Year In Review 2025: A look back at some of the top news stories in Franklin and Johnson counties during 2025.
Clarksville Approves Site Plan For Data Center
In November, the Clarksville Planning and Zoning Commission officially approved the site plan for a massive new data center, clearing the way for developer Serverfarm to begin pre-construction. The approval follows recent multi-million dollar land acquisitions and critical utility agreements that signal significant momentum for the project.
The Commission’s vote allows Vaughn Property Group, acting on behalf of California-based Serverfarm, to begin Phase 1 of what is projected to be a three-phase development. This initial stage focuses on the northeast corner of a 135-acre tract, near the intersection of Poplar Street and Big Danger Road.
According to the approved schematic, Phase 1 will include four massive two-story buildings, each spanning over 300,000 square feet; an on-site substation and specialized equipment yards to manage power; comprehensive security measures, including fencing, a dedicated entrance, and professional landscaping; and a stormwater pond to manage runoff near Poplar Street.
The site is currently zoned as I-1 (light industrial). City Engineer Morgan Barrett noted that while most of the land was purchased for $8 million in October, a final portion near the water treatment facility remains under contract with development permission already granted.
The scale of the project is unprecedented for the region. The center is expected to require up to 1,700 megawatts of power, roughly 34 times Clarksville’s current summer peak. To meet this demand, Clarksville Connected Utilities (CCU) has authorized 14 nonbinding agreements with various power providers. Serverfarm is responsible for funding all energy-delivery infrastructure, shielding local taxpayers from the costs, according to CCU General Manager Roy Young.
State Representative Aaron Pilkington clarified the site is a hyperscale colocation center, not a cryptocurrency mining operation. Unlike crypto mines, hyperscale facilities provide large-scale data storage and cloud services for major corporate clients.
Beyond power, the facility will utilize up to 1.5 million gallons of water daily. As part of the utility agreements, Serverfarm’s investment in system upgrades may help the city fund a portion of the $35 million needed for Clarksville’s aging pollution control facility.
With the site plan approved and land secured, the project moves from the planning stages to active site preparation, marking a new chapter in Clarksville’s industrial development.
Special Election Set Following Senator’s Death
A special election was set for early 2026 to fill the seat vacated by the death of State Senator Gary Stubblefield on Sept. 2.
A Pulaski County Circuit Judge ruled the special election to fill the vacant seat must be held significantly sooner than originally planned. The seat represents portions of Franklin, Johnson, Logan, and Sebastian counties.
Judge Patricia James ruled in favor of Franklin County resident Colt Shelby, who filed a lawsuit challenging the original election timeline established by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. While the governor’s office initially scheduled the general election for November 2026 to “save costs and streamline the process,” James’ order mandated the election occur before Feb. 23, 2026.
The legal challenge centered on the constitutional rights of the district’s residents. Shelby argued that waiting until late 2026, over 400 days after Stubblefield’s passing, would leave constituents without a voice during the critical 2026 Fiscal Session in April and various legislative committee meetings.
In her ruling filed Oct., James stated the original timeline would “unconstitutionally impair” the citizens of District 26. “They would not be able to fully and effectively participate, nor would they be able to have an effective voice in the election of members of their state Legislature,” the order read.
Stubblefield, a Republican from Branch, had served in the Senate since 2013.
Ozark Voters Repeal Entertainment District
In a decisive special election held on Nov. 18, Ozark residents voted 211-94 to repeal a controversial downtown entertainment district, undoing a measure that was narrowly approved by the City Council in April.
The results brought a conclusion to a nine-month period of heated public debate. The ordinance, originally passed on April 14 by a 4-2 vote, would have allowed adults 21 and older to carry alcoholic beverages in designated paper cups within specific downtown boundaries. The district was slated to operate on Thursday evenings and all day on Fridays and Saturdays.
The repeal was driven by a citizen-led group, Residents Organizing Ozark To Stand (ROOTS). Led by Joanne Perea and Michelle Brown, the organization formed immediately following the Council’s initial approval of the entertainment district.
Despite a poll by Main Street Ozark suggesting support for the district, ROOTS pointed to an October 2024 online poll showing 89% opposition and submitted petitions signed by 320 residents.
The group successfully navigated the referendum process, which requires signatures from at least 15% of the number of voters from the last mayoral election. Ultimately, the committee gathered nearly double the required certified signatures.
