News

The Eddie Mae Herron Center had the distinct honor of representing Pocahontas at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC last week. The festival, which celebrates and honors contemporary cultural traditions, welcomed participants from all across the United States and around the world. This year’s theme, “The Ozarks: Faces and Facets of a Region,” showcased the diverse cultural heritage of the Ozarks, with Pocahontas being situated on the cusp of this region.

Neil Simon’s classic “Barefoot in the Park” will be staged this summer at Downtown Playhouse in Pocahontas. The comedy opened July 15 and runs through mid-August.

The MFA Oil Foundation has awarded a grant to the Bridge of Hope Ministries, Inc. to assist with purchasing flooring for a foster home. The MFA Oil Foundation provides support to nonprofit organizations that are working to improve communities where MFA Oil has a significant concentration of members and employees. Since it was established in 1998, the MFA Oil Foun dation has awarded more than three million dollars in grants. MFA Oil Senior Director of Employee Engagement and Culture Tom May described the MFA Oil Foundation as “a program that allows our company to give support back to the rural communities that are the foundation of our business. The grants the Foundation awards help support many youth programs and organizations active in addressing and solving community problems and improving the quality of life.”

Lexie Rose Rice joined the world Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at 9:34 a.m. She was born at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Missouri to Josh and Nikki Rice of Pocahontas.

On June 27, the Arkansas Rice is Nice Cooking Contest took place at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds, showcasing the culinary skills of budding young chefs. The competition, aimed at students aged 9-18 or in the 4th through 12th grades, serves as a platform to introduce the significance of rice as both a crop and a versatile dietary staple. With Arkansas contributing nearly 50% of the nation’s rice production each year, the contest plays a crucial role in promoting the state’s agricultural prowess.

“Barefoot in the Park” will be the final show The Downtown Playhouse, which has delivered quality, stage plays to audiences in Pocahontas since opening in July 2015, will present its final production, “Barefoot in the Park,” beginning July 15. The non-profit organization headed by Kelly Grooms and the Second Act Productions is ending.

On these hot summer days, how about impressing your friends and family with a beautiful and cool dessert. The added bonus is that these desserts not only make a striking presentation, they are easy to make. Trifles! Trifles originated in England many many years ago as a way to use leftover fruits and stale cake, but not any more.

The annual Great Eleven Point River Float, a much-anticipated summer event, took place on July 1 with an impressive turnout of participants. The float, which kicked off at the former Woody’s Campground and concluded at the Dalton public access point, proved to be a memorable experience for all who took part.