Fort Smith

Mercy to acquire Cooper Clinic, transition to begin Nov. 1

Cooper Clinic, once one of the largest physician-owned clinics in Arkansas, has been acquired by Mercy Clinic-Fort Smith, which is owned by St. Louis-based Mercy. News of the potential deal…

Art event, Fort Smith artist, help raise money and awareness for the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter

In an effort to raise support for domestic violence victims, more than 200 people came together at the Record in Bentonville on Saturday (Oct. 14) for Fresh StART, the signature…

Fort Smith Board approves annex, Parrot Island contract, and ups liability payouts

The Fort Smith Board of Directors has approved a 78.61-acre annexation, extended liability payouts to $10,000, and approved a five-year extension to the operating agreement for Parrot Island Waterpark with…

U.S. Rep. Womack: Marshals Museum fundraising ‘should not be just Fort Smith’

The United States Marshals Museum (USMM) has begun to move dirt on its new site at the intersection of H Street and Riverfront Parkway. In a ceremony on Tuesday (Oct….

Work begins on redevelopment of former C&H Tire building in downtown Fort Smith

A downtown Fort Smith building once a repair place for brakes, tires and alignments may soon be a recreation place with beer, tequila and atmosphere. Or alignments. The former C&H…

64.6 Downtown announces new Gateway Park for downtown Fort Smith

Plans for the coming Gateway Park were announced at Tuesday’s (Oct. 17) meeting of the Fort Smith Central Business Improvement District (CBID). The park will join 1300 Garrison Ave. and…

Future Fort Smith talks 78-acre annexation, lip dub world record attempt

Annexation and “lip dubs” were front-and-center at the Future Fort Smith committee meeting on Monday (Oct. 17) from the Creekmore Park Community Center. In news likely to have a significant…

Bank, private sector donations help fund skate park in downtown Fort Smith

First National Bank of Fort Smith announced a $100,000 donation in support of a combination bike and skate park in downtown Fort Smith on Friday (Oct. 13). The park will…

Fort Smith Junior High robotics team brings ‘Spirit’ to STEM fields

A Spirit squad isn’t the first thing one thinks of when hearing the word “Robotics,” but for Amy Markham, the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) teacher at Chaffin Junior High…

Fort Smith draft audit reveals mishandling of funds in criminal investigations division, seven other ‘exceptions’

Fort Smith Internal Auditor Tracey Shockley cited failure to follow appropriate chain of custody practices; failure to maintain adequate documentation for cash expenditures; comingling of funds intended for different purposes;…

Fort Smith home sales market falls in September, but positive trends continue

On the heels of a down month in building activity, the Fort Smith home sales market’s September performance dipped by more than 22% compared to September 2016 with sales volume…

Officials remain hopeful for intermodal port, but former river operator says $1.6 million ‘wasted’ on effort

Fort Smith area government officials remain supportive of an effort to build an intermodal facility in the region, with Fort Smith City Administrator Carl Geffken saying it is a project…

Richardson says ‘fresh perspectives’ will help him if elected to Arkansas House seat

Fort Smith native James “Jay” Richardson said his 24 years of living outside of Fort Smith and Arkansas will be an advantage if elected to the District 78 seat of…

Arkansas Association of Counties forms opioid task force, grant money to help first responders

To address the rising incidence of heroin and opioid addiction and fatal overdoses in Arkansas, the Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC) has formed a five-member Opioid Task Force. It includes…

New meters could boost Fort Smith water bills by an average 21.3% next year

Approximately one in four water customers in the city of Fort Smith could soon see an average increase of 21.3% on their water bills. Fort Smith Utilities Director Jerry Walters…

Then & Now: Civic-minded Jim Petty marks 10 years with Strategic Realty

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following story appeared in the Oct. 2 issue of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal. “Then & Now” is a profile of a past member of the Business Journal’s…

Fort Smith School Board welcomes new member, okays 5% or higher pay increases

One week after bidding farewell to Dr. Deanie Mehl as Fort Smith school board president, fellow board members welcomed new member Greg Magness at Monday’s (Oct. 9) committee of the…

Baldor exec: ‘Students need a plan and a skill’

Students today need to graduate high school with two things: a plan and a skill. That was the key takeaway from Jason Green, vice-president of human resources for Baldor, in…

Fort Smith’s 2017 Parade of Homes’ kicks off with natural gas-friendly Showcase Home

The 2017 Parade of Homes, presented by the Greater Fort Smith Association of Home Builders (GFSAHB), kicked off Thursday night (Oct. 5) with a VIP reception from this year’s Showcase…

Parrot Island Waterpark managers ask Fort Smith, Sebastian County for $1.5 million expansion

The Fort Smith Board of Directors and Sebastian County Quorum Court will soon consider the possibility of expanding Parrot Island Waterpark facilities with a two-slide expansion at a cost of…