Stories by Eplunus Colvin

Covid-19 survivor giving thanks A Jefferson County sheriff's detective is counting his blessings and thanking God for his life this holiday season considering three months ago he was in a medically induced coma because of covid-... November 25, 2021

Scooter proposal to go to City Council in Pine Bluff A proposal to allow a scooter company to do business in Pine Bluff will now head to the Pine Bluff City Council after a committee gave it a thumbs-up.The scooter company came before the Pine Bluff Pub... November 22, 2021

Voting district vendor chosen A special-called meeting was held last week to vote to replace a city redistricting vendor that was no longer able to fulfill its contract agreement.During Monday’s City Council meeting, a resol... November 21, 2021

Leaders weigh aquatic center lettering The Pine Bluff City Council voted in December to rename the Pine Bluff Aquatic Center in honor of former Mayor Carl A. Redus, but initial efforts were less than satisfactory to the person who has push... November 19, 2021

Renewal agency OKs redevelopment deals The Pine Bluff Urban Renewal Agency approved several contracts that will move redevelopment in its areas to the next phase.LEVEL5 Architecture will begin the engineering and structural restorations of... November 18, 2021

Council split on effort to divert project funds Three resolutions failed on 4-4 votes during Monday's Pine Bluff City Council meeting in a second effort to divert funds from a pot of money earmarked for Go Forward Pine Bluff projects.Council Me... November 17, 2021

Urban Renewal chief staying busy With a month and a half under her belt as interim executive director for the Pine Bluff Urban Renewal, Chandra Griffin is staying busy after assuming the position from Maurice Taggart, who resigned at... November 16, 2021

Activists disagree with no-racial-bias findings A local activist group is taking exception to a report issued by the mayor's office that found no unfair treatment or racial bias in the city's Street Department.Community activist Kymara Seal... November 13, 2021

Help promised for waterless homeowner in Pine Bluff Shortly after it was discovered recently that Gloria Harris was living in her home without running water, several promises of help were extended to her.Harris' daughter, Sharita Cason, said she wa... November 12, 2021

Hundreds on hand as veteran center opens Long gone is the dilapidated structure that once was an embarrassment as the service center for the men and women who served their country in the United States Military. Lacking the everyday essentia... November 11, 2021

County judge: Vision realized, friend honored On a beautiful fall Wednesday morning, the day of the 264th U.S. Marine Corps birthday, and the eve of Veterans Day, the Grand Opening Ceremony for the newly constructed Sgt. Elga Lee Roberts Jefferso... November 11, 2021

JPs support proposal on income tax credit for lawmen in state The Jefferson County Quorum Court approved a resolution supporting the establishment of an income tax credit for full-time law enforcement officers in the state. Under Senate Bill 304, full-time law ... November 10, 2021

Pine Bluff woman still without water after February cold snap Gloria Harris was one of the many Pine Bluff residents who lost water during February's bitter winter weather. Nine months later, Harris still remains without running water because of corroded and bur... November 9, 2021

Hero Day honors kids for kind acts Children ages 4 to 12 were recognized for their acts of kindness during the Dickie's Hero Day ceremony, a partnership between the Pine Bluff-Jefferson County Public Library System and Brandy Weatherly... November 8, 2021

Street-agency probe finds no racial bias An investigation into unfair and racially motivated treatment of employees in the Pine Bluff Street Department concluded that no such practices had taken place. The report, released Friday afternoon ... November 6, 2021

Rental-scooter idea proposed to panel Pine Bluff may be joining Bentonville, Fayetteville and Little Rock in the electric motorized scooter craze that became widely popular on the West Coast and has grown in popularity worldwide. Skood-a... November 4, 2021

Striking signs set new city timbre As part of Go Forward Pine Bluff's initiative and after two and half years of planning, the construction of three new welcome signs has finally been completed. On Oct. 12, construction crews began in... November 3, 2021

Clerk's office analysis gets nod from council Although the measure eventually passed, council members held a lengthy discussion during Monday's Pine Bluff City Council meeting when it came to a resolution authorizing an agreement with the Johanso... November 3, 2021

City Council passes residential garbage rate increase for Pine Bluff A resolution increasing the residential garbage rate from $17.60 a month to $18.48 was approved Monday by the Pine Bluff City Council. According to the resolution, under the city's agreement with Was... November 3, 2021

Quorum Court panel to weigh 2 groups' requests for raises Two groups of county employees left out of a 6% raise are asking to be included. The request is on tonight's agenda to be discussed during the Jefferson County Quorum Court committee meetings, with a... November 2, 2021

Fall festivals in Pine Bluff bring treats to youths, food to those in need Halloween got an early start Saturday morning as ghosts, goblins, superheroes and Disney princesses came to indulge in the fun festivities at the Jefferson County/Pine Bluff Library Fall Festival. Th... October 31, 2021

Design awards given for downtown sites One can't help noticing the vibrant curb appeal The ARTSpace & ART WORKS on Main bring to downtown Pine Bluff, let alone the authenticity at either door. The aesthetic look of the design has earn... October 30, 2021

Districts for JPs require tweaks A change in population brought about many changes to the districts represented by each Jefferson County Justice of the Peace. Here is a breakdown of each district, along with the reason for change: D... October 29, 2021

Board OKs new redistricting plan The Jefferson County Board of Election Commissioners on Wednesday approved the new justice of the peace redistricting plan that would redraw the boundaries of election districts to ensure that the pop... October 29, 2021

A&P panel starts off restaurant audits The Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission has plans to begin audits on food services and restaurants by first doing a trial with their own commissioners. Chairwoman Rosie Pettigrew, vice-ch... October 28, 2021

