The other candidates who are running for State Representative in various Southeast Arkansas districts were also invited, but they are unable to attend at this time.

Please make plans to attend the meeting at 6:30 P.M. at the Living Word Fellowship, located on Hwy. 425 South in the south end of the Cowboy’s Restaurant building. The candidates will speak about their campaigns and platforms, and they will answer questions. Everyone is invited. Please attend.

Her schedule includes visiting UAM’s Entrepreneurship and International Business classes, speaking at the Rotary Club meeting at noon, and stopping by the MEDC.

The U.S. Small Business Administration was established in 1953 to aid, counsel, assist and protect, insofar as is possible, the interest of small business concerns. SBA assistance includes loan guarantees, microloans, business counseling, and programs to encourage government contracting.

According to Gillespie, the black history awareness programs kicked off on last Wednesday night at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church. Youth were presented with sports and black history trivia.He was the guest presenter. Over 70 youth of the community attended the event.

The programs are held from 6 to 7 p.m. at rotating locations. Church youth and community leaders are encouraged to bring their children where a presentation and guest speakers will be expounding on various subjects of interest.

The schedule for the rest of the month is as follows:

Wednesday, Feb. 8 – Pilgrim Rest AME Church. The topic is music and guest presenter is Mrs. Clarissa Pace. Wednesday, Feb. 15 – Revival Center COGIC. The topic is Famous African American Women, guest presenter is Mrs. Gaynell Jamerson. Wednesday, Feb. 22 – Kennedy Boulevard Church of Christ. The topic is Dramatic Arts, the guest presenter is Mrs. Toni Perry.

The final activity will be an oratorical contest held on Wednesday, Feb. 29 at the Holiday Inn meeting room. Youth from 5th grade through 12th grade are encouraged to participate. The entry is free. For the topic and entry, contact Mr. Gillespie at 504-234-9630.

We want to welcome anyone suffering from either disorder to attend, as well as care-takers/loved ones.

For more information, call 870-224-1127.

Johnnie Bolin was a two term Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, Chairman of the Transportation and Culture Affairs Committee for the Southern Legislative Conference, and served on Arkansas Joint Budget Committee.

As a lifelong resident of southeast Arkansas, Johnnie Bolin has an unrivaled understanding of the challenges facing economic development. During his extensive travels around Arkansas promoting better roads, highways, interstates, streets and bridges Johnnie says without highway improvement southeast Arkansas cannot reach its full potential.

Working as an hourly employee for many years, as well as a business owner and former Ashley County Judge Johnnie Bolin says there are five areas he will address if elected: tourism attraction, economic development, infrastructure, education (pre-K through college) coupled with a well trained workforce, while maintaining agriculture’s status of Arkansas’s ranking in the top ten of ten different commodities. We in Senate District 26 must work to keep and gain in this national ranking.

Johnnie Bolin, 68, was born and raised in Fountain Hill Arkansas before his family moved to Crossett where his father started the family’s first business, a full service Esso station. As a young lad working at this station, Bolin learned very quickly that a satisfied customer was the name of the game. Johnnie graduated from Crossett High School in 1961. He began working for the Crossett Paper Operations, now Georgia-Pacific in Crossett.

In 1991 he accepted a position with Albany International and serviced accounts in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee receiving awards for outstanding sales two years in a row. Additionally in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s Johnnie was president of the Crossett Little League, then move up to the Babe Ruth Baseball Association, providing over a four-year span approximately 1350 young people a well rounded quality summer program at a very low cost to our area youth.

Mr. Bolin has two children, Lisa Bolin McPherson and Stephen Bolin, and two grandchildren, John Marshall McPherson and Carter Bristow McPherson. He is an active member of First Freewill Baptist Church in North Crossett.

Bolin stated, “With voter confidence low, it will be my goal to wage a well thought out campaign on the issues that affect District 26, as well as the Great State of Arkansas. Let’s make plans to see each other down the road.” For further information please contact 1-870-510-5784 or home/office 870-364-2829 or email bolin25@windstream.net.

You can visit his website at http://www.bolinforarsenate.com. You can also follow on Facebook by logging onto your Facebook account and searching Bolin for AR Senate District 26 and clicking on “like.”

Each year over 100 of Drew County’s best candy makers volunteer their skills to produce thousands of pieces of handmade candy. On Monday, February 13, these delicious treats are delivered to the library where Patricia Kulbeth’s team of sweethearts carefully package them into red-ribboned gift boxes.

Today you can purchase tickets for $5 at the library or from any member of the newly-elected Friends board. “It’s a perfect present for your sweetheart,” says President Lanee Dunlap, “but these candies are a nice way to say thank you to a hard-working colleague or a wonder winter pick-me-up for a friend.” Other board members include Michael Arnold, Truman Hamilton, Mary Heady, Eulea Kiraly, Jennifer Nicholson, and Beth Richardson.

Over the years, the proceeds of this event have been used to purchase books, pay for the library’s busy internet services and assisting with the exciting Summer Reading Program which enriches the lives of so many children during the school holidays. With the growing popularity of audio books, the event will also fund the purchase of more books on CDs.

The chocolate boxes will need to be picked up at the Monticello Library on Tuesday, February 14 from 9am until 4pm. Unclaimed candy will be resold after 4pm.

Retired CPA, Larry Fuller, along with Ed Nichols, will voluntarily prepare the tax returns with computerized filing as well as provide some tax counselling free at the Monticello Senior Citizens Center. For more information call 367-2434.

1st place: Joy Hudson and Lowell Lynde
2nd place: Roy Cabaniss and Gene Gulledge
3rd place: Charlotte McKiever and Kaye Koen 

The Club would like to welcome new players Susan Sharp-Smith and Guy Nelson.