Westside Eagle-Observer
Place to spread their wings, fly
GRAVETTE — Lynn Sciumbato’s home, from a distance, can easily be confused with any other rural Benton County property. After a 1,000-foot trip down her driveway, the first thing someone sees is multiple bird pens. A wandering bird might even greet...
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Bequette appointed interim fire chief
GRAVETTE — The city of Gravette announced that Fire Captain Joseph “Joey” Bequette has been officially appointed as interim fire chief after accepting the offer extended by Mayor Kurt Maddox. During his tenure as captain, Bequette played a vital role...
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Decatur mayor announces plan to retire in January
DECATUR — Mayor Robert Tharp, at a special meeting on Dec. 29, announced his intention to retire on Jan. 13, a day after the city’s Jan. 12 council meeting and the planned adoption of the city’s budget for 2026. Tharp told council members that his...
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Centers say grants are ‘a temporary fix’
Recently announced state grants will help victim services agencies sustain their operations in the wake of a federal funding cut, but won’t cover all the money lost, and a long-term strategy will be needed, agency directors agree. All of the...
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Teamwork makes the dream work at Decatur church
DECATUR — For Pastor Kirk Anderson of Decatur Assembly of God Church, being a pastor is a family affair. His son, Matthew, 24, handles tech and media for the church. His daughter, Emma, 22, is on the worship team. His daughter and son-in-law, Megan...
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Gravette mourns passing of fire chief
GRAVETTE — David Orr, the Gravette fire chief known for his decades of service and a leadership style that prioritized his crew above himself, died Saturday morning following a battle with cancer. Orr died around 5:50 a.m. after fighting Stage 4...
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Life lessons take center stage in Gentry High School Theater
GENTRY — At Gentry High School Theater, where performances of The Outsiders wrapped up last month, authenticity is not an act. “I’m not trying to turn you into the best actor in the world,” Director Josh McBride said. “I’m trying to help you be the...
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Mile-long section of Arkansas 72 prone to crashes, officials say
CENTERTON — An elected official is urging drivers to be careful when traversing a stretch of Arkansas 72 that’s prone to vehicle crashes, particularly when it rains. State Rep. Mindy McAlindon, whose District 10 includes part of Benton County, said...
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County panel denies 30-lot subdivision plan
BENTONVILLE — A planned 30-lot subdivision in southwest Benton County will not move forward after residents raised concerns about the area not being able to accommodate it. The Benton County Planning Board voted 5-0 on Nov. 19 to deny a preliminary...
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Womack challenges students at Veterans Day assembly
GRAVETTE — Congressman Steve Womack was the guest speaker for the Veterans Day program Tuesday morning, Nov. 11, at the Gravette High School arena. Womack is a 30-year veteran of the Arkansas Army National Guard, retiring at the rank of Colonel. He...
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City moves ahead with exploring regional wastewater solution
DECATUR — City leaders will explore the possibility of forming a regional wastewater authority after the city council approved a resolution authorizing the action during a special meeting on November 4. “With the passage of this resolution, the City...
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Decatur considers selling wastewater plant
DECATUR — The Decatur city council held a special meeting Oct. 27 to discuss the future of the wastewater treatment plant. For the city’s wastewater plant to continue operating, it must retain its two primary customers, the city of Centerton and...
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Board OKs video scoreboard partnership
GENTRY — The Gentry School Board on Thursday unanimously approved two major initiatives aimed at upgrading athletic facilities and expanding opportunities for students: a partnership for a new LED video scoreboard and the conditional acceptance of a...
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ARDOT completes corridor study in Benton County
DECATUR — Mayor Bob Tharp, at the Oct. 13 city council meeting, presented the results of a corridor study by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT). “Local officials have expressed concerns about traffic delays, truck volumes, and safety...
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Hiwasse fall festival guests enjoy beautiful fall day
HIWASSE — A sunny, mild fall day provided the perfect setting for visitors to this year’s Hiwasse fall festival. Held Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Hiwasse community building and park, the event drew guests from throughout the area who enjoyed a variety of...
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LBRA hosts cruise night in Gentry
Engines roared, exhaust pipes smoked, and tires burned at the cruise night held on Main Street in Gentry Saturday night. The event showcased a host of antique cars, as well as several high-riding pickup trucks. The event, held in memory of Denny Friend...
