Jan. 25
Historical Society Meeting
ASH FLAT — The Sharp County Historical Society will hold its winter quarterly meeting at 2 p.m. in the Community Room of FNBC. Blake Perkins, assistant professor of history at Williams Baptist College, will be the guest speaker. With 2014-2018 marking the 100-year anniversary of World War I, Perkins will lecture on an often-forgotten and perhaps surprising aspect of the Great War in Arkansas: rural resistance to the military draft in the Ozarks. Everyone is invited to the meeting. Parking and the entrance are at the rear of the building.
Jan. 26
Jacksonville Citizens Police Alumni Meeting
JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association will meet at 5:45 p.m. at the Jacksonville Police Department, 1400 Marshall Road. For more information, contact Eleanor Loyd at (501) 412-4115 or mselliel@centurytel.net.
Beta Psi Chapter Meeting
JACKSONVILLE — The Beta Psi Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma will meet at 5 p.m. at the home of JoAnn Williamson, 11 Shady Lane. The program will be Broken Pottery Jewelry to Heal Broken Lives. Members will have a potluck salad supper. For more information, call Paula Armstrong at (501) 834-3855.
Jan. 29
Sewing and More
JACKSONVILLE — Sewing and More — fiber-crafting sessions that involve sewing, knitting, crocheting and other types of textile constructions — will be held for teens and adults at 3 p.m. at the Nixon Library. This month’s sessions will feature sewing. Registration is preferred. Only 10 spots per class are available unless participants bring their own supplies. For more information, call the library at (501) 457-5038.
Ozarka College Ribbon Cutting
MELBOURNE — Ozarka College will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Student Services Center in Melbourne at 11 a.m. The community is invited to attend. The center will serve as a hub of campus activity and provide a central location for meetings and special events for community groups and students. Additionally, the center will offer businesses and organizations throughout the region access to leading-edge technology and conference facilities.
Adult Movie Night
JACKSONVILLE — The film Groundhog Day, rated PG, will be shown for adults at 5 p.m. at the Nixon Library. For more information, call the library at (501) 457-5038.
Jan. 31
Souper Bowl Saturday
BATESVILLE — Souper Bowl Saturday, a warm-up for the big game, will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Batesville Area Arts Council, 226 E. Main St. Advance-ticket holders may purchase soup during the VIP hour of 9-10 a.m. Weather permitting, activities will include a children’s bouncy house, a create-your-own-football art workshop for $5 per person, and more. Tickets are available at the council’s gallery, the Batesville Chamber of Commerce, Carlee’s Hallmark, Citizen’s Bank and First Community Bank, as well as from any BAAC Board member. For more information, call (870) 793-3382.
Healing Herbal Teas Workshop
NEWPORT — A healing herbal teas workshop will be held from 1-3 p.m. at the Jacksonport Courthouse in Jacksonport State Park, 205 Avenue St. In this two-hour hands-on workshop, participants will be introduced to varieties of native herbal or medicinal teas and instructed on the medicinal properties of a selection of native Arkansas herbal teas. Attendees are welcome to bring a favorite teacup. Reservations are required by 3 p.m. Thursday. The cost is $10 per person. For more information, contact the park staff at (870) 523-2143 or email Jacksonport@arkansas.com.
Princess and Superhero Party
SEARCY — Women for Harding will hold a princess and superhero party from 9-11:30 a.m. in the American Heritage Auditorium of the David B. Burks American Heritage Building at Harding University. Children will be provided with crafts, snacks and games. Harding students will portray 18 princess- and superhero-themed characters and interact with guests. New characters this year will include Anna and Elsa from Disney’s Frozen and Superman. Children are encouraged to dress in costumes, and a parade of characters will begin at 9 a.m. Tickets are available in the Office of Alumni Relations, the Harding Academy elementary office, the Tangerine Turtle, Radio Shack, Sassy Stitch and all Searcy locations of First Security Bank. Tickets are $10 for children and $5 for adults.
