The North Central Arkansas Foundation for Arts and Education (NCAFA&E) will present the American master of the Flamenco guitar Ronald Radford November 8, 2 P.M. at Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church, Dave Creek Parkway, Fairfield Bay.

A protégé of the legendary Carlos Montoya, Radford lived and traveled in Spain where he immersed himself in the musical wisdom of the Flamenco guitar masters in addition to classical studies with Andres Segovia.  He is the only individual ever to be awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in Flamenco.  His concerts have taken him to universities and concert halls in 15 countries and have included such notable places as New York’s Carnegie Hall, Washington’s Kennedy Center, UCLA’s Royce Hall and the University of the Americas in Mexico.

Radford will present a varied and entertaining program of haunting Gypsy melodies and dazzling Flamenco techniques.  This performance will appeal to all ages and a broad range of musical tastes from those who like the creativity of jazz and the fun of Bluegrass to those who love the classics.  In addition to the concert he will be presenting four  programs at area schools, with an emphasis on drug prevention.

Funding for this event is being provided by Mid-America Arts Alliance and Chesapeake Energy.  Tickets are $8.00 for non-members, $6.00 for members and students are FREE.  For further information contact NCAFA&E at (501)253-7909 or visit www.ncafae.org.

SEARCY, Ark. – The Christian Academy Choral Festival, a musical
collaboration of Christian high schools from surrounding states, will
be held in Harding’s Administration Auditorium Sunday, Nov. 8, at 7:30
p.m. It is free to the public, and seating will be available on a
first come, first served basis.

Participating schools will include:
.       Alabama Christian Academy
.       Georgia Christian School
.       Harding Academy
.       Mars Hill Bible School
.       Middle Tennessee Christian School

The production will involve about 250 singers. Every group will sing
two songs each, and all the groups will perform five songs together,
including selections of English, Latin and Brazilian spirituals.

The festival is an annual event and is very beneficial to the high
school students involved.

“It gives [students] the opportunity to work in a large group and to
have intensive rehearsals with an outstanding director,” Dr. Cliff
Ganus, Harding professor of music and director of choral activities,
said. “It’s a good way to get high school students on our campus and
let them see what’s going on.”

Choral directors Shawn Frazier of Middle Tennessee Christian School
and Brooks Gatlin of Alabama Christian Academy are both recent Harding
graduates. Joey Derr is director for Mars Hill Bible School, and
Deland Guthrie is director for Georgia Christian School. Craig Jones,
Harding Academy’s director, is also a graduate of the University.

Harding assistant professor of music Dr. Kelly Neill will serve as
clinician for the performance. For more information, call
501-279-4343.

Harding had a record enrollment this year of more than 6,600 students
from all 50 states and 49 foreign countries. It is the largest private
university in Arkansas and attracts more National Merit Scholars than
any other private university in the state. Harding also maintains
campuses in Australia, Chile, England, France/Switzerland, Greece,
Italy and Zambia.

(Batesville, Arkansas)  Habitat for Humanity of Independence County
has received a $2,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.
“This is the third year that Bank of America has provided Habitat
for Humanity of Independence County a grant to help us in our mission to
build decent, affordable homes with families in need. We are very grateful
for Bank of America’s generosity and support” said Paul Bube, board
president of Habitat for Humanity of Independence County.  “This $2,000
grant is a tremendous help as we get started our second house at 415
Ferrell.”
In a letter announcing the grant, the Foundation noted it is
dedicated to providing opportunity for all in its commitment to Bank of
America communities.
“Providing support to organizations like Habitat for Humanity, which
provide opportunity and improve the quality of life in our communities, is
key to our strategy to build capacities that truly make a difference.”
Those interested in making a tax-deductible donation to the
Independence County affiliate of Habitat for Humanity can send gifts to
Habitat for Humanity of Independence County; Box 3956, AR; 72503, or call
(870) 793-1999 for more information.

Title: Parent Night at West Side Elementary in Greers Ferry
Description: West Side Elementary would like to invite everyone out to a very special
parent night, Monday, November 2, at 5:30p.m. in the school cafeteria.
Dr. James Marshall, who is an Assistant Professor and Extension Family Life
Specialist with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in
Little Rock, will be the guest speaker. Dr. Marshall conducts applied
research and does curriculum development and programming in the areas of
marriage strengthening, parenting, individual development, and child care.
For more information please contact Mr. Long at 825-7744.
Date: 2009-11-02

Vicksburg – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will waive all day use and camping fees for active service personnel and DoD civilians on mid or post deployment leave from duty in support of the Overseas Contingency Operations. The intent is to recognize the selfless service of these individuals to our nation and the world.

The program began in 2006 to honor the men and women who serve the nation.

Active service personnel and DoD civilians on leave will be required to show identification and leave orders upon arrival at the campgrounds to obtain the waiver. The waiver will also apply to all family members accompanying them on their visit. The waiver will be applied to daily use fees and camping fees.

Fees will be waived on a walk-up and space available basis, as well as for reservations through the National Recreation Reservation Service call center. Camping and day use fees, however, will not be waived for on-line reservations made through Recreation.gov.

The Corps is the nation’s largest federal provider of outdoor and water-based recreation, hosting more than 350 million visitors per year at more than 400 lakes and river projects nation wide. These areas provide 4,500 miles of trails, 3,400 boat launch ramps, 90,000 campsites, and 33 percent of all U.S. freshwater fishing.

