The Times (Northeast Benton County)
Proposal tabled after commercial zone deemed too small
A plan that has been presented, changed and presented again was tabled Tuesday night after comments from the Pea Ridge Planning Commission members questioned the size of the commercial zone of the property. The property, owned by Patterson and Artley...
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City celebrated 175 years in 2025
The city of Pea Ridge celebrated its 175th birthday with a Founders Day celebration Aug. 9, 2025. From the quiet agrarian town of the 1950s to the bedroom community of 1994 with 1,300 residents, the town of Pea Ridge grew to a first-class city with...
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Skatemas Break
Paul Conceison (center) of Pea Ridge laces a pair of ice skates Monday for his son, Camden Conceison, 3, as Gina Conceison and Caleb Conceison, 3, watch before setting out on the ice at the Jones Center in Springdale. The center hosts Skatemas Break, a...
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City employees get 2.6-6.5% in COLA; Mayor gets 5%
All city employees will receive a $1.25 per hour cost of living increase which reflects a percentage ranging from 2.60% to 6.50%. The mayor was given a 5% cost of living increase. At the Dec. 16 City Council meeting, council members approved the COLA...
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Officers commended for professionalism, composure, compassion
Several Pea Ridge Police officers were recognized for their dedication and professionalism during a couple of suicide call incidents this year as Police Chief Lynn Hahn commended their “professionalism, composure and compassion.” The suicidal female...
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First nine holes of new disc golf course open for play
“It’s been a crazy nine months to get this open, but we’ve made a lot of great strides,” said Kaleb Turner, city parks and recreation director during the ceremony opening the Front 9 at Yockey Rowe Disc Golf Course Tuesday, Dec. 2. The temporary Front...
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Pea Ridge youth competes in National Finals Rodeo
This week as many Pea Ridge students returned to class rooms after the Thanksgiving break, one eighth-grade student headed to Las Vegas to compete in the Vegas Tuffest and Junior National Finals Rodeo. Bentley Morris, 13, qualified for both in the...
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Newspaper kicks off Community Christmas Card campaign
Readers of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette who want to help ensure local students and their families have plentiful access to nutritious foods will be able to show their support to these families by contributing to the 2025 Community Christmas...
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All hands on deck prepping for Early Bird weekend
With the scent of fir trees in the air, more than a dozen young Pea Ridge men worked unloading the 700 Frasier fir trees from the trailer Saturday, Nov. 15, as others stacked the trees. On the last weekend before opening day, it was all hands on deck...
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Harvest Market day in downtown was bustling
Hundreds of people shopped in downtown Pea Ridge on a beautiful, sunny autumn Saturday. Reminiscent of the days when the Pea Ridge area was more rural and farmers came to town on Saturday to shop, the parking lots were filled and the lawn downtown was...
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Veterans serve city in many capacities
Veterans of the United States military branches serve the city of Pea Ridge in many different capacities and enhances a positive working atmosphere. Honoring those men and women who served the country and who now work for the city was the goal of...
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Drills help ready for emergencies
Students in the Junior High School gym watched school staff prepare for a heart drill as Charles Wooley, outreach coordinator Arkansas Children’s Heart Institute, Project ADAM, Heart-Safe Schools Arkansas, walked into the gym and put a mannequin on the...
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Street safety includes reducing speed of vehicles
Three areas of the city were identified as areas on which to focus after engineers Nathan Boone and David Criswell met with city residents during a Tactical Urbanism meeting recently. “Toole Design has come through for us and has identified some...
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Pea Ridge woman breaks marathon record in Nebraska
“From Pea Ridge, Arkansas,” resounded over the loudspeaker on Sept. 26, nearly 800 miles away from Pea Ridge, as Aubree Hawley crossed the finish line of the Monument Marathon in Nebraska, breaking three hours and the record for women for the...
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Coach Wade adds yet another state championship ring
Heather Henson Wade belies the old adage that “you can’t go home again” as she not only returned to her home town and high school alma mater, she has excelled in the tasks she has undertaken. Wade is the 1-4A Conference Coach of the Year for girls...
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Revitalizing downtown Pea Ridge is high priority
The downtown Pea Ridge area along Pickens Street was once the only commercial area of town. Vintage buildings there have housed many different commercial enterprises over the past century. As the town has grown, and the commercial area spread to the...
