Re-establishing Main Street business renewal chief's aim
Editor's note: This is part two of a two-part series
Maurice Taggart, who has headed the Pine Bluff Urban Renewal Agency since September 2018, approaches blight removal as a necessary component of hi...
November 23, 2020
Plans set for renewal agency
Editor's note: This is part one of a two-part series.
With the New Year fast approaching, Maurice Taggart, executive director of Pine Bluff Urban Renewal Agency, has a lot of plans for the city and a...
November 22, 2020
New casino doubles revenue, exec reports
Despite covid-19 restrictions limiting attendance, stringent cleaning protocols and an uncertainty over how much further the coronavirus will spread, Saracen Casino Resort is reporting strong revenue....
November 21, 2020
Order excuses casino's alcohol
New restrictions issued by Gov. Asa Hutchinson on bars, restaurants and other facilities licensed to sell alcohol require that those businesses close no later than 11 p.m. to slow the spread of the co...
November 21, 2020
High water or not, lights to go on
In the past several days, Pine Bluff residents have eagerly awaited the sight of Christmas lights on a drive-thru route in Regional Park, but all this week, the lights have been dark.
A sign at the e...
November 20, 2020
Council reticent over '21 budget
As 2021 budget talks begin in earnest, some Pine Bluff City Council members have expressed trepidation at the numbers being tossed around by city officials, especially considering the level of financi...
November 20, 2020
Suspect in officer's death appears in court, asks for public defender
A Pine Bluff man accused in the Oct. 5 shooting death of Pine Bluff detective Kevin Collins appeared in district court Wednesday and, because the Arkansas State Police has not yet completed its invest...
November 19, 2020
Crime wrap-up offered to panel
As the year winds down, Pine Bluff has seen a decrease in robberies and simple assaults from last year, a slight decrease in homicides, but an increase in reports of rape and attempted rape.
Those st...
November 19, 2020
Call for firing results in rebuke of sponsor
Ward 4's Steven Mays was roundly rebuked by his fellow council members Monday night over a resolution he proposed that called for a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the Pine Bluff Street Dep...
November 18, 2020
Agency discusses eminent domain downtown
Frustrated by a lack of progress in downtown development, members of the Urban Renewal Agency governing board began talking about the use of eminent domain to acquire properties necessary to move forw...
November 18, 2020
Convention center holding on
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the convention center has been able to continue operations with minimal staff disruption, which may be partially attributable to Pine Bluff's method of funding the ce...
November 13, 2020
Mays seeks change of street department chief
At least one alderman has expressed displeasure with the performance of the city's Street Department and is asking the council to recommend that Mayor Shirley Washington change out the leadership of t...
November 12, 2020
Bids for tourism funding pitched
The Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission heard Wednesday from 11 grant applicants seeking funding in 2021 to help promote tourism and culture in the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County area.
In 20...
November 12, 2020
Gould's council tackles issues
Poor telephone and internet service, drainage problems and cotton dust from Taylor Gin dominated much of the discussion at Tuesday's Gould City Council meeting as Mayor Matthew Smith presented updates...
November 11, 2020
Proposal on cutting blight advances
A proposed amended ordinance that would help streamline the city's procedure for addressing blighted properties passed muster with the Development and Planning Committee and is now on its way to the f...
November 11, 2020