EL DORADO – The City Council will meet Thursday, June 11, to address several community matters, including ongoing discussions regarding the Baptist Health Hospital lease.

The meeting will begin at 5:10 p.m. with the prayer and pledge, followed by the regular council meeting at 5:15 p.m. Council members will consider approval of previous meeting minutes, hear public comments, and take up unfinished business related to the Baptist Health Hospital lease agreement.

Under new business, council members are scheduled to receive an update on the city’s sales tax revenues from Greg Downum. The agenda also includes a report from Historic District Commission representative Ken Bridges and an animal control report from Charles Hartsell.

Additionally, David Lee is expected to provide an update on activities and programs at the local Boys and Girls Club.

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Department head reports may be presented as needed, and council members will have an opportunity to address other business before adjournment.

The next regular city council meeting is scheduled for July 9 at 5:15 p.m.

Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting and participate during the public comment portion of the agenda.

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EL DORADO — Summer heat is settling into South Arkansas, and forecasters say residents should prepare for several more days of hot and humid conditions across the region.

According to the National Weather Service in Shreveport, afternoon high temperatures are expected to reach the low to mid-90s across much of South Arkansas, including El Dorado, Magnolia, Camden, Smackover and surrounding communities. El Dorado is forecast to reach around 95 degrees Tuesday, while nearby areas could see temperatures ranging from 93 to 95 degrees.

While the air temperature alone will be uncomfortable, humidity will make it feel even hotter. Heat index values — often referred to as the “feels like” temperature — are expected to approach 105 degrees in some locations during the hottest part of the afternoon.

Forecasters say the combination of heat and humidity can increase the risk of heat-related illnesses, especially for those spending extended periods outdoors. Residents are encouraged to stay hydrated, take frequent breaks in air-conditioned spaces, wear lightweight clothing and check on elderly family members and neighbors.

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The heat will offer little relief overnight, with low temperatures expected to remain in the mid-70s. El Dorado is forecast to drop to around 77 degrees overnight, while Camden, Magnolia and other South Arkansas communities will see lows between 75 and 77 degrees.

With summer officially just weeks away, weather officials say the pattern of above-average temperatures is expected to continue through the remainder of the week, making heat safety an important priority for outdoor workers, athletes and anyone planning outdoor activities.

Meteorologists recommend limiting strenuous outdoor activity during the afternoon hours when temperatures and heat index values are at their highest.

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EL DORADO — Motorists who travel Wesson Road in Union County should prepare for a temporary closure beginning this week as county crews undertake bridge repair work.

According to Union County Judge Mike Loftin, Wesson Road will close starting June 9 between the intersections of Three Creeks Road and Scotland Road. The closure is necessary to allow crews to complete bridge work in the area.

County officials estimate the project will take approximately two weeks to complete, weather permitting. During that time, drivers will need to seek alternate routes around the construction zone.

Loftin thanked residents for their patience and cooperation as the work is completed, noting that the improvements are intended to enhance the safety and reliability of the roadway infrastructure.

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Motorists are encouraged to use caution near the work area and allow extra travel time while the closure remains in effect. The county expects to reopen the roadway once repairs have been completed and the bridge is deemed safe for travel.

MAGNOLIA – SAU Associate Professor of Art Rhaelene Rollins Lowther was selected for the 13th International Art Competition and Exhibition in Salt Lake City, UT. With nearly 600 applicants from around the world submitting their work, Lowther’s entry was one of 150 chosen. Her piece “Weaving Life with Light and Love” was on display at the Church History Museum through January 3, 2026.

“It was very exciting,” Lowther said of the news. “This is the biggest show I’ve ever been in, and it felt great to have my work in with a larger body of pieces that I really respect.”

The journey to creating “Weaving Life with Light and Love” did not start when the competition’s brief “Lift Up the Hands Which Hang Down” was announced in 2022; for Lowther, the process began in 2019. In an effort to make art for herself again and return to her passion for painting, Lowther challenged herself to complete one painting per day of something interesting that she had seen. This changed the way she thought about making art, reinforcing for her the importance of consistency and that big ideas can bloom from what she called “small prosaic things.”

In 2020, a colleague Anna Zusman joined Lowther on her walks, and they discovered that, while their art was vastly different, they were drawn to similar subjects. This inspired their series Quotidian Moments: Different Lenses, an ongoing project that has been exhibited at SAU, Texarkana, Pine Bluff, Arkadelphia, and El Dorado.

