Little Rock notebook

Activities to focus on 'The Color Purple'

The Arkansas Literary Festival will begin accepting applications Tuesday for its Missing Letter Writing Contest themed around the novel The Color Purple.

The book has been chosen to be celebrated during this year's Banned Books Week -- Sept. 27-Oct. 3 -- with a series of events focusing on it.

Entries for the writing contest, which carries a $250 prize, must be in the form of a letter told from the perspective of Celie, the book's main character, a young black woman in the early 1900s who goes through a series of traumatic life events.

The winning letter will be selected based on creativity, flow and how well the letter lines up with the book.

Entries can be emailed to LitFest@cals.org from Tuesday to Sept. 16. More information can be found at ArkansasLiteraryFestival.org.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker is a 1982 novel written in the form of letters. Critics have tried to have it banned "repeatedly because of language, sexuality and violence," a festival news release said.

Banned Books Week "highlights the value of free and open access to information and the freedom to seek and express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular."

Blood drive setting up at River Market

The River Market District is hosting a blood drive Saturday with the American Red Cross.

A mobile unit will be parked at Ottenheimer Plaza, west of the River Market pavilions, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m, "making it convenient for people to provide blood donations as they shop at the farmers' market," a news release said.

Blood donors will be eligible to win "Donor Rejuvenation" kits and receive a Little Rock Farmers Market T-shirt as well as an American Red Cross T-shirt. In recognition of the blood drive, the farmers market will have special activities like trivia games.

Snacks, juice and water will be provided. Donors are encouraged to pre-register online at rivermarket.info to avoid long wait times.

U.S. chamber group picks LR's Chesshir

Jay Chesshir, the chief executive officer of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, was named the incoming chairman of the national Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

He will officially take over the title at the group's annual convention next year. He has served as president and CEO of the Little Rock chamber since 2005.

Under Chesshir's leadership, the chamber has seen $1.9 billion in new and expanded capital investment in the central Arkansas region, accounting for more than 13,700 new jobs and $479 million in annual payroll, the chamber said.

His selection as national chairman was announced this month at the group's annual convention in Montreal, Canada, which was attended by more than 900 members.

Artists in Arkansas topic of lunch talk

An artist will discuss the artistic community in Arkansas over the past 30 years at the Legacies and Lunch series.

David Bailin, who primarily works in drawings, will host a talk Wednesday at noon in the Main Library's Darragh Center at 100 Rock St. in the River Market District.

The discussion also will include artists Warren Criswell and Sammy Peters.

"Their work has evolved, changed focus and acquired new media and techniques, but has remained a central part of their lives, both individually and collectively," said a news release from the Butler Center, part of the Central Arkansas Library System that hosts the monthly lectures.

Some of the artists' work is featured in an exhibition at the Butler Center Galleries titled "Disparate Acts Redux: Bailin, Criswell, Peters" on view through Oct. 31.

Care items sought for re-entry center

The Center for Women in Transition is looking for donations of care items.

The center, at 1116 Garland St., is a nonprofit that works with women who are transitioning back into society from prison. It works throughout Pulaski County to provide in-jail classes three times a week, drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment, and transitional housing.

"A key component to our after-care services is placement of our clients in a 30-day treatment facility where they must have upon entry a basic-needs bag," said Ann Prosper, the program director.

Each bag includes shampoo, conditioner, a comb and brush, lotion, soap or body wash, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, laundry detergent, socks, underwear, sports bras, towels, a bedsheet, pillow, blanket and a journal.

Donations can be dropped off at the center.

Metro on 08/30/2015

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