News

NEW HANDS, STRONG ROOTS

Published

2 months ago

July 9, 2026

Sandy Sanford

EL DORADO, AR – Most of us can picture the scene from an old movie or television show. A group of older businessmen sit in a dimly lit room, cigar smoke hanging in the air, glasses of Scotch in hand. These self-appointed “City Fathers” quietly decide who succeeds, who fails, and what happens in their town.

It’s a compelling storyline. It creates a mysterious, unseen force pulling the strings behind every major decision.

But in reality, that’s rarely how communities work.

More often than not, the people with influence have earned it by investing years of hard work, countless hours, and significant financial resources into their hometowns. With so much at stake, their focus is usually on protecting what they’ve built and creating opportunities for future generations, not holding others back.

That isn’t to say every community escapes the pitfalls of entrenched leadership. Some small towns do struggle under that weight and don’t begin to change until a generation passes. But far more often, a town’s future rises or falls on a much simpler question:

Are young people coming home?

Are they returning to buy family businesses? Are they launching companies from scratch? Are they taking the skills they learned elsewhere and investing them back into the place that first invested in them?

Those are the stories that shape the future of South Arkansas.

That’s why South Arkansas Now is launching NEW HANDS, STRONG ROOTS, a series dedicated to introducing our community to the next generation of business owners and entrepreneurs.

We’ll explore questions like:

What happened after they graduated high school?
Did they leave South Arkansas before deciding to come home?
Did they spend years learning from someone else before opening their own business?
What drew them back?
What convinced them to bet on themselves in a world where success isn’t guaranteed?
Did they inherit capital, catch a lucky break, or simply sign their name on a loan and take the leap?

Every entrepreneur has a story. We want to tell it.

We Need Your Help

While we’ve already begun compiling a list of business owners to feature, we know there are many more deserving stories waiting to be told.

We’re intentionally not putting an age limit on what qualifies as “young.” This series isn’t about birthdays. It’s about people who are helping write the next chapter of South Arkansas through entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment in their communities.

If you know someone whose story deserves to be shared, send us a message through our Facebook page with their name and business.

We’ll review your nominations and, when they’re a good fit, sit down with those owners to share their journey with our audience of more than 60,000 readers and viewers.

Because the future of South Arkansas isn’t built in smoke-filled back rooms.

It’s being built every day by people willing to put their name, their savings, and their future on the line to create something worth leaving behind.

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FALL SPORTS REGISTRATIONS GOING ON NOW

Published

2 days ago

August 24, 2026

Sandy Sanford

EL DORADO, AR – The Boys & Girls Club of Union County is gearing up for another season of youth athletics, with registration now open for its 2026 Flag Football League and Girls Volleyball Season. Both programs are designed to give local children an opportunity to participate in organized sports while developing teamwork, sportsmanship and other skills that extend beyond the playing field.

Flag Football Registration Open

The Boys & Girls Club’s 2026 Youth Flag Football League will feature three co-ed age divisions:

Kindergarten through 2nd grade
3rd and 4th grade
5th and 6th grade

The registration fee is $80 per player, and registration closes September 19, 2026. The regular season is scheduled to run from October 12 through November 19, with playoff dates to be announced. The league offers young athletes the opportunity to get on the gridiron in a non-contact environment while building skills and learning the fundamentals of football.

Girls Volleyball Season

Registration is also underway for the Boys & Girls Club’s 2026 Girls Volleyball Season. Volleyball will be offered in three age groups:

Kindergarten through 2nd grade
3rd and 4th grade
5th and 6th grade

The registration fee is $80, with registration also closing September 19, 2026. The regular volleyball season is scheduled for October 12 through November 19, with playoff information to be announced at a later date. The program gives girls an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of volleyball while developing teamwork, confidence and sportsmanship in a competitive but youth-focused environment.

How to Register

Parents and guardians can register their children using the QR codes included on the Boys & Girls Club promotional materials. For additional information about either program, contact Club Athletic Director Dominique Turner at (870) 863-8753, ext. 106. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County – Arkansas is an equal opportunity provider.

News

Governor Declares State Of Emergency Following Wildfires

Published

3 days ago

August 23, 2026

Grant Merrill

LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has declared a state of emergency in Arkansas as wildfires continue burning across portions of the state, including major fires in Union and Ashley counties.

The emergency declaration comes as state and local agencies continue responding to fires that have developed amid hot and dry conditions across Arkansas.

As part of the declaration, Sanders directed $250,000 from the Governor’s Disaster Response and Recovery Fund to be used at the discretion of the director of the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management.

The declaration also authorizes supplemental assistance from state agencies to support emergency response and recovery efforts in affected areas.

The action follows several days of firefighting efforts in Union County, where the Pine Tree Road wildfire began Thursday, Aug. 20.

Two Black Hawk helicopters from the Arkansas National Guard’s 77th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade were dispatched to Union County Friday afternoon to assist crews battling the fire.

As of Sunday morning, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture reported the Pine Tree Road fire had burned 2,328 acres and was 80% contained. Fire lines have been established around the perimeter, although crews continue monitoring for flare-ups and strengthening containment lines.

Residents of Pine Tree Road are now being allowed to return to their homes, according to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, although access remains restricted to residents and other traffic is prohibited.

Wildfire concerns extend beyond Union County.

In Ashley County, the Crossett Fire Department and Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division have been battling a wildfire near Ashley County Road 183 and the Crossett Municipal Airport.

Forestry crews established a containment line around the affected area using bulldozers, but a change in wind direction Saturday caused the fire to jump the containment line on its eastern side.

Several grass fires were subsequently reported on airport property. Crossett firefighters responded and extinguished those fires.