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“My paintings have gotten bigger and more ambitious over the last five years as that consistency has kicked in—the consistency of not only creating work but thinking about art and talking with other artists about the art that we’re making. That is part of what inspired my work in the museum show.”

“Weaving Life with Light and Love” began as a painting of an image, taken from one of Lowther’s morning walks, cut into strips and woven together. Scriptures, quotations, and poems were written on the canvas. The holy words were then woven through with golden thread.

“For a year, I’d been collecting quotes and poems and scripture that were uplifting to me. They were all related to light, love, compassion and care for others,” Lowther said.

Offerings by Rhaelene Lowther, SAU art professor

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Another work of Lowther’s entitled “Offerings” was part of a traveling exhibition called Small Works on Paper, a juried show that was shown at SAU and the University of Monticello during October.

Lowther was born in Logan, UT, but made herself at home in California, Minnesota, and Salt Lake City over the years. She earned her BFA in painting and BA in art education from Brigham Young University and began a career as an artist in the video game industry while raising three children.

After working for a decade for companies like Access Software, Microsoft, and Sensory Sweep Studios, Lowther decided to return to school. She earned her MFA from Utah State and moved to Magnolia, AR, to start the game design program at SAU, where she taught 3D modeling, animation, technical art, and digital art and animation for 12 years.

Lowther won the Bobo Shinn Grand Prize Memorial Award at the Magnolia Blossom Festival in 2025, showed pieces in the Norton Gallery in Shreveport, LA, and most recently her work traveled from the Ark-La-Tex to Salt Lake City for the exhibition.

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EL DORADO, AR — Food truck operators doing business inside the El Dorado city limits could soon face a revised permit-fee structure, stricter enforcement and new restrictions on the use of city-owned property.

The El Dorado Food Truck Committee met to formulate procedures food truck owners would be expected to follow while operating within the city. The committee’s recommendations are expected to be presented to the El Dorado City Council on Thursday for consideration.

Under the proposal, food truck operators who live within the El Dorado city limits would pay $60 for the first day of operation without electricity or $80 with electricity.

For a second day of operation, city residents would pay $35 without electricity or $50 with electricity.

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Food truck operators who do not live within the city limits would pay higher rates. Non-resident operators would pay $75 for the first day without electricity or $100 with electricity.

For a second day, non-resident operators would pay $50 without electricity or $75 with electricity.

Food truck owners would be required to pay the applicable fees and secure their permits during regular city business hours. City officials said operators would not be permitted to arrive late on a Friday or during the weekend and begin operating without first paying the required fees.

Failure to follow the proposed permit requirements could result in a $300 fine.

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Committee Vice President Andre Rucks suggested developing an online system that would allow food truck operators to pay their fees and obtain permits electronically. Mayor Paul Choate said creating an online registration and payment system would be too costly, estimating that it could cost the city approximately $10,000 to establish.

Marty Rosson, owner of DP’s Food Truck Park, addressed the committee and said he believes some food trucks are coming into El Dorado, setting up and operating without paying the required fees.

Rosson said the situation concerns him as both a taxpayer and a local food truck operator. He argued that vendors who avoid the fees create an unfair business environment for operators who comply with the city’s rules and pay the required costs.

Rosson also said he had heard that the Boys and Girls Club had been allowing food trucks to operate on its property. During the discussion, the property was described as being owned by the city.

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Rosson said he would consider withdrawing his financial support and involvement with the Boys and Girls Club unless the city consistently enforces the food truck permit and fee system. He said the same rules should apply to every operator conducting business within El Dorado.

Councilman David Hurst suggested that El Dorado consider an enforcement procedure similar to the one used in Magnolia. Under that approach, police officers could ask a food truck operator to present a valid permit. An operator who could not produce one would be instructed to leave.

The committee also discussed whether food trucks should be allowed to operate on city-owned property. One recommendation expected to be brought before the City Council would prohibit food trucks from setting up on city property unless they are participating in an approved event.

Grease disposal was another issue raised during the meeting. Committee members questioned where mobile food vendors are dumping used cooking grease and whether operators have access to approved grease traps.

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Rosson said he would make a grease trap available at his privately owned food truck park, though operators would be required to pay a fee to use it.

The proposed permit rates, enforcement procedures, grease-disposal concerns and restrictions involving city property are all expected to be discussed when the recommendations are presented to the El Dorado City Council on Thursday.

The proposals will not become official city policy unless they are approved by the council.

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