The Fort Smith Board of Directors will consider several key proposals at its May 6 meeting including a rezoning request to convert a commercial property into a home a public hearing on federal housing grants and a resolution to end the city’s mosquito fogging operations Rezoning on North GreenwoodA proposed ordinance would rezone 721 N from Commercial Light (C-2) to a Planned Zoning District (PZD) allowing the existing building to be used as a single-family residence just west of the North Greenwood and Hardie Avenue intersection A neighborhood meeting on March 31 drew no public comments and no opposition was voiced at the April 8 Planning Commission hearing The commission voted 8-0 to recommend approval A public hearing will be held on the city’s Year 51 Community Development Block Grant and Year 32 HOME Investment Partnership budgets and the 2025 Action Plan which outlines how the city intends to use federal housing and development funds The board also will consider amendments to the city’s 2025 operating budget and an ordinance adjusting the Unified Development Ordinance regarding driveway access for duplexes Another item proposes calling a special election to coincide with the 2030 Primary Election the measure would ask voters to realign and reauthorize city sales and use taxes for the same effective period Mosquito fogging may endUnder the consent agenda the board will vote on whether to discontinue mosquito fogging operations a move proposed during the April 22 study session The city has historically handled fogging through its Streets & Traffic Control Department One of the consent agenda items would authorize a construction agreement with Crawford Construction Company to revitalize Garrison Park The project costs $85,603.97 — but only $8,520.97 will come from city funds The remaining $77,083 is budgeted by the Central Business Improvement District which worked with MAHG Architects to blend its downtown enhancement plans with previously approved city work to avoid duplicating costs The revised design will reuse the existing irrigation system and landscaping stones to improve drainage and reduce expenses with Crawford Construction providing the lowest responsible bid The meeting is open to the public and will be at 6 p.m FORT SMITH — Two Fort Smith parents accused of endangering their children after their 18-month-old son overdosed on THC will face trial in the case together Penny Weaver is an award-winning journalist who covers crime court proceedings and more for the River Valley Democrat-Gazette She has more than 30 years of experience as a reporter Penny has reported on everything from national civil rights issues to hog farming in Illinois She digs until she uncovers all the facts for every story This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025 audio and/or video material shall not be published rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use The AP will not be held liable for any delays errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing FORT SMITH -- Authorities are praising a girl for fighting off an intruder during a Friday home invasion after which police say the suspect was tracked down and arrested was arrested Saturday evening in connection with aggravated residential burglary according to Fort Smith Police Department officials He remained in the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center on Monday with no bond set His first court appearance is set for Thursday Winters forced his way into a home in the 1300 block of South Zero Street at 11:57 p.m according to a Police Department new release He fled on foot after an altercation with the home's occupants police issued a description of the suspect and video excerpts recorded on a doorbell camera asking the public for information to find the intruder Winters was identified as the suspect Saturday evening and arrested Police said Winters assaulted two people at the home One of the two people -- a girl whose age and name were not released -- fought back Fort Smith Chief of Police Danny Baker plans to formally recognize the girl for her bravery in a private ceremony at a later date The department said the girl's name is being withheld to protect her privacy Winters was on probation in connection with a January 2024 sentence for second-degree battery He has multiple previous charges and convictions in Arkansas courts he pleaded guilty to second-degree battery in a negotiated agreement in Lonoke County Circuit Court and received 30 days in jail Winters was serving six years of supervised probation when he was arrested Saturday This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Fort Smith hosted another round of semifinals and state finals in esports on May 1 Valley View won the Mario Kart state championship with Bentonville Black taking home the Rocket League title Trumann’s Lawson Parker picked up the 2025 Madden state title The Valley View Bashing Blue Shells comprise Carter Mathes Class 5A Valley View has previously won Mario Kart and Rocket League state titles Class 7A Bentonville had two teams reach the semifinals and was paired against each other in the opening round All classifications compete against each other for the state titles Other schools reaching the finals were Northside (Class 7A More: Hardscrabble, Southside Arena to host GAC’s best in spring showdowns Rocket League is a popular game that features a 3 vs 3 matchup as players pilot individual cars and try to knock a giant ball into a net (soccer with cars) Mario Kart is played through the Nintendo Switch but the accrued points are counted toward a total to determine