During the initial vote at the April meeting, opponents complained public input was blocked until after the Council had already voted. While City Attorney Kevin Barham noted this followed adopted guidelines, the lack of transparency fueled the push for a referendum.
By June 9, the Council voted unanimously to set the election date after Barham warned that failing to do so could result in lawsuits and legal costs exceeding $30,000.
Proponents, led by Main Street Ozark, argued the district would revitalize the downtown area and attract visitors.
Lady Warriors Claim First State Title in 34 Years
The Lamar Lady Warriors capped off a historic season in March, defeating the previously unbeaten Dover Lady Pirates 65-52 at Bank OZK Arena to secure the 2024-25 Class 3A State Championship. The victory marked Lamar’s first state title since 1991 and the third in program history.
The championship game featured a high-stakes clash between two River Valley powerhouses. Lamar entered the contest with a 35-2 record, while Dover boasted a perfect 34-0 season. Senior Kori Sanders led the charge for the Lady Warriors, delivering a dominant performance with 29 points, six rebounds, five steals, and four assists. Her efforts earned her the tournament’s Most Valuable Player honors.
Lamar’s path to the championship game was defined by a late-season surge. After sweeping their conference opponents in mid-February to clinch the 3A-4 title, the Lady Warriors secured the District and Regional championships with consecutive wins over Mansfield and Elkins.
Their momentum continued into the state tournament in Harrison, where they edged past Bergman 58-51 and beat Fouke by a score of 49-33. A 51-39 semifinal victory over Harding Academy on March 8 officially punched Lamar’s ticket to the finals, providing redemption for the team after a runner-up finish in 2023.
The win was a milestone for the team’s six graduating seniors, who concluded their high school careers with an impressive 123 victories.
Ozark Cheer Secures Historic Fourth State Title
The Ozark High School cheer squad once again cemented its legacy as a powerhouse in Arkansas spirit athletics, capturing its fourth consecutive 4A Game Day Cheer state championship Dec. 20.
The Hillbilly cheer team delivered a high-energy, flawless performance that left no doubt in the judges’ minds, marking an unprecedented four consecutive titles for the program. This historic achievement was the first of its kind in the school’s history and statewide.
Under the leadership of the coaching staff, the team spent the 2025 season preparing for another championship run. The state title was the culmination of months of rigorous training, conditioning, and community appearances.
Ozark cheerleaders were recognized throughout the year at various competitions for sportsmanship and leadership both on and off the mat. The team also hosted multiple youth clinics, including the popular “Rock the Sideline” and the “Space Jam” winter clinic, to mentor future generations of Ozark cheerleaders.
Following the state competition, the team shifted its focus toward the National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Fla., set for January 2026. In January 2025, Ozark earned bronze medals at the national competition.
County Mourns Loss Of Former Judge Mike Jacobs
The Johnson County Quorum Court filled the vacancy left by the passing of longtime county official Mike Jacobs.
During its February session, the Court declared a vacancy in the District 1 Justice of the Peace position. Jacobs, who died Feb. 3, was a cornerstone of Johnson County government for decades. Before his tenure as Justice of the Peace began in 2014, Jacobs served 24 years as county judge, during which time he oversaw the development and upgrades to numerous local services, including the 911 system, the public defender’s office, and the construction of the county jail, senior center, and health department.
Following the Court’s declaration of the vacancy, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed Lewis (Ray) Hobbs of Clarksville to the District 1 seat in June.
Under Arkansas law, Hobbs will serve the remainder of the current term, expiring Dec. 31, 2026, and as an appointee to a vacancy, is ineligible to seek election to the position once the term concludes.
In recognition of Jacobs’ lifelong dedication, the Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC) posthumously awarded Jacobs the 2025 Wes Fowler Advocacy Award. This prestigious honor, presented to his family during the AAC’s 57th annual conference in August, recognizes officials who demonstrate exceptional passion for county government. Jacobs also held the distinction of being the longest-serving president of the AAC Board of Directors.
Clarksville Amends Cheerleading Policy
In a unanimous decision at its monthly meeting in April, the Clarksville School Board voted to rescind portions of its recently approved cheerleading handbook, replacing them with a more inclusive policy for male participants.
The move followed a month of internal review sparked by parent complaints that the previous guidelines were discriminatory. The original handbook, approved in February, strictly limited the role of male cheerleaders. Under those rules, males were primarily relegated to “stunt execution,” – acting as bases for female flyers – and were required to kneel behind their female teammates during dance performances.
