LONGTIME SALVATION ARMY WORKER RETIRING AFTER 11 YEARS

Eva Burks, known to some as “Big Mamma,” has spent her life feeding and loving others.

Burks is retiring from the Salvation Army downtown where she has served as the cook for 11 years. A group of friends and family gathered there Friday evening to recognize her years of dedication.

“I’ve been working for about 60 years, and the Salvation Army is the most rewarding work I’ve ever done,” Burks said.

Cooking meals for the public each evening and preparing holiday meals and food for various Salvation Army meetings is only part of Burks’ service, her daughter Roslyn Summerville said.

“We have always shared our mother,” she said. “At times we wanted her to ourselves, but it finally dawned on us that this is her ministry. She’s happiest when her house is full and something is in the oven.”

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CENTRAL MOLONEY TO LAY OFF 50

About 50 Central Moloney Inc. employees are to be laid off soon, Human Resources Director Chris Hart said Friday.

The layoffs, he said are a result of continuing low new home starts.

Central Moloney manufactures electrical transformers, and its inventory, Hart said, has grown to a point of requiring a cutback in production.

The company employs about 540 people. Its transformer plant is located at 2400 W. Sixth Ave., while Central Moloney Components is located in Jefferson Industrial Park.

“We don’t see any relief in the near future,” Hart said. “We have made a commitment in the past to build our finished goods inventory to prevent significant headcount reductions and to actually prevent this one for some period of time. Our inventories are as large as they’ve ever been, and our customers have large inventories as well.”

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CENTRAL MOLONEY TO LAY OFF 50

About 50 Central Moloney Inc. employees are to be laid off soon, Human Resources Director Chris Hart said Friday.

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PINE BLUFF-AREA UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS, STILL HIGH IN STATE

Although the U.S. jobless rate skyrocketed to 10.2 percent in October, the highest since early 1983, the most recent unemployment numbers for the Pine Bluff area show a decrease in unemployment figures.

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SHERIFF’S OFFICE CHECKING REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS

Recent stories about registered sex offenders, including an incident in Ohio where a number of bodies were found in the home of a registered sex offender, have prompted the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department to take a fresh look at the offenders they’re responsible for keeping track of.

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MAN THROWS GUN AFTER CONFRONTATION WITH DETECTIVES

A man whose car was stopped for traffic violations Thursday reportedly threw a handgun under the vehicle when confronted by detectives.

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MAN THROWS GUN AFTER CONFRONTATION WITH DETECTIVES

A man whose car was stopped for traffic violations Thursday reportedly threw a handgun under the vehicle when confronted by detectives.

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PB MAN DIES FOLLOWING VEHICLE ACCIDENT

A Pine Bluff resident died Friday morning after a collision on U.S. 270 with an 18-wheeler.

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MARIJUANA FOUND AFTER TRAFFIC STOP

Three ounces of marijuana was found under the front seat of a vehicle police stopped for a traffic violation Wednesday and a passenger in the car reportedly admitted the drugs belonged to him.

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TEEN TO BE CHARGED AS ADULT IN SHOOTING INCIDENT

A Pine Bluff teenager who allegedly fired shots at a parked vehicle early Thursday morning will be charged as an adult with committing a terroristic act and criminal mischief after a court hearing Friday.

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