Good morning, Fort Smith.

A community softball tournament to raise funds for Officer Kyle Newman will take place on Saturday, May 30 at Ben Geren Park—teams can enter for $300 per team with food, T-shirts, a raffle and a silent auction planned to support his recovery.

Terra Harvell, a Fort Smith stylist and business owner, is urging lawmakers to add business lessons to cosmetology school programs to help students keep federal aid.

She said today proposed Gainful Employment rules could remove aid from most programs — a change that may hurt our local talent pipeline.

Parrot Island Waterpark in Fort Smith will open for the 2026 season with operational changes (no new slides are planned), according to its manager who briefed Sebastian County officials.

Fort Smith Public Schools plans to establish the Global Innovation Academy charter school to support military families relocating from Singapore and local students inside Bonneville Elementary — the proposal will be presented to the Arkansas Department of Education today, and if approved, the school will open in fall 2027.

The Fort Smith School Board approved renaming its Services Center to honor former superintendent Benny Gooden during Monday’s meeting — the district will move forward with new signage funded by donations.

Gooden expressed heartfelt thanks for the recognition after 30 years of service.

Doctors and community leaders held a town hall Thursday, May 21, warning that Baptist Health’s planned cuts to specialty clinics and inpatient services — set for the end of June — could force patients to travel farther and wait longer for care, so residents should contact their primary providers now to secure appointments.

Eric Matthews Band Live Performance

8 PM - 12 AM — 906 Cocktail and Cigar Lounge — Check the local listings for ticket prices — Experience an evening of high-quality blues as the Eric Mathews Band keeps the blues alive.