Convention Center hotel under review The Civic Auditorium Complex Commission discussed the Convention Center Plaza Hotel during its regularly scheduled monthly meeting Tuesday. Pine Bluff Convention Center Executive Director Joseph McCo... October 27, 2021

Halloween events return to Pine Bluff area amid pandemic Last year, for many, Halloween was canceled, haunted houses were shut down and porch lights were turned off due to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in response to covid-19. T... October 26, 2021

3 plans in to put Redus' name on center The Public Works Committee received three different contract proposals to rename the Pine Bluff Aquatics Center after former Mayor Carl A. Redus Jr. In December council members approved a resolution ... October 23, 2021

Grider Field airport to undergo renovations Pine Bluff Regional Airport at Grider Field has been a staple in the region since 1941. From being a training center, hosting formation flying clinics, and celebrating Black Pilots of America during M... October 22, 2021

Weekend homecoming concert is a hit When Pine Bluff Convention Center Executive Director Joseph McCorvey was tasked with bringing back homecoming concerts to Pine Bluff, he knew immediately that he wanted to cater to the crowd of older ... October 21, 2021

Pandemic survivors find support "Me and my wife went in the hospital together with covid-19. I was the only one that came out." Those were the words of the Rev. Ricky Mays as he spoke about his wife, Sharon, who died Sept. 20 at Ba... October 20, 2021

Kids need help to shed crime cycle, groups say Young people who commit crimes are in the minority, but the ones who do break the law need help getting out of a cycle of criminal activity, officials say. The Pine Bluff Crime Advisory Commission an... October 17, 2021

Alumni observe school's reunion Some call it "the aroma of homecoming." Even with one's car windows rolled up, the smell of turkey legs and barbecue filled the air Saturday in Pine Bluff as homecoming was celebrated in any number o... October 17, 2021

Alumni home, find UAPB bustling Friday morning gave University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff alumni a prelude to today's homecoming events as many gathered in the Golden Lion Stadium parking lot for the annual alumni assembly. Black-an... October 16, 2021

Homecoming concerts returning to Pine Bluff After all of the Saturday morning homecoming festivities on Main Street, the tailgate parties and the final touchdown of the UAPB football game, hundreds of concertgoers will enjoy some rhythm and blu... October 15, 2021

More virus survivor benefits on tap Covid-19 survivor benefits will be distributed Monday by County Judge Gerald Robinson and the Quorum Court after the Budget and Finance Committee approved a $183.323.72 appropriation to the Coronaviru... October 14, 2021

New member joins A&P Commission The Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission has a new member. A specially called meeting of the Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission was held Friday to review the A&P commissio... October 10, 2021

NAACP to hold its gala online The Pine Bluff Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will be celebrating its 29th Annual Dove Freedom Fund and 100 Year Anniversary Gala Friday, October 22, 2021, at... October 8, 2021

Public safety meeting relays report records Department heads overseeing Pine Bluff's public safety gave brief updates concerning their departments during Wednesday's Public Safety Committee meeting inside the City Hall chambers. Animal Control... October 7, 2021

Council backs bonds for Plaza Hotel work The Pine Bluff City Council voted in favor of a resolution Monday night regarding the issuance of bonds for the renovation or reconstruction of the Plaza Hotel. According to the resolution, the city ... October 6, 2021

Officials reveal racetrack proposal A multipurpose entertainment park that would include a half-mile drag strip, bleachers, a go-kart track and paintball field was presented last week to a spellbound group of racing enthusiasts who have... October 5, 2021

Ideas for parks in Pine Bluff come up at city forum Pine Bluff residents, concerned about everything from litter and youth activities to welding programs and amusement areas, turned out last week to attend a Pine Bluff Parks and Recreation listening fo... October 3, 2021

Firefighters sound off during town hall In discussions about public safety in Pine Bluff, the city's fire department sometimes gets overlooked. That is according to Fire Chief Shauwn Howell, who spoke at a town hall meeting this week. The... October 2, 2021

Invitation to bring in visitor's band to UAPB's homecoming withdrawn after city gets bill An invitation to the Southern University Marching Band to perform in downtown Pine Bluff as part of UAPB's homecoming has been rescinded and the person who arranged it all, Parks and Recreation Direct... October 1, 2021

Message on virus: Keep up vigilance Editor's note: This is the second of a two-part series on a covid-19 town hall. "Mice are not everywhere, but mice are everywhere, and the reason mice are not everywhere is because somebody has to pu... September 30, 2021

Expert tries to clear the air on covid-19 Editor's note: This is part one of a two-part series Infectious-disease expert and virologist Dr. Lane Rolling separated covid-19 fact from fiction during the Urban League of Arkansas' forum Monday a... September 29, 2021

Drag strip committee to reveal track plans After months of researching, plotting and planning, the drag strip committee is ready to reveal details of a possible drag racetrack in Pine Bluff this Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the Pine Bluff Convention... September 28, 2021

Community talks crime prevention Residents of Ward 2 came out to Family Church at 2309 S. Poplar St. on a stormy evening last week to take part in the United Citizens of Pine Bluff Town Hall meeting to address crime in the city. In ... September 26, 2021

Director of urban renewal to exit job Maurice Taggart, executive director of the Pine Bluff Urban Renewal Agency, turned in his letter of resignation Tuesday evening during an executive session of the agency's board. Taggart, 41, who was... September 23, 2021

JPs OK transfer of $356,860 to fix 2 bridges The Jefferson County Quorum Court voted Tuesday to authorize a transfer of $356,860 to the County Road Fund to repair bridges on Wilson Road and Mulberry Grove Road in Wabbaseka. Earlier this month d... September 23, 2021