NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide $466.5 million to strengthen global food security through its two premier international development programs, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today at the Clinton Global Initiative 2024 annual meeting.

ALPENA — Alpena Methodist Church will be hosting it’s annual Homecoming. The service will be on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 11 a.m.

A cook-out and gospel singing fundraiser to benefit the Newton County Christian Food Room is set for Saturday, Oct. 5, from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the bandstand on the courthouse lawn in Jasper. The Bower Family will perform. There will also be a silent auction.

Wyatt Blake Dillow

Kellie Watson lives in Harrison where she enjoys spending time with her partner, best friend, and fiancée — Wade. Together they own a commercial cleaning company — TWS Cleaning. Watson also spends time baking and selling cakes — she is known in the Times newsroom as our "cake lady," frequently delivering treats to the sugar addicts on our staff.

The Boone County Cattlemen’s Association met on Thursday, September 5, 2024.  This meeting was sponsored by CS Bank in Harrison.  BCCA President John Muncy opened the meeting and led the Pledge of Allegiance.  Gerald King offered a blessing.  We were served a meal of brisket, roasted potatoes, baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw, cornbread, bread, tea, and water.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, Sept. 11, The U.S. Department of Education announced additional details of the subsequent beta testing period ahead of making the 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available to all students and contributors on or before Dec. 1. Starting on Sept. 11, high schools, community-based organizations (CBOs), institutions of higher education and state entities can submit the interest form to participate in subsequent stages of the testing period, including Beta 2 (launching in mid-October), Beta 3 (early November), and Beta 4 (mid-November).

JONESBORO — A groundbreaking ceremony will take place at Arkansas State University at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19, for the Windgate Hall of Art and Innovation. The event will take place south of the Fine Arts Center at the future home of the new addition to campus.

RUSSELLVILLE — Nine students and two faculty members from Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) University of Applied Sciences in Giessen, Germany, arrived at Arkansas Tech University on Monday, Sept. 16, to begin a week filled with cultural immersion and learning.