The Southern Good Faith Fund issued a call Monday for the state to find more money to help match low-income Arkansans’ college savings.

Mike Leach, the fund’s public policy director, said the “Aspiring Scholars” program is growing and the current state funds aren’t enough to sustain the matches.

The Aspiring Scholars Matching Grant Program showed a successful first year helping Arkansans save for college, according to a report released today by Southern Good Faith Funds Public Policy program.

Aspiring Scholars was authorized by the Arkansas Legislature under Act 597 of 2007. The program offers an incentive, in the form of a savings match, for low- and moderate-income Arkansas families to save for their childrens’ college education using the GIFT College Investment Plan. The GIFT Plan is Arkansas 529 college savings plan.

Arkadelphia, Ark. –

The Arkadelphia City Board of Directors met with a bare quorum Thursday in Town Hall to discuss “findings” from a recently performed 2007 audit; to consider a resolution for the 2010 budget; and to consider annexing a parcel of land to the city limits.

Directors Don Hager, DeDe Baldwin and Anthony Owen were absent.

Auditors found “compliance issues” with how city officials used accounting practices as spelled out by U.S. Government Auditing Standards, though the city did conform to the Arkansas Code.

City Manager Jimmy Bolt told directors that the city “overall performed very well” with its principles.
The first finding was the “segregation of duties” among city administrators in accounting. Bolt said the city is not able to hire enough employees for certified standards, but responded in a memo to auditors that “offices will segregate the duties … to the extent possible with the current staffing levels.”

Gurdon, Ark. –

On Tuesday, November 17th, a meeting was held at Dino’s Main Street Café in Arkadelphia, to discuss housing a nurse practitioner in the Gurdon Clinic located on Second Street. At the present time, the Arkadelphia Clinic for Children and Young Adults ran by Dr. Wesley Kluck is using the clinic two – half days a week Monday and Friday.

Shelley Loe, from Southern Bancorp, brought the group together to see what measures might be taken to have a full time nurse practitioner housed in the clinic during the other days of the week.

Honor recognizes exceptional service to the community

Southern Bancorp is one of six financial institutions to receive a 2009 Southeast Community Bank “GIVE” Award, which honors exceptional community service. “GIVE” stands for charitable Giving, community Involvement, Volunteerism and employee Engagement. Judges chose the winners from community banks in seven southeastern states based on criteria including objectives, strategies and results.

This year, 146 Phillips County children in need will receive gifts through the generosity of community members and local businesses. The Phillips College Angel Tree project kicked off this week with Christmas trees of hope decorated with blank Wal-Mart gift cards now on display at Wal-Mart and Phillips College.

Main Street Helena was curious about the fans that attended the annual Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival and initiated an unofficial but informative survey to 323 people that shopped in stored along Cherry Street during this year’s festival.

Tim Schuringa, senior community development officer for Southern Bancorp Capital Partners and NSH member, shared some of the data gathered and the potential of such information.

ATLANTA, GA–(Marketwire – November 12, 2009) – Six financial institutions have been honored with first annual Southeast Community Bank “GIVE” Awards, which recognize community banks that have launched exceptional community service efforts.

Arkadelphia, Ark. –

The Clark County Budget and Finance Committee met one last time Tuesday before submitting the county’s 2010 budget to the Quorum Court, revisiting items tentatively approved in recent meetings, talking over a payroll adjustment for county employees and hearing Sheriff David Turner’s comments on recently addressed issues at the fairgrounds.