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Ozark hills to feature new course
A professional disc golf course is in the works in Pea Ridge and will be a unique feature, according to city Parks and Recreation director Kaleb Turner. Volunteers have been clearing the site on land adjacent to the Yockey-Rowe trail on a 66-acre...
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Gladheart Park was once family dairy farm
As the farms that once comprised and surrounded Pea Ridge have disappeared, replaced by subdivisions, one farm northeast of town will continue to be green space and be named in honor of the family who ran a dairy there for many years. The former dairy...
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Four seek Ward 2 seat on Council
Four people have applied for the City Council vacancy created by the resignation of Jeff Neil. The deadline to apply is Sept. 9. Interested persons must live in Ward 2, be at least 18 years of age and be a registered voter. Those seeking the seat, as...
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Stitched with Love surpasses 5K
More than 5,000 quilts have been made and donated to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas since 2018. That milestone was feted Tuesday, Aug. 19, as members of Stitched with Love met at the Pea Ridge Library to celebrate...
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Report on Hardin’s escape: Workers slack on jail rules
Dressed in an all-black disguise designed to look like a police officer’s or prison employee’s uniform, Grant Hardin had to find a way to overcome a locked gate at the sallyport of the North Central Unit prison. It turned out to be an easy obstacle to...
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Former Miss Pea Ridge queens recognized
Several former Miss Pea Ridge queens were recognized at the 76th annual Miss Pea Ridge pageant Friday, Aug. 8. Present were: • 1960 — June (Wilkerson) Misenhimer of Rogers • 1970 — Penny (Hall) Schwitters of Pea Ridge • 1998 — Lacey London Jasan of...
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School fosters family and community relationships
GARFIELD — Community working together is one thing that makes the Garfield School special, said Joy Sawyer, one of two women who founded Garfield Scholars Academy. Sawyer, a veteran educator, and Melanie Kennon joined forces to form the charter school...
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Historic Garfield school building given to charter school
GARFIELD — The old onestory stone building sitting on the south side of U.S. Highway 62 has housed the Garfield school since before World War II and many area residents were distraught when they learned it was closing. Two of those residents — Stanley...
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Founders Day to celebrate long history of Pea Ridge
Pea Ridge Founders Day celebrating 175 years is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 9. A parade, guest speakers, musical entertainment and many events are planned. The Pea Ridge Post Office was established on Aug. 6, 1850. The centennial was celebrated...
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Drones utilized by police for search, rescue
Practicing both drone flying skills and search skills from the air and ground, Pea Ridge and Highfill police joined forces to train in a search and rescue scenario on hilly ground north of downtown Pea Ridge in June. Under the watchful eye of Lt. John...
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Independence Day celebrations
Thursday, July 3 9 p.m. Fireworks donated by USA Fireworks, hosted by city, lot north of City Hall, Weston Street Friday, July 4 10 a.m. Family bike parade, route behind Primary School, off Weston Street; register on Recdesk —...
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Cherokee cycle the trail ancestors walked
Seventeen Cherokee bicycle riders traversed the 950-mile journey on the Northern Route of the Trail of Tears from New Echota, Ga., crossing seven states and ending in Tahlequah, Okla., as part of the Remember the Removal bicycle ride. Near the end of...
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Pea Ridge carnival, fair to return next week
The Pea Ridge Fair will be returning again for 2025. The 2024 fair delighted, thrilled those attending — whether for rides, games, food or seeing neighbors and friends. And, the fair is timed to end the day before the annual Freedom Fest which will...
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Students build, sell hay trailer
“I want to spread agriculture in the community.” Evan Wilkerson FFA president Thanks to the hard work and skills learned by students, a school project — a 32-feet gooseneck hay trailer — was sold to The 808 Ranch in May. The project, designed and...
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Pea Ridge Intermediate among Learner Collective’s first cohort of schools
For two schools, one nestled in the northwest part of the state and the other tucked into the Arkansas Delta, a partnership with nonprofit Forward Arkansas over the last two school years has resulted in bridging the gap between students, staff and the...
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Fitness court opens at City Park
The new fitness court at Pea Ridge City Park is finished and already in use. On Monday, May 26 — Memorial Day — several people met on the court for a workout session, despite light rain. The court, built with a portion of funds from a grant received...