Beginner’s Knitting Workshop
POWHATAN — A beginner’s knitting workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Powhatan Historic State Park. Participants will learn the basic stitches needed to get started making handmade clothing, gifts and household items. The registration fee is $15. For more information or to register, contact the park at (870) 878-6765 or email powhatan@arkansas.com.
Davidsonville Craft Day
POCAHONTAS — A Davidsonville Craft Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Davidsonville Historic State Park on Arkansas 166, 15 minutes south of Pocahontas. Crafters from the Ozark Folk Center will teach the basic skills of crocheting and broom making. Broom maker Shawn Hoefer will offer a whisk-broom workshop from 10 a.m. to noon. Admission is $20. The registration deadline has past, so call the park to see if it is still possible to attend. Ozark Folk Center craft director Jeanette Larson will offer a beginners crochet workshop from 1-4 p.m. The deadline to register is Friday, and admission is $10. Those who take both workshops will need to bring their lunch. All supplies will be provided. For more information or to register, call (870) 892-4708.
ONGOING
Ozarka College Spring 2015 Scholarships
MELBOURNE — Ozarka College has several scholarships, valued at $250 each, available for the spring 2015 semester. Applications for the awards are being accepted through Feb. 6. To be considered, students must be enrolled full time and have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.5. Applications are available to students when logging into their myOzarka account. A written essay will also be required. For assistance with applying for the scholarships, contact the Ozarka College Financial Aid office at (870) 368-2009 or finaid@ozarka.edu.
Frog Listening Workshops
MELBOURNE — Ozarka College will partner with FrogWatch USA to offer free Frog Listening Workshops by Tom Krohn, Arkansas regional coordinator for Frog Watch USA. The first session, to be held from 6:30-9 p.m. Tuesday and Feb. 3 at Ozarka College in Mountain View, will teach participants to identify frogs and toads in the area by their calls. The second session, from 6-8:30 p.m. Feb. 12 and 19 at Ozarka College in Ash Flat, will introduce the wetlands and frog-monitoring training for the FrogWatch USA national network. The final session will be from 6-8:30 p.m. Feb. 24 and March 3 at the National Fish Hatchery Aquatic Center in Mammoth Spring. Reservations are recommended. For the workshop in Mountain View, call (870) 269-5600; for Ash Flat, call (870) 994-7273; and for Mammoth Spring, call (870) 625-0411.
NCA District Fair Scholarships
STURKIE — The North Central Arkansas District Fair will award the Billy Ray Nix Memorial Scholarship and the NCA District Fair Scholarship to graduating seniors in the seven-county district fair area. Students in Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Sharp, Stone and Van Buren counties who have participated in county, district or state fairs and meet the scholarship criteria are eligible to apply. Scholarship applications, available online at www.ncadistrictfair.org, must be received by the NCA District Fair by March 1.
Located Place Art Exhibit
BATESVILLE— Located Place, a contemporary art survey on demarcated spaces, will be on view through Feb. 27 at the Kresge Gallery in the Alphin Humanities Building at Lyon College. Dustyn Bork, Lyon College assistant professor of art, curated the exhibit, which features the work of 23 artists, including two from Arkansas: Cara Sullivan of Jonesboro and Dawn Holder of Clarksville. There will be a reception from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, and Bork will give a curatorial talk on the exhibition at 6 p.m. The free events are open to the public, and the gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, contact Carly Dahl, Kresge Gallery director, at (870) 307-7278 or carly.dahl@lyon.edu.
Yoga in the Gallery
BATESVILLE — The Batesville Area Arts Council is offering Yoga in the Gallery classes at 8:45 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at the Gallery on Main, 226 E. Main St. The hour-long sessions will be led by RYT200-certified yoga instructor Marnie Davis. Beginners are welcome, and no preregistration is required. The cost is $10 per session, or attendees may purchase a punch card from BAAC for 10 sessions for $70. For more information, call (870) 793-3382.
