Author: Michael Tilley

Michael Tilley

Fort Smith board approves funding for Main Street program

A discussion Tuesday (Feb. 3) during the Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting about funding Main Street Fort Smith turned into somewhat of a brag fest about the nonprofit’s ongoing…

Fort Smith school district to close elementary schools, hires athletic director

The Fort Smith School Board of Education on Monday (Feb. 2) voted to close Carnall and Spradling elementary schools as part of a “rightsizing” effort. Also, the district announced the…

Funding for UAFS health center, I-49 in U.S. Senate appropriations bills

A package of U.S. Senate appropriations bills would direct $43 million to the Fort Smith metro for projects that include a mother and infant healthcare program at the University of…

Federal funding would help build $50 million UA food science center

$30 million in a U.S. Senate appropriations bill will help pull the trigger on building a $50 million Agriculture Center of Excellence in Food Science for the University of Arkansas…

Director Neal Martin seeks another term on the Fort Smith board

Fort Smith Director Neal Martin announced Monday (Feb. 2) he will seek a third four-year term on the Fort Smith Board of Directors. The board has seven members, with three…

More than $17 million in medical debt erased in Fort Smith metro

First Presbyterian Church of Fort Smith raised more than $63,500 in a partnership with Boston-based Undue Medical Debt to erase around $17 million in medical debt for more than 11,000…

Fort Smith may seek help from an Elon Musk company for water line work

In the effort to fund and build a water transmission line under the Arkansas River near the Interstate 49 river bridge now under construction, the city of Fort Smith is…

First Bank Corp., First State Bank sign merger agreement

First Bank Corp., a bank holding company that includes First National Bank of Fort Smith, is merging with Russellville-based First State Bank in a stock and cash deal. Financial terms…

ArcBest 2025 net income down 51.2%, revenue down 4%

The U.S. freight sector continues to be tough for ArcBest, with the shipping and logistics company posting a more than 50% decline in 2025 net income and a 4% decline…

Slackwater harbor project back on track with levee board letter

After almost four months of delay, the Crawford County Levee Board on Wednesday (Jan. 28), signed a “Letter of No Objection” to a slackwater harbor that is to be built…

Fort Smith metro projects not part of recent federal appropriations

Fort Smith and the metro area have received federal support for infrastructure and military projects, but had no funding requests fulfilled in a recent round of appropriations legislation approved by…

Arkansas River tonnage down almost 20% in 2025

Significant declines in outbound and internal shipments, thanks in part to halted river operations for lock and dam repairs and low Mississippi River levels, pushed Arkansas River tonnage in 2025…

Arkansas casino tax revenue up more than 5% in 2025

The three casinos in Arkansas generated almost $116 million in tax revenue in 2025, with the three counties and towns in which the operations are located receiving a combined almost…

Sen. Boozman tours Port of Van Buren, hears about issue with levee board

Progress on building a slackwater harbor on the Van Buren side of the Arkansas River is stalled in part because the Crawford County Levee Board has so far declined to…

Main Street Fort Smith funding set for study session review

Renewal of an agreement between the city of Fort Smith and Main Street Fort Smith is on pause, with the Fort Smith Board of Directors set to review a $150,000…

$2.68 million plan to install Parrot Island slides approved

The Fort Smith Board of Directors have again voted to proceed with funding of 5 new water slides at Parrot Island Waterpark. Tuesday’s (Jan. 20) vote followed almost 2 hours…

First Finnish F-35A fighter jet lands in Fort Smith

An F-35A fighter jet belonging to Finland arrived late Tuesday (Jan. 20) morning in Fort Smith as part of a live-flight training cycle that will see 20 Finnish Air Force…

Three school district employees seek Fort Smith athletic director job

Applicants for the open Fort Smith Public Schools athletic director job include a former district athletic director, the district’s assistant athletic director, the Northside High School principal, and the Alma…

Fort Smith board to consider $1.27 million from fund balance for water slides

The slippery controversy that began in July 2024 when the Fort Smith Board of Directors approved $2.1 million to buy five new slides for Parrot Island Waterpark will continue Tuesday…