KARK – Authorities said two men have been arrested after one overdosed in a Searcy bowling alley earlier in the month Searcy police arrested Super Bowl manager James Preston Tarkington, who survived the overdose His charges include fentanyl possession and drug paraphernalia possession Authorities also charged John Sterling Holmes with trafficking a controlled substance after finding fentanyl and other drug paraphernalia inside the bowling alley and Holmes’s car The bowling alley on Main Street is popular for birthdays and league play who played on the Searcy High School bowling team and later worked for Tarkington He would show us how to do certain things alongside Coach Leonard,” Boyd remembered Barbie Whitlow used to bowl there and stated the families are lucky the two were caught because she knows fentanyl can destroy far more than reputations died from a fentanyl overdose in September 2024 and Amanda would be 32 today,” Whitlow said Jessica Brawley also lives in White County She hopes there is a future for both men and the place where generations of families have gone for entertainment you’re in a family place and you’re doing fentanyl,” Brawley said “I’ll make the drive for my kids to have a good time and be safe.” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" these are the actual most popular baby names so far in 2025 Whether it’s a short vacation or they’re jetting off to begin their career show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift National Teacher Appreciation Week begins May 5 take advantage of these freebies and deals by Rowdy Baribeau (KATV) — Two Searcy men are behind bars after a fentanyl overdose was reported at a bowling alley Searcy Police Department Officers and Central Arkansas Drug Task Force (CADTF) Special Agents responded to Super Bowl Bowling Alley (825 S Main Street) for a subject suffering from an overdose Authorities on the scene learned that 32-year-old James Preston Tarkington of Searcy overdosed as a result of using fentanyl in the bowling alley North Star EMS transported Tarkington to the hospital for treatment An investigation was launched immediately following the overdose and while processing the scene detectives noticed a powdery substance located in the bowling alley CADTF arrested Tarkington and another subject 32-year-old John Sterling Holmes on April 25 authorities executed a search warrant on Holmes' vehicle and Super Bowl Bowling Alley CADTF Agents discovered more fentanyl in the bowling alley and Holmes' vehicle Paraphernalia was also located inside the bowling alley Tarkington was arrested and charged with possession of fentanyl and possession of drug paraphernalia Holmes was charged with delivery of fentanyl and trafficking of fentanyl All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law Rain: 7am to 7am: .00  Month: 1.51 Year: 25.00 Recorded temps:  High: 68 Low: 46 Saturday evening earthquake in Searcy County (Image courtesy of U.S Two minor earthquakes occurred this weekend in western Searcy County nearly nine hours apart The first quake is reported to have occurred at 5:51 Saturday evening The United States Geological Survey says the magnitude 2.4 quake was recorded 8.8 miles northeast of Pelsor 26.7 miles south-southeast of Harrison and 43.6 miles southwest of Mountain Home Sunday morning earthquake in Searcy County (Image courtesy of U.S The second earthquake came in at 2:53 Sunday morning The magnitude 2.3 quake was recorded 8.8 miles northeast of Pelsor 26.3 miles south-southeast of Harrison and 43 1/2 miles southwest of Mountain Home earthquakes below magnitude 3 are rarely felt smaller quakes from magnitude 2.0 can be felt by humans if the quake is shallow (few kilometers only) and if they are very close to the epicenter and not disturbed by ambient factors such as noise Anyone who felt either of the quakes can let the Geological Survey know by clicking the links below Saturday evening earthquake Sunday evening earthquake 1909: “Next month we’ll have to begin school work again.” Arkansas made school attendance mandatory in 1909 but allowed counties to opt out of the law — and many rural ones did The length of a school year at the time of this mailing was 107 days Send questions or comments to Arkansas Postcard Past Ray Hanley is a retired health care and IT executive producer of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's "Postcard Past" feature and author of 20 Arkansas history books This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC 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 Back to News Releases TOMBALL - Tomball ISD is excited to announce Holly Searcy as the new Principal of Northpointe Intermediate She will take over after Spring Break for Dr who will shift her focus to becoming the new Principal of West Intermediate that opens this Fall “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Holly Searcy to Tomball ISD as the new principal of Northpointe Intermediate,” said Dr TISD Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools and proven ability to cultivate strong school communities make her an exceptional choice to lead NIS We are particularly excited that she will continue to build upon