The Sentinel-Record
Wooden toy playland returning to Spa City June 1
After the success of the Hanamaki Toy Museum’s visits to Hot Springs in 2024 and 2025, Moku Playland is returning to the Spa City on June 1. The month-long pop-up will be at 831 Central Ave. and will be open Thursday through Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 4...
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HSPD carry torch for Special Olympics
A group of Hot Springs police officers made the 4.3-mile trek from the police station on Malvern Avenue to Lakeside Field House Tuesday morning for their leg of the Special Olympics’ Law Enforcement Torch Run. Sgt. Richard Nunez carried the torch for...
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Food costs strain feeding efforts as groups work to close summer meal gap
With schools letting out for the summer, area nonprofits are preparing for a seasonal increase in families seeking food assistance as children lose daily access to school meals and rising food costs continue to strain household budgets. Though some...
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City holds ribbon cutting for new fire station
The Hot Springs Fire Department held a ribbon cutting and grand opening Friday of the city’s first new fire station in three decades. Station No. 6, located at 131 First Security Way, is the first station south of the King Expressway and has been in...
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Cotton addresses high gas prices at RPGC benefit
With AAA reporting a $4.51 national average for a gallon of regular-grade gas Saturday, fuel prices are front of mind for many voters as the November general election approaches. U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., provided some context for the 11-week...
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LHFD tests new marine salvage equipment
Divers from Lake Hamilton Fire Department’s special operations team entered the water a few minutes before 11 a.m. Friday in search of a boat submerged about 20 feet as part of a training exercise. The 16-foot, flat-bottom aluminum boat had been...
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2026 Police Memorial Ceremony is held at sheriff’s office
Multiple law enforcement agencies that serve Garland County residents came together on Wednesday to observe the annual Police Memorial Ceremony outside the Garland County Sheriff’s Office. The ceremony honored 10 law enforcement officers who died in...
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EFA testing rules put homeschool accountability in focus
As more Arkansas families turn to Education Freedom Account funds for homeschooling, state testing requirements remain a key part of program participation. Brittnie Pascuzzi, a Garland County parent who homeschools her 12-year-old son and 9-year-old...
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JPs get first glimpse at mobile command vehicle
From aiding in the documentation of damage from natural disasters to providing law enforcement with an enhanced perspective at critical incidents, the mobile command vehicle the Garland County Department of Emergency Management debuted Monday has...
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Talented Two: Student artists put Garland County on congressional stage
Two Garland County students recently earned recognition in Arkansas’ Fourth Congressional District art competition. U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-District 4, announced the winners of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. Coley Rogers of the Arkansas...
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New fire station more than 30 years in the making
The first 48-hour shift at the Hot Springs Fire Department’s first new station in 30 years commenced Sunday, providing a presence in south Hot Springs the city said has been needed since 1989. That’s the year Chief Ed Davis joined the department....
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Drive helps foster children ditch trash bags
Steamatic of Arkansas delivered 200 bags to the Garland County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday as part of its second annual foster children’s bag drive, an effort aimed at making sure children entering foster care do not have to carry their belongings in...
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HSFD promotes new firefighters to the force
The Hot Springs Fire Department held a graduation ceremony for its recruit candidates and a promotion ceremony for several firefighters Friday. HSFD promoted 10 recruits to the rank of probationary firefighters and 12 members of the department were...
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Issue 3 supporters pitch economic development amendment
Supporters of Issue 3 told local leaders at a lunch and learn Thursday at Crystal Ridge Distillery that the proposed constitutional amendment would give Arkansas communities more tools to compete for development projects. The session was led by Issue...
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Searching for direction to leading homicide cases
Cpl. Tyler Ward said his path to a career in law enforcement and a sense of purpose began in the classrooms of his local community college. Ward, a detective with the Hot Springs Police Department and graduate of National Park College, said he moved...
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Oaklawn Foundation awards $371,000 in scholarships
More than 120 Garland County students received scholarships Tuesday as the Oaklawn Foundation awarded $371,000 during its annual scholarship ceremony at the Oaklawn Event Center. The foundation awarded 117 scholarships worth $3,000 each, along with...
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Local veteran honored at annual Garland County 4-H Banquet
One local veteran was honored at last week’s annual Garland County 4-H Banquet at the Garland County Fairgrounds EHC Building. Donald Chmura Jr., a Vietnam War veteran, was presented a Quilt of Valor from the Arkansas WINGS Quilts of Valor group at...
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HSWCHS Beta Club partners with Reynolds to establish Common Ground Community Garden
Hot Springs World Class High School’s Beta Club partnered with Reynolds Consumer Products and volunteers from around the district to build the Common Ground Community Garden at the district’s welcome center at 702 Main St. on Saturday. The project...
