May 16
Youth Rally
CAVE CITY — The Spring River Association’s Youth Rally will begin at 7 p.m. at Ring’s Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 2925 Arkansas 58, near Cave City. The Bonham Family of Bono, who sing and play a variety of instruments, will present the program. The pubic is invited. Light refreshments will be served following the program. For more information, call Pastor Terry W. Johnson at (501) 679-4136.
Community Music Gathering
BATESVILLE — A Batesville community music gathering will take place from 6-8 p.m. at First Community Bank. Instrumentalists — on acoustic and electric guitar, banjo, accordion, drums, etc. — and singers are invited to perform oldies, as well as gospel, country and soft rock music. Listeners are also welcome.
May 18
Retired Teachers Meeting
NEWPORT — The Jackson County Retired Teachers Association will meet at 1 p.m. at the Newport Business and Resource Center, 201 Hazel St. A memorial service will be conducted to honor J.D. Cooper, Thomas O. Dickinson and Maxine Johnson. All retired school personnel are invited to attend. Refreshments will be provided.
Farmers Market Opening
HORSESHOE BEND — The Farmers Market will open at 8 a.m. at Faith Presbyterian Church, 1001 Third St. Produce, fruit and crafts will be featured at the market weekly.
USDA Commodities Distribution
LONOKE — The Central Arkansas Development Council will distribute U.S. Department of Agriculture commodities, beginning at 9 a.m. Items may include orange juice, applesauce, green beans, dehydrated potatoes, refried beans, peanut butter and corn flakes. Food will be distributed at the following locations in the Three Rivers Edition coverage area: Austin City Hall; Cabot Church of Christ, 500 N. Second St.; the Ward Chamber of Commerce; and the Woodlawn Community Center. All customers must have identification, and income guidelines must be met. For more information, call Evelyn Reed at (501) 778-1133.
May 19
Action Plan Launch Ceremony
HEBER SPRINGS — A launch ceremony for the Kick-Start Heber Springs Action Plan will be at 12:30 p.m. at Dam Site Park in the 200 Man Pavilion, 315 Heber Springs Road N. Mike Preston, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, will be the guest speaker. The public is invited to attend. Print and electronic copies of the Action Plan will be available. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be in Room 3 of the Heber Springs Community Center, 201 Bobbie Jean Lane.
May 20
Kid’s Fishing Workshop
JACKSONPORT — A Kid’s Fishing Workshop will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at Jacksonport State Park. Participants will learn how to cast and bait a fishing pole with a park interpreter, and will take home a bag of goodies. Bring a fishing pole, or borrow one from the park. Bait will be provided. Participants ages 16 and older must have a valid Arkansas fishing license. The workshop fee is $5 per person, and advance registration is required by 3 p.m. Thursday. Meet at the Visitor Information Center. For more information, contact the park interpreter at (870) 523-2143, email allyson.feather@arkansas.gov, or visit 205 Avenue St. in Newport.
Robin Covington and New Road Band Concert
MCRAE — Robin Covington and the New Road Band will be in concert at 7 p.m. at the 16th Section Union Church, 3397 Arkansas 267 S. The concert is free, but an offering will be taken to help the group with expenses.
Fire Department Fish Fry
AUSTIN — The Tri-Community Fire Department will have a fish fry from 4-6:30 p.m. at the fire station on Arkansas 321 at Bear Road. The menu will include catfish, chicken, hush puppies, baked beans, french fries, slaw, a drink and a variety of homemade desserts. The cost is $12 for adults and $5 for children ages 5-11. Children younger than 5 may eat free. The proceeds will go to the Fire Department for the purchase of equipment. For more information, call (501) 213-6444 or (501) 843-3336.
Southside Community Blood Drive
SOUTHSIDE — A Southside Community Blood Drive will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mount Zion Lodge, 985 Batesville Blvd. All who are eligible are encouraged to donate blood.