BAAC National Juried Exhibition
BATESVILLE — The Batesville Area Arts Council is accepting submissions for its third annual National Juried Exhibition, which is open to all artists 18 and older working in 2-D media. Accepted works will be exhibited at the BAAC Gallery on Main from April 28 through June 13. The entry deadline is March 13. For submission guidelines or more information, visit www.batesvilleareaartscouncil.org/#!national-juried-exhibition/c1id9.
WISE Coalition Meeting
SEARCY — The WISE (White County Invested in Substance Abuse Eradication) Coalition meets from noon to 1 p.m. the third Wednesday of every month in the Community Room of the First Community Bank University Branch, 800 E. Beebe Capps Expressway. All are invited to attend and get involved in activities to help prevent and reduce substance abuse in White County youth. For more information, visit wisecoalition@gmail.com or call (501) 388-6555.
Blanchard Springs Caverns Reduced Tour Schedule
MOUNTAIN VIEW — Blanchard Springs Caverns will run a reduced schedule through February. Tours through the Dripstone Trail will be offered at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Other tours will be added as needed. Wild Cave Tours will be offered, as usual, on a reservation-only basis. The caverns are normally open five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays. The facility’s visitor center is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day the caverns are open for tours. For more information, call (870) 757-2211 or visit www.fs.usda.gov/osfnf or www.recreation.gov.
Cabot Civitan Meetings
CABOT — Cabot Civitan Meetings are held at 6 p.m. the first and third Mondays of each month at First Security Bank in downtown Cabot. For more information, call Tom Nolting at (501) 606-3731.
Tea Party Meeting
CABOT — The Jacksonville/Cabot Tea Party meets at 7 p.m. each second Thursday of the month in Centennial Bank’s Community Room, 300 W. Main St. For more information, call (501) 813-6980.
Love Cap Group
HEBER SPRINGS — The Love Cap group meets to sew caps on the fourth Wednesday of each month at First Baptist Church. For more information, call Polly at (501) 206-0808.
Pancake Breakfast
McRAE — A pancake breakfast is held from 7-9 a.m. the second Saturday of each month at McRae Masonic Lodge F. & A.M. No. 687. Donations are accepted.
Chronic Pain Meeting
CABOT — The Cabot Chapter of the American Chronic Pain Association meets from 6-8 p.m. the first Friday of the month at 15361 Arkansas 5. The association is a nonprofit, self-help group designed to teach people with chronic pain to reduce the effects pain has on their work and personal lives. All prospective members are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Michelle Lippert at (501) 259-6069.
Friends of the Library Book Shop
HEBER SPRINGS — The Friends of the Library Book Shop, 2255 Arkansas 25B N., is open from 3:30-7 p.m. Mondays, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays. The shop offers a large selection of books at bargain prices. All proceeds from the shop benefit the libraries in Cleburne County.
Second Time Around Bookstore
SEARCY — The Literacy Council of White County operates the Second Time Around Bookstore at 109 E. Center. Proceeds from the sale of donated books support the mission of helping adults in the community improve their literacy and English-language skills. The store and literacy office are open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays. For more information, call (501) 278-5500.
Upcoming
Lonoke County Retired Teachers Meeting
CABOT — The Lonoke County Retired Teachers Association will meet at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 2 in the Mount Tabor United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall. The agenda will be the re-organization and future plans of the association. Attendees are requested to bring finger foods. All retired school personnel are invited to the meeting. Items will be accepted for a local food pantry.
Photography and Photoshop Course
MOUNTAIN VIEW — Ozarka College in Mountain View will offer a four-day Photography and Photoshop continuing-education course taught by Patrick Ward from 5-7 p.m. Feb. 2-5. Tuition is $20, and preregistration is required. Two levels of photography will be taught: the basics of camera use and preparation for specific shooting settings. Students need to bring a camera that has adjustable settings, preferably a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) that has the ability for multiple lenses and modes. Students also need to bring a notepad or laptop to take notes during the Photoshop portion of the class. For more information or to register, contact Lindsay Wilson-Galloway, director of Ozarka College off-campus operations in Mountain View, at (870) 269-5600 or lhgalloway@ozarka.edu.