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New litter abatement program setting participants up for success
With the first week of the new Hope Works Litter Abatement Program completed, participants have banked their initial paychecks and are on their way to obtaining gainful employment, the program’s supervisor said. The city started the program in 2020,...
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Former Gardner School classmates reunite 60 years after first grade
Six decades after they first walked through the doors of Gardner School as first graders, a group of former classmates returned Friday to the old campus to reconnect, reminisce and celebrate a shared past. The reunion marked 60 years since the group...
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Steelman to host studio tour with Arts and the Park Saturday, Sunday
Bethannie Newsom Steelman will host a studio tour as part of Arts and the Park, which will feature live music, sweet treats and live painting by Steelman in her studio at 415 Park Ave. on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 11 a.m. both days. Steelman, a...
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Developer’s withdrawal leaves library as lone Majestic prospect
The developer who proposed a mixed-use concept, anchored by a crystal museum, for the Majestic Hotel site withdrew Tuesday in deference to the Garland County Library’s November referendum. Summit Properties principal Rick Williams told the Hot Springs...
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Students show gains ahead of ATLAS testing
Students across the Hot Springs School District are showing academic gains as they prepare for statewide testing, district officials reported at Tuesday’s monthly school board meeting, with improvements in literacy, math and science. Melissa Bratton,...
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Neighbors, faith leaders react to ‘appalling’ vandalism at Congregation House of Israel
Faith leaders and community members roundly condemned a recent act of vandalism taken against Congregation of House of Israel, a Reform synagogue on Quapaw Avenue, after a message was spray-painted on the exterior of the building. The act was “an...
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CMS seniors celebrate future plans at Signing Day
Cutter Morning Star High School seniors took center stage Thursday at Eagle Arena, where 48 students announced their post-graduation plans during the school’s fifth annual Signing Day ceremony. The event, which serves as a counterpart to traditional...
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Westerman, local leaders back child advocacy efforts at CAMCAC event
The Cooper-Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center brought together community leaders, students and advocates Friday at National Park College Student Commons to raise awareness about child abuse prevention and healing efforts in Garland County. CAMCAC is...
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HSSD partners with Goodwill Arkansas to gather donations and distribute gift cards
Hot Springs School District began a partnership with Goodwill Industries of Arkansas on Friday, bringing a donation bin to the district’s welcome center at 702 Main St. Placement of the bin, which can accept clothing and shoes, will “make it easy and...
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‘Where the Wind Lives’ to open today for Arts in the Park
Garvan Woodland Gardens officially opens its newest art installation today, “Where the Wind Lives.” The kinetic art installation by Patrick Shearn and Poetic Kinetics consists of three pieces that are located above the Great Lawn, above the Children’s...
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Roboclovers look to add members for SeaPerch program
Several area youths were at the Hot Springs YMCA Friday afternoon demonstrating the SeaPerch program, an underwater robotics program they participate in through their 4-H club. Jennifer Blankenship, the leader of the Roboclovers 4-H club, said she had...
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Election official urges students to vote, warns of low youth turnout
JESSIEVILLE — Garland County Election Commission Chairman/Elections Coordinator Gene Haley told students Monday that low youth voter turnout is allowing older generations to dominate decisions on taxes and laws, and he urged them to become more engaged...
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FFA convention draws nearly 4,000, builds momentum toward centennial
Nearly 4,000 students, advisors and guests gathered at the Hot Springs Convention Center Monday to kick off the 99th annual Arkansas FFA State Convention and Expo, a three-day event focused on leadership, career development and the future of the...
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Civil rights leader honored with marker by Gateway Community Association
A historical marker honoring social psychologist, civil rights figure and Hot Springs native Mamie Phipps Clark was unveiled Friday by the Gateway Community Association. A gathering was held at Clark’s childhood home at 302 Garden St. to commemorate...
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Chamber to honor top students at 40th Academic Excellence Banquet
Garland County’s highest-achieving seniors will be recognized Wednesday as the Academic Excellence Banquet marks a milestone year and a new chapter. The 40th annual banquet will be held from 6-8 p.m. at Hot Springs Junior Academy, where students...
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HSPD raises more than $3,000 for Special Olympics Arkansas
The Hot Springs Police Department raised over $3,000 for Special Olympics Arkansas Tuesday night during the Tip-A-Cop event at Texas Roadhouse. While the HSPD has been participating in the Tip-A-Cop program for several years, this was the first year...
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HSNP activities set to celebrate 194th birthday
Monday marks the 194th anniversary of the signing of legislation by President Andrew Jackson to create Hot Springs Reservation, making it the first public land set aside by the federal government, and Hot Springs National Park starts its annual...
