🌱 Patch AM: See which Fort Smith restaurants were flagged—and which passed cleanly

Good morning to you Fort Smith! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• See which Fort Smith restaurants were flagged—and which passed cleanly
• How will Fort Smith's new 2027 service goals affect you?
• How investigators think the UA-Fort Smith bomb threat was really made

And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, V C.!

Today's riddle: What did one strawberry say to the other strawberry? 🤔 (Answer below!)

From our Partner
Today's Fort Smith Patch AM is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. After investing billions to light up their network from big cities to small towns, T-Mobile is America's Best Mobile Network in the US according to Ookla Speedtest®. Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 1H 2026. We thank T-Mobile for their support in helping to keep communities like ours connected and for making today's Fort Smith Patch AM possible.
Find a T-Mobile store near Fort Smith.

Weather forecast:

• Tuesday: Near-record warmth, with a high of 104 and low of 77 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
• Wednesday: Hot with a stray thunderstorm, temps: high: 98, low: 76.
• Thursday: Partly sunny and hot, with a high of 97 and low of 71 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. River Valley Restaurant Inspections: Raw chicken stored above potatoes, food debris covering the floors (arkansasonline.com) — Recent health inspections in Sebastian and Crawford counties include many Fort Smith restaurants, bars, and convenience stores, with violations ranging from raw meat stored above ready-to-eat foods to expired permits and missing paper towels. Several Fort Smith spots, including the Senior Activity Center and multiple chains, passed with no violations, giving residents a clearer picture of local food safety.
   

2. Fort Smith sets 2027 goals for emergency response, city services (swtimes.com) — Fort Smith is setting specific 2027 targets for 911 response times, police arrivals, code inspections, and water and wastewater compliance that will shape what residents can expect from city services. The Board of Directors will review these goals, along with staffing and transit benchmarks, at a study session as officials balance tight resources with rising service demands.
   

3. UA-Fort Smith bomb threat may be connected to threats in Kentucky, Florida (4029tv.com) — Police say last Friday's bomb threat at the University of Arkansas–Fort Smith prompted evacuation of about 6,000 people and a massive law-enforcement response, though no explosives were found. Investigators now suspect the call was part of a wider "swatting" pattern tied to similar threats in Kentucky and Florida, and are reviewing how campus alerts and evacuations were handled.
   

4. Fort Smith residents notified of night flying operations by 85th Fighter Group (rivervalleydemocratgazette.com) — If you hear fighter jets over Fort Smith at night through Sept. 4, it's planned training from the 85th Fighter Group at Ebbing Air National Guard Base. The flights support F-35 training for allied nations under a federal Foreign Military Sales program that Arkansas successfully competed to host.
   

5. Muldrow, Okla., man pleads not guilty to Fort Smith charge of rape involving minor (rivervalleydemocratgazette.com) — Sebastian County prosecutors have charged a 38-year-old Muldrow man with raping a child under 14 in a case filed in Fort Smith, and he has pleaded not guilty. Fort Smith police arrested him earlier this month, and he remains jailed on a $250,000 bond while awaiting a jury trial set for January.
   

📸 Around Fort Smith

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Fort Smith

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Friday September 18
• Lunchbox: Navy Bean Fall Festival →
  Riverfront Pavilion, 100 N B St, Fort Smith
  6:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Wednesday August 26
• Happy Hour every Monday & Wednesday at Le Mesa ALL DAY
  Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce 1217 S Waldron Rd
  11:00 am
• Andy's Frozen Custard Kids Night
  Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce 6565 Rogers Avenue Fort Smith, Arkansas, 72903
  4:00 pm
• 810 Billiards & Bowling Trivia Night
  Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce 810 Billiards & Bowling 5609 Rogers Ave Fort Smith AR
  6:30 pm
Thursday August 27
• Ribbon Cutting: Community School of the Arts/ 10 Year Anniversary
  Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce 1101 Riverfront Drive Fort Smith, AR 72901
  4:30 pm
Monday August 31
• Happy Hour every Monday & Wednesday at Le Mesa ALL DAY
  Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce 1217 S Waldron Rd
  11:00 am
• 810 Billiards & Bowling: Bingo
  Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce 810 Billiards & Bowling 5609 Rogers Ave Fort Smith AR
  6:30 pm

🗓 Events Nearby

Wednesday August 26
• ASBTDC at The Chamber →
  Chamber of Commerce Van Buren Chamber Business Resource Center
  9:00 am
• Geno's Night
  Central Elementary School Van Buren, AR 72956
  4:00 pm
• Movie Night – Raiders of the Lost Ark →
  906 Cocktail and Cigar Lounge, 906 Garrison Ave, Fort Smith
  6:00 pm
Thursday August 27
• Western Arkansas Intermodal Authority Freight Roundtable
  Chamber of Commerce Peak Innovation Center
  8:30 am
• Van Buren Rotary Club Meeting
  Chamber of Commerce 510 Main St, Van Buren, AR 72956
  12:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• This update needing a business page to post seeking work or
  Offing services is ridiculous! You do not need a license in Arkansas for tree work if its under 2k$ a lot of small businesses do not need licenses… (Nextdoor North Albert Park Ave)

• Atrium Hospitality posted a job opening for Part-Time Housekeeping Room Attendant in Fort Smith. Apply here.
• Burlington Stores posted a job opening for Retail Sales Associate - Part Time in Fort Smith. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Fort Smith here.

Ok Fort Smith! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: If you weren't so sweet, we wouldn't be in this jam! (Thank you Patti F. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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