Washington County Enterprise-Leader
City of Farmington issues 262 permits for new houses in ’25
FARMINGTON — The city of Farmington issued building permits for 262 single-family homes and six duplexes in 2025 for a total value of more than $113 million, according to Mayor Ernie Penn. Penn was sitting at his desk at City Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 13,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
City waits to bid Creekside Trail
FARMINGTON — The city of Farmington received an early Christmas present in December. The last easement needed to construct a new walking and biking trail at Creekside Park had been approved, which meant the project was ready to move forward to the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Construction continues on library’s ‘outdoor living room’
FARMINGTON — Farmington Public Library will more than double its space with a new “outdoor living room” for patrons and the general public. Parts of the project can be seen on the grassy lot next to the library on Cimarron Way, and library staff...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
8th graders learn ‘Quilt Codes’
PRAIRIE GROVE — Tracie Ashley’s eighth grade history students at Prairie Grove Junior High School worked on a project last semester that also included their art teacher and the owners of a local quilt shop. Ashley said school Principal Jennifer...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Prairie Grove’s 2026 city budget includes new police officer, firefighter
PRAIRIE GROVE — The city of Prairie Grove will add two new police vehicles and a new position at the police and fire departments as part of the 2026 budget approved by Prairie Grove City Council on Monday, Dec. 15. The city projects to receive about...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Here Comes Santa
Santa Claus waves to children along the parade route Saturday, Dec. 14 for Prairie Grove’s Parade of Lights. The 2025 parade, hosted by 2nd Saturday Trades Day, had a record 65 entries with thousands of people lining the streets to watch the parade on...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘Winter Wonderland’ Holiday Parade brings Christmas cheer
FARMINGTON — Chairs were already in place along Southwinds Drive at least two hours early Saturday as residents saved their places to watch the annual Farmington Holiday Parade. As spectators made it to their chairs dressed in jackets, hats, scarves...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Watershed poultry farms left out of case
SPRINGDALE — Tyson Foods Inc. confirmation it might never grant another poultry growing contract in the Illinois River watershed comes 16 days after a federal judge denied poultry growers’ request to have a say in the court case driving Tyson’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Board approves reconfiguration of grades, pending state approval
PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove School District will reconfigure the grades for three of its schools and rename two schools beginning with the 2026-27 year, if the plan is approved by the Office of Public School Accountability. The School Board...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Farmington High students, staff honor veterans for service
FARMINGTON— Farmington High School hosted its annual Veterans Day program on Tuesday, Nov. 11, paying tribute to veterans for their service, thanking family members for their support and welcoming students, staff and the community. The 2025 Veterans...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Judge to allow McGann to appear in court in civilian attire
FAYETTEVILLE — The man accused of fatally stabbing two hikers at Devil’s Den State Park in late July will be allowed to appear at all court proceedings in civilian clothes and without visible restraints, a judge ruled Monday, Nov. 3. Andrew James...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Board discusses financial options for new junior high
FARMINGTON — Farmington School Board will wait until its Nov. 19 meeting to decide on two options for building a new junior high school — a second-lien bond issue or seeking a 2-mill property tax increase — though most board members last week indicated...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Council set to annex Jerry’s Liquor property
PRAIRIE GROVE — City officials recently learned that Jerry’s Park Liquor at 905 E. Douglas St., is an unincorporated piece of property basically in the middle of town. To remedy the issue, Prairie Grove City Council placed an ordinance on first...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lincoln queen crowned
LINCOLN — Lincoln High celebrated its 2025 Homecoming on a perfect football night, with a pep rally and parade earlier in the day, and a coronation ceremony Friday, Sept. 17, at Wolfpack Stadium. The following served as members of the Lincoln 2025...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lincoln water study recommends rate increases for 2026
LINCOLN — A water rate study conducted by a Florida firm recommends the city of Lincoln raise rates in 2026 to recover the cost of its services and to provide revenue for the needs of the system. Mayor Doug Hutchens, in a text message, said the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Prairie Grove Junior High earns ‘A’ school letter grade
PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove Junior High School is one among about 12% of the schools in Arkansas that received an A school letter grade for the 202425 school year, based on its student academic growth and scores from the spring statewide exams. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Wilbanks takes reins as new Farmington police chief
FARMINGTON — Farmington’s new police chief, Mike Wilbanks, points to two books that he believes he is bound to follow when leading the police department. The first one is the Arkansas state statues. The second one is the Holy Bible. “If we can do...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Council orders demolition of former clubhouse