Chili Supper Fundraiser
BALD KNOB — The Veterans Mural Board of Bald Knob will hold a chili supper fundraiser at 6 p.m. Feb. 7 in the Bald Knob Elementary School cafeteria. A pie and cake auction will be held. The Velvet Ridge Singers will perform, as well as Tim Sanford and Jim Vanoven. Donations will be accepted, and proceeds will help finish the veterans mural and museum. For more information, call Doyle Wallace at (501) 230-0822.
International Food Fest
SEARCY — St. James Catholic Church’s seventh annual International Food Fest and Silent Auction will be held at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 7 in the Parish Hall, 1102 Pioneer Road. Meal tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. International cuisine will be available at designated stations throughout the hall, and numerous items will be offered at the silent auction. There will be a drawing for four cash prizes: $1,000, $500 and two for $250. Raffle tickets will also be sold for an NFL football autographed by members of the 2014 Green Bay Packers. For more information, call Joe Giezeman at (501) 281-2368.
Music and Missions Service
JACKSONVILLE — Don W. Todd, founder and president of Memphis Inner City Outreach Inc. International (MICO) in Memphis, will present a special service of music and missions at the 9:30 a.m. Bible class and the 10:45 a.m. worship service Feb. 8 at the Christian Church of Jacksonville. The church is at 200 E. Martin St., one block east of the intersection of First and East Martin streets. For more information, call Steve Summers at (501) 982-3768.
To Kill a Mockingbird Auditions
SEARCY — Auditions for the production of Christopher Sergel’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 8, at 1o a.m. Feb. 14 and at 6 p.m. Feb. 16 at Center on the Square. The cast requires at least nine men, five women and three children. Understudies and townspeople are needed as well. The cast and the townspeople will have roles for African-American men and women. Performance dates will be April 10-19. If auditioning for the role of Atticus Finch, bring a prepared monologue of two to three minutes. For all other roles, be prepared to read for the part.
Retired Teachers Meeting
BATESVILLE — The Independence County Retired Teachers will meet at 11 a.m. Feb. 9 at First Community Bank. There will be a potluck meal of sandwiches, salads and desserts. The program will be on quilting and quilts. Guests are welcome.
Scott Johnson at Patterson Lecture
BATESVILLE — The Lyon College Convocations Committee will present Scott W. Johnson at the 2014-15 Patterson Lecture from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Feb. 12 in Nucor Auditorium in the Lyon Building. Johnson’s presentation is Rathergate Ten Years After. The lecture is free and open to the public. Johnson is a Minneapolis, Minnesota, attorney. He practiced law for 35 years as an associate and partner at the Faegre & Benson law firm and as corporate counsel in the law departments of two Minnesota-based companies.
Hello
BATESVILLE — Lyon College senior Alexandra Patrono-Smith’s first full-length play will be presented at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 14 in Lyon’s Holloway Theatre. The play, Hello, is a semiautobiographical piece that centers around the theme of mental illness and severe family discord. The two-act production will last about an hour and a half with intermission. The production is open to the public, and admission is free.
Love Letters
SEARCY — Love Letters, by A.R. Gurney, directed by Robbie Ballew and starring Rickae Boyd and Josh Strickland, will be performed Feb. 13-15 and 20-22 at the Center on the Square, 219 W. Arch Ave. A plated, romantic dinner by candlelight will be served at 6:30 p.m., followed by the play at 7:30, on Feb. 13 and 14. The normal buffet will be served on Feb. 20 and 21. Brunch will start at 12:30 p.m., and curtain will be at 1:30 on Feb. 15 and 22. For dinner and the show, tickets are $29 for adults, and $24 for seniors 55 and older and students. For brunch and the show, tickets are $27 for adults and $21 for seniors and students. Show-only tickets are $15 for all. Meal reservations are required 48 hours in advance. For reservations, call (501) 368-0111 or visit centeronthesquare.org.
