State lawmakers trickled one-by-one into Henderson State University Tuesday for a joint meeting of the Higher Education Subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council and the Higher Education Subcommittee of the House Interim Committee on Education.
The three proposals for grant funding from the Walton Foundation for St. Francis County should be submitted next month, according to officials with Southern Bancorp.
The chancery courtroom at the county courthouse was filled with local elected and community leaders Tuesday for the quarterly meeting with Southern Bancorp.
Exploring Innovation participants had the chance to test their innovation skills in the “Fed Prize Challenge,” a contest that asked participants to submit their most creative response to a question on the minds of community development practitioners.
About 50 people heard an update on the Clark County Strategic Plan at Hickingbotham Hall Tuesday.
A co-chair from each CCSP subcommittee spoke about 2008-2009 accomplishments and upcoming plans. CCSP Chair Dr. Wesley Kluck reported that 26 action goals have been completed since the 2008 meeting, and that 49 goals are being worked on.
The Arkansas Public School Resource Center has announced that eight schools, including KIPP Delta College Prep in Helena, affiliated with the education organization were designated a “higher performing school” by the National Center for Educational Achievement.
Arkansas bankers keep rolling with the changes wrought by last year’s financial shake-up. Across the state, bank executives and directors are examining their place in the market: buy, sell or hold as well as deciding to cut or add branches.
The market flux has forced a refresher course on minding the basics, to maintain adequate capital and liquidity and scrutinize risk analysis. A wild card thrown into the mix is an evolving government program designed to aid troubled banks and provide extra capital to healthy lenders in hopes of stimulating the economy.
Arkadelphia’s Southern Bancorp Inc. put its $11 million in TARP capital to work expanding through two acquisitions. The first up was the $5 million-plus deal for troubled Timberland Bank of El Dorado, a $135 million-asset venture launched in 2000.
Henderson State University and Arkadelphia Public Schools have partnered to create a new educational opportunity for Arkadelphia High School freshmen. The Arkadelphia College Preparatory Academy is scheduled to begin classes on Saturday, April 18.
The pilot program was designed as part of the High School Redesign Initiative of the Southwest-A Education Renewal Zone and the Arkansas Department of Education. Leaders from Arkadelphia Public Schools, HSU, Ouachita Baptist University, Ouachita Technical College, Dawson Educational Cooperative, Clark County Strategic Plan, local business and community representatives and elected officials participated in the development of the Academy.