the strong school-community partnerships that are so vital to Northpointe's success We look forward to a bright future under her leadership.” Searcy brings over 30 years of experience in education and 20 years of experience as a campus Principal to Tomball ISD but spent 11 years as Principal in Jacksonville ISD (2011-22) Her experience as a campus administrator spans from 2002 to 2025 Searcy not only has served as a campus administrator but as an Instructional Facilitator and a classroom teacher at the elementary junior high levels since she began her professional career back in 1991 She earned her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from East Texas Baptist University and her Master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Texas at Tyler Searcy is a leader that focuses on strong communication and shares a passion for teaching and learning She understands the importance of building and fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment for all students and leveraging talent and promoting efficiency Tomball ISD empowers students to become impactful contributing citizens by providing innovative individually rigorous and personally valuable educational experiences while partnering with the community Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Jesus took her by the hand and led her home at 9:30pm  She was of the Pentecostal faith and former member of Freeway Church of God Ruby is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Memphis and Ayla Garner; great-grandchildren A special "Thank you" to the staff at Tennessee Cancer Specialists who was always so kind and to Dr "O" and staff at Tennova North Medical Center who was so compassionate on our frequent visits A celebration of life and interment service will be held at a later date Mynatt Funeral Home Powell Chapel is honored to be serving the family of Ruby Leora Searcy Mynatt Funeral Home Powell Chapel * 2000 Powell Drive * Powell TN 37849 * (865) 362-5382 * www.mynattfh.com Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Our hearts are deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved Susan Darlene Prince Searcy She entered into her heavenly home on Tuesday She had been employed as a postal carrier for several dedicated years and later worked as a supervisor at the North Carolina Rest Area Everyone who was blessed to know Susan loved her She was a lady of faith and reading and studying her Bible was an important part of her life The most important thing in Susan’s life was her family especially her grandchildren who were her pride and joy The family would love to share that even after Susan was called to her forever heavenly home her caring wish was honored by her family to gift her body to medical science research so that she could continue to make a difference in the lives of others What a wonderful blessing from our precious Susan Left to cherish her memory are her children and Jacob Searcy (Joyce) of Sylva; grandchildren Braylen and Callie; several great-grandchildren; a sister Wanda Conley of Waynesville; a brother Tim Prince (Trish) of Marble; and many nieces and nephews Crawford / Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service is deeply honored to be caring for the Searcy family We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Don Searcy, a cherished husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully on January 24, 2025, at the age of 93, in Columbus, Indiana. Born December 17, 1931, in Elizabethtown, Indiana, to the late Clinton Edward and Ethel Elizabeth... View Obituary & Service Information The family of Don Searcy created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories © 2025 Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home Made with love by funeralOne The City of Searcy is inviting the public to celebrate the grand reopening of the newly renovated baseball and softball fields at the Searcy Sports Complex — the first completed project under the #MySearcy initiative The event will take place during the opening night of the spring ball season on Monday Upgrades to the fields include new fencing extensive concrete work and major drainage improvements “This is an exciting moment for our community as we celebrate the first completed project from the #MySearcy vision,” said Mayor Mat Faulkner “The upgrades are a direct reflection of what the community told us they wanted during the #MySearcy planning We are grateful to the citizens of Searcy for making this possible.” The enhancements not only create a better experience for local players and spectators but also position Searcy as a stronger contender for hosting regional tournaments bringing tourism and economic growth to the area The total renovation cost was $1,407,037.26 funded through proceeds from the 2024 bond measures approved by voters An additional $82,846.26 was contributed by the Searcy Advertising and Promotion Commission specifically for new bleachers “Helping fund improvements like the new bleachers at the Sports Complex is exactly the kind of project the A&P Commission is proud to support,” said Chris Howell tournaments and visitors to Searcy — boosting our local economy and making our city an even