Good morning, Fort Smith.

Hope Campus—the River Valley's largest emergency shelter—is in financial crisis due to high utility bills, a 50% drop in donations, and a pause on key grant funds, which may force cuts to essential services for over 140 people.

Executive Director Kasey Wilson said the shelter urgently needs community support to keep programs like laundry, showers, and housing assistance running.

The City of Fort Smith has appointed Jesse Bennett as Director of Building Services.

He joined in 2021 as a Building Inspector and Plans/Inspections Manager and brings over a decade of experience—he will now oversee plan review, building code enforcement, inspections and permitting in Fort Smith.

The City of Fort Smith updated its July 15 Board of Directors study session agenda to include the regular Citizens Forum after the City Clerk's Office noted the omission, and the revision was posted on the city website (479-784-2208) for further information.

On Tuesday, Attorney General Tim Griffin announced that a court ruling has reinstated the ban on Delta-8 and Delta-9 products in Arkansas, forcing stores to remove these psychoactive cannabinoids—an order that clarifies Act 629 originally passed in 2023 but paused amid legal challenges. Business owners who sell these products face potential criminal charges.

Fort Smith Department announced that in August it will begin its CALEA Year 3 Law Enforcement File Review and invites residents to submit comments via an online portal available on its website under 'About the FSPD'—'Accreditation.'

The Fort Smith Board of Directors will interview two more candidates for the internal auditor position Tuesday + Director Lee Kemp noted the board is working with DPI Staffing after receiving 15 applications.

A new report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform shows that 30 out of 47 rural hospitals in Arkansas are at risk of closing, with 11 facing immediate danger — the report links these risks to financial losses and low reserves.

Residents in the affected communities may soon have to travel farther for emergency care if these closures continue.

Digital Infrared Photography Workshop

1-4 p.m. — Greg Disch Photography Classroom — $795 — Learn the art of surreal infrared photography in a hands-on workshop experience.

Business After-Hours Networking Event

4-6 p.m. — The Call in Crawford & Sebastian — Free entry — Network with local professionals while enjoying light refreshments in a casual atmosphere.

Watercolor Workshop: Fun Food!

10:30 a.m. — Fort Smith Public Library (Main Library) — Free entry — Enhance your watercolor skills by painting delightful sweet treats and more.

Hoopla Book Club: The Tattooist of Auschwitz

2-3 p.m. — Fort Smith Public Library (Miller Branch) — Free entry — Dive into the historical narrative of love and survival through literature this July.

Movie Matinee: 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3'

2-4 p.m. — Fort Smith Public Library — Free entry — Enjoy a family-friendly screening of 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' featuring an epic battle against a new villain.

Lettering to Go!

August 1-30 — Fort Smith Public Library (Main Library) — Free entry — Celebrate National Calligraphy Day with hands-on lettering kits all month long.

Anyone Can Learn to Letter

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. — Fort Smith Public Library (Main Library) — Free entry — Practice hand lettering techniques and explore tools in a creative environment.