Officials said the Ashley County fire no longer posed an immediate danger to the public, but firefighters and forestry personnel planned to continue monitoring the area.

Motorists traveling through the affected area were also urged to slow down because smoke could reduce visibility.

The fires come as much of Arkansas faces heightened wildfire danger. Arkansas State Forester Kyle Cunningham reported last week that 34 of the state’s 75 counties were under burn bans.

State forestry officials have also been conducting detection flights across portions of Arkansas to identify new fires as dry vegetation, high temperatures and wind create conditions favorable for rapid wildfire growth.

The state of emergency allows Arkansas agencies to deploy additional resources as needed while firefighting and recovery operations continue.

News

Officials Give Update On Pine Tree Road Wildfire

Published

3 days ago

August 23, 2026

Grant Merrill

LAWSON — The Pine Tree Road wildfire has burned 2,328 acres and is now 80% contained as firefighters continue working Sunday to control one of the largest wildfires to hit the area in recent years.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture reported the updated acreage and containment figures at approximately 9:40 a.m. Sunday. The fire was first discovered at 5:02 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20.

Union County Judge Mike Loftin said crews have made significant progress against the fire, but changing weather conditions remain a concern.

“Thanks to the Arkansas Forestry Dept, our local VFD’S First Responders, Union County Sheriff’s Office, my guys from the Union County Rd Dept, El Dorado Fire Dept, ProMed Ambulance Service and Union County OEM Coordinator Bruce Goff we have this monster 80% contained,” Loftin said.

Loftin said winds forecast for Sunday afternoon and evening could contribute to flare-ups. Crews plan to remain at the scene and monitor conditions through the night.

“The biggest concern now is weather,” Loftin said. “The forecast is a little windy this afternoon and tonight which could cause some flare ups.”

Meanwhile, the Union County Sheriff’s Office announced that residents are now being allowed to return to their homes along Pine Tree Road. Access remains restricted to residents only, and all other traffic is prohibited in the area.

The latest detailed update from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture said fire lines have been established around the entire perimeter of the wildfire. Crews have been conducting surveillance, strengthening those lines and responding to flare-ups as they occur.

As of Saturday morning, the department estimated the fire at approximately 2,000 acres and 80% contained, with some portions of the fire still presenting containment concerns. Sunday’s acreage estimate increased the size of the fire to 2,328 acres while containment remained at 80%.

Pine Tree Road had been the only area remaining under a voluntary evacuation Saturday, affecting approximately 10 homes and 25 people.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has also been conducting detection flights across Southeast Arkansas to watch for additional wildfires as dry conditions continue to create an elevated fire threat.

Numerous agencies have participated in the response, including the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division, area volunteer fire departments, Union County Sheriff’s Office, Union County Road Department, El Dorado Fire Department, ProMed Ambulance Service and the Union County Office of Emergency Management.

Crews will remain in the Pine Tree Road area Sunday as they strengthen containment lines, watch for flare-ups and monitor the effects of increasing winds.

News

Camden Based State Trooper Arrested On DWI Charges

Published

3 days ago

August 23, 2026

Grant Merrill

MONTICELLO, Ark. — An Arkansas State Police corporal has been arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated after authorities say he crashed his state police vehicle while on duty Friday evening near Monticello.

Arkansas State Police identified the trooper as Cpl. John M. Parker, 45, of Camden.

According to ASP, Parker was involved in a single-vehicle crash at approximately 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, on U.S. Highway 278 near Monticello. Parker was driving an Arkansas State Police vehicle and was on duty when the crash occurred.

Parker was not injured.

Following the crash, ASP said Standardized Field Sobriety Tests indicated impairment. Parker was arrested on charges of Driving While Intoxicated/Drugs and Careless and Prohibited Driving.

He was transported to the Drew County Detention Center.

Arkansas State Police has placed Parker on administrative leave while its Office of Professional Standards conducts an internal investigation into the incident.

Parker has been with Arkansas State Police since 2014. State records show John M. Parker was among a group of applicants approved by the Arkansas State Police Commission in August 2014, and subsequent state records list his hire date as Sept. 7, 2014.

Parker has since risen to the rank of corporal. State personnel records from 2022 identify John Parker as an ASP corporal, and public payroll records continue to list him in that position in 2025 and 2026.

Parker has also investigated serious and fatal crashes in South Arkansas during his time with the agency. An official ASP fatal crash report identifies Parker as the investigating officer in an October 2023 head-on collision on U.S. Highway 79 near Camden that killed a 27-year-old man. He was also listed as the investigating officer in a June 2024 fatal crash on U.S. 79 in rural Ouachita County.

The charges against Parker are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

Arkansas State Police said no additional information about Friday’s crash or the internal investigation is being released at this time.

News

Fallen Tree Temporarily Closes Local Church

Published

3 days ago

August 23, 2026

Grant Merrill

EL DORADO – Starlight Missionary Baptist Church will temporarily close its doors after a tree fell on the rear portion of the church building, church officials announced.

In a statement posted by the church, officials said the closure will begin Monday as crews work to address the damage and ensure the building is safe for members and visitors.

“The safety of our members and visitors are our top priority,” the church said in its announcement.

The extent of the damage caused by the fallen tree was not immediately disclosed, and church officials did not provide an estimated date for reopening.

The congregation said it is working to resolve the issue and asked members of the community to keep Starlight and other area churches in their prayers.

“A tree fell on the back half of SMBC forcing us to close the doors but not our hearts,” the church said.

The announcement was issued on behalf of Starlight Missionary Baptist Church and the Rev. Jay F. Tatum, pastor.

Additional information about repairs, services or a reopening date is expected to be announced by the church as it becomes available.