Author: Michael Tilley

Michael Tilley

Fort Smith Board set to vote on funding Parrot Island water slide installation

The Fort Smith Board of Directors is on track to consider at its Jan. 20 regular meeting a $2.6 million plan that would install five slides at Parrot Island Waterpark….

Fort Smith Regional Airport traffic up in 2025, ends year with ‘steady demand’

After a slow start in which traffic out of the Fort Smith Regional Airport was down 4.4% following the first four months of 2025, the remainder of the year was…

Initial public input supports recreational uses for ACME property

The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (Jan. 13) broadly approved moving forward with efforts to develop a master use plan for more than 100 acres of former ACME…

Fort Smith parks director seeks ‘park warriors,’ touts amenities

Fort Smith Parks and Recreation Director Sara Duester said Monday (Jan. 12) that members of the Future Fort Smith Committee can be “park warriors” to help get accurate information out…

Family, relationships fueled Kirkwood’s long career at AOG, Summit

Fred Kirkwood was following love – her name is Carla – when he arrived in the Fort Smith metro more than 40 years ago. Four decades later, he developed a…

Waterpark, ACME property, Miss Laura’s on Fort Smith board study session agenda

Those planning to attend Tuesday’s (Jan. 13) study session of the Fort Smith Board of Directors may want to bring a snack. And some patience. The lengthy agenda includes several…

More music, family events requested in Main Street Fort Smith survey

Input from almost 1,200 survey responses point to a desire for more downtown Fort Smith music and events. The results also give Main Street Fort Smith goals to pursue and…

Dunn, Simon head to GOP runoff in Senate District 26 race

It remains uncertain who will face Independent candidate Adam Watson in the March 3 special election for Senate District 26. Based on unofficial results, Wade Dunn and Brad Simon will…

Fort Smith board to hire search firm for city administrator search

After more than a year of trying without a search firm to hire a new city administrator, the Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (Jan. 6) voted unanimously to…

Pentagon, Lockheed deal to expand missile production in Arkansas

The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin on Tuesday (Jan. 6) announced a unique seven-year deal to boost production of advanced Patriot-system missiles from around 600 a year to 2,000 a year….

Buddy Coleman, founder of ERC and Rausch Coleman Homes, has died

Fort Smith businessman and one-time mayoral candidate Ernest Robert “Buddy” Coleman has died. He was 89. Part of the housing development company he founded in 1957 recently sold for more…

Vikings, unknown monuments part of Fort Smith history class

Vikings were in the Fort Smith area between 600 and 800 AD, well before federal regiments were sent to the area. Also, an estimated 12,000 Native Americans called the area…

Early voting to soon begin in Senate District 26 race; Campaign finance reports filed

Early voting in the special election for Senate District 26 is set to begin Dec. 30, with the only early voting site in Sebastian County to be at the county’s…

Weekly wages up 4.2% in Arkansas, Benton County leads with 13.4% wage gain

Average weekly wages rose 4.2% in Arkansas during the 2025 second quarter compared with the same quarter in 2024, and all but one of the state’s top five counties in…

Fort Smith business leader John Taylor has died

John Taylor, who built a successful career in accounting and investments and had a key role in the creation of the Fort Smith-based Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE), has…

UAFS nearing ‘Intrepid’ campaign goal of $85 million

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith’s (UAFS) Intrepid Ambition fundraising campaign tally is up 13% since university officials on April 2 announced the effort. The campaign is set to…

Fort Smith airport traffic on pace to top 2024

Barring a dismal December, enplanements at the Fort Smith Regional Airport are on track to top the 2024 numbers that were slightly better than the 2023 numbers. The airport also…

September job numbers up in all Arkansas metros

The central Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas regions posted significant year-over-year job gains and new records for nonfarm payroll jobs, but the two regions also posted more than 35% jumps in…

Fort Smith board approves 2026 budget, reduces personnel budget by $4.2 million

After broad praise of efforts by all involved to work through difficult budget cuts that tallied almost $17 million, the Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (Dec. 16) approved…

Parrot Island Waterpark control decision pushed to study session review

The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (Dec. 16) voted to not consider two agenda items related to management of the Parrot Island Waterpark. The items are to be…