Grief and Loss Support Group
JACKSONVILLE — The Caring Hearts Grief and Loss Support Group will meet from 10-11 a.m. at the Christian Church Jacksonville building, 200 E. Martin. For those who cannot make the group meeting, individual sessions can be scheduled. The group meets the third Saturday of every month unless otherwise announced. For more information, contact Steve Summers at (870) 710-1508.
Fine Art Show Sale
SEARCY — The Creative Arts Society Fine Art Show Sale will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the White County Fairgrounds, 802 Davis Drive. Artists are welcome to exhibit and sell their original work. The booth-rental fee is $40 and can be prepaid or paid the morning of the show. Haywood Catering will sell barbecue. For more information, call (501) 270-2278 or email thecreativeartssociety@hotmail.com.
ONGOING
Single Parent Scholarship Application Deadline
SEARCY — The deadline for applying for White County Single Parent Scholarship Fund Inc. summer 2016 scholarships is June 1. WCSPSF Inc. awards scholarships to White County single parents who have minor children and are pursuing postsecondary education in order to achieve skilled employment. Applicants may view the application at www.aspsf.org/county_white.html. For more information, contact Executive Director Dan Newsom at wcspsf.inc@gmail.com or call (501) 230-2414.
Library Summer Celebration
BATESVILLE — To celebrate summer, the Independence County Library, 368 E. Main St., is offering lots of new books, DVDs, audio books, graphic novels and new programs. The library will have drawings for gift certificates to downtown Batesville restaurants on May 20 and 27 and June 3. Stop by the library to register for the drawings.
Summer Reading Camp
BATESVILLE — Registration is open for Get in the Game … Read! — the Ozark Foothills Literacy Project’s 2016 Summer Reading Camp for children entering first through sixth grades. The camp will meet from 9 a.m. to noon June 6-9 at the Fellowship Bible Church (formerly Landers Theater), 156 S. Third St. The camp will offer engaging reading and writing activities with a focus on stories related to competition, physical activity and sports heroes. The registration fee is $99 per child until May 27, then will be $125. A $25 discount is offered to siblings. Register at oflp.org/read2016 or by calling (870) 793-5912.
Lifeguard Classes
JACKSONVILLE — Lifeguard classes will be offered at the Jacksonville Community Center. Participants must pass a pre-test and be at least 15 years old. Registrants 16 and older who commit to lifeguard for the city for the summer will pay $125 for the course. The regular fee is $250. For class times and registration information, call (501) 982-4171 or visit www.cityofjacksonville.net.
Cabot Lions Club Meetings
CABOT — The Cabot Lions Club has regular get-togethers at noon the first and third Thursdays of the month at the KingPin Sports Grill. Lions serve local communities and protect the planet. Club members provide children with eyeglasses, offer food for seniors and are among the first to respond when disaster strikes. All are invited to attend the meetings.
World War I Exhibit
CABOT — A World War I exhibit is on display at the Museum of American History, 114 S. First St., through Saturday. Commemorating the centennial of the war, the traveling exhibit consists of 12 photo panels developed by the Arkansas History Commission that depict the role of Arkansas in World War I. Almost 60 original photos, uniforms and other artifacts from the museum’s collection are included. The museum is open from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. each Friday and Saturday. For information, call Mike Polston, museum director, at (501) 286-9665.
Music in the Mall
FAIRFIELD BAY — Music in the Mall, featuring local and drop-in performers, will take place from 6-9 p.m. the first, second and fourth Thursdays of the month at the Education Center Gazebo in the Village Mall. All are invited to bring instruments, their singing voices, lawn chairs and neighbors. The event is free. For more information, visit the Fairfield Bay Community Education Center, 130 Village Lane, Suite 5, or call (501) 884-4440.
The Foreigner
SEARCY — Center on the Square, 219 W. Arch Ave., will present The Foreigner, written by Larry Shue and directed by David Goble, at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and again May 27 and 28; and at 1:30 p.m. May 22 and 29. Tickets are $15, plus tax. For more information or tickets, call (501) 368-0111 or visit centeronthesquare.org.
