News

VIDEO: Senator Honored; Mayor Notes Progress In State Of The City

Published

5 months ago

March 13, 2026

JW Misenheimer

EL DORADO, Ark. — The El Dorado City Council opened its latest meeting with a special presentation honoring Sen. Matt Stone, then moved through a slate of agenda items that included board appointments, public-safety updates, utility information for residents, and multiple funding requests tied to local sales tax revenue.

Distinguished Legislator Award presented

Council members began with a recognition from Jack Critcher of the Arkansas Municipal League, who honored Stone for his service and presented him with the Distinguished Legislator Award.

Historic District Commission appointment approved

Mayor Paul Choate nominated Justin Howard, representing the South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society, to serve on the Historic District Commission. The council approved the nomination.

Retta Brown traffic proposal deferred for more input

Councilwoman Jill Weinischke introduced a proposal to make the road along Retta Brown one-way during key school traffic windows — 7:15 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The council chose to delay action after El Dorado School District Superintendent Jim Tucker said he had not yet been briefed on the proposal and wanted more information before a decision is made. Weinischke and Councilman David Hurst said they plan to meet with Tucker and review options before bringing the item back to the council.

Entergy shares outage and streetlight reporting tools

Residents also heard from Quan Moore of Entergy, who spoke about the Entergy app and how community members can use it to report street lights that are out.

Fire department agreement approved

Fire Chief Chad Mosby addressed the council regarding the ARAAGEMT affiliation agreement. The council approved the agreement in support of the fire department.

WINS/WORKS funding requests reviewed

During the meeting, El Dorado WINS Board Chairman Greg Downum provided an update on tax collections, stating roughly $2.4 million has been collected over four months, with revenues continuing at about $500,000 to $600,000 per month.

Council members reviewed six funding requests connected to WINS and WORKS categories, including parks and recreation, construction/maintenance, and airport-related items:

El Dorado Festivals & Events, Inc. (Playscape)
Request: $200,000.00
Funding: WINS — Parks and Recreation
City of El Dorado (Conference Center)
Request: $125,094.72
Funding: WORKS — Construction/Maintenance/Non-Designated
El Dorado Airport Commission (AEAS Grant)
Request: $875,000.00
Funding: WORKS — Construction/Maintenance/Non-Designated
El Dorado Airport Commission (Airport Terminal)
Request: $138,422.02 (reallocation)
Funding: WORKS — Construction/Maintenance/Non-Designated
City of El Dorado (Parks Phase I — Design Services)
Request: $199,584.00
Funding: WINS — Parks and Recreation
City of El Dorado (South Arkansas Expo)
Request: $4,600,000.00 (incremental)
Funding: WORKS — Construction/Maintenance/Non-Designated

The South Arkansas Expo request passed after extended discussion.

Mayor’s State of the City Address

Mayor Paul Choate also shared a State of the City update during the meeting, highlighting recent city projects, public-safety improvements, economic development activity, and financial challenges and responses. The full address is included below, as provided by the mayor:

“State of the City
To understand the state of the city we need to look back before we look at today and into the future.
The year 2025 overall was a very good year for El Dorado. We completed a two-year improvement program to our city streets, upgrading and resurfacing over 10% of our streets which equates to over 20 miles. We have also started the overhaul of the wastewater treatment plants. This work should be complete Q4 this year, and the financing was structured as to where we will not be asking for a rate increase for sewer.
Everyone knows that our airport has been going through remodeling preparing for the upgraded air service next week, jet service to Dallas will be up and flying. We will have TSA in place; you check in and will be able to connect to any destination you choose.
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There have been a few additions on Northwest Avenue. We now have Starbucks, 7 Brew and Chic Fil A. When a community attracts companies of this quality, we should realize that our city is doing well or they would not have chose us.
We are seeing improvement when it comes to public safety. When it comes to our fire department, I hear only compliments and our ambulance service has provided a level of quality service that would rival a major city.
Our police department has seen a change in leadership. Chief Roberts is the old-new Police Chief. When he filed his year end report it revealed an 11% drop in overall crime from 2024 numbers.
Now for a bit of not so good news. When it comes to city finance, in late 2024 we received notice about a local industry that had been reporting sales tax to the Ark. Dept of Finance and Administration. After a state level audit, we at the city received the bad news that over a period of time, we received $1.8 million dollars that had to be returned. Not only did this affect the city, the county had similar news dropped on them. So, for the sake of full disclosure the city did have to dip into reserves to the tune of approximately $1 million to balance the 2025 budget.
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On a more positive note, when it comes to our city’s finance, we completed our project to change the bank we use, and we have started receiving interest on all accounts that we legally can. We are seeing interest income go from $30,000 annually to over $50,000 monthly.
The citizens of our city were presented with the opportunity to continue taxing themselves with the WINS tax, so for the third time in 20 years the people voted to continue improving their community. This tax goes from infrastructure to public safety and 25% is dedicated to Quality of Life, Parks, and Playgrounds. These dollars are actually going to make life better for all of us who call El Dorado home
Now is the time to recognize the progress we are making and the future will be brightest if we all come together to move our community forward.”

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Details Emerge On Strong Mayor’s Arrest

Published

2 days ago

August 7, 2026

Sandy Sanford

EL DORADO, AR – In a story first reported by South Arkansas Now earlier this week, Strong Mayor Daryell Howell has been arrested on federal felony charges alleging extortion and making false statements to FBI investigators.

According to a federal indictment filed July 21, Howell faces nine criminal counts stemming from alleged actions between January 2022 and June 2025. The charges include two counts of extortion, five counts of attempted extortion, and two counts of making false statements.

