Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How will Fort Smith’s $919,000 lagoon cleanup affect your drinking water?

Make time for Lunchbox: Navy Bean Fall Festival on the Fort Smith Patch calendar

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Good morning Fort Smith! We're back again in your inbox, keeping you updated with what's happening in and around town. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How will Fort Smith's $919,000 lagoon cleanup affect your drinking water?
  • What did hackers really access in Fort Smith's police‑linked data breach?
  • Want to join Fort Smith's $3.3 million exercise study?

Also on today's calendar: Don Bailey Trio and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: When geese fly, one side is longer than the other. do you know why that is ? 🤔 (Answer below!)

From our Partner
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Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: A t-storm around in the p.m., with a high of 101 and low of 74 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Friday: Sunshine; record-tying heat, temps: high: 98, low: 72.
  • Saturday: Sunshine; record-tying heat, with a high of 100 and low of 73 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Fort Smith directors approve contract with Denali to remove residuals from water treatment plants (nwaonline.com) — Fort Smith's Board of Directors has approved a $919,000, 90‑day contract with Denali Water Solutions to clean out nearly full backwash lagoons at the Lake Fort Smith and Lee Creek water treatment plants, ensuring continued operation. Despite concerns about having only one bidder and Denali's odor issues elsewhere, city engineers say these water‑treatment residuals typically produce little to no smell.
   

2. Fort Smith says threat actor entered through police, took city data (swtimes.com) — Fort Smith officials say a threat actor entered the city's computer network through the Police Department, stole unspecified data, and disrupted services like credit‑card payments and meeting livestreams, though systems are now largely restored. Investigators have contained the breach and identified how it happened, but the city is still reviewing what information was taken and what notifications residents may receive.
   

3. Arkansas Colleges of Health Education awarded $3.3 million grant to study exercise, cardiometabolic health (nwahomepage.com) — Researchers in Fort Smith have landed a $3.3 million NIH grant to study how different people's bodies respond to aerobic and resistance exercise, and they're recruiting 120 local adults. The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education will run the trial at its Health & Wellness Center, offering residents a chance to participate in nationally significant health research.
   

4. Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs receive $35.5K Taco Bell Foundation grant (nwahomepage.com) — Fort Smith teens at the Boys & Girls Clubs' Stephen's Teen Center will benefit from a new $35,535 Taco Bell Foundation grant supporting college and career readiness. The funding, raised from customer round-ups, will expand college visits, application help, and exposure to different education and job paths for local youth.
   

5. Volunteers needed for 6th annual Fort Smith International Film Festival (rivervalleydemocratgazette.com) — Fort Smith residents are invited to volunteer for the 6th annual Fort Smith International Film Festival, coming Nov. 5-7 to multiple downtown venues. Volunteers get close access to films, panels, and visiting filmmakers, while early-bird VIP passes—discounted through Oct. 2—offer three days of screenings, after-parties, and special lounge access.
   

📸 Around Fort Smith

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Fort Smith

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Spent the weekend in the Ozark National Forest.
    My grandson and his beautiful bride had a mountain top wedding. I hadn't been out there in about 30 years. Saw some huge deer and maybe an elk in… (Nextdoor South 74th Street)
  • Stay tuned, this will be very new for the community & to bring more insight into eating more cleaner & staying healthy for yourself, this will be great to incorporate when transitioning into your daily routine of shopping holistically with The
    beautiful Tyler Adams !! I want to share with others to have the motivation for themselves to be healthier & holistically intact with their mind &… (Nextdoor South Fort Smith)
  • Envoy Air posted a job opening for Supervisor, Customer Services in Fort Smith. Apply here.
  • Dunkin' posted a job opening for Shift Leader 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: because there are more geese on that side (Thank you jo L. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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