Faulkner County on the University of Central Arkansas campus in Conway, then spoke with business and community leaders at the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce and toured Domtar's pulp mill in Ashdown.

On Friday, Pryor was to tour the Highland Industrial Park in East Camden, Lockheed Martin's Camden manufacturing facility, and CMC Steel's production warehouse in Magnolia.

Also Friday, he was to hold a manufacturing round-table discussion in El Dorado with representatives of Great Lakes Solutions, the Union County Industrial Board, El Dorado Chemical Co., Therma-Flite, and the Arkansas Women's Business Center.

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., has several public events planned for this week.

On Wednesday he is to hold a town-hall meeting from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Blue Lion at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith Downtown, 101 N. Second St. in Fort Smith.

On Thursday, he is to hold a "Coffee with the Congressman" from 9-10:30 a.m. in Siloam Springs Regional Hospital's Community Room, at 603 N. Progress Ave. in Siloam Springs. He is to hold a similar event Friday from 8-9 a.m. in the Atkins Elementary School K-8 Cafeteria at 611 NW Fourth St. in Atkins.

U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., traveled to St. Francis and Monroe counties Tuesday and met with members of the farming community there before attending the Cross County Farm Bureau annual dinner in Wynne.

Planning to visit the nation's capital? Know something happening in Washington, D.C.? Contact us at (202) 662-7690 or swire@arkansasonline.com.

SundayMonday on 08/17/2014

Upcoming Events