Feb. 17
Holiday Closing
RUSSELLVILLE — The Hughes Community Center will be closed Monday for observance of Presidents Day.
Newcomers Trip
HEBER SPRINGS — The Cleburne County Newcomers will take a day trip to the Heifer International Center in Little Rock on Monday. A carpool will leave at 9 a.m from the Sugar Loaf gas station on Arkansas 25B in Heber Springs. After the program, the group will have lunch at the center. Members and friends are welcome to attend. For more information, call Jean at (501) 206-0350.
Feb. 18
Chamber of Commerce Banquet
HEBER SPRINGS — The Heber Springs Area Chamber of Commerce will host its 58th annual banquet at 6 p.m. at the Heber Springs Community Center, 201 Bobbie Jean Lane. The guest speaker will be Steve Clark, president/CEO of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce. Bill Lynch will be inducted into the Chamber Hall of Honor. For more information, call (501) 362-2444.
Feb. 19
Music Performance
CONWAY — The University of Central Arkanasas Symphonic Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. in Reynolds Performance Hall at UCA.
Feb. 20
Nomination Deadline
VILONIA— The deadline is Thursday for nominations for Faulkner County Veteran of the Year. The Museum of Veterans and Military History in Vilonia is sponsoring the honor and will choose one veteran, who will be honored at the Vilonia Area Chamber of Commerce banquet in March and be invited to ride in the Vilonia Christmas Parade. Nominations should include the veteran’s branch and years of service, and why the person should receive the honor. Applications may be mailed to the Museum of Veterans and Military History, P.O. Box 668, Vilonia, AR 72173; or emailed to linhicks_old@windstream.net.
Driver Safety Class
HEBER SPRINGS — There will be an AARP Driver Safety class at 12:30 p.m. in the Latimer Center at Arkansas State University-Heber Springs. Individuals 55 and older who complete the course will qualify for a three-year discount on their auto-insurance premiums in Arkansas. The cost of the class is $15 for AARP members and $20 for nonmembers. Cash and checks will be accepted for payment. For more information or to register, call ASU at (505) 362-1273 or email jlrath@hebersprings.asu.edu.
Navigating the Affordable Care Act
RUSSELLVILLE — The Arkansas Tech Small Business and Technology Development Center will present a free business seminar, Informed Businesses: Navigating the Affordable Care Act, from 3-5 p.m.at the Dardanelle Community Center. Small-business owners will learn about new tax, IRS-reporting, and employee-notification requirements for businesses; available tax credits, potential rebates and premium reduction programs; and penalties for noncompliance. Seating is limited, and registration is required by calling (479) 356-2067 or visiting asbtdc.org/training/russellvilleevents.
Feb. 21
Beast Feast
PERRYVILLE — Perryville First Baptist Church will host its first Beast Feast at 6 p.m. at the church, 315 N. Pine St. Channel 4 personality Matt Mosler will be the guest speaker. The event will include door prizes, food and fellowship for men and boys. Tickets are available for a $10 donation. For more information, call (501) 889-2015.
Feb. 22
Moonlight Serenade
CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas Department of Music will present the big-band gala dance Moonlight Serenade from 8-11 p.m. at the Conway Country Club, 555 Country Club Road. This ballroom dance will feature plenty of room for all levels of dancers and ample seating to enjoy the songs made popular by Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and other big bands. Tickets, for $20 in advance or $25 at the door, can be purchased at www.uca.edu/music or by calling the UCA music office at (501) 450-5750.
Ongoing
Sign Language Class
CONWAY — A sign language class meets at 5:30 p.m. Mondays at the Faulkner County Library.
Tea Party Meeting
HEBER SPRINGS — Arkansas’ We the People Tea Party of Cleburne County meets at 6:30 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of every month at St. Barnabas Anglican Church, 1101C W. Main St. Issues to be discussed include Obamacare, overspending, constitutional items, taxation, state sovereignty, and local, state and federal government operations. For more information, call Marlin Schwartz at (847) 977-5261.
