EL DORADO, AR – The field is now set for the November 2026 General Election in Union County, with the certified list of candidates finalized for county offices and municipalities. The election will be held Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The certified candidate list includes contests for Union County offices as well as races in several of the county’s cities and towns.

One of the most closely watched countywide races will be the contest for Union County Sheriff. Republican Michael Fife and Democrat Erick Meadows will face one another in November for the position. Both candidates are members of the Union County law enforcement community. Meadows is a captain with the Union County Sheriff’s Office, while Fife is a former Smackover Police Chief and currently serves as an investigator with the Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s race became an open contest following Sheriff Ricky Roberts’ decision to leave the office and return to the El Dorado Police Department as chief.

Other county offices on the 2026 ballot include positions involving county government and the quorum court. The certified list also includes candidates for municipal offices throughout Union County. The November election will provide voters with the opportunity to decide contested races while candidates running unopposed will also appear on the ballot as required by Arkansas election law. Arkansas law allows the County Board of Election Commissioners to certify certain unopposed candidates as elected without requiring them to appear in a contested race.

Contested Union County races include:

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COUNTY JUDGE: Incumbent (R) Mike Loftin, Todd Dickson (I)

SHERIFF: Michael Fife (R), Erick L. Meadows (D)

QUORUM COURT DISTRICT 6: Jebb T. Young (R), Solena Sayer (D)

MAYOR – EL DORADO: Andre Rucks (D), Incumbent Paul Choate (R), Byron D. Miller, Jr. (I)

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CITY ATTORNEY – EL DORADO: Incumbent Robert Rushing (R), LaQuetta S. Henry (D)

ALDERMAN – EL DORADO WARD 1 POSITION 2: Incumbent Jill Weinschke (R), LaQuita Rainey (D)

ALDERMAN – EL DORADO WARD 2 POSITION 1: Lance Greer Jr. (R), Veronica Smith-Creer (D)

ALDERMAN – EL DORADO WARD 2 POSITION 2: Incumbent Judy Ward (R), Amy S. Smith (D), Nathan L. Rainey (I)

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MAYOR – HUTTIG: Emmit “Tony” Anthony Cole Jr. (I), Bennie Ford Jr. (I)

CITY COUNCIL – HUTTIG WARD 3 POSITION 2: Van Page (I), Edward Henson (I)

MAYOR – JUNCTION CITY: Sharon L. Williams (R), Steven Burroughs (I), James H. McClelland (I)

CITY COUNCIL – JUNCTION CITY WARD 2 POSITION 2: Paul Ennis (I), Keisha Noble (I)

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CITY COUNCIL – JUNCTION CITY WARD 3 POSITION 2: Ricky Allen Watts (I), Bruce Green (I)

MAYOR – STRONG: Charles Perry (I), Tracie L. Thrower (I)

RECORDER / TREASURER – STRONG: Latosha Gatson (I), Patricia Warren (I)

CITY COUNCIL – STRONG WARD 1 POSITION 1: Arthemus Henry (I), Marcus Barr (I)

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CITY COUNCIL – STRONG WARD 3 POSITION 1: Kenneth Harris (D), John L. Hicks (I)

SCHOOL BOARD – SMACKOVER NORPHLET ZONE 4: Derrick D. Goodwin, Cliff Preston,

According to the Arkansas Secretary of State’s 2026 election calendar, the General Election will take place November 3, with certification of election results following the election according to statutory timelines.

Voters can check registration information, polling locations and other election information through the Union County election office. The Union County election office is located at 101 N. Washington, Suite 102, in El Dorado. With the candidate filing period now complete and the certified list established, the next major chapter of the 2026 election season will be the campaigns leading up to Election Day.

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EL DORADO, AR –  Fourteen El Dorado restaurants have joined together to launch El Dorado EATS, a collaborative initiative designed to raise awareness of the city’s growing culinary scene and encourage residents and visitors to experience one of South Arkansas’ most diverse destinations for great dining. The project launched in August with the debut of a new website and dedicated Facebook and Instagram pages designed to promote El Dorado’s local dining scene. The launch coincides with the distribution of the new 48-page El Dorado Dining Guide, which showcases area restaurants, visitor information and dining opportunities throughout the community. The El Dorado Dining Guide features KTVE News anchor Cindy Langston, who will help bring the guide’s pages to life throughout October on a daily segment on NBC 10 News at 4PM, Langston will introduce viewers to local restaurants through interviews with restaurant owners and features that highlight El Dorado’s diverse dining options.

The new guide is an extension of the El Dorado Insider, a quarterly community guide published by The Diamond Agency of El Dorado. Both publications are designed to promote local businesses, entertainment venues, attractions and upcoming events while encouraging residents and visitors to experience more of what El Dorado has to offer. According to Don Hale, publisher, “El Dorado EATS provides a platform for restaurants to engage in a year-round promotion through digital media, social media, spotlight articles and feature stories in the El Dorado Dining Guide. Together, these efforts highlight El Dorado as a destination where visitors can enjoy a variety of locally owned dining experiences. The new website serves as a central resource where visitors can browse each of the restaurants, view menus, read about the owners and their stories, learn about signature dishes, along with hours, locations, and contact information. Throughout the year, the website and social media channels will feature individual profiles, favorite menu selections, seasonal promotions, and special events like the ELDO FOOD FEST, designed to keep local dining top of mind. “El Dorado has become one of the region’s best places to dine-out,” said Alyssa Avant, spokesperson for El Dorado EATS. “Whether you’re craving Southern comfort food, authentic Mexican cuisine, hickory-smoked barbecue, specialty hamburgers, fresh-baked pastries, or a great evening with friends and family, this city offers a variety of restaurants. El Dorado EATS invites you to discover new favorites while supporting the businesses that help make the El Dorado unique.”
The fourteen participating restaurants include, Antigua’s Bar & Grill, Black Cat Café, E&R Bar & Grill, Fernando’s Mexican Grill, Flying Burger & Seafood, Good Times Grill, JJ’s BBQ, Main Street Pizza, Mystic Grill, MAD House 101, Off the Rail Café, The Refinery, Timberlane Meat Market, and The Well Bar & Grill at The Haywood. By working together, these restaurants are enhancing El Dorado’s reputation as a leading destination for great dining in South Arkansas. Residents and visitors are encouraged to pick up a copy of the El Dorado Dining Guide, follow El Dorado EATS on Facebook and Instagram, and visit www.ElDoradoEATS.com to stay informed about special dining promotions and events.

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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