JRMC Readies For Rural Health Funding; Hospital CEO Updates Board On Application Process
by Janice Penix Johnson Regional Medical Center (JRMC) administrators are working to be fully prepared for a state rural health funding program, CEO Tommy Hobbs told members of the Board of Directors on Thursday, April 23. The Arkansas Rural Health Transformation Program (ARHT) allocates funding to rural health systems to soften the impact of federal…
Read MoreWestside Board Reviews Audit, Corrective Action Plan
by Janice Penix Members of the Westside School Board reviewed the district’s most recent audit and a related corrective action plan at their monthly meeting Monday, April 20. The Arkansas Legislative Audit report covers the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, with findings stretching into early 2026. While the district’s budget remains in good standing,…
Read MoreOpinion: To Spend Or Not To Spend, That Is The Question
Clarksville’s decision last week on how to allocate more than $2 million in permit fees from the data center project was about more than dollars. It showed two different ways of thinking about public money. On a 3-2 vote, the City Council approved a plan to spend the full $2,090,375 across several departments, including streets,…
Read MoreLocal Government 101: Public Comment
Public Comment, Your Three Minutes At The Microphone Anyone who has attended a public meeting has likely wondered when, or if, they are allowed to speak. Public comment is one of the most visible parts of local government and one of the most misunderstood. A person approaches the podium, states their name, delivers remarks and…
Read MoreJohnson County Public Library Celebrates Grand Opening of Expansion with Ribbon Cutting
The Johnson County Public Library celebrated the grand opening of the expansion project with a ribbon cutting on Thursday, April 16. Phase one of the expansion includes a new lobby to the main building, the addition of a stand-alone community meeting space, and an office building which houses the Arkansas River Valley Regional Library System…
Read MoreBean Pioneers Agriculture Education For Lamar Elementary Students
by Stephanie Baker Grace Bean is helping reshape how young students learn about agriculture at Lamar Elementary, while pioneering a program unlike any other in the state. “This really is my dream job,” Bean said. The position combines her passion for agriculture education with her heart for teaching younger students. The role didn’t exist before…
Read MoreLamar Hires Guerra To Lead Football Program
The Lamar School Board unanimously approved the employment of Jackson Guerra as head high school football coach during a special meeting Wednesday, April 15. Guerra has served as defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach at Dardanelle High School, where he helped lead the Sand Lizards to a back-to-back conference championships and a 14-1 season…
Read MoreOzark Council Honors Police Officer
by Robbi Roberts Ozark Police Department Patrolman Brody Bowles was presented with a lifesaving award during the April 13 meeting of the City Council, for actions while off-duty on March 6. Bowles was attending an event with his family at Kay Rogers Park in Fort Smith, when he observed an elderly female collapse. The woman…
Read MoreCHS Students Hold ‘Senior Prom’ For Assisted Living Residents
Clarksville High School’s Chick-fil-A Leader Academy students held a “Senior Prom” event at Providence Assisted Living on Tuesday, April 14. Students in J.J. Thornton’s small business operations class were chosen this year to be a Chick-fil-A Academy, with Tim Douglass of Russellville as the sponsoring franchisee of the group. The year-long curriculum is shared once…
Read MoreCHA Commission Discusses Poplar Circle Complaints
by Stephanie Baker The Clarksville Housing Authority Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday, April 14, and discussed tenant concerns voiced at the public hearing, particularly by Poplar Circle tenants. The Authority held its public hearing on Monday, April 13, where residents were encouraged to voice concerns about their homes and the neighborhood. The majority of…
Read More