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Personnel changes dominate business
Mindy Cawthon resigned from the School Board after serving six years. School superintendent Keith Martin said Cawthon has “been a part of a lot of growth and change.” He praised her contribution. In an email to board president John Dye and Martin on...
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City’s reputation is exceptional in leadership
A leader. Most relevant, best education in Arkansas. A city that is “out in front.” Supportive. Those are just a few of the descriptions of Pea Ridge offered by Graham Cobb, president of Paceline Strategies, and John Rowland, with BlackHills...
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Carr Street work to begin
Work began this week on improvements to Carr Street, a north-south street that connects to Slack Street on the east side of Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market. Improvements include curbs and gutters along the east side and a 10-feet wide trail along the...
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Construction begins on playground
The rain held off long enough to hold a successful groundbreaking ceremony for the new all-inclusive playground at the upcoming Carr Street Park on April 24. When the project is finished, Pea Ridge will become the third city in Northwest Arkansas to...
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Growth in competition was worth it
The Arkansas Youth of the Year for the Boys and Girls Club is Zoey Hinojosa, 16, a junior at Pea Ridge High School. The daughter of Rick and Samantha Hamilton, Hinojosa is in her sixth year at Pea Ridge schools and in the club. She previously won the...
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Hayes found work here stimulating
With a degree in chemistry, Ken Hayes did not falter in obtaining his water and waste water licensures within the first year of taking on the Pea Ridge Water Utilities Department two decades ago. The department and the city have more than doubled in...
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Steiger family to continue long-time agricultural legacy
As family farms, ranches and dairies are replaced with subdivisions in and around Pea Ridge, as they are throughout much of Benton County, one family ranch will continue the agricultural legacy begun in 1970. Lamar and Shari Steiger announced Monday,...
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Volunteers cut back invasive plants
Invasive plant species can quickly take over an area, smothering out the native plants, said Cris Jones, one of the volunteers who helped clear edges of the Yockey-Rowe Trail Saturday, March 29. Jones, 86, has decades of experience, and often...
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Spring Fling 5K & Fun Run enjoyed
The turnout was lower than the Jingle All the Way run held in December, but the participants were just as enthusiastic about the Spring Fling 5K and Fun Run Saturday, March 22. “The 2025 Pea Ridge Spring Fling 5K and Fun Run was a success,” said...
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Dead vegetation fueled brush fires
March winds fueld several fires in the area and kept firefighters from Pea Ridge, Avoca and Northeast Benton County (NEBCO) busy last week fighting brush fires. In addition to strong winds, which dry out vegetation, low humidity, and thick, dead...
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Bike Bus encourages safe riding
City active transportation director Joshua Johnson, likening himself to the pied piper, played music from a speaker on the back of his bicycle as he rode his bicycle along streets in Hazelton and Standing Oaks subdivisions Friday, March 7, beginning...
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Anniversary of battle is this week
Several programs are scheduled from 9:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Saturday, March 8, by the National Park Service to commemorate the 163rd anniversary of the Battle of Pea Ridge. The battle was fought on March 7-8, 1862, by more than 23,000 Union and...
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Working overnight, street crews cleared city streets
Preparing for the predicted snow fall, city Street Department employees spread about 1,000 gallons salt brine on the city streets Tuesday, according to Monte Keene, superintendent of the Pea Ridge Street Department. Then, as the snow began to...
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Fitness court for all added to City Park thanks to grant
By early summer, an outdoor fitness court will be added to the City Park thanks to a grant from the National Fitness Campaign, according to Parks and Recreation director Kaleb Turner. Turner presented the proposal to the City Council Tuesday, Feb. 11,...
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Leonards have done everything together for 66 years
Going roller skating every Saturday was a good way to connect with other young people in Wichita, Kan., in the mid-1950s and that’s exactly how Marge and Ivan Leonard first met. She was 14. He was 17. Little did they know that more than 60 years...
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Planning director resigns
The city is advertising for a planning director after the resignation of the city’s first planning director, Jessica Grady. Mayor Nathan See said Grady resigned immediately Wednesday, Jan. 29. “I Jessica Grady am hereby resigning from the city of Pea...
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Retired administrator steps in
Dr. Daniel Brackett was hired Wednesday, Jan. 22, as interim principal of the Pea Ridge Junior High School. “I’m honored to be here,” Brackett said. “With the resignation of Mrs. (Beth) Stein, we’re needing to replace a principal for the interim,”...
