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Hi Neighbors!

Appreciate all the responses I have been getting, looks like folks are wanting more local news baked in as well. See some highlights from the survey.

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What we have lined up in today’s edition

• Local News you cannot miss

• All this AI stuff going on

• Some Events around town

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—Your Neighbour

📰 FORT SMITH NEWS YOU CAN USE

Fort Smith Special Election on Sales Tax Reallocation - May 13

Fort Smith residents will vote May 13 on reallocating the city's existing sales tax revenue, with no new taxes proposed. The three ballot items focus on funding sewer infrastructure improvements required by a federal consent decree: reauthorizing a 0.75% sales tax, reallocating a portion of the 1% streets/bridges tax to sewer work, and issuing bonds worth up to $360 million for these projects. This approach aims to accelerate compliance with EPA requirements by the city's requested 2036 deadline. Early voting runs May 6-12 at the Sebastian County Courthouse, with four voting centers open on Election Day.

Read More here

Sebastian County Sheriff Endorses Chief Deputy as Successor

Sebastian County Sheriff Hobe Runion has announced he will not seek reelection in March 2026, instead endorsing his recently promoted Chief Deputy John Miller for the position. Runion, 61, who began his law enforcement career in 1992 and was first elected sheriff in November 2018, believes his two four-year terms will be sufficient. He has indicated he may pursue a legislative office after leaving the department.

Miller, who started his career in 1997 as a Greenwood police officer before joining the sheriff's office in 2001, has served in various leadership roles including jail administrator. Runion promoted Miller to chief deputy on April 7 after consulting with department captains about who would be best to lead the department, with the captains agreeing to present "one united front."

Also in the race is Assistant Jail Administrator Wyatt McIntyre, who has served in that role for over six years and announced his candidacy on April 10. McIntyre has nearly 24 years of experience serving the community and has worked under three different sheriffs.

Read More here

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📅 THIS WEEK IN FORT SMITH

Upcoming Events

🎭 Grammy Winner Ruthie Foster to Headline Free Concert at The Bakery District | Thurs, 5:30pm | Details

Grammy Winner Ruthie Foster to Headline Free Concert at The Bakery District

Main Street Fort Smith presents a special pop-up concert featuring Grammy award-winner Ruthie Foster and local singer-songwriter Ava Earnhart on Thursday at 6 p.m. at The Bakery District's outdoor patio (70 S. Seventh St). Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for this free event in downtown Fort Smith.

AI - What is all this fuss about?

Have you been keeping up with all the updates and changes going on with AI.

I personally find it hard to keep up with everything and have been bombarded with new information everyday.

Here is a good youtube channel I found that does a good job of explaining basic AI concepts (no affiliation)

💡 FORT SMITH FACT OF THE WEEK

I was curious what else happened at Fort Chaffee and here are some things I found out.

Fort Chaffee has been the site of several significant events beyond Elvis Presley’s famous haircut. Here’s a breakdown of its notable moments:

World War II and POW Camp

• Opened in 1941, Fort Chaffee served as a major training center for U.S. Army armored divisions during World War II.

• It also housed about 3,000 German prisoners of war between 1942 and 1946.

Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Refugee Processing

• In 1975–76, after the Vietnam War, Fort Chaffee processed over 50,000 Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees, providing medical care and helping them resettle in the United States.

Source - [1], [2], [3]

🔍 LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Hideaway Pizza

This is not a local spotlight but more where my wife and I go for some comfort no brain food.

Why We Love It: Pizza are always done to crispy texture we like. The staff is amazing, and has options for all those picky pizza eaters

Must get the Cheesy Garlic Knots which is a must have for us.

I love some Pineapple on my pizza, what about you?

Visit Them: 8302 Phoenix Ave, Fort Smith, AR 72903 | Google Maps

👋 UNTIL NEXT WEEK

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