FARMINGTON — After about three years of discussions, emails back and forth and a lack of response, Farmington City Council decided last week it did not want to wait any longer to tear down the old clubhouse for the former Valley View Golf Course. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Clothesline Fair, square dancing shine over Labor Day weekend
PRAIRIE GROVE — The forecast earlier in the week called for a beautiful, fall-like weekend for the 2025 Clothesline Fair. While it didn’t exactly pan out like that, those attending the fair had no complaints about some rain sprinkles here and there and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
City plans event to help the Brinks’ daughters
PRAIRIE GROVE — Mayor David Faulk has been overwhelmed by the support for a community event to benefit the daughters of a Prairie Grove couple who was killed while hiking at Devil’s Den State Park. Faulk said the family did not ask for a benefit. He...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lincoln takes possession of new community building on square
LINCOLN — Lincoln Mayor Doug Hutchens and the city of Lincoln now have the keys to the new community building on Lincoln Square. Jim Thurman, project superintendent with C.R. Crawford Construction, handed the keys to Hutchens at the beginning of the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
A dog party at the pool
A dog waits for a ball to be thrown Saturday, Aug. 16, during the Soggy Doggy Pool Party at the Prairie Grove Aquatic Center. The annual event is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Prairie Grove Pound. About 150 dogs and their humans attended the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Prairie Grove Police Department moves into ‘new’ station
PRAIRIE GROVE — The newly remodeled and expanded Prairie Grove Police Department is unrecognizable from its former layout. After a year of construction and some setbacks, Prairie Grove police officers moved into the building on Thursday, Aug. 7, and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Prairie Grove couple victims of suspected homicide
WEST FORK — State, federal and local law enforcement authorities continued to search Monday for a man they say killed two hikers at Devil’s Den State Park on Saturday. Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, of Prairie Grove, were found...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Communities step up to lend others helping hand
PRAIRIE GROVE — Last fall, a Prairie Grove family spearheaded a drive to help those in desperate need in North Carolina because of Hurricane Helene. Little did they know that 10 months later, they would be organizing another benefit for the tragedies...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Missy Liu’s expands to second location in downtown PG
PRAIRIE GROVE — Marie Howard of Farmington worked in the corporate world in hospitality for Hilton for years and could not imagine living in a small community. Today, however, she loves small-town living and her hospitality skills have gone from...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Prairie Grove hires Springdale principal as assistant superintendent
PRAIRIE GROVE — An educator with 28 years of experience is heading from Springdale to Prairie Grove to serve as assistant superintendent for the school district. Allison Byford has 20 years of administrative experience and has served as principal for...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Timber framing workshop helps to advance Colburn Barn restoration
CANE HILL — Smells of brewed coffee and wood dust filled the air on the Sunday afternoon, June 1, of a long-anticipated, once-delayed timber framing workshop held May 29 to June 4 at Colburn Barn just south of Cane Hill along Highway 45. The workshop...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PG School Board names Humphreys as superintendent
PRAIRIE GROVE — High school Principal Luke Humphreys will serve as the district’s superintendent for the next year. Following an executive session Tuesday, June 17, the Prairie Grove School Board voted to promote Humphreys from acting superintendent...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lincoln, Farmington schools offer free meals for summer
LINCOLN — It’s not Grub Hub or Door Dash, but it is a Lincoln school bus delivering free meals once a week to students this summer. Valerie Dawson, director of child nutrition for Lincoln Consolidated School District, said this is the first time,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Prairie Grove schools name 2024-25 Teacher of the Year
PRAIRIE GROVE — A Prairie Grove native who has taught fifth grade in Prairie Grove schools for 25 years is the district’s first Teacher of the Year. Alana Ashworth, a fifth-grade teacher at Prairie Grove Middle School, was recognized for the honor for...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Make plans to go junkin’ this weekend
PRAIRIE GROVE — There is not a reason to leave western Washington County on Friday and Saturday if you’re looking for something to do along the lines of shopping, eating, listening to live music or just spending time hanging out with family, friends...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Residents thankful no one was injured from tornadoes
LINCOLN —Looking around at damages from a tornado that struck parts of Lincoln on May 19, Tommy Reed said the most important thing was that no one was injured. “All this stuff don’t mean nothing, as along as no one got hurt,” said Reed, as he sat in a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lincoln High honors 2025 graduates
