Author: Michael Tilley

Michael Tilley

Arkansas River tonnage down almost 19% through August

A significant decline of shipments between ports on the Arkansas River and disruptions caused by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies key factors in tonnage shipped on the Arkansas River down…

Naming rights in the works for Fort Smith Convention Center

Officials with OVG, the Denver-based firm managing the Fort Smith Convention Center, say they are close to securing facility naming rights that could generate up to $400,000 a year in…

Fort Smith chamber banquet to feature Finnish Ambassador

Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, the Ambassador of Finland to the United States, will be the featured speaker at the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce annual banquet in October, the chamber announced…

Farmers market solar canopy closer to construction

Construction could begin as early as October on a $1.45 million solar canopy in downtown Fort Smith that will cover part of a parking lot and provide shade and cover…

ArcBest provides insight into third-quarter shipments, revenue

Fort Smith-based ArcBest points to continued weakness in the U.S. manufacturing and housing sectors as reasons the shipping and logistics company may post lower-than-expected financial metrics in the third quarter….

Port of Fort Smith receives another grant for flood recovery work

The Port of Fort Smith has received an almost $2 million grant from the Arkansas Waterways Commission that will help fund a new warehouse and is part of the effort…

All shows canceled at TempleLive Fort Smith, venue closed

The TempleLive Fort Smith entertainment venue is now closed, an action that happened sooner than originally anticipated by owner Lance Beaty who said Sept. 5 the venue may stay open…

Some TempleLive venues go dark, Fort Smith could close by the end of 2025

The TempleLive entertainment company that began in November 2014 when Rogers-based Beaty Capital Group (BCG) acquired the Masonic Temple in downtown Fort Smith and expanded to Cleveland, Ohio, and other…

Fort Smith Director seeks ‘comprehensive’ plan for water system work

With funds in place to address a federal consent decree on the City of Fort Smith sewer system, there now is pressure to fix an aging water system. Director Christina…

Survey work begins on I-49 route between Fort Smith metro and Y City

Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) employees and consultants will begin this fall the work to “obtain more detailed information” about the proposed Interstate 49 route between the Fort Smith area…

Income tax shift helps boost Arkansas’ August tax revenue

Arkansas tax revenue was up 8% in August compared with August 2024 and is up 5.7% in the first two fiscal months (July-August 2025) of the year compared with the…

Fort Smith officially hires internal auditor, transfers property to Methodist Village

The City of Fort Smith will have an internal auditor beginning Sept. 8. The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (Sept. 2) voted unanimously to hire Amanda Strange for…

Auditor hire, property transfer, priorities part of Fort Smith Board agenda

The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (Sept. 2) is set to official hire – finally – a director of internal audit. Votes are also expected on transferring property…

Arkansas Tourism Ticker: 2% tourism tax revenue declines in early 2025

Arkansas’ 2% tourism tax revenue declined almost 5% in the first four months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. It is the first significant decline since 2020,…

Fort Smith water treatment upgrades, new lines could cost up to $585 million

There are big-ticket items, and then there is the estimated $328 million to $585 million needed to make upgrades to Fort Smith’s water treatment operations and to complete a 48-inch…

Interviews set for Fort Smith Regional Airport director applicants

Four candidates are on the Fort Smith Regional Airport director short list to be interviewed by the Fort Smith Regional Airport Commission in early September. One of the candidates is…

ADEQ: More wells required to better test Whirlpool pollution

The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is asking an engineering firm hired by Whirlpool to install more cancer-causing chemical monitoring wells around the former Whirlpool plant in Fort Smith….

Budgeting process, riverfront development part of Fort Smith Board strategy session

Reimagining the budgeting process, a better focus on riverfront development, and creating a public works department were some of the opportunity actions discussed by the Fort Smith Board of Directors…

Officials note ‘promise and progress’ of I-49 river bridge segment

Friday’s (Aug. 22) groundbreaking ceremony for the 3.1-mile stretch of Interstate 49 that will include an Arkansas River bridge was equal parts celebration of the progress and awareness of how…

CBID, Main Street Fort Smith discuss coordinating on downtown efforts

In what began as a discussion about the need for a full-time director, members of the Central Business Improvement District (CBID) Commission agreed during a Thursday (Aug. 21) meeting to…