better place to live and visit.” For more information about upcoming projects and events, click here READ ALSO: Community Health Fair and Baby Shower Offers Free Health Screenings Copyright © 2025 Arkansas Money and Politics (KATV) — Get ready to indulge your sweet tooth this weekend as Searcy hosts the fourth annual World Championship Chocolate Gravy Cook-Off and it's divided into an amateur section and then a professional," she said we have owners of restaurants that have entered The competition will feature a blind judging process with judges prepared to taste a wide variety of chocolate gravy recipes "A lot of it is family recipes that have been passed down and some of it is new creations," Burton said Attendees can purchase tickets to taste the chocolate gravy and explore the Main Street Searcy Farmer's Market which opens simultaneously across the street The weekend in Searcy is packed with activities including a Cinco de Mayo celebration on Friday evening a Rialto Family Film Festival at the historic downtown theater and a Pioneer Village open house running from Saturday into Sunday Burton emphasized the community spirit behind these events "Chocolate gravy is a fundraiser for Main Street Searcy," she said "There are so many nonprofits in our community and volunteers that gather together and there's just a real sense of community spirit." Located just north of Little Rock off Highway 67 it's the perfect time to explore what the city has to offer He was a man who truly embraced life and brought joy to those around him Mookie was known for his vibrant personality; he loved to laugh and make others smile He had a passion for gambling and was often regarded as lucky as friends would jest about his ability to create what they called a "beer tree." Mookie held various interests that filled his days with joy and often engaged in construction projects he cherished the time spent with his family and friends as creating lasting memories with them was among his proudest accomplishments Rushawn Searcy and his wife Crystal and Charles Winters; his step-sons Altwon Winters and Marcus Taylor; and his sisters Tongia Jennings and Kishia Searcy and aunt Betty Bolds and husband Johnny from Jackson He is also survived by his brothers: Michael Searcy along with his wife Danetta; Darrell Searcy with his wife Danelle; Timothy Searcy; Rodney Searcy accompanied by his wife Tonya Searcy; and Eric Jennings Mookie is survived by his step-sister Charmalita Williams and other extended family members and friends who will miss him dearly He was preceded in death by his loving mother Mookie also mournfully remembers his brother followed by a funeral service at 2:00 PM at Newcomer Funeral Home and cherished moments with family will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew him Click to watch SEARCY, Ark. – Confirmed reports of ICE in Searcy have many of the people in the community living in fear. On Monday, ICE, FBI, and Drug Enforcement agencies were caught on camera arresting people between Race and Moore Streets. The same scene has been happening across Arkansas, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Little Rock. It is part of the Department of Justice’s self-described priority to remove illegal immigrants from America. Leslie Rodriguez said America is her country too, and the activity happening where she was born and raised has not made her feel protected. “Everybody was scared. They were in fear,” Rodriguez described. “It’s really sad to think about how some kids won’t be able to come home to their parents because some were taken away.” She said two of her neighbors were arrested by ICE and other federal agents Monday. Her uncle was pulled over even though she said he is a legal citizen. Where she works, her mother Julia Espino works, and other Hispanic businesses in town, some employees are not working out of fear. “My phone, call me every day all the time, ‘ICE is here. ICE is here.’ I can’t believe this is happening in Searcy,” Espino recalled thinking. According to the U.S. Attorney in Little Rock, the statewide operation arrested just illegal immigrants who have had contact with law enforcement in the past, as well the multiple individuals alleged to have committed drug and gun crimes. Rodriguez said her family came to America only to work, and she argues the government’s focus should be elsewhere. “People just because they looked brown-skinned or Hispanic or Mexican, they just got pulled over by the way they look and that doesn’t seem fair to me. I see that as racism,” Rodriguez said. Some other information has gotten out through local authorities. Area newspaper White County Citizen attributes a White County Sheriff’s Office Deputy with saying 17 men reportedly in the county illegally and with previous criminal charges were arrested and taken to an ICE facility. A Searcy Police lieutenant told the paper the Central Arkansas Drug Task Force assisted ICE when asked. KARK 4 News contacted both departments but was told to direct all questions to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. That office will be holding a press conference Thursday at 2:00 p.m. The Drug Enforcement Administration sent a statement in response to a station inquiry. Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer stated: “DEA’s presence Monday was part of an enhanced law enforcement operation, involving multiple federal law enforcement partners. As the lead drug enforcement agency, we now prioritize drug investigations involving violent, illegal criminals responsible for flooding our communities with deadly and dangerous drugs.” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. According to Babycenter, these are the actual most popular baby names so far in 2025. Whether it’s a short vacation or they’re jetting off to begin their career, show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift. National Teacher Appreciation Week begins May 5. If you’re a teacher, take advantage of these freebies and deals! Tornado Watch until 5 PM for portions of west and southwest Arkansas. Stay weather aware! FORECASTSEND US YOUR PICTURESCity of Searcy announces re-opening of newly-renovated softball and baseball fieldsby Rowdy Baribeau (KATV) — The City of Searcy recently announced the grand re-opening of softball and baseball fields at the Searcy Sports Complex It is the first project completed from the "#MySearcy" initiative funded by bond measures approved by voters in 2024 the city is hosting the re-opening during the first night of spring ball season Searcy Mayor Mat Faulkner said the upgrades reflect the requests of the community "This is an exciting moment for our community as we celebrate the first completed project from the #MySearcy vision," Mayor Faulkner said "The upgrades are a direct reflection of what the community told us they wanted during the #MySearcy planning We are grateful to the citizens of Searcy for making this possible." The cost of the renovations was more than $1.4 million "Helping fund improvements like the new bleachers at the Sports Complex is exactly the kind of project the A&P Commission is proud to support,” Chris Howell and visitors to Searcy — boosting our local economy and making our city an even better place to live and visit." by Kylon Williams | Isley Gooden | Kaelin Clay (KATV) — Searcy will be the host once again for the Arkansas Regional Robotics Tournament as this year's tournament will take place at Searcy Lion Arena March 7-8 Harding Academy will be participating in this year's tournament and the students competing in the tournament stopped by Little Rock ARC to talk about the upcoming competition and give a preview into what they have in store and innovation will take part in the competition to see who can construct the best robot FIRST Robotics will host this year's event There will be 30 teams from across the state and 11 from out of state that will compete in the tournament Last year's event featured 28 teams from Arkansas Tennessee who competed in front of a crowd of around 2,000 attendees This year's tournament is expected to be even larger some of which have World Championship-level expertise The 2025 Tournament is free and open to spectators who want to see the students put on a show with their skills To learn more about the event, click here 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 The family of Marcelia (Marcy) Searcy created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories « Back Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now Will actively develop new channels to support Petra’s growing customer base Electronics distributor Petra Industries announced Gil Searcy is joining the Petra sales team as Director of Sales and a proven track record of building strong profitable partnerships as well as 19 years of experience in sales leadership across the HVAC and plumbing wholesale industries “Gil is exactly the leader we need on our team,” said Tate Morgan and extensive industry connections will accelerate our growth in the appliance accessories space.” Searcy is charged with expanding Petra’s appliance accessories division and identifying new business opportunities he will be responsible for strengthening relationships with existing partners while actively developing new channels to support Petra’s growing customer base Petra will strengthen its market position with an extensive appliance accessory and installation products catalog including Petra’s exclusive distribution of Certified Appliance Accessories line I realized it was the perfect fit,” said Searcy “I am looking forward to using my years of experience in the HVAC and plumbing wholesale industries to expand Petra’s sales opportunities.” Gil Searcy can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 903-521-5802 For more information on Petra, visit www.petra.com or call 1-800-443-6975 TWICE Staff For more stories like this, and to keep up to date with all our market leading news, features and analysis, sign up to our newsletter here Tags ⋅ distributors ⋅ Gil Searcy ⋅ People © 2025 TWICE is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. SEARCY, Ark. (KATV) — Two Searcy men allegedly connected to a fatal 2019 shooting have been arrested, the City of Searcy said in a release. On November 23, 2019, Searcy Police responded to reports of a shooting at Market Street and Moss Street, Officers arrived on