the winning team Southside hosted last year’s spring semifinals and finals “I think for us to host this opportunity for these kids and make a big deal out of it is really special,” said Michael Beaumont Fort Smith School District Director of Athletics and Activities it may not seem like typical athletic games and being a part of a team or group helps them It’s a lot of teamwork and communication.” about 45 student-athletes compete in esports many more competing for one of those spots on the team.” head of the Fort Smith School District’s IT Department and his crew had 26 stations ready to go for the three events Oversized monitors for spectators to watch and headsets synchronized for spectators to listen to the teams chat with each other during the matches Beaumont said that Gregory is himself a gamer “Vance is going to make sure these players have the right chairs and monitors and they have everything they need,” Beaumont said “This is a really big deal for these kids,” Gregory said “They get excited when they walk in and see the setup because they worked really hard to get here We recognize that and want to make this a fun event for them.” Esports first arrived in Arkansas five years ago and it’s been a learning curve to pick which games (no first-person shooters) and how to get competition implemented across the state PlayVS has been a partner every step of the way PlayVS (pronounced "Play Versus") is a platform that partners with game publishers and state athletic associations to help high schools establish and manage esports programs It provides the infrastructure for organizing official competitive leagues By working directly with schools and integrating into existing school sports frameworks PlayVS allows students to compete in sanctioned esports tournaments for titles and scholarships “We really want to make this a positive experience for the players,” said PlayVS representative Isaac Jimenez “This allows them to learn teamwork and build their social skills usually things that aren’t associated with gaming This outlet allows these guys a good space to compete against another school They may know that person or put a face to a name making it more involved for them and less of a toxic environment.” Esports has two rounds of state title games each semester Ultimate and NBA2K state championships in the fall Samantha Fish and Christone "Kingfish" Ingram are set to play the blues at 8 p.m The renowned guitarists are supporting one another on an 8-show run through Arkansas Texas and Oklahoma with dates at House of Blues and Cain's Ballroom in addition to their Fort Smith show May 16; Christone "Kingfish" Ingram and Samantha Fish The Bakery District -- Tempest 7 and Beem! Monica Hooper is an award-winning features writer specializing in entertainment news for Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley she has interviewed a diverse range of luminaries While she enjoys spotlighting these renowned figures Monica's true passion lies in celebrating the vibrant local arts scene She delights in uncovering and showcasing the unique talents of the musicians writers and actors who enrich her community FORT SMITH -- An Arkansas senator's proposal suggests relocating the state's planned 3,000-bed prison from land in Franklin County to.. the Mid-South’s largest family-owned jeweler held a ribbon-cutting April 24 to mark the grand opening of its new Fort Smith store at 4410 Phoenix Ave The 5,200-square-foot location is the company’s seventh and its first in Northwest Arkansas the store incorporates elements of Sissy’s original log cabin aesthetic alongside modern It features displays from more than 20 jewelry designers and offers services including styling “Expanding to Fort Smith is a meaningful step in our journey as a growing Arkansas-founded family-operated business,” said Bill Jones selection and quality to a new community.” Sissy’s Log Cabin was founded by Sissy Jones in Pine Bluff in 1970 The company now operates additional locations in Little Rock Heights “From engagements and anniversaries to birthdays and holidays we’re honored to be part of our customers’ important moments,” said William Jones More: Sissy's Log Cabin to open new jewelry store in Fort Smith, the first in Western Arkansas Representatives from the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce attended the ribbon-cutting a local jewelry professional with nine years of industry experience FORT SMITH -- Authorities found "thousands of video files" in an investigation that led to the arrest of a doctor Monday evening in connection with multiple sex offenses according to the Fort Smith Police Department of Fort Smith was arrested in connection with rape introduction of controlled substance into body of another person video voyeurism and possession or use of child sexual abuse material according to information from the Sebastian County jail Lankford's arrest is related to repeated sexual offenses involving multiple victims that occurred between Jan according to a Police Department news release One victim discovered by police is a minor known to Lankford FORT SMITH -- A local doctor was arrested Monday in connection with multiple sex offenses after nearly a month of investigation by authorities the Fort Smith Police Department stated in a Tuesday afternoon press release was arrested in connection with rape --incapable of consent physically helpless; introduction of controlled substance into body of another person; second-degree sexual assault -- physically helpless; video voyeurism -- private place; and computer child pornography -- compiles according to information