Times Record (Ft. Smith Southwest)
Obama Center opens while Trump looms
Remember hope and change? The sun-splashed, star-studded dedication of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on June 18 was designed to echo the sense of excitement and possibility that surrounded former President Barack Obama’s election in 2008 −...
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DOJ cuts grants, halting public safety efforts across U.S.
The United States is experiencing one of the steepest declines in violent crime in modern history, including a murder rate at its lowest point in more than a century. Homicides across 35 major American cities fell 21% in 2025, amounting to 922 fewer...
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U.S.-Iran draft deal calls for troop exit
President Donald Trump said June 17 that if he doesn’t like the deal that the United States and Iran negotiate to halt the fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, he’ll resume his bombing campaign in the Middle Eastern country. The declaration came...
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Trump’s $2B offshore wind buyoff threatens jobs, investment and energy supply
The United States is in a bizarre situation in 2026: It’s facing a looming energy shortage, yet the Trump administration is making deals to pay offshore wind developers nearly $2 billion in taxpayer money to walk away from energy projects. These...
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Iran questions U.S. commitment to peace
DUBAI – Iran’s top negotiator questioned the United States’ commitment to peace efforts after Israel carried out new attacks on Lebanon, dimming prospects of Tehran and Washington signing a framework agreement on June 14 on ending their war. President...
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Renewed push to enshrine SBC ban on women pastors advances
With new wind in its sails, a campaign to enshrine a ban on women pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention passed the first of two necessary hurdles. The nation’s largest Protestant denomination affirmed a proposal at the 2026 SBC annual meeting in...
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Views split on White House UFC event
It was 2001, and mixed martial arts fighting was on the ropes. Banned in 36 states, booted from cable operators, derided as “human cockfighting” – it was such an outcast sport that it traded hands for $2 million. A song. The new owners of Ultimate...
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Leaders cite retention as biggest challenge ahead
Fort Smith’s police and fire chiefs delivered a similar message to the Board of Directors on Tuesday: recruiting employees is only part of the battle, and retaining experienced personnel will be critical to maintaining public safety services. During a...
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Will Rogers Memorial receives national listing
A monument commemorating entertainer and humanitarian Will Rogers on the Arkansas Tech University campus has been added to the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service. The monument, located...
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Israel, Iran halt retaliatory attacks
Iran on June 8 announced a suspension of military operations against Israel after the two countries traded strikes for the first time since April, threatening a fragile ceasefire and diplomatic efforts to end the monthslong war. The unified command of...
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Communities across River Valley prepare for July 4
Fort Smith will celebrate both Independence Day and the nation’s 250th birthday with an evening of music, family activities and fireworks July 4 at Harry E. Kelley River Park. Mayor George McGill has invited residents and visitors to attend the city’s...
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‘The Western District’ stages at historic Fort Smith locations
Audiences will have two opportunities this month to experience a theatrical retelling of one of Fort Smith’s most turbulent chapters of history as “The Western District” continues its June performances at two distinctive local venues. The historical...
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Planning America’s 250th highlights divide
Two separate groups are planning celebrations for America’s 250th birthday this year. So far, neither has been universally well-received. The groups – America250 and Freedom 250 – have each organized their own array of events and initiatives...
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‘Blessed to have the opportunity’
Alayna Turner’s room is already halfpacked, with dresses, shoes and packing lists scattered everywhere. For Turner, a senior at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, the organized chaos is part of preparing for one of the biggest weeks of her life....
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Expect more military convoys on AR roads through June
Arkansas motorists can expect to see increased military traffic on highways and interstates across the state as members of the Arkansas National Guard travel to annual training exercises. The increased traffic is expected to continue through mid-June...
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Iran suspends talks over attacks on Lebanon
Iran halted indirect talks with the United States over Israel’s intensifying attacks on Lebanon, according to Iranian media reports, signaling a possible breakdown in diplomatic efforts to end the 3-month-old war. The Iranian semi-official Tasnim news...
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Ads for GLP-1 drugs flooding the internet
If you watched the Super Bowl in 2026, you likely saw Serena Williams share her weight-loss journey on GLP-1 medications in a commercial. h Like millions of others around the country, if you’ve ever considered taking one of these drugs, you probably...
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Security guards face risks without recognition
SAN DIEGO – On average, they make $18 an hour. Many are required to provide their own body armor. And if a gunman bursts through the door of a church, store or government office, they’re relied on to confront intruders hell-bent on wreaking deadly...
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Judge blocks Trump’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
WASHINGTON – A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from setting up a $1.8 billion fund to compensate people the Justice Department deems were investigated improperly. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia ordered the...
