🌱 Storm Flooding & Outages + Sewer Resources + LEARNS Act Impact

Good morning, Fort Smith. I'm here in your inbox today to get you caught up on everything you need to know about what's going on around town.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: A stray afternoon t-shower. High: 92 Low: 67.
• Tuesday: A stray afternoon t-shower. High: 88 Low: 65.

Here are the top three stories today in Fort Smith:

1. On Saturday, Jun. 3, severe thunderstorms caused flash flooding, winds faster than 60 miles per hour, downed trees, and downed powerlines in Fort Smith and Lavaca. As of Sunday morning, roughly 400 people were still without power in the area due to lightning damage. Officials reported power should have been restored by 4:30 p.m. Sunday. (KATV)
2. Fort Smith officials are worried there are not enough resources to cover expenses to fix the sewer. To comply with an agreement with federal and state environmental officials, Fort Smith needs to spend at least $65 million a year through 2032 to fix the sewers. Deputy City Administrator Jeff Dingman said, "That's been our contention with the Department of Justice and the EPA, is that with all the different resources we've got, we still anticipate we'll have more expenses than we'll have resources. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
3. Arkansas Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva recently visited the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith to discuss the LEARNS Act and its impact on education in the state. The LEARNS Act, introduced by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, aims to improve education by raising the minimum teacher salary, implementing a bonus program for high-performing teachers, and addressing various aspects of education from early childhood to grade 12. Oliva emphasized the importance of setting high expectations and providing resources to ensure the success of all students, including access to quality child care and support for students struggling with reading and literacy. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

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Today and tomorrow in Fort Smith:

Monday, June 5

• Harry Potter Day At Fort Smith Public Library (1:00 PM)

Tuesday, June 6

• Wiggle Worms Storytime At Fort Smith Public Library – Miller Branch (10:00 AM)
• Gentle Flow & Release At Santosha Yoga & Wellness (4:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Old Fort Days Rodeo in Fort Smith concluded on Saturday night, Jun. 3! View the link to see pictures and hear from some of the participants. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
• Cassandra Claire Webb, 34, of Fort Smith, and 10 other members of a northwest Arkansas drug trafficking organization were sentenced to a combined 184 years in federal prison. Webb was charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release. (KARK)
• A beautiful four-bedroom is selling for $162,500 in Fort Smith! View the link to see the latest homes for sale in your area. (Fort Smith Patch)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday! I'll catch up with you soon with your next update.

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.