Students To Study The Science Of Food

The Arkansas Department of Career Education awarded Springdale and Lincoln high schools each a $15,000 planning grant to create a food processing lab that would give hands on experience in the manufacturing of food. Considered to be a preparation course for food science education, raw animal parts will be shipped in to be used to demonstrate how the cow becomes the burger, essentially. However, the students would not be privy to the slaughtering of the animal.

For The Kids

John Tyson made a $2.5 million contribution to the UA in honor of his mother, Jean, for renovations to the Child Developmental Center. The facility serves as a childcare center for students and faculty and a training facility for early childhood development educators and caretakers. Officials said the need for a larger, more up-to-date venue is great and that additional funding will likely be sought to complete the project.

Grant Seekers

The students at Fayetteville and Springdale high schools are getting real-life experience writing grants and seeking funding for school related projects. Teachers of service learning courses are actively engaging the students in seeking resources for their needs. From science project materials to grants for recycling bins in the schools, the students have submitted their applications and are awaiting the results. An online demonstration can be found at donorschoose.org.

Follow The Money

The Fayetteville A&P Commission held their bi-annual meeting to award the Hotel/Motel/Restaurant Tax revenue to area organizations that request funding for events and promotions. More than $220,000 was awarded to 34 businesses with only three requests coming up goose-egg. Those three were Art Everywhere Store Front Project, Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and Rockit NWA Music Week. I wonder what politics are in play for the Botanical Garden to get denied again, and yet, the AMP got $5,000. Only the Arkansas Activities Association, which hosts the All Star Games for high school athletics at the UA facilities in June, and the NCAA Regional Baseball Tournament were granted their full requests. The breakdown shows that sports-orientated programs received just less than $105,000 and art-focused events just more than $80,000.

175 Years

The Washington County Masonic Lodge No. 1 will celebrate 175 years as the oldest Masonic lodge in Arkansas. The event will take place on Nov. 13 at 1106 Masonic Drive in north Fayetteville, beginning at 4 p.m. The community is invited, tickets are $10, and reservations are required. Call 479-387-6686 and leave a message for how many will be attending.

▲ Amber Kruth provides a local perspective on news briefs from around Northwest Arkansas — tidbits that make you think and keep you informed. TheKruthTalks@gmail.com

Categories: Commentary