The indictment does not provide specific details about the alleged conduct underlying the charges. South Arkansas Now spoke with Charlie Robbins, the Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas. He said because the investigation was ongoing, he could not provide additional information following the indictment. When asked if other arrests were expected, again, he declined to answer.

Following his arrest Tuesday, Howell appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Spencer Singleton in federal court in El Dorado, where he entered a plea of not guilty. According to the indictment, Howell allegedly attempted to obtain “property not due him and his office” from both a City of Strong employee and a contractor doing business with the city. Federal prosecutors allege the extortion involving the unnamed city employee occurred between January 28, 2022, and December 29, 2023. The indictment further alleges Howell extorted the unnamed contractor on March 28 and May 17, 2024, and attempted to extort the same contractor on multiple occasions in June, August, September, October, and December of 2024.

The indictment also accuses Howell of making false statements during an interview with an FBI special agent on June 26, 2025. According to prosecutors, Howell falsely stated that he “did not offer to prepare the personal tax returns of certain City of Strong workers,” despite allegedly knowing that statement was false. Prosecutors further allege Howell falsely told investigators that he “did not go to a La Quinta Inn hotel to collect cash from an occupant of a particular City of Strong position,” when he allegedly knew that statement was also untrue.

As with all criminal cases, the charges against Howell are allegations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The court released Howell on a $5,000 bond. His jury trial is currently scheduled to begin September 8.

News

Back-to-School Season Begins Across Union County as Students Return to the Classroom

Published

2 days ago

August 7, 2026

Sandy Sanford

El Dorado High School Principal, John Jameson, greets students and staff for the beginning of the 2026-2027 School Year

UNION COUNTY, AR – The familiar sights and sounds of yellow school buses, crowded drop-off lines, and students carrying brand new backpacks returned Thursday as the 2026-27 school year officially got underway for two of Union County’s five public school districts.

Students in the El Dorado School District and Strong-Huttig School District were the first in the county to head back to class, marking the unofficial end of summer vacation for thousands of area families.

The remaining districts will begin classes over the next week:

Junction City School District – Monday, August 10
Parkers Chapel School District – Wednesday, August 12
Smackover-Norphlet School District – Thursday, August 13

As classrooms fill once again, local law enforcement officials are reminding motorists that school traffic will increase dramatically over the coming days. Drivers are encouraged to leave a little earlier for work, remain patient during morning and afternoon commute times, and stay alert for children who may unexpectedly enter roadways.

School zones will once again be active, and motorists should pay close attention to reduced speed limits and crossing guards. Even a few miles per hour can make the difference in preventing a tragedy. El Dorado Police Chief Ricky Roberts said, “As in the years past, EPD Officers will be working school zones as children arrive and are let out of school each day. We ask that you slow down while traveling in and around school campus. If you are not dropping off picking up children, please avoid driving in the school zones during such times. Let’s have a safe school year for all.”

Perhaps the most important reminder is school bus safety. Under Arkansas law, drivers must stop when a school bus displays flashing red lights and extends its stop arm, allowing children to safely board or exit the bus. Violating this law carries significant penalties under Isaac’s Law, legislation enacted after the tragic death of an Arkansas student who was struck by a vehicle while exiting a school bus. Parents are also encouraged to talk with their children about bus stop safety, using crosswalks when available, avoiding distractions such as cell phones while walking, and remaining aware of their surroundings before and after school. Safety experts also recommend that families ensure schools have current emergency contact information before the school year gets fully underway.

For many students, Thursday represented more than just the first day of classes. It marked reunions with friends, new teachers, fresh opportunities, and the beginning of another chapter in their educational journey.

Whether it’s a kindergartner climbing aboard a school bus for the very first time or a senior preparing for graduation, this begins a school year filled with possibilities.

South Arkansas Now wishes all students, teachers, administrators, support staff, and families across Union County a safe, successful, and rewarding school year.

Featured

Principal John Jameson Welcomes Students to EHS for 2026-27 School Year

Published

3 days ago

August 6, 2026

Jax Sanford

News

STRONG MAYOR ARRESTED BY FBI

Published

4 days ago

August 4, 2026

Sandy Sanford

STRONG, AR – According to reports from inside the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Daryell Howell, the Mayor of Strong, Arkansas has been taken into custody by the FBI. No details are available from the Western District of Arkansas US Attorney’s Office as of this posting.

This is a developing story, as more details are made available, we will pass that information along.

News

CAMDEN CHIEF OF POLICE RESIGNS

Published

5 days ago

August 4, 2026

Sandy Sanford

CAMDEN, AR — Camden Police Chief T.J. Robertson confirmed to local media on August 4, 2026, that he has officially submitted his resignation to the city. His final day leading the department will be September 11, 2026.

“I have turned in my resignation,” Robertson stated to the Camden News. Expressing confidence in the future of the force, he added, “They’re going to do fine without me. I just want this to go as smoothly as it can for them.”

A Look Back at Chief Robertson’s Tenure

Robertson took the helm of the Camden Police Department on January 31, 2025, following his appointment by Camden Mayor Charlotte Young. He succeeded outgoing Chief Royce Carpenter after a thorough search process. Robertson stepped into the role with 18 years of law enforcement experience, having previously served both the local police department and the Ouachita County Sheriff’s Office.

During his 19 months in office, Chief Robertson focused heavily on community engagement, public safety initiatives, and youth outreach. Most notably, he developed a specialized youth program aimed at supporting and mentoring at-risk children within the Camden community.

Next Steps for Camden Leadership

The city of Camden has not yet announced an interim successor or detailed the upcoming timeline to appoint a permanent replacement. Mayor Charlotte Young’s office is expected to address the transition and outline the search parameters for the city’s next police chief in the coming days.

This is a developing local news story. Updates regarding the department’s transition plan will be provided as more details are officially released by City Hall.