Author: Tina Alvey Dale

Tina Alvey Dale

Report offers ideas on how to make Fort Smith streets safer

A Safe Fort Smith Action Plan presented to the Fort Smith Board of Directors at a study session Tuesday (Aug. 13) focuses on 10 key projects that help the city…

Mobility plan concepts presented to Fort Smith Board

A mobility plan for the city of Fort Smith, presented at a Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting Tuesday (Aug. 13), suggests a number of ways to help move people…

Few contested city council races in area cities

Only two of the city council races in Alma, Greenwood and Van Buren appear to be contested in the 2024 election cycle. Because candidates are not certified by the county…

Sebastian County adds election coordinator duties to county’s grants writer position

Sebastian County once again has an election coordinator. Sebastian County Judge Steve Hotz announced Monday (Aug. 12) that Amanda Cravey will take on the duties of election coordinator for the…

Fort Smith hires purchasing manager

Charity Gregory will become the purchasing manager for the City of Fort Smith upon the retirement of Alie Bahsoon on Aug. 16. She comes from the City of Barling, where…

Sebastian County still without an election coordinator, voting machine support contract

Less than 95 days before early voting begins in Arkansas for the general election, Sebastian County does not yet have a contract secured with an election support company, and is…

Most Fort Smith city director positions go unchallenged

Of the four Fort Smith city ward – city director – positions up for election this year, three have been declared the winners because they have no opposition. Ward 3…

Institute for the Creative Arts prepping for inaugural opening

The Institute for the Creative Arts (ICA), Arkansas’ first performing and visual arts high school, is moving into its completed space along the Arkansas River in downtown Fort Smith in…

Wear named Van Buren police chief

Captain Jonathan Wear of the Van Buren Police Department has been selected by Van Buren Mayor Joe Hurst to replace Chief Jamie Hammond as the new chief of police for…

Building permit values down more than 60% in Fort Smith metro through July

Building activity in the Fort Smith metro continues to come in well under that of the record-breaking 2023. Fort Smith, Greenwood and Van Buren reported combined July building permit values…

Waterpark lease, $4.2 million for slides on Fort Smith Board agenda

The Fort Smith Board of Directors will not only once again take up the subject of new slides at Parrot Island Waterpark, but is expected to consider a lease proposal…

2% complaint against FCRA boss is dismissed

The Arkansas Real Estate Commission has dismissed a complaint against the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority (FCRA) and its executive director related to a 2% payment to the executive director with…

Art and design program expanding for year two at Peak Innovation Center

Though Fort Smith Public Schools Emerging Art & Design program has been active for a year, when students return to school in August they will enter the newly completed space…

Fort Smith Public Schools in the hunt for an in-house attorney

The Fort Smith Public School District is looking for an attorney. The district posted a job listing on its website in July for an attorney – with a salary of…

Fort Smith Animal Haven presents plan for a new animal shelter

Fort Smith Animal Haven presented plans for a new $6.2 million animal shelter to the Fort Smith Board of Directors at a study session Tuesday (July 30). The project includes…

Sebastian County Judge proposes Fort Smith lease the Parrot Island Waterpark

Sebastian County has suggested they lease Parrot Island Waterpark to the City of Fort Smith for $1 a year. The facility is now jointly owned by the two governments, with…

Design firm soon to be hired for new park at former ACME Brick yard site

Fort Smith city officials are planning by the end of the week to select a professional services firm that will develop a master plan for a future park on the…

Firms push back on Envista report about Peak Center flooding

At least four of the firms involved with the planning and construction of Fort Smith Public School’s Peak Innovation Center disagree with the findings of an investigation earlier this year…

Sebastian County Quorum Court again rejects funds for Waterpark expansion

The Sebastian County Quorum Court in a special meeting Thursday (July 25) once again voted against funding its part of a slide expansion at Parrot Island Waterpark. The connected slide…

Sebastian County seeks to hire election coordinator, machine programmer

Sebastian County is advertising for an election coordinator and a programmer to help with elections. Less than 95 days before early voting begins in Arkansas for the general election, the…