Elected leaders and concerned citizens from across St. Francis County filled the Chancery Courtroom at the St. Francis County Courthouse Tuesday night for the second public meeting with officials from Southern Bancorp. The group received early reports on economic development efforts as well as a countywide clean-up effort.

The School of Government, in collaboration with the North Carolina Rural Center, has released Small Towns, Big Ideas: Case Studies in Small Town Community Economic Development. The publication is the result of a yearlong study by Will Lambe, associate director of the Community and Economic Development Program at the School of Government. The collection features real stories, from real places that are successfully confronting real challenges similar to those facing small communities everywhere, such as globalization, geographic isolation, urban sprawl, aging populations, and natural disasters.

How can Phillips County take advantage of its Civil War history?

Joe and Maria Brent, public history specialists whose firm Mudpuppy & Waterdog Inc. are working on an interpretive plan to be unveiled to the public in April, have several ideas. They presented some to the Helena-West Helena Rotary Club Wednesday.

Southern Bancorp was selected for the award for its actions to “promote the development of Arkadelphia,” with characteristics including the ability to lead others, having a desire to enhance the quality of life in the city and having the ability to work on housing needs, job creation and recreational opportunities.

The Southern Good Faith Fund (SGFF) Business Development Center (BDC) is excited to offer another in a series of “Networking Breakfast” events on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Three times in the past citizens in Phillips County has tried to get a CHC but were unsuccessful. Now, the Association of Community Health Centers, the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources Services Administration, Bureau of Primary Health Care have partnered with a local group to end the red tape nightmare. They have agreed to help with all the rules and regulations that need to be met before funds are given to the area.

A steady stream of people eager to get their taxes prepared for free showed up Saturday at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Center.

The event, dubbed Super Saturday, was a joint effort by volunteers from the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition, Association for Community Organizations for Reform Now, IRS Stakeholder, Partnerships, Education and Communication Disability Initiative, St. James United Methodist Church, Southern Good Faith Fund and Pine Bluff Weed & Seed/Interested Citizens for Voter Registration Inc.

Maxine Nelson, Arkansas chairman of ACORN, expressed that thought Friday during a press conference for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Awareness Day, a nationwide effort to increase public awareness about the EITC and the availability of free tax preparation services.

Clark County has been awarded a $65,000 federal grant by the Arkansas State Highway Commission to help fund the first phase of a hiking and mountain bike recreational trail on the south side of DeGray Lake.

…Stephens said a meeting recently held between representatives of Southern Bancorp and local leaders may give some hope.

“They kind of reiterated what I’m saying,” he said. “But they have done some things with the downtown (in Helena-West Helena). I hope with them coming to Forrest City, we may be able to sit at their feet, and they may be able to give us some guidance on this.”