the scene to find 41-year-old Thomas Hunt suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Hunt was transported to a nearby medical center where he later died. On Thursday, April 10, 2025, Searcy Police's Criminal Investigations Division arrested 27-year-old Justice Cunningham and 26-year-old Andre Smith. Cunningham and Smith have been charged with Capital Murder. Officials say the case is still under investigation SEARCY, Ark. (KATV) — The Searcy Police Department is investigating an officer involved shooting that took place on Tuesday night. Police said that officers with the Searcy Police Department responded to reports of a reckless driver around the area of AR Highway 267 and Adams Lane. They made contact with the driver and asked him to roll down his window. Police said that the driver rolled down his window and told them that he had a gun to his head then asked the officer several times "if he wanted to die tonight." According to a release, the officer then backed away and waited for additional officers to arrive. Other officers arrived on the scene and asked the driver to exit his vehicle. Police say that after several minutes of yelling commands, the driver opened fire on police. Searcy Police then returned fire before launching a "chemical agent" into the truck to force the driver to surrender. The driver has been identified as 53-year-old Vilonia native Scott Wayne Stracener. He is being held on a 72-hour medical hold with charges pending upon his release. It has been reported that no officers or Stracener sustained any injuries from the incident. Three officers were placed on administrative leave per department policy, pending a review by the 17th Judicial Prosecuting Attorney’s Office The investigation is being handled by Searcy Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division. READ MORESearcy man arrested for allegedly beating his 8-week-old baby by Rowdy Baribeau Searcy man arrested for allegedly beating his 8-week-old baby (PHOTO: File) (KATV) — A man is in custody after allegedly beating his 8-week-old baby was arrested around noon on March 10 after Searcy Police officers responded to Unity Health ER Officers responded to an endangering the welfare of a minor report and spoke with ER staff ER staff revealed the baby sustained severe injuries and child abuse was suspected Alcorn has been charged with three counts of 1st Degree Domestic Battery He was transported to the White County Jail All suspects are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law by Payton Dhooge I Kaelin Clay I Isley Gooden LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — The Searcy High School varsity cheerleading team is celebrating a monumental victory after being crowned the NCA National Game Day Champions in the Co-Ed Large division This impressive achievement comes as the team attended the nationals for only the third time The team stopped by Little Rock ARC to cheer up the show 2025 at AuthoraCare Hospice in Burlington following several weeks of declining health he was the loving husband of 53 years to Patty Baulding Searcy and the son of Vernon Paul Searcy and Velna Shoe Searcy Gary was a 1965 graduate of Western Alamance High School and a proud veteran of the United States Army He was a member of People’s Memorial Christian Church He was the owner of Searcy Refrigeration Service for over 40 years and enjoyed working and serving in Alamance and surrounding counties Gary believed in hard work and responsibility He was proud to pass those traits on to his children and grandchildren He also enjoyed sitting outside in his rocking chair while listening to beach music Gary also enjoyed coaching little league baseball and basketball Angie Searcy Daniels and her husband Bill of Burlington and Carrie Lynn Searcy of Burlington; son Michael Searcy and his wife Heather of Pleasant Garden; grandchildren Elizabeth Daniels Enright and her husband Will of Dunn Emerie Searcy of Pleasant Garden and baby boy Searcy due in May; three sisters Tammy Searcy Wall and her husband Ron of Mebane The family will receive friends on Thursday 2025 from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm at Rich & Thompson Funeral Home in Burlington The funeral service will be held on Friday 2025 at 2:00 pm in the Rich and Thompson Chapel in Burlington memorials may be made to AuthoraCare Collective Hospice Home MO passed away peacefully  Saturday afternoon She was surrounded by her friends and family She was the daughter of Cecil  and Rachel  (Moulin) Searcy Jody grew up in Gallatin and was a 1969 graduate of Gallatin High School After high school she met and married Charles Riley and they had three children She was a lifelong waitress although she dabbled with factory work Jody enjoyed being a waitress because she enjoyed working with the public.  