EL DORADO – Business leaders, entrepreneurs and community members will have an opportunity to expand their professional networks this week during the El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce’s July Business Hour.

The monthly networking event will be hosted by South Arkansas College on Tuesday from 4 to 5 p.m. at the college’s Health Sciences Building, located at 401 W. Wesson Street in El Dorado.

The Business Hour is designed to bring together Chamber members and local professionals for an informal hour of networking, conversation and relationship building. Attendees will also have the opportunity to tour SouthArk’s Health Sciences Building while connecting with fellow business leaders, community partners and area professionals.

Chamber officials say the event is a chance for attendees to make new business connections, strengthen existing relationships and stay engaged with the local business community. The networking event is open to Chamber members and those interested in becoming more involved in the area’s business community.

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EL DORADO — Communities in Union, Ouachita and Columbia counties will receive more than $1.5 million in state grant funding as part of a statewide investment announced Monday by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

The funding is part of more than $12.5 million awarded through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Rural Services Block Grant and Rural Community Grant programs to support infrastructure improvements, public facilities, fire protection and community development projects across Arkansas.

Locally, Junction City in Union County received a $498,635 Community Development Block Grant, while Louann in Ouachita County was awarded $499,999 and McNeil in Columbia County received $499,606 through the same program.

Additional funding was awarded through the Rural Community Grant program. The Junction City Volunteer Fire Department received $15,000, Mount Holly Volunteer Fire Department received $12,705, Chidester was awarded $10,990.50, and the Town of Emerson received $14,986.26.

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Gov. Sanders said investing in local communities helps improve quality of life while supporting long-term growth across the state.

“Arkansas’ success starts with our local communities,” Sanders said. “These funds help local leaders build the places that bring neighbors together, improve quality of life and build on what Arkansans already know: there is no better place in America to live, work and raise a family than the Natural State.”

Arkansas Economic Development Commission Executive Director Clint O’Neal said the grants provide communities with resources to strengthen infrastructure and expand economic opportunities.

The Community Development Block Grant program helps fund projects such as public facilities, senior centers, childcare centers, health facilities, drainage improvements and economic development initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Rural Services Block Grant and Rural Community Grant programs provide funding for projects including community centers, fire stations, fire equipment, parks, walking trails and storm warning sirens.

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In total, the state awarded 88 grants totaling $12,522,736 to cities, counties and rural communities across Arkansas. Locally, the awards will support community improvements, public safety and infrastructure projects throughout Union, Ouachita and Columbia counties.

EL DORADO — El Dorado native and longtime Arkansas business leader Emon Mahony Jr., whose leadership at Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Corp. and decades of public service helped shape communities across the state, has died at the age of 85. TalkBusiness.net first reported Mahony’s death.

Mahony, who was born in El Dorado on May 5, 1941, built a distinguished career spanning business, government and conservation before returning to his hometown after retirement to manage his family’s timber, oil and natural gas interests.

He served as president of Fort Smith-based Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Corp. (AOG) from 1977 to 1996 and remained chairman of the board until 1998. During his tenure, Mahony helped transform the company into a customer-focused utility while also becoming one of the Fort Smith region’s most influential civic leaders.

Perhaps his most enduring legacy was his leadership in expanding Lake Fort Smith, a project that secured the region’s long-term water supply. Mahony championed the effort to raise the lake’s dam and win voter approval for a half-cent sales tax that helped fund the more than $200 million project.

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Completed in 2006, the expansion tripled the reservoir’s capacity, increasing water storage from about 8.4 billion gallons to nearly 28 billion gallons while more than doubling daily water production from 21.5 million gallons to 45.5 million gallons. The project also led to the creation of the modern Lake Fort Smith State Park, which features cabins, hiking trails, campgrounds, a marina and visitor facilities.

Throughout his career, Mahony held leadership roles on numerous corporate and public boards. He served on the board of what was then City National Bank in Fort Smith, was a longtime director and former chairman of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, and served on the board of Alltel Corp. before the telecommunications company was acquired by Verizon in 2009.

Mahony also dedicated years to public service. He worked as a senior aide to longtime U.S. Sen. John McClellan from 1968 to 1975, served on the Arkansas-Oklahoma River Compact Commission, was appointed by Gov. David Pryor to the Arkansas Soil and Water Commission, and later became part of Gov. Mike Beebe’s transition team. He also served as one of the first members of the U.S. Marshals Museum board of directors.

Beyond business and government, Mahony was a passionate conservation advocate. He served as a trustee of The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas, supported the creation of the one-eighth-cent conservation sales tax benefiting the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and worked to establish conservation easements protecting natural ecosystems.