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Trump often repeats debunked claim
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has repeated his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him at least 107 times in the last six months, keeping the grievance front and center even as he faces new political risks from the war with Iran...
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Alma’s Ferguson headed to Jimmy Awards after top honor
Alma’s Calin Ferguson earned the top award at the 2026 Walton Arts Center’s Diamond Awards on May 23, as a number of performers from the River Valley took home awards. Ferguson portrayed Vi Moore in the Alma production of “Footloose the Musical” and...
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FSLT kicks off summer with ‘Last of the Red Hot Lovers’
Fort Smith Little Theatre will open its summer season later this month with Neil Simon’s classic comedy “Last of the Red Hot Lovers,” marking the directorial debut of longtime volunteer Kim Pierson. The comedy will run May 28 through June 6 at Fort...
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WWII veteran recalls journey across Europe
Bill R. Horne can still see the forest. It came after American forces pushed through Paderborn, late in World War II, when the fighting had turned into a relentless march across Germany. His unit moved through open fields, then into the trees, dark,...
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GA hopefuls vie to be ‘more MAGA’
The Georgia Republican gubernatorial runoff election is set. Current Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and health care CEO Rick Jackson have been battling it out for months in a crowded Republican primary field for the top seat in the state. Both have painted...
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GM vehicle designers embracing AI tools
DETROIT – General Motors says incorporating artificial intelligence into its design process allows it to develop vehicles faster than ever before, saving time and money in an increasingly competitive global market. The Detroit automaker has deployed...
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Universities still hold Native remains, artifacts
Many universities and museums in the United States have long held Native American burial artifacts, other sacred objects and even human remains. Most of these collections were acquired in the late 19th and 20th centuries. They came from grave...
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Pakistan aims to get peace talks on track
DUBAI – Pakistan stepped up diplomacy on May 21 to hasten peace talks between the United States and Iran even as Tehran appeared to harden its stance over the nuclear issue amid new threats of strikes from President Donald Trump if he didn’t get the...
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AI ventures into literature
At some point in the next several months, I am hoping to receive a modest check as a member of the class covered in the class-action settlement Bartz v. Anthropic. In 2025, the artificial intelligence company Anthropic, best known for creating the...
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Trump postpones planned Iran strikes
President Donald Trump said he delayed strikes on Iran planned for May 19 following progress on a possible deal to end the war, though Tehran’s latest proposal appears little changed from an earlier deal that the president rejected as “garbage.” “It’s...
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Ryerse: Health care costs limit freedom and opportunity
Democratic congressional candidate Robb Ryerse told a Fort Smith audience that many Americans are struggling not because of personal failure, but because of systemic problems that have made everyday life increasingly difficult. “At some point, we have...
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Rising diesel costs strain school budgets
LOS ANGELES – Soaring diesel prices since the onset of the Iran war are draining already tight school district budgets, making it more expensive to bus students and run generators in a shock officials say they will not be able to afford for...
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EPA: Fort Smith spill did not reach Poteau River
Federal officials say a chemical spill near the Arkansas-Oklahoma state line did not reach the Poteau River, and emergency response operations are now shifting from federal oversight to state and local remediation teams. The U.S. Environmental...
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Trump leaves Beijing visit with few wins
BEIJING – President Donald Trump left China on May 15 with no major breakthroughs on trade or tangible help from Beijing to end the Iran war, despite two days spent heaping praise on his host, Xi Jinping. Trump’s visit to America’s main strategic and...
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Refugee journey inspires dentist’s driven mission
Fifty-one years ago, as Saigon collapsed and the Vietnam War came to an end, thousands of refugees passed through Fort Chaffee carrying little more than what they could hold in their hands. Among them was the Le family. Today, one of those refugees’...
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Trump says no help needed in the Gulf
The financial toll of the war in Iran looked increasingly bleak on May 13, after President Donald Trump indicated he’s willing to do whatever it takes to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, no matter the impact on the U.S. economy. “I don’t...
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Cost of Iran war rising
The Pentagon revised the cost of the war in Iran upward on May 12. “We think it’s closer to $29 billion,” Jules Hurst III, the Pentagon’s acting comptroller, told a House Appropriations subcommittee. A week before, the Trump administration estimated...
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American cruise ship passenger tests positive
Two more people, including an American, have tested positive for hantavirus after being evacuated from a luxury cruise ship hit by a deadly outbreak, health authorities said, as Spain prepared on May 11 to evacuate and repatriate the last passengers...