Jody will be dearly missed by her family and friends Searcy police on Thursday charged two men already in custody in a November 2019 shooting that left one man dead Both men were being held in the White County jail when police working with the 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force got probable cause to charge them with murder 17 and held on charges of witness bribery and possession of a firearm by certain persons policing and breaking news for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette his articles focus primarily on crime and law enforcement efforts in Pulaski County although he reports on other parts of the state as well – Police in Searcy said a reckless driver call led to a shootout between a Vilonia man and officers Tuesday afternoon officers were called to an area on Arkansas Highway 267 and Adams Lane for a reckless driver around 6:45 p.m Police said that they were told the driver was driving erratically through yards before getting stuck in a small field officers said Stracener told them he had a gun to his head and continued to make threats toward an officer Police said several officers arrived at the scene and told Stracener to exit the car Police said a chemical agent was fired into the truck Stracener is currently being held on a 72-hour medical hold with pending charges Officers said no one was injured in the incident Three officers were placed on administrative leave per the department policy The officers’ names have not been released (KATV) — The Arkansas Regional Robotics Tournament concluded action Saturday at Searcy Lion Arena 30 teams from across the state and 11 from out of state competed in the tournament and engage in various competitions with their robots Different teams were grouped together in alliances to complete the bracket and one Arkansas team was on the championship alliance won in the finals alongside a team from Houston and a team from Illinois – The Searcy Police Department said in a Friday statement that officers had arrested two men in connection with a 2019 shooting Officials said the agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and the 17th Judicial Drug Task Force had taken 27-year-old Justice Cunningham and 26-year-old Andre Smith Officials said the pair are facing charges of capital murder police were called to the intersection of Market and Moss streets for a possible shooting Arriving officers found 41-year-old Thomas Hunt of Searcy with several gunshot wounds Investigators said Hunt was conscious and was taken by ambulance to the hospital the City of Searcy celebrated the grand opening of the Janett and Larry Crain Memorial Library a state-of-the-art facility designed to meet the needs of the city’s growing community The modern 33,000-square-foot library is more than just a place for books—it’s a community hub that offers new and expanded services for all ages “This facility represents the future of our community and the importance of accessible education technology and resources for all citizens,” White County Regional Library System Director Darla Ino said Some of the new library’s innovative features include: City and county leaders collaborated to raise funds for this project in addition to other noteworthy fundraising efforts Nearly half of the library’s funds were raised with help from the community including $2 million from the late Larry Crain and $386,000 from the Larry & Janett Crain Charitable Foundation “[This new library] recognizes my parents’ love and dedication for the community of Searcy and really all of White County,” Chris Crain said “They exemplified leadership through a lifetime of serving numerous local businesses charities and Searcy First Methodist Church I look forward to this beautiful new library aiding the development of the next generation of entrepreneurs I also look forward to enjoying the facilities with my grandchildren and the next generations of the Crain family.” For more information about the Searcy Public Library, click here READ ALSO: Digs of the Deal: The Iconic Beat of Barton Coliseum The 2025 Arkansas Regional Robotics Tournament will take over Searcy Lion Arena on March 7-8 bringing together top student teams from across the country for a competition in engineering the event continues to fuel excitement for STEM education while making a significant impact on the local economy With 30 teams expected from Arkansas and 11 other states students will put their problem-solving skills to the test as they design The 2024 tournament welcomed 28 teams from states including Tennessee The 2025 competition is set to be even bigger featuring nine teams with World Championship-level experience inviting the community to witness the excitement of competitive robotics Whether you’re passionate about STEM or simply looking for a fun and inspiring event this tournament promises an unforgettable experience For more information about the 2025 Arkansas Regional Robotics Tournament, click here READ ALSO: 75Strong Welcomes First Cohort of Community Builders The National Register of Historic Places recently added a significant portion of downtown Searcy to its list “The National Register of Historic Places is a program of the National Park Service that is administered in Arkansas by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program,” said Ralph Wilcox national register and survey coordinator and deputy state historic preservation officer for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program “The National Register is the country’s official list of historic resources that