Lawmakers to host 2 kaffeeklatsches
WASHINGTON -- Two U.S. representatives from Arkansas are offering free caffeine to their constituents later this month.
U.S. Rep. Steve Womack is holding a "Coffee with the Congressman" event from 9-10 a.m. Monday at the Gentry Public Library, 105 E. Main St., in Gentry.
The Republican from Rogers represents most of Northwest Arkansas and has coffee stops periodically.
Rep. Bruce Westerman will host a "Coffee with Your Congressman" event of his own at noon Oct. 24 in Hot Springs, and he'll be joined by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton.
The gathering, which takes place at the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce at 659 Ouachita Ave., is described as "an opportunity for constituents to speak directly with Congressman Westerman about the issues facing the Fourth District."
Westerman is a Republican from Hot Springs whose district covers southwest Arkansas, Pine Bluff and part of Northwest Arkansas. The first-term Republican filled the seat Cotton vacated when Cotton, a Republican from Dardanelle, opted to run for the U.S. Senate.
Womack continues traveling in district
U.S. Rep. Steve Womack spent Wednesday in Benton County. He "attended the Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber Wal-Street Committee event, toured H&H Classic Parts (in Bentonville), visited the new Bella Vista Fire Station #4 and had a roundtable with Benton County first responders," a spokesman said.
Thursday, he spoke at the Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting, toured Van Buren's Main Street and stopped by the Buddy Smith Home for Veterans.
He spent Friday in Pope County, stopping by Pediatrics Plus, attending an open house at Riggs Tractor and touring the ConAgra Foods facility.
This week, he'll be making several stops in Gentry on Monday; with Wednesday spent in Fayetteville; Thursday taking him to Fort Smith, Van Buren and Greenwood; and Friday including a trip to Russellville.
Westerman to tour district agriculture
U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman plans to conduct an agriculture tour in his district on Wednesday and Thursday.
The first day will take him to Alford Farms and McDonald Farms in Lewisville and Vaught Farm in De Queen. Alford raises cattle; McDonald has cattle and row crops; Vaught raises pork and poultry.
There'll be more poultry on Thursday, with a stop at the Tyson Foods rendering plant in Dardanelle. Then, there'll be two stops focused on fruit growing: Peach Pickin' Paradise in Lamar and the University of Arkansas Fruit Station in Clarksville.
In a press release, Westerman said agriculture policy discussion should be led by the people who work the fields.
Calling agriculture Arkansas' largest industry, the Republican from Hot Springs said, "I am excited to visit with farmers and ranchers across the Fourth District to learn more about how decisions in Washington affect their livelihood."
Crawford to attend preparedness expo
U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford will attend a disaster-preparedness exposition Saturday at the St. Bernards Auditorium, 505 E. Washington Ave. in Jonesboro.
The free event, organized in conjunction with the Craighead County Office of Emergency Management and the Regional Center for Disaster Preparedness, will take place from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
First responders and others are welcome, the Republican from Jonesboro said.
More than two dozen groups have agreed to participate, and topics will range from tornadoes to the mosquito-borne Zika virus.
Cotton praises Thai king as valued ally
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton paid tribute last week to the King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.
The 88-year-old monarch, who had served since 1946, was the world's longest-ruling monarch.
Cotton, a Republican from Dardanelle, said the king had "deep love for his people" and demonstrated wisdom as he guided his nation.
"As the son of a Vietnam [War] veteran, I will not soon forget that in that war against Communist expansion, it was the young king who made the decision to stand with the United States. And it was the best sons of the Thai nation who stood and fought alongside my father and other U.S. troops," Cotton said.
Hill to attend post office's renaming
U.S. Rep. French Hill will be in Perryville on Monday for the renaming of its post office. The Republican from Little Rock and U.S. Sen. John Boozman, a Republican from Rogers, sponsored legislation to name the facility after Harold George Bennett.
Bennett, a native of Thornburg, was executed June 25, 1965, after repeatedly trying to escape from a prisoner-of-war camp in Vietnam.
He was the first member of the U.S. armed forces to be killed in captivity by the Viet Cong. The U.S. government called the slaying a "wanton act of murder" and a violation of the Geneva Conventions.
Just 24 years old, his remains were never returned. He is one of 1,620 U.S. servicemen from the war, including 15 Arkansans, who remain unaccounted for, according to the Department of Defense.
The post office name change was signed into law by President Barack Obama earlier this year.
Planning to visit the nation's capital? Know something happening in Washington, D.C.? Please contact Frank Lockwood at (202) 662-7690 or flockwood@arkansasonline.com. Want the latest from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Washington bureau? It's available on Twitter@LockwoodFrank.
SundayMonday on 10/16/2016