Author: Tina Alvey Dale

Tina Alvey Dale

Watkins out as Fort Smith prosecutor; alleges racism involved

The City of Fort Smith is once again looking for a city prosecuting attorney. Rita Watkins began as the city prosecutor for the city on Oct. 31, 2022. On July…

Sebastian County election coordinator resigns, other election staff quits

Sebastian County finds itself with an understaffed, and possibly unstaffed, election coordinator office less than 95 days before the start of early voting in Arkansas for the Nov. 5 general…

CBID shifts efforts on downtown Fort Smith projects

Commissioners with the Fort Smith Central Business Improvement District (CBID) are rethinking projects to fund to improve downtown. Part of the plan shift could include lighting under the Garrison Avenue…

FCRA approves trail funding, extends development time

The Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority Board of Trustees on Thursday (July 18) agreed to put $25,000 toward trails connecting Chaffee Crossing to Greenwood. The money would support an effort by…

CBID reviews downtown Fort Smith improvement efforts

The Fort Smith Central Business Improvement District (CBID) Commission is adjusting downtown Fort Smith improvement programs created with the help of revenue from an assessment on property in the district….

New director, branding coming to 64.6 Downtown

There are changes coming to 64.6 Downtown with new leadership set to take over in the coming months. 64.6 Executive Director Talicia Richardson plans to step down to open a…

Parrot Island Waterpark expansion in question after county rejects funding request

Fort Smith City Administrator Carl Geffken plans to meet with Sebastian County Judge Steve Hotz after the county’s Quorum Court rejected spending $2.1 million to support expansion of the Parrot…

Area school districts not planning on change in cell phone use plans

Lawmakers, school administrators and parents have cell phones, their use by students, and possible restrictions on their mind as the tie for back-to-school draws near. But area schools are saying…

Work progresses on boardwalk connection from Carol Ann Cross Park to river

Work on the $1.18 million Carol Ann Cross Park boardwalk in Fort Smith is on track for completion in the late fall. Crawford Construction has completed most of the framing…

Marshals Museum first year attendance around 65,000; new board member named

With an attendance of around 65,000, the U.S. Marshals Museum has had a good inaugural year, according to Ben Johnson, museum president and CEO. He said attendance for the first…

‘Broken Trail’ brings film production to downtown Van Buren

Van Buren’s historic Main Street is back to normal after transforming over the weekend into an 1875 Old West town for filming of a new Western from director Johnny Remo…

Morton to not run for Fort Smith Board reelection

Fort Smith City Director Lavon Morton said Monday (July 15) will not seek reelection to the Ward 2 Board of Directors seat he holds. Morton was first appointed to the…

Fort Smith Board approves 2024 water rate increase, holds off on 2025 rate plan

The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Thursday (July 11) at a special meeting approved a water rate increase that will start Aug. 1 but put off a second increase…

Fort Kids Museum uses Bakery District area for temporary exhibits, to raise awareness

Future patrons and supporters of the Fort Kids Museum can get a taste of what the future children’s museum will have to offer at the Fort Kids concourse at The…

Fort Smith city attorney disagrees with FCRA opinion on ex-officio members

Jerry Canfield, attorney for the City of Fort Smith, disagrees with the interpretation of how an ex-officio member’s designee can be appointed to the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority board of…

FCRA rejects effort by City of Barling to appoint ex-officio member

The Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority (FCRA) has said it will not recognize the Barling Board of Directors’ appointment of Steve Beam as its ex-officio member on the FCRA Board of…

$2.1 million approved by Fort Smith Board for waterpark expansion

The Fort Smith Board of Directors approved $2.1 million for a five-slide expansion to Parrot Island Waterpark. The slides, destined for a Florida park, are available at an “aggressive discount,”…

Fort Smith Board set to vote on broad water rate increase

Proposed broad water rate increases are once again on the Fort Smith Board of Directors agenda – this time at a special meeting called for Thursday (July 11). The increase…

Building permit values down 65% in Fort Smith metro through June

Fort Smith metro building activity continues to come in well under that of the record-breaking 2024. Fort Smith, Greenwood and Van Buren reported combined June building permit values of $17.415…

Sebastian County election coordinator pay raised, still at part-time status

While the Sebastian County Quorum Court passed an ordinance that raises the pay rate of the county’s election coordinator, the salary is still the lowest in the state for the…