FORT SMITH – The Fort Smith Board of Directors is under scrutiny following the recent hire of Rebecca Cowan as the city’s new internal auditor — a decision made just one day before details of her pending felony charge in Oklahoma came to light, according to reporting by TalkBusiness.net.

Cowan, 48, was unanimously approved by the board on Tuesday (April 22) to fill the key auditing role at an annual salary of $110,000.02. A press release issued by the city on Wednesday confirmed the appointment, which fills the vacancy left by Tracey Shockley, who departed April 1 after nine years in the position.

However, records from the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office reveal Cowan was booked into jail on June 7, 2024, on a fugitive of justice warrant tied to a felony stalking charge in LeFlore County, Oklahoma. She was released on a signature bond on June 10 and is scheduled to appear in court in Poteau, Oklahoma, on May 21. While charged with a felony, Cowan has not been convicted.

The position of internal auditor is one of only two roles — along with city administrator — directly hired by the Fort Smith Board of Directors. The auditor’s responsibilities include overseeing financial and operational accountability across all city departments.

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Cowan’s appointment is set to begin May 27, though questions are now swirling around the city’s vetting process. The city enlisted Strategic Government Resources (SGR), a Texas-based executive recruitment firm, to assist with the hire. Despite Cowan’s legal troubles being easily accessible via public records, it’s unclear whether SGR or city officials conducted a thorough background check.

While Fort Smith city officials did not return TalkBusiness.Net‘s request for comment, at least one city director spoke out on social media Thursday morning after sharing the publication’s article.

“I would ask for grace in this situation,” City Director Neal Martin said on Facebook. “For Ms Cowan and anyone else involved.”

The full TalkBusiness.net report continues to generate discussion across the region as residents await further clarification from Fort Smith officials.

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FAYETTEVILLE – A small aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at Drake Field on Monday afternoon after experiencing engine problems mid-flight, according to a report by KNWA Television’s Doug Warner.

The aircraft, a Cessna 210 Centurion registered to South Delta Aviation of Fayetteville, had departed from the same airport earlier in the day. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported engine trouble and smoke in the cockpit, prompting a return to the airport.

Flight tracking data indicates the plane reached an altitude of approximately 6,500 feet and traveled as far east as Madison County near the Crosses area before reversing course.

The pilot successfully brought the aircraft back to Drake Field, though the plane skidded off the runway during the emergency landing. Despite the incident, all three people onboard escaped injury.

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Authorities have not yet released the names of those involved, and the cause of the engine issue remains under investigation.

South Delta Aviation is a flight services provider based in Fayetteville. The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to review the incident as part of routine post-incident procedures.

EUREKA SPRINGS – Two people from Colorado were killed Friday morning in a head-on collision involving a school bus on U.S. Highway 62 near Eureka Springs, according to the Arkansas State Police.

The crash occurred at approximately 11:25 a.m. when a 2013 Ford Escape traveling eastbound crossed the centerline and collided with a westbound 2022 school bus. The occupants of the SUV, identified as 74-year-old Deborah Clark and 77-year-old Richard Clark, both of Divide, Colorado, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Deborah Clark was driving the vehicle, while Richard Clark was riding as a passenger. No injuries were reported among the occupants of the school bus.

The road was dry and weather conditions were clear at the time of the crash, according to the preliminary report from Cpl. Randall Schwab of the Arkansas State Police. The cause of the vehicle crossing into oncoming traffic remains under investigation.

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The bodies of the deceased were taken to the Carroll County Coroner’s Office. Next of kin has been notified.

This marks the 132nd and 133rd traffic fatalities on Arkansas highways in 2025.

LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Monday submitted a waiver to the U.S. Department of Agriculture requesting a ban on soft drinks and candy from Arkansas’ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP or food stamps.

The proposed change, which would make Arkansas one of the first states to limit sugary and highly processed items under the program, is aimed at improving the health of low-income residents.

“President Trump and his administration have put a laser focus on solving America’s chronic disease epidemic, and reforming our food stamp program is a great place to start,” Sanders said in a statement. “Banning soft drinks and candy from food stamps will remove some of the least-healthy, most-processed foods from the program and encourage low-income Arkansans to eat better.”

The waiver also seeks to add rotisserie chicken to the list of SNAP-eligible items. The state intends to use the GS1 US food categorization system to implement the policy changes.

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Kristi Putnam, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Human Services, praised the move.

“Helping Arkansans improve their health is a top priority for our agency across all programs,” Putnam said. “Encouraging people to use their SNAP benefits for healthier foods is an important step that we believe will be truly beneficial to the people we serve.”

SNAP is a $119 billion federal program that provides food assistance to low-income Americans. About 23% of spending—roughly $27 billion annually—goes toward soft drinks, unhealthy snacks, candy, and desserts, according to recent studies. Arkansas has one of the nation’s highest rates of chronic conditions, with one-third of residents experiencing diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Citing data from Stanford University, state officials noted that banning sugary drinks from SNAP could prevent 141,000 cases of childhood obesity and 240,000 cases of adult-onset Type 2 diabetes.

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The waiver submission opens a 30-day public comment period in Arkansas. Sanders first announced her intent to pursue the change in December 2024.

The move is part of a broader effort by the Sanders administration to address food insecurity and promote healthier diets. Earlier this year, Sanders signed legislation providing free breakfast for all Arkansas students and redirecting medical marijuana tax revenue to sustain summer and school meal programs.

Last summer, the state served 260,000 students through its Summer EBT program, which will continue this year. Sanders also signed a bill making school lunch free for students who previously qualified for reduced-price meals.

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LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has officially kicked off his 2026 re-election campaign with a strong financial showing, reporting more than $570,000 raised during the first quarter of 2025 and a cash-on-hand total of $1.09 million.

The fundraising figures were disclosed in Griffin’s first campaign finance report of the election cycle. The Republican incumbent, who previously served as the state’s lieutenant governor and a U.S. congressman, touted the early momentum as a sign of broad support for his record as the state’s top legal officer.

“I am extremely grateful to all those who have helped us achieve this incredible start to the re-election campaign,” Griffin said in a statement. “We are just getting started, but I am looking forward to taking my campaign to every corner of the state and sharing my track record of getting conservative results for the people of Arkansas.”

Griffin was first elected attorney general in 2022, succeeding Leslie Rutledge, who reached term limits and ran for lieutenant governor. Since taking office, Griffin has focused on issues including public safety, consumer protection, and lawsuits challenging federal policies under the Biden administration. He has frequently aligned himself with other Republican attorneys general across the country on matters such as border security and environmental regulations.

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The 2026 attorney general’s race is still in its early stages, with no major Democratic challengers having officially entered the race. Griffin’s early financial advantage may serve as a deterrent to potential opponents, giving him a significant head start in what could become a closely watched down-ballot contest.

Griffin, 56, is a former U.S. Attorney and served two terms in Congress representing Arkansas’s 2nd District. A longtime figure in Arkansas Republican politics, he has also held leadership roles in the military and legal fields.