are worthy of preservation and it’s always exciting when we have National Register nominations under consideration It allows us to showcase the incredible history of Arkansas and how the state’s past is reflected in its built environment.” Main Street Searcy executive director Amy Burton started the process of acquiring this prestigious designation after receiving encouragement from Sen The Searcy Regional Economic Development Corporation and the City of Searcy quickly joined in on the project property owners within the district attended a meeting where the historic nomination received a great amount of support Community partners and property owners were informed last month that Searcy would obtain the designation thanks to nearly a year of collecting historical data and conducting property surveys being listed on the National Register of Historic Places serves many purposes being listed on the National Register will help to preserve our community’s historic downtown buildings and cultural heritage The listing will also promote the Main Street Searcy district as a unique and historically significant place to visit,” Burton said it will encourage building rehabilitation projects and financial investment in the district through historic tax credits and grant funds this project was a great opportunity for Main Street Searcy to partner with the SREDC and the City of Searcy to accomplish common goals for the continued development in our community.” For more information about the National Register of Historic Places, click here READ ALSO: Kohl’s to Close Nearly 30 Stores, Including One in Arkansas The attrition of Florida football’s defensive line continued Tuesday Gators sophomore edge rusher TJ Searcy announced on X the social platform formerly known as Twitter totaling 34 tackles (20 solo and 14 assisted) in five starts Coach Billy Napier spoke about Searcy's decision at a press conference Tuesday in Tampa But just think it's a product of the world we're living in," Napier said proud of him and nothing but respect for him." Searcy made his mark as a freshman in 2023 He tallied 26 tackles and earned a spot on the Freshman All-SEC team Searcy ended 2024 strong with five tackles and a fumble recovery in the Gators' 31-11 win over Florida State Searcy’s post on X doesn’t indicate whether he plans on playing in the Gasparilla Bowl Friday vs "It's definitely very important for me," Searcy said during the season when asked about making a bowl "It means a lot because last year I didn't get one Searcy is the fourth edge rusher to depart Gainesville, along with Justus Boone, Quincy Ivory and Jack Pyburn The interior D-Lineman room also suffered loss with Cam Jackson Desmond Watson and Joey Slackman all graduating Napier said he isn't worried about the edge rushers for Friday's bowl game He added that the deepness causes some problems in a way "I do think we've got some guys that can play over there Kam (James) and LJ (McCray) can easily slide over there and play not to mention George (Gumbs)," Napier said "It's a deep room so I think we'll be OK and obviously we've got some good rookies coming in and that's a position where we could potentially go add another player here." The Gators’ Class of 2025 includes just one edge rusher in 4-star Jayden Woods Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at Nram@gannett.com and follow him @Noah_ram1 on X/Twitter Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) has awarded Forward Searcy a $314,165 grant through their Arkansas Site Development Program (KATV) — The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) has awarded Forward Searcy a $314,165 grant through its Arkansas Site Development Program Forward Searcy will be able to make Site 1 on Veterans Boulevard more marketable as it attracts more potential businesses The funding of this project comes as part of the larger project to create more jobs and stimulate the economy in Searcy “Many businesses are looking for properties that are as close to shovel-ready as possible,” Darrell Welch with Forward Searcy said “These funds will allow us to improve the property in a way that will make it more appealing to businesses.” The Arkansas Site Development Program exists to match funding projects that will develop sites so that they are ready to welcome potential businesses and help create new jobs The funding received from the program can be used for drainage improvements “By preparing this property for development we are positioning Searcy as an even more competitive destination for new businesses,” Searcy Mayor Mat Faulkner said “We appreciate the support from AEDC and Forward Searcy’s leadership in making this possible.” The city-owned site is seen as an ideal location to help in the economic development of the city with its accessibility and location The property's marketing of improve the economy was approved by the Searcy City Council earlier this year Forward Searcy continues their goal of ensuring that the City of Searcy is growing its economy with the support of current industries and the recruitment of new businesses to the area Site 1's preparation serves as an important milestone to constantly add more jobs in Searcy