from the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center according to the Police Department press release Unlimited access to subscriber exclusive content you can't get anywhere else and a daily digital version of the printed paper When Tran Bui Smith and her family arrived at Fort Chaffee in 1975 accompanied by her two younger sisters and parents They were among the thousands of South Vietnamese refugees who fled their country in search of freedom following the Fall of Saigon “Sometimes I still can’t believe we’re here,” Tran said “From a fishing boat to Fort Chaffee to a new life in America I’m trying to honor that journey by sharing it with my kids and anyone who will listen because countless people sacrificed for our freedom Many of the war veterans who helped save our lives are gone now and some never got the recognition or thanks they deserved sponsors and strangers who opened doors are all part of what made it possible That passion for storytelling has fueled her award-winning broadcast news career and now drives her work as the founder of a video production company in Atlanta Tran’s family arrived at Fort Chaffee after July 24 following an 85-day journey marked by uncertainty but anchored in hope Boots and Sydney Maurras became their sponsors helping the Buis begin their new life in Fort Smith on Oct started work the next day at Hickory Springs Manufacturing Other History at Fort Chaffee: Elvis’ haircut site gets makeover: Chaffee Museum grand reopening set “That’s why I feel this deep responsibility to share the story of Vietnamese refugees after the Fall of Saigon,” Tran said My parents fled Vietnam in search of freedom and safety They risked everything and came to this country with nothing but hope Their journey is something I carry with me every day.” The first South Vietnamese refugees arrived at Fort Chaffee on May 2 approximately 50,000 passed through the base near Fort Smith More than 130,000 refugees were evacuated to the United States through Operation Frequent Wind and Operation New Life “The American military and the people working there welcomed us warmly and took good care of us every day People were so nice to our three little girls often telling them how cute they were or giving them candy We worked on our English and tried to learn the way of life in our new country joined Christ the King Catholic Church — home to a vibrant Vietnamese community — and received clothes household items and furniture from the congregation and their sponsors “A lot also came from yard sales or donations,” Thu said I saved enough for a small motorcycle and eventually got a car That’s all we ever wanted for our children I am just so grateful to the American people.” Tran remembers wanting to be more “American” as a child She didn’t feel different until middle school — when she began to notice the contrast between her family’s culture and her classmates’ I begged my parents to let me eat American food at home Having bún (noodles) or cơm (rice) for dinner didn’t seem cool,” she said “But now I could eat my mom’s egg rolls or my dad’s bánh mì (sandwiches) every day There’s nothing better than a hot bowl of phở or bún bò Huế.” Tran begged him to change their last name to something that sounded more American “You can’t get more ‘common’ than that,” she joked I realize my biggest struggle wasn’t with other people — it was with myself trying to figure out how to embrace who I really was I understood that those differences weren’t something to hide Her career in journalism gave her the tools — and the courage — to ask questions she had never asked her parents before “Maybe because the memories were too painful or maybe they were just too busy trying to survive and build a new life “I also feel a sense of shame when I think back to how I felt at the time not fully understanding what my parents had been through I didn’t realize how much they had sacrificed or how hard they fought for us to have a better life I wish I could go back and tell my younger self to stop feeling self-conscious and start appreciating everything they went through for me.” Thu had worked as a civil servant in the Foreign Telecommunications department in Saigon “We knew something was happening,” Thu said We didn’t know what would happen under the new communist government all five fled Saigon on a single motorbike They boarded the merchant ship Viet Germany 9 at Bach Dang Port It carried more than 50 people into international waters an American warship approached and escorted them to the Philippines “So many families didn’t make it out of the Fall of Saigon,” Tran said “Our lives could’ve turned out so differently if it weren’t for that one decision my parents made 50 years ago My parents risked everything for a chance at a better life — and it wasn’t easy But they never let fear or hardship stop them I want younger generations to understand what that really means Many Vietnamese families later dispersed across the country but others — like the Buis — chose to stay Fort Smith remains home to a strong Vietnamese-American community rooted in this powerful chapter of history Seeing the country with adult eyes was emotional and transformative for Tran Even my Caucasian husband has mastered cooking it he even does it better than I do,” Tran said “We still celebrate Lunar New Year with red envelopes and traditional áo dài (long dresses) and I make sure my kids know how important those traditions are.” and Ben (born in America) — attended college and built meaningful lives “Watching our parents taught us to work hard “Even though we were adapting to a new culture they made sure we