The policy also suggested that while males could participate in arm motions during cheers, they might be required to keep their feet at attention.
The restrictions drew push back from parents. Barry Denton, a cheer parent, addressed the Board in March, presenting a comprehensive packet of cheerleading policies from other districts across the state to demonstrate that Clarksville’s rules were out of step with regional standards.
Superintendent David Hopkins presented revised language for the policy at the Board’s April meeting.
Key changes in the new policy addressed dance participation, unified tryouts and equipment use.
Both males and females are now permitted to participate in dance routines, provided they can execute the choreography. Coaches may offer modified routines for males depending on the circumstances, but they are no longer barred from the performance floor.
All tryout materials, including chants, jumps, and dances, will now be identical for all students regardless of gender, and while female members utilize pom-poms, male members will focus on megaphone use during sideline chants.
The policy change was enacted after tryouts for the 2025-26 year had been held. The high school squad for the year included two male cheerleaders, one of whom was named co-captain, as well as a male student serving as the school mascot.
Dean Competes In World Grappling Championship
Fourteen-year-old Liam Dean of Hagarville made history in November as a member of the first-ever U15 Team USA squad to compete at the United World Grappling (UWW) World Championship. Dean secured a silver medal, helping lead Team USA to a second-place overall finish among 25 participating nations.
Dean’s journey to the world stage began with a dominant qualifying run, after he won trials in Kansas City and Fort Worth to earn his spot on the national team. In Greece, Dean competed in the 15-and-under division, which features a blend of combat styles including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, judo, and wrestling.
On the first day of the tournament, Dean competed in the No Gi division. Outperforming 12 international competitors, he advanced to the finals, where he faced Russia in a tightly contested match. Though he narrowly lost on points, his performance earned him the silver medal. On the second day, Dean competed in the Gi division, where he fell to Ukraine in a points-based decision.
Joining Dean on the podium was 12-year-old teammate Grant Garrison. Despite being the youngest competitor in the U15 bracket, Garrison also secured a silver medal in the No Gi division and reached the bronze medal match in the Gi division. Garrison has local ties as the son of Clarksville graduate Glenn Garrison.
Both athletes played a pivotal role in Team USA’s historic performance, cementing the program’s status as a rising power in international youth grappling.
Oark Potter Named Arkansas Living Treasure
The Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of Arkansas Heritage, recognized Stephen Driver of Oark as the 2025 Arkansas Living Treasure for his work and dedication to the craft of pottery. The announcement was made on April 26 at Historic Washington State Park during the James Black’s Bowie Heritage Festival.
The Arkansas Living Treasure program annually recognizes an Arkansas creative who excels in a traditional craft or folk art and who preserves and advances their craft through community outreach or teaching others. Driver is universally known in the Arkansas pottery community for his work that is intricately, historically and environmentally tied to the land.
Driver has led international workshops and exhibited in Arkansas, the U.S. and abroad. His work is also represented by Boswell Mourot Fine Art in Little Rock. He began his teaching career leading Artist in Education programs in the early 1990s. He taught at the University of the Ozarks from 2018 to 2019 and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock from 2008 to 2013. He has taught at universities nationwide and has earned multiple awards, including the Arkansas Arts Council’s Governor’s Arts Award for Individual Artist in 2024.
In 1976, Driver moved to northwest Arkansas as part of the “back to the land” movement, built a home and studio—and built his first kiln near Oark. He also started Mulberry Creek Pottery, where he focuses on stoneware and porcelain influenced by Arkansas geography, and later built a large Anagama kiln. For the last eight years, he has been firing his two-chambered wood kiln, which created a way for potters statewide to come together as a community. The kiln can hold 850-1,000 pieces of work fired at 2,400 degrees over the course of four or five days. The project and Driver are the subjects of a documentary, “Ozark Wabi,” created by Molly Wheat and Eliot Peterson in 2024.
Multiple Arkansas clay sculptors and potters recommended Driver for his talent, commitment to community and education. Driver also uses local wood for fuel. He is also an author, speaker and natural habitat steward.
The Arkansas Arts Council awarded $5,000 to Driver as part of the recognition program and he was honored during a special ceremony in June.
Read this story and others in the Jan. 7 issue of The Graphic, available online and at businesses throughout Franklin and Johnson counties. Subscribe or donate here to support more hometown journalism.
