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Happy weekend, Fort Smith! In today’s edition: AI gun detection at a school, an 81-year-old couple’s state parks quest, Harold Keller’s Portals exhibition, and more. Let’s get to it!
— Cait Baker
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🏆 Most popular this week
Curated by popular demand — here are this week’s most-clicked events, local spots, and stories.
Support during tax season: Free help is available now for seniors filing taxes in Fort Smith. AARP Foundation volunteers are serving seniors at the Fort Smith Senior Activities Center. No AARP membership is required — see how to get help.
First signature series exhibition: Walton Arts Center presents Harold Keller’s Portals at the renovated Porter Art Warehouse’s Alexander Gallery, curated by UAFS’s Matthew Bailey, on view through March 8, highlighting seven decades of work — get exhibition and venue details.
A passport quest fulfilled: An 81-year-old Van Buren couple, Jim and Virginia Garner, completed Arkansas State Parks’ Club 52 Challenge, finishing at Ozark Folk Center State Park and receiving congratulations from officials — learn more about their journey.
Closet refresh, solved: If your wardrobe needs a pick‑me‑up without mall prices, Fianna Hills Consignment Boutique has curated quality finds for Fort Smith since 2003. Women’s, men’s, and kids’ pieces, plus playful housewares, line the racks so you can browse, try on, and leave feeling stylish and sustainably savvy.
Added layer of protection: Trinity Catholic School in Fort Smith has installed an AI gun detection system on its 20-acre campus, using ZeroEyes to verify alerts and notify staff and police within seconds — see how it enhances safety.
Public safety investment advances: Alma City Council unanimously approved up to $45,000 in Arkansas Act 833 grant funds for new firefighting gear during a special called meeting, boosting equipment for crews near Fort Smith — get all the details.
Gold & silver are hot: Coming off gold’s best year since 1979, the momentum is carrying well into 2026 with silver remaining one of the most talked-about assets. Curious why precious metals are back in focus? American Hartford Gold has a free guide that explains what’s happening and how people are approaching it today. It’s free – and definitely worth a read.
Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175/month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.
Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.
What do people see when they search your name? Search results can surface past mistakes or outdated information that no longer reflects who you are. BetterReputation helps remove and clean up unwanted content so your online presence matches your real life today. Not worried about yourself? Doesn’t hurt to mention it to family or friends who might be.
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🔥 Worth a peek
We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.
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📆 Sneak peek at next week
Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →
All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.
🦅 Heart of the Eagle banquet @ ACHE Research Institute Health & Wellness Center | Tuesday (3/3) at 6:00 PM – Polishing our good shoes and raising a paddle for the Heart of the Eagle banquet, where we toast Sam Sicard and back Scouting America. Think heartfelt speeches, auction paddles, and the kind of community pride that pairs well with dessert, coffee, and sensible bedtimes.
🔑 Women’s Property Ownership: Then and Now @ Miss Laura’s Brothel Museum | Wednesday (3/4) at 2:00 PM – Start Women’s History Month at Miss Laura’s, where a former brothel is a fitting place to talk about who held house keys. Realtor Danyell Barker traces the twists of women’s property rights, it’s free, and interesting. Bring a friend, swap stories, call it quality time.
🛍 Growing Kids Sale Spring 2026 Consignment Pop-up Event @ Kay Rodgers Park Expo Center | Thursday (3/5) at 11:00 AM – Spring at Kay Rodgers Park means one thing, a kids’ consignment treasure hunt where they outgrow it today and you buy it tomorrow. Clean out closets, earn up to 75 percent, register at GKSale.com, and score early access if you text GKS to 1-855-332-7677.
🍵 Tea in the Parlour @ Petticoat Parlour | Thursday (3/5) at 3:30 PM – Pull up a chair in the parlour for a hands-on herbal tea workshop where you’ll blend immune-boosting sips for digestion, calm nerves, and heart health, then taste Eden’s elderberry syrup. You leave with custom recipes, practical knowhow, and a very happy teapot. Seats go fast.
🌿 Kokedama Workshop @ Potted Plants | Thursday (3/5) at 6:00 PM – Skip the repotting roulette and learn kokedama, the Japanese moss ball technique, then go home with a finished beauty. Plant, premium moss, soil blend, twine, and instruction are included, you just bring curiosity, a steady-ish hand, and a spot to hang or display it.
🎾 2nd Annual Save a Life Pickleball Tournament @ The Hangout Fitness and Sports | Friday (3/6) at 12:00 PM – Grab your paddle for a pickleball tournament that actually matters. Every serve fuels Harbor House scholarships, trims waitlists in Fort Smith and Hot Springs, and keeps housing, coaching, and aftercare accessible across the region. Win a few rallies, feel like a champ, help save lives.
🖌 Mug Painting @ Alma Public Library | Friday (3/6) at 6:00 PM – Weather tried to cancel our creativity, but the mug painting craft is back on. Come sip, chat, and turn a plain cup into your new favorite morning companion, the one that silently judges your reheated coffee. Low stakes, high charm.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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📻 Fort Smith report
Weather forecast
Today – High: 79°F – Low: 55°F – Precip: 14%
Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Southeast wind 0 to 10 mph. Later: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. East wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
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Tomorrow – High: 71°F – Low: 50°F – Precip: 45%
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before noon, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. East wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Later: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. East wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Most popular house this week
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