never forgot where we came from.” fleeing a war-torn country — yet filled with hope The courage it took to leave everything behind the sacrifices they made for us to have a better life and I can’t help but wonder how they kept going and quiet grace are the foundation of my life.” FORT SMITH -- Two attorneys have filed a lawsuit claiming city officials violated the state Freedom of Information Act by not producing public records related to the recent hiring of an internal auditor Fort Smith attorneys Joey McCutchen and Stephen Napurano filed a lawsuit in Sebastian County Circuit Court on Friday against Fort Smith and acting City Administrator Jeff Dingman for multiple violations of the Freedom of Information Act according to a news release from the attorneys The lawsuit claims the city failed to produce public records related to the hiring of Rebecca Cowan as internal auditor The city disagrees with the attorneys' claim the City furnished all relevant documents in response to Mr McCutchen's FOIA request and remains committed to openness and transparency," Josh Buchfink of Fort Smith was hired April 22 as director of internal audit by the city but was then let go on April 24 after news surfaced that she was facing felony charges in Oklahoma She was arrested by Sebastian County sheriff's office personnel as a fugitive from justice from out of state on June 7 before being transferred to another agency June 10 according to the Sebastian County jail website That agency was the LeFlore County sheriff's office in Oklahoma where a warrant for Cowan's arrest had been issued Feb according to the probable cause affidavit by Sgt Casey Linville of the LeFlore County sheriff's office "The City publicly told Talk Business & Politics that Human Resources had completed a background check on Cowan and relayed it to Administration Dingman repeated that same claim in an email to McCutchen -- saying he had received a hard copy of the background check but no longer had it," according to the news release "To uncover what actually happened during the hiring process McCutchen filed a FOIA request seeking records related to the internal auditor position Dingman failed to respond to the request in a timely manner and did not provide all the requested records," the release states The attorneys claim records withheld include an email exchange between Dingman and City Director Christina Catsavis in which Catsavis asked whether a background check had been done Dingman told Catsavis that he did not believe one had been performed While that email was never produced by the city "If a background check was in fact performed -- as the City has claimed -- then Mr Dingman and the City destroyed a public record denying the public the opportunity to review a document that should have been available under FOIA," the release states "The City is talking out of both sides of its mouth Dingman claimed to both the media and myself that a background check was done -- but that it had somehow gone missing," McCutchen said in the release Dingman then told a Board member that a background check wasn't performed The City either did a background check or it didn't -- but it certainly knows the answer What's even more concerning is that when I filed a FOIA request to get answers the City not only dragged its feet -- it failed to turn over an email that directly contradicts what the City told the public," McCutchen said the Texas-based search firm Strategic Government Resources was paid about $22,889 to conduct a nationwide recruitment effort to hire an internal auditor and the city's contract with the firm specified that comprehensive media reports and background checks would be conducted for all candidates at a cost of $500 per applicant The filing states that the firm's stated intent was to conduct background checks after interviews were conducted but none appears to have been done for Cowan City Director Jarred Rego expressed interest in the board interviewing Cowan for the internal auditor position City Chief Human Resources Officer Rick Lolley replied in the email chain on March 12: "I agree with him I don't see the need to interview any other candidate has been local for years and will likely stay local." the city Board of Directors held a special meeting to discuss disciplinary action against Lolley Following a nearly three-hour closed session the directors voted to leave the decision of what form that discipline would take up to Dingman Following the special meeting on April 24 at which the directors voted to terminate the contract with Cowan Christina Catsavis said she wants the board to discuss the city's contract with Strategic Government Resources "My preference would be that in the future the board works with Human Resources here to go through candidates without using an outside search firm," she said FORT SMITH -- A 46-year-old physician charged in connection with sex offenses over nearly a decade -- which police say were recorded on thousands of videos -- pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance Wednesday is charged with rape -- incapable of consent according to Sebastian County Circuit Court records Court documents show a public defender was appointed for Lankford He remained in custody at the Sebastian County Detention Center on $500,000 legally sufficient bond Wednesday Fort Smith Police Department officials reported investigators found "thousands of video files" from hidden recording devices in a residence in the probe that led to Lankford's Monday evening arrest We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at news@koamtv.com or call us at 620-231-0400.