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Burrough touts city’s progress in 2025
With the city set to celebrate its sesquicentennial this year, Hot Springs City Manager Bill Burrough said there is 150 years of “rich history,” but leadership still needs to continue to look forward. Burrough, who has been city manager since 2018,...
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Arkansas students compete at SkillsUSA Conference
Students from across the state converged on the Hot Springs Convention Center Tuesday to compete at the Arkansas SkillsUSA State Conference. SkillsUSA is a workforce development program that aims to teach students how to become skilled professionals....
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‘You never outgrow your foundation’:
Years after graduating from National Park College, Cody Hobby says the foundation he built there still guides him daily as a local certified registered nurse anesthetist. Hobby, a CNRA at National Park Medical Center, recently returned to campus to...
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‘Expedition: Dinosaur’
Dinosaurs will return to Mid-America Science Museum starting April 25 with the exhibit “Expedition: Dinosaur.” The original, fully-interactive exhibit from Sacramento, California-based Stage 9 Exhibits goes through Aug. 16 and features dinosaur...
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HSSD secures $302K in opioid settlement funding for peer prevention effort
After applying earlier this year for continued support, the Hot Springs School District has officially secured $302,000 in opioid settlement funding to extend its peer-based prevention and recovery program for two more years. The funding, awarded...
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City celebrates final piece of Lake Ouachita project
The city of Hot Springs cut the ribbon Monday morning on the first water treatment plant the city has opened in close to 60 years. Located at 125 Randall Road, the red barn at the intersection of Amity and Little Mazarn roads may appear as another...
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Joey Godoy of Deli Restaurant Group talks new Mexican eatery at former DONS site
Joey Godoy, owner of the Deli Restaurant Group, which comprises a number of eateries in central Arkansas, including Capo’s Tacos and Rolando’s Nuevo Latino, announced that he will open a new, upscale Mexican restaurant in the former location of DONS...
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Sister City Program hosts annual Cherry Blossom Festival
The annual Arkansas Cherry Blossom Festival returned to the Hot Springs Convention Center Saturday, celebrating Japanese culture and the longstanding sister city relationship between Hot Springs and Hanamaki, Japan. Hot Springs Sister City Program...
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Cherry Blossom Festival gets underway today
The Hot Springs Sister City Program is once again putting on the Arkansas Cherry Blossom Festival at the Hot Springs Convention Center today. This free event showcases Japanese culture, particularly that in Hanamaki, Japan, which is the sister city of...
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Lakeside School Board approves bid for new bus facility
The Lakeside School Board accepted a bid from Hill and Cox Corporation for the construction of a new bus depot, which came in at $3.1 million. The new facility will be located on the east side of Lakeside’s campus and would house “our bus, mechanic,...
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Local examiner says school choice should be more about children, less about politics
As Arkansas expands access to its Education Freedom Account program, one Garland County specialist said the conversation around school choice should move away from politics and toward a more collaborative, child-centered approach. Local...
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Jessieville Elementary unveils inclusive playground
JESSIEVILLE — Jessieville Elementary School students wasted no time testing out their new playground Monday after school officials and community members celebrated its completion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Members of the Hot Springs Village Area...
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Arkansas Cherry Blossom Festival set for Saturday
While the annual blooming of the city’s cherry blossom trees is over due to the unseasonably warm weather, the Arkansas Cherry Blossom Festival is less than a week away. The state’s largest cherry blossom festival is set for Saturday, with events...
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Hundreds attend 3rd No Kings rally in downtown HS
More than 600 people were estimated by organizers to have attended Saturday’s No Kings rally at Hill Wheatley Plaza, but no counter-protestors were observed. Kelly Grappe, the Democratic candidate for Arkansas Secretary of State, was among those at...
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Confederate monument a topic of discussion at recent city board meeting
The United Daughters of the Confederacy Hot Springs Chapter 80 said its monument does not mark the exact location where Black men were lynched in 1913 and 1922. The chapter told the city in a March 9 letter to Mayor Pat McCabe that lynchings occurred...
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Library celebrates Pokemon Day
The Garland County Library hosted its annual Pokemon Day celebration on Thursday, which took on added significance in light of Pokemon’s 30th anniversary this year. Jessamyn Carter, the public relations coordinator for the library, said the...
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Racing Festival of the South returns with seven stakes
It may be a three-day race weekend at Oaklawn, but The Racing Festival of the South will have no shortage of excitement. There are seven stakes races set for the three days of racing starting today with the $200,000 Hot Springs, which is the eighth...
