Good morning, Fort Smith.

River Valley chocolate lovers can look forward to the annual Chocolate Festival fundraiser hosted by the Friends of Fort Smith Library — the event will be held on Sept.

28 to support library programs.

Fort Smith Little Theatre will present ‘Wait Until Dark’ on Sept.

25, where a newly blind woman fights three thugs planning a Manhattan apartment robbery—her struggle drives the tense thriller.

Arkansas unemployment rose to 3.8% in August—up by one-tenth of a point from the previous month—officials from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Department of Commerce reported on Friday.

Zachary Millsap, an ATU-Ozark Campus HVAC student, landed a job as an HVAC service technician apprentice at Trane Technologies in Fort Smith—he will start a four-year apprenticeship in 2026 after working daytime while finishing his courses.

The Crawford County Circuit Clerk’s office in Van Buren now offers TSA PreCheck, TWIC and HAZMAT endorsement services to local and out-of-state travelers, starting Sept.

12 at its 317 Main St. location—which has processed about 20 TSA PreCheck applications in the first week. The office also keeps holding passport events on Saturdays to help people complete travel documents.

The Sebastian County Girls Softball League hosted the 'Paint the Park Yellow' tournament at Ben Geren Park today to raise funds for childhood cancer awareness—supporting donations for a local player and families through The Savannah Walters Memorial Foundation.

Cancer survivor Aria Smith threw the first pitch as players united for those battling cancer.

The Fort Smith Southside Mavericks entered conference play with a perfect 3-0 record after beating Little Rock Southwest 35-20.

Senior quarterback Blake Forsgren threw three touchdown passes—one to a different receiver each time—to secure the win.

Hackett senior Matthew Garner delivered strong catches on Friday at Dragon Stadium as he helped lead the Hornets to a win in Mountainburg — his performance showed the qualities quarterbacks value most.

Southside volleyball won the Battle of Rogers Avenue on Sept.

16 at Grizzly Arena in Fort Smith when 11-year-old Northside player Caroline Mckinney tapped a shot over the net—showing the close play between the teams. The win reinforces Southside’s strong season in the local rivalry.

Friends of the Library Chocolate Festival

2:30-4:30 p.m. — Fort Smith Public Library (Dallas Branch) — $10 for six tastes — Indulge in a chocolate wonderland with tastings from local chocolatiers.

SHS Class of 1985 - 40th Reunion

7:00 PM – 10:30 PM — Majestic Fort Smith — $70 per person — Celebrate four decades since graduation with food, music, and old friends.

Larry Bedell Day Celebration

5-10 p.m. — 906 Cocktail and Cigar Lounge — $40 — Celebrate over 60 years of music with the Larry B Soul Experience band in honor of Larry Bedell.

Peacemaker Festival 2025

1-9 p.m. — Riverfront Amphitheater — Tickets on sale — Enjoy a live performance by Stephen Wilson Jr. at this vibrant festival celebration.

DNA Discoveries Workshop

5:30-7:30 p.m. — Fort Smith Public Library (Main Library) — Free entry — Explore the fascinating world of genetic genealogy in this informative series of classes.

Book Lover's Club

10 AM – 12 PM — Fort Smith Public Library (Main Library) — Free entry — Share your latest reads in a welcoming book community.

Survivors’ Challenge 10K/5K

2-5 p.m. — Reynolds Cancer Support House — Fundraising event — Celebrate 34 years of community support while running for a cause.