To find the nearest Corps of Engineers recreation site, please visit www.CorpsLakes.us.

Title: Operation Holiday Helpers in Little Rock
Description: Operation Holiday Helpers
Friday, November 6
11:00am to 7:00pm
Saturday, November 7
10:00 am to 6:00 pm
VFW Post 9095 Ladies Auxiliary
West Little Rock – Kanis Road (West) to Gamble Street Look for the big flag!
Drive Through and Drop off your items at the Post or come inside and visit! (Must be 21 to enter the Post)
Your troops overseas would like a little taste of America over the holidays.
Sponsor a Package for $10.00
For questions, Call Charlotte Gibson 454-5777.
Start Date: 2009-11-06
End Date: 2009-11-07

Washington–The Honorable Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today issued the following statement on China’s agreement to re-open the Chinese market to United States pork and live swine, consistent with science-based international standards. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the agreement at the conclusion of meetings with Chinese officials at the US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.

“I am very pleased that the Chinese government will move to reopen its markets to United States pork, acknowledging that there was no scientific basis to bar our pork exports due to the emergence of H1N1 flu.  I look forward to the full resumption of trade in pork products with China quickly.  This is good news for an industry hit hard by a downturn in the economy and that greatly benefits from trade. Regaining access to a $500 million market in China will help alleviate the financial burden on pork producers in Arkansas and across the country who have been selling their livestock at a loss for almost two years.  There remain a handful of markets that are closed to U.S. pork, but I hope that others will follow China’s example and restore access promptly.

“I would like to express my appreciation for the hard work and persistence of Secretary Vilsack and Ambassador Kirk on this issue.  Secretary Vilsack followed through on his assurances to me in a meeting last week that he would not take no for an answer from China.  Ambassador Kirk also knows how important trade is for agriculture and we discussed the pressing need to resolve this issue with China as soon as possible.  Clearly, the leadership and staff at both USDA and USTR deserve praise for their hard work and success on an issue of critical importance to our farmers, ranchers and consumers.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Vic Snyder (D-Ark.) and Ranking Member Rob Wittman (R-Va.) convened a hearing to examine the performance and oversight of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO).

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) are the number one killer of Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan.  In 2004, JIEDDO was chartered to “focus (lead, advocate, coordinate) all Department of Defense actions” in the fight against IEDs. Over the course of JIEDDO’s evolution from a small Army task force to a 3600-person DOD organization, the U.S. government has spent almost $17 billion trying to keep up with this ever-changing threat.  Today’s hearing, which follows a hearing held in September 2008, sought to explore whether DOD’s own oversight has kept pace with rising casualties and JIEDDO’s considerable budget. Is DOD winning the fight against IEDs, is it spending this money wisely, and is its oversight over JIEDDO sufficient for an organization of its size and complexity?

During the hearing, Chairman Snyder remarked, “There’s no doubt that… JIEDDO has made significant contributions to the counter-IED effort,…but what’s concerned this subcommittee for the last 18 months…is that the people on the ground are not yet satisfied despite all of your efforts.”   After the hearing, Snyder said, “We’re asking about the processes of government because we suspect that some of these may be hindering success, but that success is ultimately about helping people stay alive while they are pursuing the national security objectives of the nation.”

Ranking Member Wittman said, “After joining Lieutenant General Metz and General Dempsey at the ‘Joint Training Counter-IED Operations Integration Center’ earlier this year, I was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss the contributions of JIEDDO in depth this morning. IED’s remain the number one cause of casualties in Iraq and in Afghanistan, and JIEDDO is integral in ensuring that our service members are able to continue to counter and defeat these deadly devices. Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines will continue to come home safely because of the work accomplished by joint organizations such as JIEDDO.”

Witnesses at today’s hearing included:  Dr. James A. Schear, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Partnership Strategy and Stability Operations; Lieutenant General Thomas F. Metz (USA), Director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO); and Mr. William Solis, Director of Defense Capabilities and Management, Government Accountability Office. LTG Metz and Dr. Schear testified to JIEDDO’s success against IEDs and JIEDDO’s efforts to improve internal controls over research and acquisitions. GAO testified to its recently completed study on DOD’s coordination of counter IED efforts.

The House Armed Services Committee will continue to provide extensive oversight of the counter-IED fight as the President makes his decisions about the nation’s interagency efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Americans, as well as this country’s partners, are at risk from this threat.

North Little Rock – Floods are one of the most common hazards in the United States. Nearly half of all flood fatalities are vehicle-related according to the National Weather Service.

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) urges people to learn the dangers of driving into flooded roadways because drivers often underestimate the power of floodwater. Roads weaken under floodwater and drivers should proceed cautiously after waters have receded, since the road may collapse under the weight of the vehicle.

* Twelve inches of water will float many vehicles.
* Two feet of rushing water will carry away most vehicles, including pick-up trucks and sport utility vehicles.
* Water across a road may hide a missing segment of roadbed or a missing bridge.
* Because disaster can strike at any time, ADEM encourages everyone to have a disaster supply kit in their home and vehicle.

When there’s water on the road:  Turn Around, Don’t Drown. Saving your life is as simple as choosing an alternate route. If you are driving and your vehicle stalls in flood water, the best advice is to get out quickly and move to higher ground.

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) is the state’s homeland security and preparedness agency. The agency works to identify and lessen the effects of emergencies, disasters and threats to Arkansas by developing effective prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery actions for all disasters and emergencies.  For additional information, contact ADEM at (501) 683-6700.

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