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Travis returns to helm of Blackhawk football
A face familiar to many will be at the helm of Pea Ridge Blackhawk football team this next year. Tony Travis, who successfully led the Blackhawks from 2009 to 2016, was named head football coach Thursday night at the Pea Ridge School Board meeting....
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City streets cleared of snow quickly
Hours of preparation before the snow fall began and then by working throughout the night and most of the following day, Pea Ridge Street Department employees made the city streets passable after the first snowfall of 2025. Street superintendent Monte...
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Firefighters do hands-on training
“Everything we do, we try to set it up like it’s a real scenario. The more times you do it correctly in practice, the better chance you’re going to do well it under pressure and duress,” said Pea Ridge Fire Chief Clint Bowen Saturday. The Pea Ridge...
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Year in review: Staff, programs added to meet demands
Business — both public and private — expanded in Pea Ridge this past year with new employees added to the city staff and ribbon cuttings held for new retail enterprises in town. The city added a parks and recreation director and an active...
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Jingling all the Way, runners brave the cold
The first inaugural Jingle All the Way 5K and fun run (two miles) was a huge success, according to Joshua Johnson, city active transportation director. “The racing fee was free, we only asked people to donate food or toys. This is our first inaugural...
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New owner plans to continue Sherman’s legacy
Two years at Oak View Animal Clinic in Pea Ridge has been enough for Dr. Keturah OllieHayes to know she loves the area, the clinic and wants to have a larger part in the business. That dream is coming to fruition with her buying out retiring...
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Snyder named Officer of the Year
Members of the Pea Ridge Police Department enjoyed fellowship and awards presentations Saturday, Dec. 7, at the annual Police Department Christmas banquet after the city parade. Selected as Officer of the Year, by a vote from his peers, was Charles...
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Be an ‘angel’ and give to others
There are more than 250 children represented by the tags on the angel trees in town this year. Those children are dependent on the generosity of others in order to receive Christmas gifts, according to Debbie Turner, administrative coordinator at...
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Nabholz to be construction manager
Nabholz was hired as the construction manager for two city projects planned for this next year. The announcement was made to City Council members Tuesday, Nov. 19, in the regular City Council meeting. “We had four really good applicants,” Mayor...
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Kingston gets a bicycle
Little did Joshua Johnson know when he began his day Saturday collecting bicycles for city residents that he would have the opportunity to bring joy that very day to a local youngster. Johnson, city active transportation coordinator, is passionate...
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Honor veterans’ service by studying, working, living well
Honoring veterans, children from Pea Ridge Middle School gathered for an assembly Friday, Nov. 8, and were challenged to “commit to being worthy of the sacrifices our veterans have made,” Lt. Col. Braxton Hurst said. “I believe the lesson for us is,...
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No weapon found at Jr. High School
A potential threat — possibly a student with a gun — prompted a lockdown for almost two hours at the Pea Ridge Junior High School Monday, Nov. 4, but ended with all staff and students safe, according to Pea Ridge Police Chief Lynn Hahn. “The worst...
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How ‘walk-able’ is the city?
Walking the sidewalks in the city was enlightening for city officials as they participated in a “walkability audit” Tuesday, Oct. 22. The Walk Audit, in partnership with the Center for Community and Economic Development at UCA and Crafton Tull, was to...
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Quilts, hats sent to hurricane victims
Several local residents are contributing to the needs of the people in North Carolina who have suffered loss as a result of the hurricane and flooding. Members of Stitched with Love, a non-profit organization, make quilts for Children’s Hospital in...
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Champion jumping mule Dan takes it all in stride
Dan and Doug walked steadily, unhurriedly toward the jump staging area. They’d been that route before, many times, although Dan had walked it with Doug’s father J.R. Fletcher for years before Doug took the reins. The brown mule Dan, who J.R. Fletcher...
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‘Pickers’ give plaque
“The Picking in the Ridge pickers would like to say ‘thank you’ for proving us a place to pick,” Stan Ackerman said, explaining that Terry Tomke, who moved here from New Mexico, carved the wooden plaque. Ackerman, founder of Picking in the Ridge,...
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Highway swaps may fund traffic signal intersection
Concerns about traffic in town as the population continues to expand are some of the most often expressed comments both at the Coffee with the Mayor meetings and on social media. “Traffic has been a big issue for a while,” Mayor Nathan See said,...
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