by - July 1, 2020 4:48 pm
Building permits up almost 84% through the first half of 2020
For the first month this year, building activity in the Fort Smith metro area came in below what it did at the same time in 2019, but activity in the…
Fort Smith
by - July 1, 2020 3:19 pm
Masks key to football season, long-term health post-COVID; National Guard training canceled
Do you want football in the fall? Wear a mask. Do you want to avoid a growing number of known long-term health problems resulting from COVID-19? Wear a mask. Such…
by - June 30, 2020 8:55 pm
Fort Smith Board moves toward approving recycling plan that could raise sanitation rate
The Fort Smith Board of Directors agreed at a special study session Tuesday (June 30) to continue collecting recycling with the understanding residents will be faced with higher sanitation fees….
by - June 29, 2020 5:52 pm
Fort Smith A&P to seek help from city on search for new director
The Fort Smith Advertising and Promotion Commission will seek guidance from the city of Fort Smith’s personnel director on searching for a new director. Claude Legris is resigning as the…
by - June 29, 2020 4:49 pm
Sales tax revenue holding up in the Fort Smith metro despite early COVID-19 impacts
With the exception of Van Buren, sales tax revenue in the Fort Smith metro is not yet showing significant declines previously expected because of economic disruptions related to COVID-19. Fort…
by - June 26, 2020 3:56 pm
Known Sebastian County COVID-19 cases rise almost 28% in three days
Another 33 positive cases of COVID-19 were reported in Sebastian County Friday (June 26), making a three day jump of 99, which is 27.7% of known cases in the county…
by - June 25, 2020 5:15 pm
Fort Smith graduations set for July 16 and 17
In a special called meeting Thursday (June 25), the Fort Smith Public Schools Board of Education voted to approve Northside and Southside High School graduations on the field of the…
by - June 25, 2020 5:06 pm
Fort Smith budget review to look at ‘difficult year’ of revenue forecasts
The Fort Smith Board of Directors is set to begin a mid-year review of the $42.5 million general fund budget and the $125.147 million in operating budget expenditures in the…
by - June 25, 2020 2:36 pm
Fort Smith tourism director to resign
Claude Legris has retired as the executive director of the Fort Smith Advertising and Promotion Commission, effective July 10. Legris presented his resignation letter to the A&P Commission at its…
by - June 24, 2020 4:15 pm
Fort Smith Fire Chief says city should maintain ISO 1 rating in 2021
Fort Smith achieved an Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating of Class 1, the most elite classification in the country, at the end of 2016, and everything is on track to…
by - June 24, 2020 7:37 am
Introducing the 2020 class of Women in Business honorees
On behalf of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal staff, I am pleased to introduce our sixth annual class of Women in Business honorees. If you want to feel inspired, I…
by - June 23, 2020 9:14 pm
Fort Smith Police chief touts lack of turnover, focus on community policing
When Fort Smith Police Chief Danny Baker took over the Fort Smith Police Department in 2019, one of his top priorities was to bring stability to the department. The department…
by - June 23, 2020 6:02 pm
ACHE accepting applications for first class of physical therapy students
Arkansas College for Health Education (ACHE) will begin accepting applications for its school of physical therapy July 1. The three-year program will focus on hands-on, clinical experience with students graduating…
by - June 22, 2020 9:10 pm
Fort Smith School Board rejects Peak Center contractor recommendation, revises graduation plans
The Fort Smith Public Schools Board of Education went against the recommendation of the project manager for the district’s millage-related construction projects to hire a Fort Smith company as the…
by - June 19, 2020 11:19 am
Real Deals: Walmart unloads Fort Smith industrial property for $6.38M
A 26.2-acre industrial property in Fort Smith has a new owner after a recent sale worth $6.38 million. Zero Street Property LLC bought the 238,585-square-foot building at 8100 Zero St….
by - June 18, 2020 6:28 pm
FCRA director touts $1.751 billion in investments since 2000
Since the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority began tracking activity in 2000, there has been $1.751 billion capital investments turning the former Army base into Chaffee Crossing, according to Daniel Mann,…
by - June 18, 2020 5:40 pm
Delay in insurance money delaying flood damage repair work at port of Fort Smith
A hold up on insurance funds through the Arkansas Municipal League could set back the reopening of the Port of Fort Smith even longer than expected. The Fort Smith Port…
by - June 17, 2020 5:25 pm
Fort Smith students ‘disappointed’ with canceled traditional graduation, hope district finds workable options
Fort Smith Public Schools has made the decision to not have traditional graduation ceremonies for either of its high schools this year, a decision that is leaving some graduates disappointed….
by - June 17, 2020 4:04 pm
COVID-19 cases numbers rising in Fort Smith metro; physician touts use of face masks
As Arkansas’ COVID-19 numbers continue to rise, the Fort Smith metro continues to see more positive diagnoses of the virus. As of Wednesday (June 17), there were seven patients with…
by - June 16, 2020 8:08 pm
Fort Smith board OKs controversial Chaffee Crossing land use plan, delay decision on recycling change
The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (June 16) approved controversial zoning changes in Chaffee Crossing and tabled a decision on recycling changes. The board had the final vote…