Daily
Fort Smith
Wednesday, October 1st, 2025
Good morning, Fort Smith. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 1st of October.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ The Fort Smith Police Department will host National Night Out on Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 5-8 PM in the Central Mall Parking Lot at 5111 Rogers Avenue to promote police-community partnerships. Residents can visit resource booths, enjoy free hot dogs, chips, and drinks from Arvest Bank—and try a dunk tank with door prizes drawn at 6:30 PM—in this family-friendly event. City of Fort Smith
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Starbucks will close four stores in Arkansas—two in North Little Rock, one in Paragould, and one in Jonesboro—to focus on improving its service while all three Fort Smith stores and a Van Buren store remain open. Southwest Times Record
- ➤ Michaels at the Pavilion in Fort Smith launched a new Knit and Sew Shop inspired by Joann and a Party Shop that offers a larger selection of fabric, yarn, sewing supplies and party items — including a dedicated Balloon Bar and lower priced in-store birthday parties. Southwest Times Record
- ➤ Aldi is changing the look of over 90% of its store-exclusive products so shoppers in Fort Smith see bold new branding at 8400 Phoenix Ave and 2201 S. Zero St; the redesign reflects customer feedback and will roll out over the coming years—making it easier to spot trusted Aldi originals. Southwest Times Record
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Hillcrest HarvestFest is set for Saturday, October 4 at Hillcrest from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the free event will feature vendors, a pie contest, and a dog show along with musical performances. Lucius will headline at 6 p.m.—with Case Oats and Isaac Alexander performing earlier in the day. Arkansas Times
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Noah Schmidt works at UAFS and helps students from more than 25 countries follow visa rules, meet tuition requirements, and find campus jobs. He also talks with parents about study abroad options — making sure international students feel safe and welcome. University of Arkansas Fort Smith
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Fort Smith officials have launched CityView, an online portal that lets residents and contractors apply for planning permits, building permits, register licenses, pay fees, and report code violations — the system is secure and available 24/7 to serve local needs. City of Fort Smith
- ➤ Representatives from local nonprofits attended last week’s Sebastian County Quorum Court meeting in Fort Smith to request county grant funds — they said the funds would support essential local projects. River Valley Democrat-Gazette
- ➤ Fort Smith officials announced that North 7th between N A and N B is closed today from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for sewer work and community events. On Oct.4, closures will affect N N St from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a sewer line project, N 19th St from 7 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. for a St. Boniface Church event, the intersection of N O and N 50th from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for another sewer project, and the alley at 1601 Rogers Ave from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum Fall Family Day — Quincy St will see a sewer main replacement until Oct.10 from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. City of Fort Smith
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ Breast cancer risk among Hispanic women will be the focus of a free Baptist Health event on Oct. 7 from 3:30-5 p.m. at Reynolds Cancer Support House—Dr. Wilson Cruz and his team will explain how screenings, genetic tests, and other options can help improve early detection in Spanish. River Valley Democrat-Gazette
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Arts On Main — Scare & Share
11 a.m. – 6 p.m. — Arts On Main — Free entry — Dress up in your Halloween costume for candy and stickers in a festive atmosphere.
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
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Reveal the authorAbout Daily Fort Smith
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