Good morning, Fort Smith.

Lucy Clements, a UAFS sophomore nursing student, and her family were honored as Family of the Year at Family Weekend.

The award was presented on Oct. 4 at the Stubblefield Center during a volleyball match with Missouri Southern University—she credited her family for helping her through ongoing medical challenges.

Fort Smith city leaders traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to meet with congressional leaders and discuss city funding.

A board member posted a breakdown of the nearly $15,000 trip cost—$6,600 for lodging, $5,500 for airfare and $1,500 for per diem—to show how public funds are used.

Greenwood’s walking trail connection underneath the new bypass on Arkansas 10 is moving forward after cost issues were resolved—Mayor Doug Kinslow said his revised plan will restore pedestrian access during upcoming council reviews.

State agencies furloughed 248 employees last week due to the federal government shutdown—this action was confirmed by an Arkansas Department of Shared Administrative Services spokesperson Monday.

Finland’s ambassador Leena-Kaisa Mikkola spoke at the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce 2025 Annual Meeting on Tuesday and explained that from next spring Finnish Air Force personnel will begin F-35 training at Ebbing Air Force Base—she stressed that the growing ties will help integrate Finnish families into our community.

The Cameron Yellow Jackets clinched their spot in the Class A State Baseball Tournament by winning in the loser's bracket—Panama and Pocola also earned berths.

Fayetteville’s Lady Purple Bulldogs beat Fort Smith Southside in a hard-fought 6A—West Conference volleyball match on Tuesday night at Bulldog Arena — winning set scores of 25 to 15, 14 to 25, 33 to 31 and 28 to 26.

Mansfield and Charleston switched positions in the latest Arkansas Sports Media Poll released Monday afternoon—Mansfield jumped to a higher rank in Class 3A while Charleston fell lower.

The poll shows a clear shift in local high school sports standings.

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.

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.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Systems Admin I Training

Nov 3-7 — Fort Smith Adult Education Center — $2250 — Gain essential skills in Linux system administration through hands-on labs and expert instruction.

Kaia Larsen Book Signing: Superhero Sister

4-6 p.m. — Fort Smith Public Library — Cash preferred — Discover the art of manifestation with local author and photojournalist Kaia Larsen at her book signing event.