WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., crossed the state visiting farms and agricultural businesses last week for his fifth annual "Ag Tour" during the congressional August recess.
Stops included the Anderson Minnow Farm in Lonoke; Sickle rice farm in Prairie County; Wallace grain sorghum farm in Crawfordsville; Lon Mann Cotton Research Station in Marianna; Baxter Land Co. in Watson; Patton cattle farm in Wooster; Greenbrier High School's vocational-agriculture program; and the Ouachita Livestock Market. He also spoke at the Agriculture Council of Arkansas breakfast in Marianna.
"This year's tour is especially important as family farm[s] and the rural way of life are being threatened by the Obama administration's mandates. I will take the concerns I hear from Arkansas' agriculture community during this tour back to Washington so we can push back on this overreach and protect Arkansas' farmers," the Rogers Republican said in a statement.
HUCKABEE
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's grandchildren -- Chandler, Caroline, Scarlett, Huck and George -- are hosting an invitation-only birthday party and fundraising reception for Huckabee's 60th birthday Monday night in Little Rock.
There will be barbecue and birthday cake, and live entertainment provided by Benton-based a cappella group Triple Threat.
The Republican presidential candidate is to campaign in Iowa on Tuesday through Thursday. Last week, he announced that his campaign has organized 139 local leaders and 71 county chairmen in Iowa. In South Carolina, his campaign has 141 local leaders, 32 county organizations and 24 county chairmen.
During his 2008 presidential bid, Huckabee won the Iowa caucuses and placed in second in South Carolina.
ALL STAR
Sidney Smith of Pine Bluff, a University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff student, and Tamara Bates of Memphis, a Philander Smith College in Little Rock student, were named by the White House on Thursday as 2015 Historically Black College and University All-Star Students. The White House recognized 83 undergraduate, graduate and professional students for their academic and civic accomplishments.
The All-Stars are invited to a week-long conference in Washington, D.C., in September, according to a news release from the White House.
COFFEE
U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., is offering free coffee, and a chance to sit down with him and talk at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in the NEBCO Community Center at 14639 Wimpy Jones Road in Garfield. On Wednesday, he'll offer coffee at 8:30 a.m. in the Alma Senior Center at 248 Collum Lane East in Alma.
POLITICAL ANIMALS
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., is to speak to the Little Rock Political Animals at 7 a.m. Tuesday at The Little Rock Club, on the 30th floor of the Regions Building in downtown Little Rock. Reservations for the ticketed breakfast event are no longer available.
GRANT
The University of Arkansas has received $411,948 from the National Science Foundation to study the creation of useful materials and membranes from blends of multiple polymers and dispersed, inorganic nanoparticles, according to a news release from the university. The research could lead to the development of new materials for fuel cells, batteries and biomedical scaffolds for tissue engineering.
BACK HOME
Members of Arkansas' congressional delegation are traveling around the state during their August recess and are to return to Washington in early September.
On Tuesday, several members attended a State Chamber of Commerce event in Little Rock.
On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., led a tour of Lockheed Martin's JTLV production line, Aerojet RocketDyne and General Dynamic in Camden with U.S. Reps. French Hill, R-Ark., Womack and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.
On Thursday, Westerman toured the Clarksville Tyson Foods facility and visited with Buffalo National River Superintendent Kevin Cheri. On Friday, Westerman toured Cleveland County Head Start in Rison and Kohler Faucet in Sheridan. On Saturday, he was to speak at the Frasier Mill grand opening in Leola.
On Monday, Womack delivered more than 30 surplus books from the Library of Congress to the Marion County Public Library. On Friday, he was to tour Ashland Inc. and Covington Court Health and Rehabilitation Center in Fort Smith.
He is to tour several Harrison businesses Monday. On Tuesday, Womack is to speak to the Rogers Rotary Club at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Convention Center, and tour the Scott Family Amazeum Children's Museum in Bentonville.
Hill toured the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton on Thursday. He was to speak Friday at a naturalization oath ceremony in the federal courthouse in Little Rock and attend the Little Rock Job Corps graduation ceremony.
U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., attended the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi River Commission meeting in Memphis and met with Lepanto Mayor Dale Dunlap on Monday. On Tuesday, he went to RiceTec's Arkansas Field Day in Harrisburg. On Wednesday, he attended an agricultural producers breakfast in Crittenden County, and met with Turrell Mayor Dorothy Cooper and with representatives of the Associated General Contractors of Arkansas. On Thursday, he went to a lunch at Southland Gin in Lake City and met with Lincoln County farmers. On Friday, he was to be in Paragould.
Crawford and Boozman attended the Grady Fish Fry on Thursday.
Cotton met with members of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership on Thursday morning.
MOBILE OFFICE
At 11:30 a.m. Monday, Boozman's staff will be available to answer questions at the Cleveland County Senior Center at 501 Moore Drive in Rison.
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 08/23/2015