Local News

‘Grape Escapes’ pours 600 wines from around the world

More than 300 gather in downtown Fort Smith to support Bost and its efforts to provide opportunities to the disabled.

The City Wire Special Report: Seeking Google’s Fiber — Part III

Editor’s note: This is the third in a four-part series attempting to explain what Google’s plan to build an ultra-high speed Internet connection could mean for the Fort Smith/Van Buren…

The City Wire Special Report: Seeking Google’s Fiber — Part II

Editor’s note: This is the second in a four-part series attempting to explain what Google’s plan to build an ultra-high speed Internet connection could mean for the Fort Smith/Van Buren…

The City Wire Special Report: Seeking Google’s Fiber — Part I

Editor’s note: This is the first in a four-part series attempting to explain what Google’s plan to build an ultra-high speed Internet connection could mean for the Fort Smith/Van Buren…

Growth spurs Greenwood school officials to seek millage increase

Officials with and community supporters of the Greenwood Public School District have about two weeks to convince school district voters to approve a 2.8 mill increase that would pay to…

Van Buren waives bid process for water tank, fire pumper

story by Marla Cantrell [email protected] Fire and water ruled Monday night’s Van Buren City Council meeting. Aldermen voted to waive competitive bidding for repairs to the Prospect Water Storage Reservoir…

Chamber, city ramp up governmental affairs work

Efforts by the governmental affairs division of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber to become more active at the state and federal level are to include a March 17 trip to…

Franklin County groups focus on ‘actionable’ items

story information submitted by officials with the Arkansas Tech University-Ozark campus Approximately 42 people met Feb. 12 in the Conference Center at Arkansas Tech University’s Ozark Campus to collaborate with…

Regionalism stressed at The Compass Conference

story by Michael Tilley; photos by Joel Rafkin Although not part of the script, the need for communities to work as regional partners was stressed during the first annual The…

Profiles with Clay: Michael Hadley

Hadley says the key to community improvement is for everyone to find a way to give back to some aspect of the community.

The City Wire Persons of the Month: Van Buren High School art class

Bowls made by the students are used to raise funds for a Community Clearinghouse program that helps provide weekend food supplies for area children.

ATU-Ozark sees big jump in spring enrollment

Spring enrollment at the Ozark campus of Arkansas Tech University reached 1,213, an impressive increase of 53.3% compared to spring 2009. What’s more, the spring 2008 enrollment of 791 was…

It was a t-y-p-h-o-o-n that pushed Gabi to the top

Gabi Gorgas, 13, bests 34 other area 4th-8th graders in the Sebastian County Spelling Bee.

Layton Jackson enters the Book of Golden Deeds

Fort Smith veterinarian Layton Jackson was the surprise recipient of the 68th annual Book of Golden Deeds Award, presented by the Fort Smith Noon Exchange Club at a banquet at…

2010 Girl Scouts Women of Distinction

Zena Featherston Marshall, Louise Turner and Tracy Winchell were recognized for their years of service to the community.

Art Center, Symphony officials talk economic development

story and photos by Linda Kaufenberg A small group of past and present class members of Leadership Fort Smith gathered Thursday evening (Feb. 4) for a tour of the 15,000-square-foot…

‘Empty Bowls’ in Van Buren to support Back Pack program

story and photo by Marla Cantrell [email protected] A simple bowl of soup for $15 might not sound like a bargain. But what if the bowl was more like art than…

Plans approved to retrofit Best Buy for volleyball

There is a growing regional organization responsible for bringing millions of dollars annually into the Fort Smith area and it’s not the Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau — although…

U.S. Marshals Museum video ready for viewing

A more than nine-minute video touting the U.S. Marshals Museum has been produced and will broadcast nationwide on public television as part of a “Great Museums” series. The series will…

YEL officers plan to re-energize in 2010

The Young Emerging Leaders (YEL) are hoping to regain some of the energy the group had more than three years ago when it was founded as an offshoot of the…