Tag: Fort Smith

Juneteenth Celebration Events In Fort Smith

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KNWA:

Numerous events were announced Tuesday for downtown Fort Smith in celebration of the Juneteenth holiday.

According to a press release, 64.6 Downtown and the Fort Smith Round Table will be presenting free live music on Thursday, June 16th and Sunday, June 19th.

Thursday, June 16th will open with “Miss K’s Dance Bungalow” followed by headliner “New Breed Brass Band,” a youthful ensemble bringing their own flair of heritage brass band sonics from New Orleans. The show will be from 6:45-9 p.m. at the Riverfront Park Amphitheater.

On Sunday, June 19, host comedian Joe Torry will present the U.S. Army Field Band Jazz Ensemble’s Songs of Freedom. The production will celebrate the contributions of individuals during the Civil Rights movement. It will be held from 5-10 p.m., also at the amphitheater.

Sunday evening will continue with two 2021 Levitt AMP Fort Smith Music Series performers, jazz artist Rodney Block and crowd favorite, Fort Smith native Genine Latrice Perez.

“64.6 Downtown is pleased to work in concert with the Round Table to expand free, live music downtown leading up to the Juneteenth holiday. We are elated the U.S. Army Band Jazz Ensemble selected Fort Smith to perform their tribute. They wanted to contribute to a communities Juneteenth celebration with their production of Songs of Freedom, and it came together.” stated Talicia Richardson, Executive Director of 64.6 Downtown.

New Tech To Capture Images Of Fort Smith Monastery Before The Demolition

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KNWA:

Images of the 1924 St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith had geographical data and information taken with new high-tech technology. This provided a high-quality digital record of the nearly century-old structure that will be demolished June 1.

Lidar, the high-tech technology used by Halff Associates, creates a record to facilitate true-to-original repairs or restoration, according to Russell Luna, the senior communications specialist. Arkansas politicians congratulate Canoo on NASA deal

“We just knew that the building was going to be demolished soon,” said Aaron St. Amant project manager with Halff Associates. “We wanted the opportunity to scan the building before it was gone for good. And we offered our services gratis.”

Flags Set At Graves Of Veterans For Memorial Day

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Southwest Times Record:

Flags were set at the graves of veterans Thursday at Fort Smith National Cemetery in preparation for the Memorial Day weekend.

A ceremony will be 2 p.m. Sunday, May 29 at the cemetery.

People in Fort Smith will gather at the National Cemetery to honor fallen members of the military, and Clay Quinalty will speak about his time as a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  

Volunteers are expected to put out about 19,000 flags at the cemetery for Memorial Day.

Fort Smith Stockyards Sales Steady As Prices Rise

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Southwest Times Record:

Since 1941, the stockyards located just off the Garrison Avenue Bridge on the Oklahoma side of the Arkansas River, take the U.S. 64 off-ramp, has been keeping the cattle market moving in Moffett, Oklahoma.

The pandemic affected cattle auctions two years ago, said co-owner Scottie Smith, and beef production issues have affected the supply chain during the pandemic. Currently, higher prices help area cattle producers, but they face higher feed and gas prices.

Live, weekly auctions start at 9 a.m. on Mondays and last until about 8 p.m. or until the last cow goes through the ring. 

From The Boston Store To Corregidor: Fort Smith Man Did A Yeoman’s Job In World War II

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Military History Online:

In one form or another, the idiom “a yeoman’s job” pervades the anglophone world as a phrase to describe “very good, hard, and valuable work that someone does especially to support a cause, to help a team, etc.”[2] The dictionary defines a yeoman in various ways, from “a person who owns and cultivates a small farm” to “a naval petty officer who performs clerical duties.”[3] The United States (US) Naval Institute describes the enlisted yeoman rating as one of the most “enduring” to serve on our country’s Navy combat team.[4] Because nearly all types of Navy units require a yeoman, Sailors of that particular rating can be found serving in virtually any wartime scenario. Throughout World War II, one petty officer of the US Navy, Chief Yeoman Theodore Richard Brownell (1905-1990) of Fort Smith, Arkansas, served his country in ways that epitomize a yeoman’s job ― as well as another phrase associated with his home town: true grit.

This is an academic research paper, written by a local veteran and historian, about a hero of Word War II that everyone in the River Valley should know.

Lifeguard Shortage Affecting Creekmore Pool Operations In Fort Smith

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40/29:

Creekmore Park Pool in Fort Smith will open for business this season, but there will be some limited operations due to a lifeguard shortage.

Fort Smith Deputy Director of Parks Sara Deuster said the pool usually hires between 12 and 20 lifeguards each summer.

Right now, she said there are only six that have applied.

“It’s not so much that we don’t have people applying, it’s we have a lack of individuals wanting to get certified,” Duester said. “So I really don’t know why they aren’t. Maybe they have different jobs, maybe cooler weather, but we’ve just seen a really big decline in people wanting to get certified to work.”

I still remember going to swimming lessons there when I was like three or four years old. I would say that it is a shame that all the kids who might want that same experience today may not have a chance at it, but these days I am not really too big a fan of swimming around in a giant vat of urine. Of course, now that we have people setting alligators loose in our lakes, a giant vat of urine might actually be the safest place to swim.

Iconic St. Scholastica Building In Fort Smith To Be Demolished

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Talk Business & Politics:

For almost a century the castle on Albert Pike has been a constant in Fort Smith. Many have wondered what it is. Many know. In June, the former home of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery will tumble down, leaving only memories of the iconic building near Trinity Junior High.

Demolition of Saint Scholastica’s former monastery building, located at 1301 S. Albert Pike Ave. in Fort Smith, is scheduled to begin June 1, noted a news release from the monastery.

