Keeping you updated

Six In Sixty Highway 71 Litter Pickup -- Saturday, March 20

Volunteers to 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, 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 over 120 volunteers. This is a good family opportunity.

Bella Vista Garden Club Plant Sale

The Bella Vista Garden Club has two sale 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

Covid-19 vaccine from the Bella Vista Fire Department -- There are many people in Bella Vista who do not regularly use the internet or feel uncomfortable doing so and could miss out on important information regarding the covid-19 vaccine. If you have a neighbor or a friend in Bella Vista that might have trouble navigating an online vaccine signup form from their smartphone or computer, please let the city know. The city 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 479-855-4454 or [email protected].

Republic Trash Service -- will offer a spring appliance pickup 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 with any questions.

Property Owners Association -- POA

Bunnies HOP on by Saturday, April 3, at Riordan Hall / Kingsdale Parking Lot. Members with children ages 1-12 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.

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 non-profit, 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 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

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.

Walton Arts Center

Two Broadway actors are bringing A Natural State of Mind -- From New York to Arkansas to the Walton Arts Center stage at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 17. The evening of show tunes and behind-the-scenes stories with Eryn LeCroy, John Riddle and accompanist Eric Frei is part of P&G Ghost Light Programming.

Tickets range from $19-25, plus applicable fees, and are on sale now at www.waltonartscenter.org or by calling 479-443-5600.

LeCroy and Riddle most recently performed together on Broadway as Christine Daaé and Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera. Riddle also originated the roles of Hans in Disney's Frozen and Young Anton in The Visit on Broadway. LeCroy is set to join the company of the much-anticipated Broadway revival of 1776 as both Martha Jefferson and Dr. Lyman Hall.

Accompanied by Frei, a pianist, musical director and vocal coach from Oklahoma City, LeCroy and Riddle will perform their favorite duets and solos from Broadway shows as well as their own take on other popular pieces for this intimate cabaret-style performance.

The use of masks and social distancing will remain in place at Walton Arts Center performances through at least the end of May to protect staff, patrons and performers as the vaccine rollout continues. For more information about health and safety protocols, visit www.waltonartscenter.org.

Ghost Light Programming is presented by Procter & Gamble and provided in part by supporters of the Ghost Light Recovery Fund. The Ghost Light Recovery Fund helps Walton Arts Center offset lost revenue from canceled performances, continue education and intermission programming, maintain facilities and support staff until full-scale performances can resume.