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Spring break brings surge of first-time visitors
Hot Springs National Park is seeing one of its busiest spring breaks in recent years, park officials said, as steady crowds and first-time visitors from across the country visit the Spa City this week. HSNP Ranger Cane West said Tuesday visitation has...
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Library plans to move forward with new main project
The Garland County Library Board of Directors on Monday discussed the next steps for a proposed new main library, weighing a potential bond initiative even as its bid for the former Majestic Hotel site trails a competing concept. The board will...
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A Night of Art returns to NPC
The National Park College Foundation will host its third annual A Night of Art on April 14, offering the community a chance to view and purchase student artwork while supporting scholarships and campus programs. The event, presented by the Levi...
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10-day Arts & the Park festival starts April 24
Hot Springs’ 10-day arts festival, Arts & the Park, kicks off April 24 with the unveiling of this year’s Art Moves exhibit along the Hot Springs Creek Greenway Trail and a meet-and-greet with Patrick Shearn of Poetic Kinetics at Garvan Woodland...
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Mountain Pine Spring Fling kicks off week of community cleanup
MOUNTAIN PINE — Businesses and community members in Mountain Pine will come together to host a Spring Fling today at The Yum Yum Shack on Blakely Dam Road, which will kick off the community’s week-long cleanup of trash and other scrap material. The...
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Committee endorses Majestic Village concept
A crystal museum orbited by shops and restaurants, and fronted by a prominent water feature, outscored the Garland County Library’s mixed-use concept at Wednesday’s Hot Springs Board of Directors work session on the redevelopment of the Majestic Hotel...
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‘Our Greatest Hits’
EAST Conference 2026 is bringing thousands of students, educators and community partners to the Hot Springs Convention Center this week to spotlight three decades of student-driven innovation and service. The annual event, which began Tuesday and...
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Electra-fying event: Crowds converge on Bridge Street for 23rd annual parade
Prior engagements left the celebrity guests for the First Ever 23rd Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade with little time to take in the sights, but it did not dull their excitement for Tuesday’s event. Chicago Bears great and Hall of...
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ASMSA accepting applications for free summer camps
The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts is accepting applications for its 2026 Summer at ASMSA program, offering free, weeklong residential camps designed to challenge students from across the state. Applications are being accepted...
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Progress continues on John Lee Webb house restoration with work on interior
The ongoing effort to restore the former John Lee Webb home into a community resource center and museum of local Black history is still in full swing, but may be less visible as the current phase is focused on the interior. Work on the historic home...
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Parade committee honors Medal of Honor awardee, former parade leaders
Members of the Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee gathered Tuesday morning for an annual tradition that officially kicked off the holiday celebration. Wreaths were laid at the graves of John King and Dick Kelley. The tradition dates back to...
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Taking root: Jessieville updates regional forestry leaders on playground tree effort
JESSIEVILLE — The Jessieville School District on Thursday showcased its progress in a statewide effort to bring more shade and environmental education to playgrounds. District officials presented an update on their participation in the Arkansas...
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HSSD presents 8th annual Student Choreography Showcase
Hot Springs School District will present its eighth annual Student Choreography Showcase today at 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Hot Springs Junior Academy’s Joyce L. Littleton Craft Auditorium. The program’s theme is “History in Motion,” according to Amy...
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Head ‘bead wrangler’ looking forward to parade, next year
About 20 years ago, George Dooley bumped into Visit Hot Springs CEO Steve Arrison in the gym, and Arrison began talking about some of the issues organizers were having with the beads being thrown at the Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade. “He goes,...
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Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade King and Queen reflect on selection
In 2009, the first royalty for the Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Randy Hill and Kim Everhart, was named, and this year’s king said his selection “completes the circle.” Monte Everhart, who has portrayed the World’s Tallest Leprechaun for the past...
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CMS teachers focus on targeted support
Teachers at Cutter Morning Star School District spent Monday analyzing student data and planning instruction to help struggling readers meet Arkansas’ third grade promotion requirement. The teachers met in collaborative groups during a professional...
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Hot Springs artist Gary Simmons featured in ASU-Beebe exhibition
Gary Simmons, an artist and longtime resident of Hot Springs, is currently being featured in an exhibition at Arkansas State University-Beebe, which will run through March 31. The show features 39 works in a variety of media and subjects, and came...
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Women’s Leadership Summit debuts at NPC
With March marking Women’s History Month, the Hot Springs Women’s Leadership Alliance’s mission of connecting and empowering women in community leadership roles is taking on renewed significance. The HSWLA, in conjunction with National Park College...
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Ellis: Clarity, support key to student success
National Park College is shifting its Career Services department from a traditional, student-initiated help desk to an integrated hub that guides students from enrollment to employment, NPC Director of College Success and Career Services Jessica Ellis...
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