LINCOLN — On Tuesday, May 13, the Lincoln Wolves seniors were recognized for the completion of their high school careers and for taking the next step into adulthood. The setting could not have been more perfect for Lincoln High School to honor its...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
City improves ISO fire rating
FARMINGTON — Farmington’s fire suppression score will improve from a 3 rating to a 2 rating, based on the department’s most recent evaluation, according to fire Chief Bill Hellard. Hellard announced the new rating for the department at the May 12 City...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Two vie for at-large Prairie Grove School Board position
PRAIRIE GROVE — School Board member Whitney Bryant is running for re-election to another five-year term on the board because she is committed to supporting the school district during a period of growth and transition. Bryant and challenger Ricky Carte...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘Grand’ opening planned for The Grove
PRAIRIE GROVE — The Grove in Prairie Grove, a food truck park with the goal to serve as a community gathering place, is an idea that came to Jobin Kirik on a plane traveling home from seeing his sister in Chicago. He cannot point to anything that...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
The Children’s Safety Center: Where a handprint tells a story
SPRINGDALE — Pinwheels spinning in the wind represent joy, childhood and playfulness. That’s the reason the pinwheel is the symbol for National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April. The Children’s Safety Center of Washington County participates in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Community center celebrated with ‘topping out’ ceremony
LINCOLN — The last beam was welded into place for the new community building on Lincoln Square and now it is ready for a roof. The city, WER North Arkansas architectural firm and contractor C.R. Crawford construction firm hosted a “topping out...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PG schools seek millage increase to meet growth
PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove School District launched a new link on its website last week to give voters information about a proposed millage increase on the May 13 school election ballot. The school district is proposing to increase the property...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Faulk gives ‘State of the City’ address
PRAIRIE GROVE — Mayor David Faulk, in his third year as mayor of Prairie Grove, gave his State of the City address March 17, looking back over 2024 and ahead for the rest of 2025. For Prairie Grove, 2024 was a good year but also with ups and downs,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Administrators give reasons for proposed millage increase
FARMINGTON — Farmington School District is seeking a 4-mill property tax increase to build a new junior high school that will help the district meet student growth, realign the grades, reduce traffic at Rheas Mill and Double Springs roads and eliminate...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Prairie Grove schools recognized for outstanding academic growth
PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove School District received several 2024 outstanding educational awards for its students’ growth on the statewide tests given last spring. Prairie Grove High School received the following Outstanding Educational Performance...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Prairie Grove High rewarded for graduation rate increase
PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove High School has been named a top performing school based on its 2023 graduation rate, according to an announcement by the Arkansas School Recognition Program. The high school is receiving $56,257 from the program for its...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Farmington planners approve 7 Brew at new site
FARMINGTON — A 7 Brew drive-through coffee shop is coming to Farmington in a new location at the intersection of Main Street and Highway 170, the former site of Discount Tobacco. Farmington Planning Commission voted 5-2 to approve the large scale...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PG School Board to ask voters for 4-mill tax increase
PRAIRIE GROVE — Voters will decide in May on a property tax increase requested by the Prairie Grove School District. The School Board voted 6-0 on Feb. 17 to ask voters to approve a 4-mill increase to fund the construction and equipping of both a new...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PG FFA named ‘Outstanding Chapter’
PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove’s FFA program recently was named the 2024 Outstanding Agricultural Education Program in Arkansas, which now puts it in the running for a national award. Prairie Grove FFA advisors Clint Hale, Sarah Hale and David Hays,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Splash Car Wash opens in Farmington
FARMINGTON — The company that owns Splash Car Wash is based in Little Rock and started expanding to Northwest Arkansas about nine years ago. Edwin Campos, manager for the new Splash Car Wash at 142 E. Main Street in Farmington, said Splash has 19...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Showing appreciation to LIFE Ministries
PRAIRIE GROVE — Volunteers with LIFE Ministries donated more than 10,000 hours in 2024 to the organization that serves the needs of people in southwestern Washington County. The Board of Directors, which is also made up of members who volunteer their...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Council rezones land, increases trash rates
LINCOLN — It wasn’t unanimous, but Lincoln City Council last week rezoned about three acres off South Mitchell Avenue from R-1 to R-2, which allows multi-family developments, such as duplexes. The vote was 5-3 after three separate readings to adopt...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Highway 170 widening project on schedule for mid-May