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Mercy expands Fort Smith care team as safety grades rise
Two physicians with longstanding ties to the River Valley are joining Mercy Fort Smith as the hospital system also celebrates a major national recognition for patient safety. Dr. Abdul-Nasser Adjei, an interventional cardiologist with more than two...
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Building a workforce
The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith on Monday unveiled two new centers aimed at tackling one of the River Valley’s most pressing challenges: building a workforce ready for the future of manufacturing. With a ribbon cutting, tours, and remarks from...
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Uncertainty remains in labor market
U.S. employers added 115,000 jobs in April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated May 8, fueling some cautious optimism about hiring even as high oil prices tied to the Iran war and rising AI adoption pose risks to the labor market. The April...
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Fort Smith F-35 training site aims for 18-month completion
The original timeline was upended on Wednesday when a top Army Corps official challenged contractors to finish Fort Smith’s new F-35 training facility in just 18 months. While the project is scheduled as a two-year build, Brig. Gen. George Walter,...
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Memo hints at possible U.S.-Iran deal
President Donald Trump said Iran could either agree to a framework for peace talks or bombing would resume, after he had paused the military operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said May 6 on social media the war that began Feb. 28, with a...
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Burnham Woods reborn for next generation of Girl Scouts
After years of sitting quietly beneath overgrowth, Burnham Woods is coming back to life, reimagined not just as a camp, but as a launch point for thousands of girls to find their confidence, leadership skills and future paths. When the 13.5-acre Girl...
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Calls grow to regulate online betting
WASHINGTON – As scandals continue to plague popular online betting platforms, calls within Congress to intervene are getting louder. A series of controversies in April – from political candidates profiting from their own campaigns to a soldier’s...
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Microplastics could be overestimated
It seems like every day a new study finds tiny plastic particles called microplastics where they should not be: in our bodies and our food, water and air. Yet finding and identifying microplastics is extremely challenging, especially given their small...
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Psychedelic drug research set to proceed
The Food and Drug Administration has announced the winners of national priority vouchers to study the therapeutic effects of psychedelic drugs, shortly after President Donald Trump signed an executive order paving the way for more research. In an...
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TrumpIRA site offers retirement savings
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 30 that will broaden access to retirement savings for workers whose employers don’t offer 401(k)-type plans. The order creates a new website, TrumpIRA.gov, that workers can use to enroll in a...
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Trump: Iran blockade could last months
President Donald Trump indicated he’s prepared to keep his current strategy of blockading Iranian ports for months in order to inflict economic pain on the Islamic republic as long as he feels is necessary. “At this moment, there will never be a deal...
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Congress grills Hegseth on Iran war
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth faced questions on the Iran war from Congress for the first time since the twomonth conflict began, as President Donald Trump warned the Middle Eastern country to “get smart soon” and make a deal that meets U.S. demands. In...
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Trump claims Iran is breaking down
President Donald Trump on April 28 said Iranian officials have warned the country is in a state of collapse and want a U.S. blockade lifted, as the White House weighs a peace offer from Iran that seeks to end the two-month war. “Iran has just informed...
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U.S.-Iran negotiations remain at a standstill
Work has not halted to bridge gaps between the United States and Iran, sources from mediator Pakistan said, despite the failure of face-to-face diplomacy after President Donald Trump called off a trip by his envoys over the weekend. Iranian sources...
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Former ATU catcher funds baseball scholarship, support
For Arkansas Tech University alumnus Steve Walker, baseball has always been more than a game. It’s a legacy. Walker, a former catcher for the Wonder Boys, has created the Steve G. Walker Endowed Baseball Scholarship and Fund through the ATU...
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DISNEY
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – In 1928, the cartoon short “Steamboat Willie” hit theaters. It was a black-and-white, 7minute cartoon that wowed audiences with sound – no talking, but whistles, squeaks and the song “Turkey in the Straw.” It starred a pair of mice,...
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Ping-pong robot beats top-level human players
An autonomous robot ping-pong player dubbed Ace has achieved a milestone for AI and robotics in Tokyo by competing against, and sometimes defeating, top-level human players at table tennis, a feat that could presage an array of other applications for...
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Final Ebbing report outlines noise and economic effects
The Department of the Air Force has released its final environmental summary for a proposed expansion of the Foreign Military Sales Pilot Training Center at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, concluding the project would increase aircraft activity and...
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Study explores solar option that spares AR cropland
As solar development increasingly competes with farmland across Arkansas, University of Arkansas researchers are testing whether a different approach could meet energy demands without taking acreage out of production. A new project at the Rice...