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Gentry’s Main Street glows with over 200 bikes
GENTRY — Gentry’s Main Street was transformed into a dazzling river of light Saturday evening as over 200 bikes, wagons, and trikes participated in the annual Gentry Chamber of Commerce Glow Ride. The event, sponsored by the Chamber, saw cyclists of...
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Big top fun comes to Decatur
DECATUR — The Culpepper & Merriweather Circus rolled into town last weekend, bringing a day of traditional big-top entertainment to Veterans Park on Sunday. Sponsored by the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, the circus presented two thrilling shows under...
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Gentry florist, 23, wins Mid-America Cup
GENTRY — Falyn Cordeiro of Gentry, 23, felt out of her league competing at the Arkansas Florists Association Mid-America Cup on Aug. 22 at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in Little Rock. Cordeiro found herself up against some of her favorite florists,...
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Who murdered Dana Stidham?
Editor’s note: This is the first installment of Crime in the Ozarks, a recurring series looking at cold cases and other crimes of high local interest in the Ozarks region. Dana Stidham went on a simple errand and was never heard from again. The...
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Highfill and XNA reach tentative agreement
HIGHFILL — The city of Highfill and the Northwest Arkansas National Airport Authority (XNA) have reached a tentative agreement on a memorandum of understanding (MOU), outlining a path forward to settle a long-standing land dispute and potentially end...
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Kaleidoscope Cafe hosts ribbon-cutting ceremony
HIGHFILL — The ribbon was cut at the Kaleidoscope Cafe in Highfill on Saturday morning, celebrating the opening of the new business, which offers specialty coffees and teas as well as homemade pastries. The business offers a “coffee experience as...
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Gentry pilots free school supply initiative at primary school
GENTRY — At Gentry Primary School between 4-6 p.m. on the afternoon of Aug. 7, smoke billowed above the parking lot. It was not an indication of fire. It was an indication of community involvement. Primary school students and their families were...
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Decatur clinic continues rural healthcare legacy
DECATUR — Since 1963, when Dr. Edward McCollum moved his practice from an old two-story house to the 22-room clinic at 346 N. Main Street, the downtown location has been Decatur’s stop for medical care, according to staff reports. In that regard,...
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Police say drones a game changer for emergency services
PEA RIDGE — The use of drones in emergency services has been a game changer for first responders. Just ask Highfill Police Chief Blake Webb. “Although drones are a new concept, the ability to have them on any emergency scene provides a layer of...
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Country View Animal Care Center celebrates anniversary
GRAVETTE — Country View Animal Care Center celebrated its 20th anniversary on Saturday, July 12, with a thank-you event for all its customers. The event included a bountiful buffet meal, entertainment by local cowboy poet Ron McDaniel, and a drawing...
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Freedom Fest draws crowds to Gentry’s July 4th celebration
GENTRY — Crowds again gathered in the Gentry City Park to celebrate the July 4th Independence Day holiday on Friday. The celebration began at noon, when the national anthem was sung and Old Glory was raised by members of American Legion Post 159 in...
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Single dad restores old car to honor parents
SULPHUR SPRINGS — At the end of Spring Street, between the fire station and the arched entry to the city park, retired maintenance man Elvin Slaughter Jr. of Rogers stood near his 1967 Chevrolet Camaro at the Sulphur Days car show in Sulphur Springs on...
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Storm causes damages to homes
HIGHFILL — A storm that went through Northwest Arkansas early on June 18 caused significant damage to three homes in Highfill and minor to moderate damage to others in the city. The National Weather Service’s office in Tulsa received a report of the...
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Gravette soldier killed in D-Day invasion is laid to rest
GRAVETTE — It took more than 80 years, but a soldier from Gravette was finally returned home and laid to rest Monday. The remains of U.S. Army Pvt. Rodger Dean Andrews, who died in the D-Day Normandy invasion during World II, were buried Monday next...
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Beloved vet receives Farm Family of the Year Award
DECATUR — Dr. Marion and Connie Harris and their family, of Gravette, received the Benton County Farm Family of the Year Award at a ceremony at their farm in Decatur on June 2. The Harris family runs a 130acre beef cattle operation in Benton County....
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Community gathers to remember
DECATUR — A year after a devastating tornado swept through Decatur, community leaders and residents gathered Monday, May 26, to commemorate the resilience of those affected. The event at Veterans Park, located on Arkansas Highway 102, took place from...