Friends of the Library Book Shop
HEBER SPRINGS — The Friends of The Library Book Shop, 2255 Arkansas 25B N., is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays. The shop offers books at bargain prices. Proceeds from the shop benefit the libraries in Cleburne County. Volunteers are needed. Friends of the Library are welcome to attend the monthly meetings at 1 p.m. the second Thursday of the month. Stop by the shop for more information.
Upcoming
Play Auditions
CONWAY — The Conway Community Arts Association and the Lantern Theatre will hold auditions for its next production, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at The Lantern, 1021 Van Ronkle St. in downtown Conway. Liz Parker, director of the play, is looking for five women, 18 to 40, and one man, 18 to 40, for this dark comedy about five bridesmaids who hide in a bedroom during the wedding reception and discuss everything from religion to drugs to cheating husbands. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the play. For more information, call Parker at (501) 450-6247.
Chamber Banquet and Awards
MARSHALL — The Greater Searcy County Chamber of Commerce will hold its first Chamber Banquet and Awards Ceremony at 6 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Searcy County Civic Center in Marshall. The guest speaker will be Lavina Grandon, president and policy and education director of the Rural Community Alliance. The meal is $10.50 per person in advance. RSVP by Feb. 23 to Big Springs Trading Co. at (870) 439-2900.
Softball League Organizational Meeting
RUSSELLVILLE — The Russellville Recreation and Parks Department will hold an organizational meeting for Adult Summer Softball at 6:30 p.m. March 3 at the Hughes Community Center. Anyone interested in entering a team in the summer softball league will need to have a representative at the meeting. Registration will begin March 4 and end at 5 pm. March 14. If unable to attend the meeting, registration forms are available in the Russellville Recreation and Parks Department office or online at www.russellvillearkansas.org. For more information, call the Hughes Center at (479) 968-1272.
Fish Fry
MORRILTON — Knights of Columbus Council 5209 in Morrilton will hold its annual fish fry March 7 at the KC Hall, 808 N. Cedar St. Carryout lunches will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for $10. All-you-can-eat dine-in meals will be served from 5-8 p.m. for $13. Carryout dinners will be sold for $10 each, beginning at 4 p.m. The cost is $5 for children ages 4-12, and children younger than 4 may eat free. The public is invited, and proceeds will support charitable work in the community.
Author Presentation
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Library will welcome Sam Taggart, M.D., at 7 p.m. March 11. Dr. Taggart is the author of The Public’s Health, a narrative history of the evolution of health and disease in Arkansas over the past 200 years.
Commerce Banquet
VILONIA — The 2014 Vilonia Area Chamber of Commerce banquet will be held at 6:30 p.m. March 14. Preston Scroggin of Vilonia, director of the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission, will be the guest speaker. The menu will include brisket and smoked chicken. The deadline to purchase tickets, at $25 each, is March 5. Sponsorships are available, beginning at $200. The chamber is also accepting nominations for Citizen of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Business of the Year, Youth of the Year, School Employee of the Year and City Employee of the Year. To submit a nomination, email viloniachamberofcommerce@yahoo.com or call Jill Bonnema, chamber CEO, at (501) 499-1312.
Anglers Expo
HEBER SPRINGS — The Anglers Expo will be held March 28 and 29 at the Heber Springs Community Center. Vendors supporting hunting, fishing, and sports industries will display their products. Featured guests will be The Swamp People from the History Chanel. The event is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Cleburne County. For more information, contact Rotarian Dara Samuel at (501) 362-8402 or dara.anglersexpo@gmail.com, or visit www.anglersexpo.com.
To submit an item for the Calendar of Events, mail information to Calendar of Events, River Valley & Ozark Edition, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR, 72203; fax to (501) 378-3500; or email to rvonews@arkansasonline.com. Deadlines for calendar-item submissions are noon Friday for Thursday editions and noon Tuesday for Sunday editions.