Six In Sixty Highway 71 Litter Pickup - Saturday, March 20
Volunteers clean up six miles of trash on U.S. Highway 71 from Walgreens to the state line in 60 minutes. The event is brought to you by Positively Bella Vista, a Facebook group that promotes, "Neighbors Helping Neighbors."
Volunteers will meet at Allen's side parking lot at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 20. Java Dudes will provide hot coffee in the morning and Allen's will provide hotdogs and hamburgers in the afternoon that will be grilled by folks from PBV's Volunteer Patrol.
If interested in volunteering your time for the third such event, show up at 10 a.m., sign up for a section of highway on our Big Board, listen for instructions, and then go! Last year there were more than 120 volunteers. This is a good family opportunity.
Bella Vista Garden Club Plant Sale
The Bella Vista Garden Club has two sales events planned this year scheduled for April 16-17 and again in May that will include plants grown by garden club members and will be a fundraiser for the club.
The sales are expected to require buyers to sign up in advance, and additional information about signups and what exact plants are up for sale will be posted to the club's website, bellavistagardenclub.com, as well as its Facebook page, as the sale approaches.
City of Bella Vista
Information regarding the covid-19 vaccine from the Bella Vista Fire Department -- Information regarding the covid-19 vaccine from the Bella Vista Fire Department -- the fire department is seeking to assist people in Bella Vista who do not regularly use the internet or feel uncomfortable doing so to make sure they don't miss out on important information regarding the covid-19 vaccine. If you have a neighbor or a friend in Bella Vista that you know might have trouble navigating an online vaccine signup form from their smartphone or computer, please contact the fire department and it will reach out to those individuals to be sure they are provided the opportunity to choose to be vaccinated. Call or send an email to help identify any individuals in the city needing information or assistance at 479-855-4454 or by email at [email protected].
Republic Trash Service -- will offer a spring appliance pick up free of charge to Bella Vista residents with accounts in good standing during the week of April 5.
Residents should call City Hall during business hours to sign up. Signups will be accepted starting Monday, March 22, through Friday, April 2, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. City Hall is closed for lunch from noon to 1 p.m.
Items should be placed at the curb by 6 a.m. Monday, April 5, regardless of individual pickup days. Depending on the number of participants, the pickup could take a few days.
Refrigerators or other items that use freon will be accepted if the freon has been professionally evacuated and tagged.
Call 479-876-1255, opt. 4 to sign up or to ask questions.
Property Owners Association -- POA
Bunnies HOP on by Saturday, April 3, at Riordan Hall / Kingsdale Parking Lot. Members with children ages 1 to 12 can drive through the parking lot starting at 10 a.m. where gloved and masked staff members will be hoppily handing out one bag per child of eggs, treats and a few eggy surprises. For best traffic flow, please use the following schedule: 10 a.m. -- members with last names beginning with A-F; 10:30 a.m. -- members with last names beginning with G-L; 11 a.m. -- members with last names beginning with M-Z.
The 2021 Bella Vista POA Board candidates in ballot order are Daniel T. Berghamer, Mike Abb, JB Portillo, Jan Hagan, Jacklyn Gain. Bios, photos and videos of the five candidates running for the POA Board are on the POA website at bellavistapoa.com/election. The election period is April 13 through May 18.
Men's Chorus Open House
The Men's Chorus has a 43-year history in Bella Vista. Archives and history of the group will be on display at an open house at the Plaza, 1 Highlands Crossing Drive, in Bella Vista, at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 21.
This musical group has a unique history beginning in 1978. The chorus is an organized, nonprofit unit with officers, committees, by-laws and uniforms. Each member pays a small fee to belong, which helps pay expenses. With the passage of time, the number of chorus members has varied but, at one time, reached a high of 90. Following the open house at the Plaza on the 21st, their records and photo albums will be donated to the Bella Vista Historical Society so all can enjoy the history.
The current director is John Mathews, with accompanist Marilyn Lee.
All are invited to the Plaza on March 21 to meet chorus members and their officers.
Coffee with the Commander
Every Tuesday, 8 a.m., at Papa Mikes, join Brad Kennell, commander of Bella Vista's American Legion Post 341, for coffee.
Knights of Columbus Fish Fry
The last fish fry of this Lenten season will be Friday afternoon, March 26, with tickets sold until March 23. Anyone who would like a ticket can call the church office at 479-855-9069 Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., or purchase before mass, from 4:50 to 5 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 to 9 a.m. Sunday. The fish fry will be takeout-only for non-parishioners because of covid-19 concerns. The ticket cost is $12.50 per person.
Bella Vista Community TV is looking for volunteers
Bella Vista Community Television (BVCTV) is a nonprofit, all-volunteer Community Access station. Programming is aired on Cox Cable Channel 222 and U-Verse Channel 99. All locally-produced shows can also be viewed on YouTube at Bella Vista Community TV.
Bella Vista Community TV is looking for volunteers; many tasks are simply business-related activities and require no broadcast experience. Positions include writers, camera operators, show hosts, public relations, marketing and more. Broadcast experience would be nice but is not required. Training is available. The only thing necessary is enthusiasm to make a quality product, working with motivated volunteers who are residents of Bella Vista and the surrounding area. Call 479-268-8325 for more information.
Bella Vista Historical Museum
The Bella Vista Historical Museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays, from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Visitors are asked not to enter if they have flu-like covid symptoms. Masks are required and visitors will be asked to practice social distancing while in the museum and, if visiting with a group, to stay together. These plans are subject to change, based on the latest covid-19 data from the Arkansas Department of Health. The museum is located at the corner of Highway 71 and Kingsland, next door to the American Legion building. Telephone: 479-855-2335. Website: www.bellavistamuseum.org.
Bella Vista Library
The Bella Vista Public Library has fully reopened to the public and is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. The library will be closed from 1 to 2 p.m. daily for cleaning. The hour from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. each day is reserved for those who are high-risk for exposure to the coronavirus.
The library continues to take covid-19 recommended precautions and sanitize the space regularly. Patrons are asked to limit visits to 30 minutes each, and limited computer access will be available in reserved one-hour blocks. Computers are available on a first-come, first-served basis only.
Patrons are able to reserve items online or over the phone to be set aside close to the entrance for quicker checkout, minimizing the time necessary inside the library.
Masks are required inside the library at all times, and patrons and staff must adhere to recommended social distancing guidelines.
Surrounding Area
Arkansas State Parks re-opened park visitor centers and museums on Monday, March 1. Visitor centers will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Park museums will be open Wednesday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.
Dogwood Festival
The 46th annual festival is scheduled for April 23 through 25 in downtown Siloam Springs.
Last year's festival was postponed several times and ultimately canceled because of the covid-19 pandemic. This year's festival will have multiple safety measures in place.
The ADH has limited the event to 66 percent capacity and will be monitored with only two entry and exit points where volunteers will use color-coded stickers to track the number of people.
Other safety measures will include a mask requirement, temperature checks and covid-19 screening questions for volunteers and vendors, shifting vendor booths six to 10 feet apart, safety signage, hand sanitizing stations, sanitizing of frequently touched surfaces such as the tables in the food area, and keeping performers at least 12 feet away from the audience when they are not wearing masks.