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Williamson resigns from board
GENTRY — School Board president David Williamson tearfully announced his resignation from the board at its May 20 meeting, effective immediately. What could be described as a solemn silence followed. Williamson read from a letter he had prepared. His...
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Buddy Day at Glenn Duffy Elementary is all about fun
GRAVETTE — Gravette Middle School students McKynzie Jones, 12, and Bailey Dueker, 12, were in charge of the scooter races at Buddy Day from 9 to 11 a.m. at Glenn Duffy Elementary in Gravette on May 9. Jones and Dueker said they were volunteering for...
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Gravette Lions Club hosts founder of Alpha Gal Encouragers group
GRAVETTE — Jennifer Burton, founder and outreach coordinator of the Alpha Gal Encouragers of Northwest Arkansas, was guest speaker for the May 6 meeting of the Gravette Lions Club. Because of the increase in cases of tickborne alpha gal syndrome and...
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Spavinaw Stove receives Business of the Year award
GENTRY — Business leaders and community members gathered at the Copper and Cream venue on the east side of Gentry for the annual Gentry Chamber of Commerce Business and Community Reception on April 29. A highlight of the program was the presentation...
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Gentry school board approves new math, literacy curricula
GENTRY — The school board approved the purchases of new math and literacy curricula at their April 21 meeting. District superintendent Tyler Broyles explained at the meeting that the curricula are needed to avoid having to send letters home to parents...
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The farmer takes a wife
GENTRY — Bill Haak is an eighth-generation dairy farmer whose family’s history dates back to the Netherlands. Bill and Delia Haak have milked cows at their dairy near Gentry for 45 years. They milk about 140 cows on 200 acres. The acreage is divided...
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Lady Pioneers’ powerlifting team claims championship
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Gentry Lady Pioneer powerlifting team made history Saturday, April 5, at the NASA High School National Powerlifting Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla., securing the program’s first-ever national championship. Gentry...
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Bright Futures Gravette holds annual meeting
GRAVETTE — Jeff Gravette, superintendent of Gravette Public Schools, was the guest speaker for the 2025 Bright Futures annual meeting and breakfast. Gravette addressed Bright Futures members and guests at the meeting, held Thursday morning, April 3, at...
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Wastewater capacity issues stall construction
Some building projects in Centerton and elsewhere in western Benton County are at a standstill because population growth is outpacing the capacity for wastewater treatment. Craig Corder, chief engineer for the Arkansas Department of Health Engineering...
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Gentry School Board amends calendars
GENTRY — The school board in Gentry amended calendars for this school year and next at Thursday night’s meeting to reduce the number of makeup instructional days to be added at the close of the school year. An email addressed to student families...
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Be Pro Be Proud workshop held at Gentry High School
GENTRY — High school students in Gentry visited the Be Pro Be Proud portable simulator trailer on the high school campus Friday to explore their skills and interests in various skilled-labor occupations. Using simulators, students could experience...
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Library sees growing interest in seed exchange
GENTRY — Residents of Gentry swapped more than seeds at the seed exchange at Gentry Public Library on March 1. Gentry is an agricultural community with a wide variety of skills to bring to the table, said librarian Lori Johnson. Johnson, accompanied...
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Veterans interviewed on service in ‘War and Life’
BELLA VISTA — Preston Jones of Bella Vista keeps a collection of video interviews with U.S. combat veterans and other resources on his website titled “War and Life: Discussions with Veterans.” Jones served in the U.S. Navy on an aircraft carrier from...
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As snow falls, schools and businesses close
GENTRY — Though it’s gone now, snow that fell on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, followed by temperatures that dipped into the single digits, both above and below zero, kept roads snow-covered and icy and closed schools and businesses for much of...
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School Board officially appoints Jeff Gravette
GRAVETTE — The Gravette School District Board officially appointed Jeff Gravette as superintendent during its January 27 meeting, marking a pivotal moment for the district’s leadership, according to a news release published on the Gravette School...
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Islamic Center plans OK’d
CAVE SPRINGS — Plans for an Islamic center in the city are moving ahead, though changes to the current proposal could still be required depending on what city staff think of the most recent proposal. The city Planning Commission voted 4-0 on Feb. 3 to...
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Ward crowned winter homecoming queen
Gentry senior Presley Ward was crowned queen at coronation ceremonies Friday night at Gentry High School.
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Keeping autism in focus
GENTRY — Quin Warsaw was just a kid that day in 2017, growing restless beside his mother as they hiked. Michele Warsaw had packed her point-and-shoot camera and, looking for something to occupy Quin, she handed it to him. It was a typical exchange...