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Powerful essay leads to OG&E Positive Energy award
Anthony Mendez thought he was walking into another senior assembly Thursday morning, April 16, at Northside High School. Instead, he walked out with something far more lasting, a sense that the power he once lost had, in some ways, come back. Mendez...
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Answers sought after Louisiana massacre
SHREVEPORT, LA – Residents of this historic riverfront city remained shaken a day after a gunman opened fire April 19 and killed eight children in the nation’s deadliest mass shooting since January 2024. They were looking for explanations – and...
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Trend could sway outcome of 2026 midterms
In the 2024 election, President Donald Trump dramatically improved his performance among nearly all groups of voters from four years earlier. Trump’s growth among Hispanic voters was especially notable, increasing by more than 10 points from 2020 to...
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Prison plan not mentioned in Sanders’ State of the State
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders still considers the proposed 3,000-bed prison in Franklin County the state’s best option for expanding correctional capacity, even as the project went unmentioned in her recent State of the State address and in a letter to...
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National Mall to get Freedom 250 makeover
WASHINGTON – Livestock competitions, rodeo events and a 110-foot Ferris wheel are coming to the National Mall this summer as part of a White Housebacked, “World’s Fair-style” celebration marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. The 16-day event, dubbed...
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DROUGHT HITS HAY OUTPUT
Arkansas ranchers are tapping into hay reserves and bracing for reduced forage production as drought conditions intensify across nearly the entire state. According to the April 9 U.S. Drought Monitor, 99.96% of Arkansas is experiencing some level of...
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Freeze spares strawberries but wipes out peaches
Arkansas fruit growers are seeing a tale of two seasons in 2026, with strawberries arriving early and strong, while peaches have largely been wiped out by a late freeze. Strawberry production across the state is off to a promising start, according to...
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Top Guard leader tours Fort Smith air base
The nation’s top National Guard official visited Ebbing Air National Guard Base on April 9, highlighting the installation’s growing role in national defense and its expanding mission set. Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau,...
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LEARNS Act dominates State of the State speech
Education, and specifically the continued rollout of Arkansas’ LEARNS Act, took center stage as Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivered her State of the State address at the start of the 2026 Fiscal Session on April 8. Sanders devoted the largest...
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Region offers lessons about broadening voters’ options
A majority of Americans say they are “frustrated” or “angry” – or both – with Republicans and Democrats, according to the Pew Research Center. But that rarely translates into support for independent or third-party candidates. One exception has been in...
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Stage & stein
The story of one of the most corrupt federal courts in U.S. history is being told this spring through theater and through what people drink. h “The Western District,” a one-act historical melodrama, opens performances this week, accompanied by two...
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Artemis II crew awestruck by trip
The four astronauts on the Artemis II mission that took them around the moon spent years preparing for the historic flight, practicing operating the Orion spacecraft, learning how to observe the moon’s geography and even training in photography. The...
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Mercy unveils campus upgrades
Mercy Health announced Tuesday the first phase of a multi-year investment plan to expand services and upgrade facilities at its Fort Smith campus. The initial phase is part of a threephase effort expected to bring more than $60 million in total...
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U.S., Iran declare victory with ceasefire
A two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran is underway following an eleventh-hour deal struck just before a deadline imposed by President Donald Trump, who threatened to wipe out a “whole civilization” if Iran did not capitulate to U.S....
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Public defender shortage ripples across legal system
The Oregon Supreme Court on Feb. 5 issued a ruling that will have a wide impact. More than 1,400 criminal cases had to be dismissed, the justices ruled, due to lack of adequate counsel available for defendants. Like other states, Oregon must provide...
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State awards $4.9M in park grants, River Valley benefits
Parks and trail projects across the Arkansas River Valley are set to receive new investments as part of a $4.92 million statewide grant program announced on March 31 by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The funding, distributed through the Arkansas...
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Trump issues more threats against Iran
President Donald Trump took to social media on April 5 to applaud the U.S. military’s rescue of the second airman whose fighter jet was shot down over Iran – and to issue an expletive-laden threat against the Middle Eastern nation to reopen the Strait...
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‘The Western District’ opens with Fort Smith history focus
A controversial and often-overlooked chapter of Fort Smith’s past will take center stage beginning April 9 as “The Western District,” a one-act historical drama, launches its opening weekend across multiple venues in the city. Written and produced by...
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Recent graduates find challenging job market
In 2025, new college graduates wanted remote, high-paying jobs that aligned with their values. In 2026, they just want a job. With 89% worrying artificial intelligence could replace entry-level roles – up from 64% last year – 67% of graduates now say...
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