FARMINGTON — The Highway 170 widening project is still on schedule to be finished by its May 14 deadline, according to Ron Petrie, vice president with Garver, the engineering firm that designed the project and is overseeing the work. Petrie gave an...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Spreading joy to celebrate Christmas
PRAIRIE GROVE — Tears were shed as a 14-year-old teenager from Prairie Grove spread Christmas joy on Jan. 2 to many residents at Prairie Grove Health and Rehabilitation nursing home. Riley, a ninth grader at Prairie Grove High School, has organized...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
School Board receives reports on app, survey
PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove School Board’s Dec. 17 meeting included data about the usage of the district’s “Rooms” app for staff, students and parents and results of a fall school climate survey. Hadley Duvall, communications coordinator, gave the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
School Board discusses tax increase for new junior high
FARMINGTON — Farmington School Board’s Dec. 16 meeting included more discussions about how to pay for a new junior high building to be located along Highway 170 near the high school. The board also approved a recommendation to promote Jay Harper from...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘Reindeer Games’ continue in Lincoln
LINCOLN — A Christmas game that started because of restrictions during covid continues at Lincoln Elementary School to the delight of children and teachers alike. Principal Traci Birkes said children couldn’t all be together for Christmas activities...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
State Park unveils presentation sword given to General Blunt
PRAIRIE GROVE — A presentation grade officer’s sword presented to Gen. James G. Blunt after the 1862 Battle of Prairie Grove is the newest artifact in the state park’s collection. Park interpreter Mattison Griffin led an unveiling ceremony for the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Reenactment commemorates 162nd Battle of Prairie Grove
PRAIRIE GROVE — Holli Steadman of Prairie Grove brought her three boys to the reenactment of the Battle of Prairie Grove on Saturday, Dec. 7, because they are studying history at home. The family attended a reenactment in Texas and recently moved to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Farmington schools use weapons detectors to enhance student safety
FARMINGTON — Greg Pair, Farmington Junior High assistant principal, stands by a weapons detection gateway each morning as he greets students coming to school. Junior high students, along with students at the high school and Farmington’s alternative...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Battle reenactment set for Dec. 7-8
PRAIRIE GROVE — The roar of cannons and musketry will once again disturb the peaceful Prairie Grove ridge and valley at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park as reenactors tell the story of the Battle of Prairie Grove. The Battle of Prairie Grove...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
School board looks at financial options for a new junior high
FARMINGTON — Farmington School Board began discussions at a special meeting Nov. 8 on whether to seek a millage increase to build a new junior high school at the intersection of state Highway 170 and Clyde Carnes Road. It’s estimated a new junior high...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Farmington School Board votes to buy electric buses
FARMINGTON — Some Farmington students will ride on electric buses next year going to and from school. The School Board on Oct. 21 approved a recommendation from the administration to accept a $1.2 million Environmental Protection Agency grant for six...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Bright Futures Lincoln meets many needs over a year’s time
LINCOLN — For the past year, Bright Futures Lincoln has met more than 1,100 needs of children in Lincoln schools and this does not include families who have been helped twice a month through the school district’s food pantry. Bright Futures Lincoln...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Council leaves fence rules standing
PRAIRIE GROVE – Neighbors and their fences were judged to be “best left alone” and especially when one considers which way the “finished” side of such co-joining barriers exist, said the Prairie Grove City Council in a 6-1 vote, Oct. 21. Council...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Council votes to demolish former golf clubhouse
FARMINGTON — Farmington City Council had several items on its Oct. 14 agenda but the one theme running throughout the meeting was for people to welcome Mayor Ernie Penn back to presiding over city business. This was the first time Penn has been at a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Three candidates vie for council position
Prairie Grove registered voters will cast ballots on three City Council positions this year. Early voting begins Oct. 21 for the Nov. 5 municipal elections. The last day to register to vote for the election is Oct. 7. The Enterprise-Leader will offer a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Apple Festival remains ‘Rooted in Community’
LINCOLN — At age 71, Annie Husong near West Siloam Springs plans to start slowing down as a vendor at craft shows but she said will continue to set up at the Arkansas Apple Festival as long as she can. “We won’t cut this one,” Husong, referring to her...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lincoln Community Garden still growing ten years later
LINCOLN — Lincoln Community Garden is in its tenth year and continues to provide fresh produce to those in need. Through Sept. 13, the garden has given away 1,665 pounds of vegetables and 12 gallons of greens and herbs to Lincoln Senior Center, Grace...
Read Full Story (Page 1)