DECATUR — School Orientation
The Decatur School District will hold an open house for students and parents on Aug. 17, before classes resume on Aug. 19. The Northside Elementary School will be open from 4 to 6 p.m. The High School will be open from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Parents and students will meet teachers and find classrooms. High school students will be given their schedules and assigned lockers.
Council Meetings
Decatur city council meetings are held at 6 p.m., the second Monday of each month, in the council room at city hall and are open to the public. However, in August, the city council will meet on August 16. For more information, call 752-3912.
Livestock Show
A goat and sheep show will be held at the Decatur High School on July 31. Weigh-in will begin at 7 a.m., and classes will begin at 9 a.m.
Head Start Enrollment
Northwest Arkansas Head Start program and its curriculum-based child development centers are currently accepting applications for fall 2010 enrollment at all their locations including Decatur. Head Start offers a free comprehensive child-development program for children who meet eligibility requirements and were born on or after Aug. 15, 2007. Priority is given to those from lower income families and to children with disabilities. For more information, call 636-7317.
Decatur Barbecue
The 57th Annual Decatur Barbecue Festival will be held on Aug. 6 and 7 in Veterans Park. Events scheduled for Friday will include children’s games, a parade, barbecued chicken dinners, beauty pageants and entertainment by Buddy Jewell. The Fun Run will be held on Saturday, as well as a car show and benefit poker run. There will be hot-air balloons and train rides on both days.
Town Hall Meetings
The Decatur School District holds town hall meetings at 7 p.m., the third Monday of the month, in the high school cafeteria. Parents and community members are encouraged to attend.
Barbecue Pageants
Applications for the 57th Annual Decatur Barbecue Festival tiny-tot and queen contests are being accepted. The contests will be held in Veterans Park on the evening of August 6. The queen contest is open to girls between the ages of 15 and 19. The tiny-tot contest is open to girls and boys ages 4 to 6. Entry deadlines are July 30. Contestants will need to submit their application by July 28 to have their picture in the newspaper. Applications can be picked up at the Decatur State Bank, and they are also available online at, www.decaturstatebank.net.
Summer Reading Program
The Iva Jane Peek library will hold a summer reading program for children, ages 4 to 9, with the theme “Make a Splash - Read.” The program will continue through July. Children, ages 4 to 6, will meet from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m., on Tuesdays; and children, ages 7 to 9, will meet from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. For more information, call the city hall at 752-3912 or the library at 752-7323.
Food Pantry
The Decatur food pantry is open from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays. The pantry offers free non-perishable food to Decatur residents. The pantry is located at the United Methodist Church in Decatur. Participants need to bring identification showing they have a 72722 ZIP code. For more information, contact the Methodist Church at 752-3551.
NWA Riding Club play days set
The NWA Riding Club holds play-day rodeo at 6 p.m. every other Saturday night until Nov. 1 at the indoor arena at the Luca-Don Equestrian Center, 23236 Arkansas Highway 12, west of Gentry. Ribbons are awarded nightly, with an awards banquet at the end of the season. A point system is in effect. There are five age classes, with events including poles, barrels, flags, speed and mutton busting. Memberships are $30 per year for a family. There is no charge for nightly events. The NWA Riding Club is a non-profit, non-alcoholic, drug-free environment for families. For more information, call 752-3466 or 899-3259.
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Submissions
Items for inclusion in the Hometown Events section of the newspaper may be submitted by calling 752-3675; by mail to P.O. Box 252,
Decatur, AR 72722; or by e-mail to [email protected].
News, Pages 2 on 07/28/2010