Gourmet Dinner Benefit
HORSESHOE BEND — Certified executive chef David Kugler will present his first Valentine’s Day Gourmet Dinner on Feb. 14 at the newly remodeled Papa Dicks restaurant at Crown Point Resort. Proceeds will benefit Safe Passage Inc. domestic-violence programs and the Horseshoe Bend Christian Community Food Outreach. Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails will be served at 5:30 p.m., followed by a three-course dinner at 6:30 p.m. The main course is roasted pork tenderloin on caramelized balsamic red onions with garlic mashed potatoes, red cabbage compote and cognac Dijon mustard sauce. Tickets, at $50 per person, must be purchased in advance. Alcoholic beverages are not included. For tickets, contact Kugler at (870) 670-5951 or dkugler000@centurytel.net.
Candle-Making Workshop
POCAHONTAS — A candle-making workshop will be held from 8-11 a.m. Feb. 21 at Davidsonville Historic State Park. Participants will join the park interpreter at Davidsonville Historic State Park to learn the history of candle making and make candles using the traditional dipping method. The registration deadline is Feb. 19, and participants must be at least 12 years old. To register, call (870) 892-4708. Admission is $15 per person, and all supplies will be provided. Davidsonville Historic State Park is on Arkansas 166, 15 minutes south of Pocahontas.
Chamber Banquet
HEBER SPRINGS — The Heber Springs Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual chamber banquet at 6 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Heber Springs Community Center. For more information, call (501) 362-2444.
FUNdraiser and Chili Dinner
BATESVILLE — The Humane Society of Independence County’s fifth annual Team Trivia Game Night FUNdraiser and Chili Dinner will be held Feb. 28 at Fellowship Bible Church on Main Street. The doors will open at 5 p.m. for the chili dinner, and trivia will begin at 6. There will be prizes and games. The cost is $15 per person or $120 per team/table of eight. For more information or to sign up, call Bev at (870) 613-3045 or Sue at (870) 307-5305.
Delta Visual Arts Show
NEWPORT — The seventh annual Delta Visual Arts Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Newport Economic Development Commission, 201 Hazel St. Admission is free. There will be 175 booths with work by more than 185 artists. The event will include an art contest for children and adults, children and adult workshops, door prizes, food tents and more. For more information, call (870) 523-1009.
Basic Orienteering Class
POWHATAN — A basic orienteering class will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 14 at Lake Charles State Park. The cost of the class is $8 with a limit of 10 per class. Participants will learn how to use a map and compass through hands-on training and activities. No experience is necessary. There will be a beginner course with teams at the end of the workshop. Participants are reminded to dress for the weather and for varying terrain. Reservations are required. For more information, call (870) 878-6595.
Cabot Clean-Up and Hazardous Waste Round-Up
CABOT — Cabot Clean-Up and Hazardous Waste Round-Up 2015 will be held from 9 a.m. to noon March 21. Individuals, families, businesses and organizations are encouraged to participate in this citywide cleanup. Volunteers will meet at Cabot Junior High-South on Panther Trail, no earlier than 9 a.m. March 21, and check in at the registration canopies. Volunteers will be assigned routes if needed. Orange safety vests and garbage bags will be provided. Participants are asked to bring sturdy work gloves. Volunteers will meet back at the Panther Trail parking lot at noon for free hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks. For more information, call Cabot City Beautiful Inc. at (501) 920-2122.
To submit an item for the Calendar of Events, mail information to Calendar of Events, Three Rivers Edition, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR, 72203; send faxes to (501) 378-3500; or email trnews@arkansasonline.com. Deadlines for calendar-item submissions are noon Friday for Thursday editions and noon Tuesday for Sunday editions.