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Gravette Chamber begins 2025 year
GRAVETTE — Members and guests of the Greater Gravette Chamber of Commerce began their 2025 year with their regular meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 15, in the annex at Ozarks Community Hospital. New officers were elected at the December meeting. All were...
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Winter storm slams region
Northwest Arkansas residents awoke to a snow-covered landscape and treacherous roads Friday morning, and some were left to brave the frigid temperatures without electricity. Benton and Washington counties received about 5-7 inches of snow between...
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The Year in Review, Part 2
WESTSIDE — Much happened in the Westside Eagle Observer coverage area over the past year. Following are a few of the stories and events covered by the Eagle Observer in the second half of 2024. Part one of this year in review story was printed in the...
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Looking back at 2024 (Part 1)
WESTSIDE — Much happened in the Westside Eagle Observer coverage area over the past year. Following are a few of the stories and events covered by the Eagle Observer in the first half of 2024. See next week’s issue for part 2 of this 2024 in-review...
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Gentry Schools considering millage measure to accommodate growth
GENTRY — Due to everincreasing student numbers, Gentry School District’s new superintendent, Dr. Tyler Broyles, asked the school board on Dec. 16 to consider asking voters to allow the school district to increase the millage rate to recover mills lost...
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Gravette Chamber holds third annual Hometown Christmas celebration
Santa and a favorite elf pose for a photo at the photo booth at the Greater Gravette Chamber of Commerce’s annual Hometown Christmas celebration on Saturday.
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Gentry invites public input on park
GENTRY — Mayor Kevin Johnston and staff members from McClelland Consulting Engineers in Springdale were on hand in the city council chambers in Gentry on Dec. 3 to show several park plans and seek public input regarding the upcoming development of the...
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FFA officers, sponsors recognized at meeting
GRAVETTE — Officers and sponsors of the Gravette FFA Chapter were welcomed and celebrated at the Nov. 18 meeting of the Gravette School Board. Local FFA members brought home two national awards, including a Star Chapter award, from the national...
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Cooper’s hawk returned to wild
GENTRY — A small crowd gathered at the Terry Stanfill Memorial Pavilion along the Eagle Watch Nature Trail in Gentry on Friday afternoon to watch the release of a Cooper’s hawk that had been treated and nourished back to health at Northsong Wild Bird...
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Man arrested in connection with kidnapping woman
BENTONVILLE — A circuit judge set bail at $500,000 cash only for a Benton County man accused of kidnapping a woman from a Walmart Supercenter and raping her. Judge Robin Green held a bond hearing on Nov. 13 for Marcos Antonio Morales, who was arrested...
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‘Socktober’ drive leads to hundreds of donations
GENTRY — The Gentry High School FBLA presented the Gentry Chamber of Commerce with 600 pairs of socks collected by the FBLA during the Socktober sock drive held at the high school. Emery Brown, president of the GHS chapter of FBLA, and Raegan Michael,...
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Board members honor Leader In Me students
GRAVETTE — Saige Kleber and Bailey Miller, fifth-grade students at Gravette Upper Elementary participating in the Leader In Me program, led the pledge of allegiance to open the Monday, Oct. 21, meeting of the Gravette School Board and then spoke to the...
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Council members rezone properties
GRAVETTE — Gravette city council members passed ordinances rezoning three properties and another approving a three-year moratorium on RV parks and self-storage facilities at their regular council meeting on Tuesday evening, Oct. 22. A public hearing...
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Graef returns to run The Chicken Coop
GENTRY — The Chicken Coop is open again in Gentry at 500 East Main Street, and owner Melissa Graef is again operating the business, which draws customers from around the region. The business features a variety of antique and collectible items,...
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Womack crowned Gentry homecoming queen
Makenna Womack was crowned queen at homecoming ceremonies on Friday night in Gentry.
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Schools hold multicultural celebration
DECATUR — A week-long event led up to a day of music, food, flags, exhibits, and a parade for students of the Decatur School District on Friday. The event celebrated the different cultures that make up the population of Decatur Pre-K, Northside...
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Decatur officer honored
DECATUR — Police Officer Luke Rouhselang was recognized with the Servant’s Heart Award at the Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police convention in Hot Springs on Sept. 25. Rouhselang received the award for his selfless and meritorious service on the...
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