“The decision to demolish the Former Monastery Building is not one that the Benedictine Sisters made lightly or without years of research and discernment. Since 2010, Saint Scholastica has engaged in communications with consultants, realtors, and friends of the community about feasible uses for the nearly 100-year-old building,” the news release said.

To repurpose the building into anything else would require significant investment with a great cost needed to bring it up to code and to adjust the layout for practical uses, the release said. A quote obtained several years ago estimated renovation to be more than $15 million, including all electrical and plumbing updates.

“After years of looking, no feasible uses for the Former Monastery Building panned out,” the news release said.

Organizers Say Outlook Good For Fort Smith Steel Horse Rally

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Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:

Expectations are positive for the River Valley’s annual, family-friendly motorcycle rally this weekend.

The Steel Horse Rally will roll into town Friday and Saturday. Attendees will be able to partake in live music, entertainment and a host of motorcycle-related activities along Garrison Avenue in downtown Fort Smith, with one in Pocola, Okla.

Dennis Snow, founder and president of the nonprofit Steel Horse Rally, encouraged people Tuesday to come out for the event in light of forecasts of “gorgeous weather” this weekend. The organization hopes to continue to improve rally attendance — estimated at more than 135,000 in 2021 — and the economic impact the event has on the local area.

“We’ve all had a tough time through the pandemic, and a lot of businesses are still recovering,” Snow said. “We had an economic impact of almost $20 million last year, so we encourage everybody to come and enjoy the beautiful downtown Fort Smith area and have a great time and spend your money and leave with a bunch of great memories in the 2022 Steel Horse Rally.”

Flood Warning Issued For Thursday In Arkansas River Valley

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Southwest Times Record:

A flood warning for Lee Creek near Van Buren has been issued for Thursday for Sebastian and Crawford counties, the National Weather Service reports.

The warning is for Thursday evening through Saturday morning.

Minor flooding is expected in low-lying areas along the Arkansas River shoreline from Lavaca to Interstate 540. The rive is expected to crest above flood level.

Rain should end Thursday evening in the Fort Smith area and sunny skies are in the forecast for Friday and Saturday.

Storms Possible Wednesday In River Valley, Skies Expected To Clear By Friday In Fort Smith

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Southwest Times Record:

The chance for storms continues Wednesday in the Arkansas River Valley.

A flood advisory was issued for Lee Creek in Van Buren in Crawford County through early Wednesday, the National Weather Service reported.

A storm outbreak is possible with a 60% chance of rain in Fort Smith Wednesday.

Skies are expected to clear by Friday in Fort Smith.

Fort Smith Weather: Tornado Watch Issued For River Valley Monday Night

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Southwest Times Record:

A tornado watch was issued Monday in eastern Oklahoma, and there is a chance for severe weather in the River Valley, the National Weather Service reported.

There is a 60% chance of rain in Fort Smith Monday. The greatest potential for severe weather in Fort Smith is between 10 p.m. and 2 p.m., according to the NWS. 

Fort Smith is classified as an enhanced risk for severe weather Monday by the Storm Prediction Center, with parts of eastern Oklahoma at a moderate risk level. 

Keep Fort Smith Beautiful Returns Christmas Tradition To Downtown

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Southwest Times Record:

A stunning magnolia tree towers 21 feet over Cisterna Park in downtown Fort Smith with white blossoms peeking out brightly.  

Ryan Rains looks forward to winter when the tree will shine even brighter.  

“It’s going to serve as a Christmas tree,” he said. “We’re going to light it every year.”  

Rains, the board president of Keep Fort Smith Beautiful, directed a project to bring a magnolia tree to downtown Fort Smith. Keep Fort Smith Beautiful funded the planting, aligning with the organization’s goal to preserve nature for the River Valley community. 

With the help of the Fort Smith Parks & Recreation department, the tree was planted Monday as onlookers gathered downtown.

New VA Clinic Opens In Fort Smith, Arkansas

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40/29:

Veterans in Fort Smith have access to a new clinic for the first time in 20 years, and it’s changing the way many get care.

The old Fort Smith VA clinic was housed in a basement on Dodson. The new facilities have been open for a week.

The new clinic on Phoenix Avenue is almost 37,000 square feet large, nearly double the size of the old one.

On top of regular primary care, they offer a full lab with the ability to process their labs soon, radiology services, audiology, and optometry.

Fort Smith School District Achieves Purple Star School Designation

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:

The School District has received a Purple Star designation for the entire district, meaning all 26 schools have increased support for military-connected students and their families.

District officials said in a news release Monday they have over 200 military-connected students in the district because of its proximity to the 188th Wing at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Arkansas Air National Guard and the Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center.

The district also is preparing for more military families to move to Fort Smith if the city is selected as the home for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter planes and a Republic of Singapore General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon squadron through the Foreign Military Sales program.

“As a Purple Star District, we are committed to connecting with this important group of youth and their families as they call Fort Smith home for a short or extended period of time,” said Michael Farrell, district supervisor of student services and district military liaison.

The program helps schools respond to the educational and social-emotional challenges military-connected children face as they move to new schools every few years due to a parent’s change in duty station, according to the Military Child Education Coalition website. This includes adapting to new cultures, school populations, curricula, standards, course offerings, schedules and graduation requirements.

Frost Advisory Issued For River Valley Early Thursday

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Southwest Times Record:

Temperatures could dip to near 34 degrees in Fort Smith overnight, the National Weather Service reports.

Some outdoor crops and plants in containers could be threatened if not covered. 

A freeze warning is in effect for northeastern and northwestern Arkansas where temperatures early Thursday will be near or below freezing

The frost advisory is for 1 a.m. Thursday to 9 a.m. Skies will be clear with winds shifting from the north to the southeast Thursday with a high of 71 degrees.