Summer Bridge Program
NEWPORT — Arkansas State University-Newport will offer a Summer Bridge program May 31 through June 29 for high school students who want to earn four hours of college credit. The courses are at ASUN’s normal per-credit hour rates, but scholarships are available. Classes will meet from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at ASUN. For more information, contact Irina Reynolds, ASUN coordinator of college and life skills, at (870) 512-7702 or irina_reynolds@asun.edu.
Second Time Around Bookstore’s New Hours
SEARCY — The Literacy Council of White County operates the Second Time Around Bookstore at 811 S. Main St., Suite D. The literacy office and store’s new hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday. The bookstore is closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday. To train as a tutor, to become a bookstore volunteer or for more information, call (501) 278-5500.
UPCOMING
Genealogy and DNA Program
BATESVILLE — The Independence County Library, 368 E. Main St., will present a program titled Genealogy and DNA at 2 p.m. May 22. Michael Engle, a DNA genealogist, will conduct the program, which is free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (870) 793-8814.
Boys & Girls Club Sports Banquet
JACKSONVILLE — The Boys & Girls Club of Jacksonville will have its fourth annual Sports Banquet at 6:30 p.m. May 26 at the Jacksonville Community Center. The guest speaker will be Steve “Wildman” Wilson. The event will include dinner, a silent auction, and volunteer and scholarship award announcements. Tickets are $50 each.
Festival Street Market
SALEM — The 67th annual Fulton County Homecoming Festival will be May 27 and 28 in Salem. Festival organizers are accepting vendors for the Festival Street Market. Rental fees are $75 for Friday night and Saturday, or $40 for Saturday only, plus $10 for electricity. Booths are 10 feet wide and the depth of a parking space. All food vendors must meet the Arkansas Department of Health guidelines and be inspected by Health Department officials. All vendors must meet the Arkansas sales-tax regulations. For applications, visit www.salemar.com or call Tonya at (870) 371-0887.
Homecoming Festival 5K Race
SALEM — The 2016 Bank of Salem Mark Thomas Memorial Apple Pie 5K Run will begin at 8 a.m. May 28. Online registration is available at www.register-izard.com/events/applepierun/register. The early-registration fee is $15; entry fees the day of the race will be $20. For a paper entry form, go to the Bank of Salem or call Sherry Jackson at (870) 895-6226. Prizes will be awarded to top finishers. Participants can register before the race from 6:45-7:30 a.m. on the north side of the court square, or check in by 7:30. For more information, call Jackson or Holly Pate at (870) 895-6209.
FNBC/Horseshoe Bend Fire Truck Open
HORSESHOE BEND — The Horseshoe Bend Volunteer Fire and Rescue will have its fourth annual FNBC/Horseshoe Bend Fire Truck Open on May 28 at the Turkey Mountain Golf Course. The tournament will be a three-person scramble with an entry fee of $120 per team. There will be a shotgun start at 9 a.m., preceded by coffee and doughnuts at 8 a.m. Golf carts are not included in the entry fee but will be available with advance reservations. Proceeds from the event will help fund the purchase of a 3000-gallon water tanker for the firefighting fleet. For more information or to register, call the golf course at (870) 670-5252.
Outdoor and ACT Prep Camp
BATESVILLE — Lyon College will host its annual Outdoor and ACT Prep Camp for rising high school juniors and seniors June 5-8. The event will offer a taste of the Lyon Education and Adventure Program (LEAP) and specialized ACT instruction from Stephen Leake, president of College Prep Coach Inc. Outdoor activities will include slacklining, bouldering, kayak polo, ultimate frisbee and a slip-n-slide. The cost is $300, which includes accommodations and meals on campus, outdoor activities and the ACT prep course. For more information or to register, visit lyon.edu/actcamp.
Family Movie Night at the Park
BEEBE — Centennial Bank, in partnership with the city of Beebe, will host a Family Movie Night at the Park at 8:30 p.m. June 10 at the Beebe Ballpark. Admission is free, and the featured movie will be Zootopia. Free popcorn and water will be provided. The concession stand will open at 7:30 p.m. for purchases of hot dogs, candy and sodas. For more information, call the Beebe City Hall at (501) 882-8135 or (501) 882-6295.
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.