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On Sunday, former Gov. Mike Beebe remembered Mahony as “a good friend and great Arkansan.”

Former colleagues also reflected on Mahony’s leadership and mentorship.

Mike Callan, who served as AOG president from 2008 to 2014, said Mahony hired him in 1984 and remained his mentor and friend for more than four decades.

“He was my boss for 12 years, my mentor and friend for 42 years,” Callan said. “One of his many traits I admired was that when we discussed any subject he had already thought about it more than anyone else involved.”

Fred Kirkwood, who retired from AOG earlier this year after a 40-year career, credited Mahony with changing the company’s culture by emphasizing customer service at a time when that philosophy was uncommon in the utility industry.

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Attorney Ben Shipley III, whom Mahony recruited to AOG as vice president and general counsel, said Mahony consistently encouraged community involvement and always focused on projects that benefited the public.

David Olive, founder of Catalyst Partners and a longtime Fort Smith attorney, said Mahony’s greatest gift was improving every community he served.

“Emon Mahony’s legacy is that he had the ability to make communities better wherever he lived,” Olive said. “His contributions were immense and the Fort Smith area is better because of the time he lived here.”

According to his obituary, Mahony was preceded in death by his parents, Emon Armstrong Mahony Sr. and Mabel Farmer Mahony; his brothers, Mike and Jodie; daughter Terry Donathan Julian; and son Paul Donathan.

He is survived by his wife, Kay; daughter Liza Nevenhoven and husband Scott; son Emon Ossian Mahony and wife Esther Teo; son Trent Donathan; and eight grandchildren.

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Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, July 24, at Young’s Funeral Directors in El Dorado. Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, July 25, at First Presbyterian Church in El Dorado.

EL DORADO — Main Street El Dorado is accepting applications for a new mini-grant program that will help business and property owners invest in improvements throughout the city’s historic downtown district. The program offers up to $10,000 in matching grant funding to support projects that preserve historic buildings, strengthen local businesses and enhance the downtown experience.

The Summer 2026 Mini-Grant Program is funded through Main Street Arkansas and the Arkansas Department of Heritage. Grants are intended to encourage projects that align with Main Street El Dorado’s mission of creating a thriving downtown through business development, arts and culture, placemaking and special events.

Eligible applicants include business owners and property owners located within the Main Street El Dorado district. Individual awards will generally range from $1,000 to $5,000, with applicants required to provide a 50/50 matching investment through cash or documented in-kind contributions. The grants are awarded on a reimbursement basis after projects are completed and all required documentation has been submitted.

According to the application packet, the program will prioritize projects that provide the greatest visual and economic impact downtown, particularly façade improvements such as exterior painting, masonry repair, awnings, signage and lighting. Other eligible projects include restoration of historic architectural features, accessibility improvements, placemaking initiatives and interior renovations that enhance the customer experience while preserving the building’s historic character.

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Applications will be evaluated based on several factors, including how well the project aligns with Main Street El Dorado’s mission, compliance with the city’s form-based codes, preservation of historic character, visual and economic impact, project feasibility and the applicant’s ability to complete the work by the required deadline.

Applicants must receive approval from Main Street El Dorado before beginning any work. If the applicant is not the property owner, written approval from the owner is also required, along with any necessary permits from the City of El Dorado. Projects that begin before receiving approval or fail to meet program requirements will be disqualified.

Applications opened July 1 and must be submitted by 5 p.m. on July 29. Grant recipients will be announced no later than Sept. 1, and funded projects must be completed by Dec. 31, 2026. Main Street El Dorado’s executive director may grant a written extension of up to 30 days in certain circumstances.

Applications should be submitted by email to Terry Moore, Executive Director of Main Street El Dorado, by 5 p.m. on July 29.

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EL DORADO – Residents across South Arkansas, Northeast Texas, Southeast Oklahoma and Northwest Louisiana should prepare for dangerous heat Monday, as the National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for the entire Four-State Region.

The advisory is in effect from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., with afternoon temperatures expected to climb into the mid-90s to near 100 degrees. Combined with high humidity, the heat index could reach 108 degrees in many areas.

Forecasters warn that prolonged exposure to the heat can quickly lead to heat-related illnesses, especially for those working or spending extended time outdoors.

Officials recommend staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water, limiting strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day, wearing lightweight, light-colored clothing, and using air conditioning whenever possible. Fans alone may not provide enough protection during extreme heat.

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Anyone working outside should take frequent breaks in the shade or an air-conditioned environment and check on children, older adults and pets, who are especially vulnerable to dangerous temperatures.

The heat advisory remains in effect through Monday evening, and residents are encouraged to use caution until temperatures begin to cool after sunset.