SMACKOVER, Ark. – Teachers and staff at Smackover High School received a special lunchtime visit Wednesday, Aug. 12, as the Arkansas Army National Guard stopped by to show its appreciation for the educators preparing for another school year.

SGT. Payten R. Tompkins, with the Arkansas Army National Guard Recruiting Office, brought Chick-fil-A sandwiches for the faculty and staff and briefly introduced himself to the group.

Tompkins has served with the National Guard’s recruiting office in Magnolia but recently transitioned into the recruiter role covering the El Dorado-Camden area. As he begins serving the area, Tompkins said he hopes his role will extend beyond simply recruiting young people to join the Guard.

Instead, he emphasized his desire to empower young men and women to serve their communities in whatever capacity they choose.

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Tompkins also wanted to use the visit as an opportunity to recognize the teachers and staff for the work they do each day.

He expressed his appreciation for educators and noted that the work of teaching is often underappreciated despite the tremendous impact teachers have on their students and communities.

The visit came as the Smackover School District prepares to begin another school year. Smackover High School Principal Cody Cranford praised his faculty and staff for the work they have put in to prepare for the upcoming year.

With teachers and staff working behind the scenes to get classrooms, programs and students ready for another year, Wednesday’s lunch served as a small gesture of appreciation for their efforts.

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As the new school year approaches, Smackover School District is looking forward to another successful year, supported by a faculty and staff committed to serving its students and community.

EL DORADO, AR – Artist Maria Botti Villegas is hosting a “Harvest Season” Mixed Media Drawing & Painting Workshop for the third installment in her ‘Four Seasons at Richland Creek Farm’ series on September 19 from 9:45 AM – 3:00 PM. The workshop starts at Richland Creek Farm, where an arrangement of wonderful fall colors, pumpkins, squash, and spider lilies can be seen, then moves to the South Arkansas Arts Center for artists to draw and paint.

This season’s focus on harvest and seasonal flowers allows for artists to showcase a beautiful array of Halloweenesque colors using mixed media and water media. Participants will learn several different techniques such as perspective, 3D shapes, undertones with watercolor, and much more! No prior experience with skills is required. Villegas will guide students through each step.

This workshop serves as an exploration between the viewer, the artist, and nature as each participant depicts what they personally see from the landscape. Villegas’s inspiration for this project comes from how she approaches her own artwork.  She said, “I like to get into the spirit of the experience and interact with nature while understanding the environment. This event calls for artists to indulge in this by forming a relationship with the landscape and interpreting that into their artwork.”

“I want people to come have fun but also look deeper into what they are doing and experiencing,” said Villegas. “Everyone should come enjoy the moment, get some skills, and gain an experience that they will never forget!” The workshop will start at Richland Creek Farm with drawing and refreshments from 9:45 AM – 11:00 AM and move to the South Arkansas Art Center studio from 11:15 AM – 3:00 PM for painting.

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The ‘Four Seasons at Richland Creek Farm’ series has featured workshops during different times of the year showing the changing weather and nature’s transformation. Using watercolor, acrylics, and mixed media, Villegas has crafted an engaging artistic experience for each season. The final installment of the series will be hosted on November 21 highlighting the changing landscape of Richland Creek Farms in preparation for the coming winter.

All supplies will be provided for this event. The registration fee is $80 for SAAC members and $105 for new patrons which includes a one-year SAAC membership. Register online at saac-arts.org or call 870-862-5474. The South Arkansas Arts Center is located at 110 E 5th St in El Dorado. If you would like to register for the event, you can follow this link here.

EL DORADO, Ark. — The El Dorado School Board will meet Monday evening for its regular monthly meeting, with updates on the district’s new intermediate school, school supplies and school-based health services among the items on the agenda.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10.

Board members are scheduled to receive a construction update on the new intermediate school, one of several reports planned during the meeting.

The board will also recognize Jai Durvasula as the State Civics Bee Champion. Jennifer Lee is scheduled to present a report on school supplies for kindergarten through fourth grade, while Debbie McAdams will provide a report from the district’s school-based health center.

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Other business includes consideration of the minutes from the board’s July 13 meeting, monthly bills and fund transfers for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

Board members are also scheduled to discuss 30-60-90 day plans and hear information on surrogate parents from Shawn Beard.

The meeting agenda concludes with an executive session to discuss personnel matters.

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EL DORADO, Ark. — The El Dorado City Council will meet Thursday, Aug. 13, with several items on the agenda, including discussions involving the hospital board, food trucks and an interlocal agreement concerning district court.

The council meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:15 p.m., following a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance at 5:10 p.m.

Under unfinished business, council members are scheduled to continue discussions concerning the hospital board and food trucks.

Several items are listed under new business, including consideration of an interlocal agreement related to district court.

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The council will also receive a report from the Chamber of Commerce and a finance report from Dianne Hammond.

David Lee and Greg Williams are scheduled to address the council regarding Future Business Leaders of South Arkansas.

Planning and zoning appointments are also on the agenda. Council members will consider the reappointment of Greg Williams and the appointment of Kyle Young.

The meeting will include an opportunity for public comments, reports from city department heads and consideration of other city business.

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The El Dorado City Council’s next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 10 at 5:15 p.m.

CAMDEN, Ark. — A massive new federal defense contract awarded to Lockheed Martin is expected to significantly expand missile production in Camden and bring hundreds of additional jobs to South Arkansas.

The U.S. government has awarded Lockheed Martin a seven-year contract modification worth up to $53.86 billion for production of PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptors.

Combined with a $4.7 billion award announced in April for the first year of the program, the multiyear contract has a total potential value of approximately $58.62 billion.

The agreement is expected to have a major impact on Lockheed Martin’s Camden operations, where final production of PAC-3 MSE interceptors takes place.

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Lockheed Martin says employment associated with the program in Camden is expected to increase by about 50%, growing from approximately 1,200 jobs to around 1,850. That represents roughly 650 additional jobs in Camden.

The company also plans to dramatically increase production, with a goal of tripling PAC-3 MSE manufacturing capacity by the end of 2030.

The PAC-3 MSE is an air and missile defense interceptor designed to defend against threats including tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft.

Camden is one of numerous locations across the country that will perform work under the contract. Other locations include Huntsville, Alabama; Wichita, Kansas; Grand Prairie and Lufkin, Texas; and several facilities in Florida, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and other states.

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The estimated completion date for work under the contract is March 31, 2035.

The Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama is overseeing the contract. No funds were obligated at the time the latest modification was awarded July 29.

Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and CEO Jim Taiclet described the expansion as a “once-in-a-generation moment,” saying the company is increasing investment, hiring and facility upgrades to meet the government’s demand for greater missile production.

The planned expansion further strengthens Camden’s role as a major defense manufacturing center and could provide a substantial economic boost to Ouachita County and the surrounding South Arkansas region.

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