Entertainment Fort Smith Magazine - April 2016

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EDITOR’S NOTES

Editorial Staff LINDA SEUBOLD Editor in Chief lindaseubold@efortsmith.com LYNN WASSON Managing Editor lynnwasson@efortsmith.com DONNA PAYNE Senior Editor donnapayne@efortsmith.com MARY JANE HENNIG Art Director Contributing Writers BRITTANY RANSOM KARRIE KELLY LUCY FRY KRISTAN ROLAND Contributing Photographers ROGER CARTER JOHN CROSS BOB DYER GLENN GILLEY SCOTT MELLGREN

Advertising Sales Advertising Coordinator KARRIE KELLY karrie@efortsmith.com 479-494-1888 CHARLES G. HUBBARD Corporate Sales charleshubbard@efortsmith.com 479-831-3995 CALVIN EVANS Account Executive calvinevans@efortsmith.com 479-414-3252 LINDA GILHAM Account Executive lgilham@efortsmith.com 479-629-0235 Bookkeeping JULIE BERCH HAMILTON accounts@efortsmith.com 479-494-1888 © 2016 eFortSmith.com Media, Inc. efortsmith.com

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Entertainment Fort Smith

April 2016

Seeing from a new point of view Eye candy. That’s what we felt about the outstanding photography created for this issue of Entertainment Fort Smith.

Especially for our Fortifiers feature with Steve Clark, photographer John Cross captured Clark’s magnificent rehab of the historic, triangle-shaped Friedman-Mincer building in a stunning way.

Every space inside the handsomely designed building is interesting and Cross puts your eye to his lens to show it off.

Talking with Clark gave me, for an hour or so, one of the most imagined and envied vantage points in town: from the third-floor corner windows facing down into Texas Corner, to the intersection of Garrison and Towson avenues, with sightlines down North 10th, 11th and 12th Streets, too.

That window looks directly into Cisterna Park.

When the Gen. William O. Darby monument is placed on April 30, the World War II hero from Fort Smith will be riding a military motorcycle, gesturing boldly into downtown to show that “Rangers Lead the Way.” I talked with the sculptor, Kevin Kresse, who absorbed everything he could find to understand the man he would depict forever in bronze.

His sculpture is compelling. Kresse’s Darby is a leader to admire. But also, through the artists’ talent, one can imagine the magnetic personality and sense of humor his biographers describe.

Students of Darby Junior High learn that side of Darby from a homework assignment the young “Bill” wrote while a student.

“Why Write an Essay,” he titled this piece for the 1929 Fort Smith Junior High yearbook.

“Of all the atrocious problems that are assigned to the modern high school student the writing of an essay heads the list,” he wrote.

Amen, William Orlando Darby, say all the students who have read his words since.

There’s a bit of that impatient attitude in Steve Clark, too. He explained that if all the progressive moves Fort Smith needs to make were to happen “in a linear fashion,” he won’t live long enough to see it. That’s why he tries a lot of new things at once and encourages the idea of trying 15 or 20 ideas all at the same time.

He proves that strategy can work. Last year, Clark was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the University of Arkansas for making a highly effective run at leading the transportation logistics industries, co-founding a national media group, supporting a project to help public education change to connect students’ studies more directly to careers ... get the idea? He likes to try things without fear of failing, refining them while moving onward.

We appreciated an hour of his busy life and knew our readers would like to hear his thoughts.

Brittany Ransom, one of our fine writers, was assigned to answer something we think all of us have been curious about: What does Garrett Lewis’ family do while the whole viewing area relies on him to caution us about dangerous weather?

Garrett admits his wife, Ashley, is a “weather widow.” He’s always on air when storms threaten.

You’ll find her answer interesting.

Of course, we have filled these pages with interesting options for your recreational fun. April 30 is also the Steel Horse Rally. As Gen. Darby’s statue arrives, it will be escorted by Rangers on motorcycles and, we’re sure, an informal honor guard of the thousands of riders from the rally.

We also point you to the April 23 Volunteer Fair. If you aren’t entertained now, become a volunteer to challenge yourself to do something great for your hometown and neighbors.

– Lynn Wasson

CIRCULATION Entertainment Fort Smith is a monthly city/regional magazine published from February to December by eFortSmith.com Media, Inc. Entertainment Fort Smith distributes 30,000 complimentary issues per month.

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CONTENTS

April 2016

features

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Steel Horse Rally

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William O. Darby rides home With the help of many, a bronze monument of one of Fort Smith’s most remarkable citizens will be dedicated on April 30. And is he cool – sir, yes sir!

Fortifiers: Steve Clark on making Fort Smith stronger Bringing the Friedman-Mincer Building back to life on Texas Corner is the latest way Steve Clark is writing ideas on walls in a way that’s big enough for everyone to read.

On steel horses they ride When Dennis Snow pulled off a massive motorcycle rally last year, he immediately decided to do it all over again, except bigger. April 29-30 is the Steel Horse Rally II.

Do your bit! Find a new purpose at the volunteer fair Fort Smith offers what may be the most unusual variety in volunteer opportunities of any city. Whether you’re into nature or nurture, why not survey the possibilities?

Is a second-generation Cabbagehead a Brussels sprout?

Chris Carter grew up watching his dad lead Fort Smith’s most fun party band, Mr. Cabbagehead and the Screaming Radishes. Now he is one. Or still is one. He’ll keep the beet for these mixed vegetables of music.

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Cabbageheads rock on

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WHAT’S COOKING Strawberry cookies, brownies and more ways to enjoy those abundant berries with recipes by Kristan Roland.

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Cooking with Kristan

Entertainment Fort Smith

April 2016

GARDENING This month, hear one of America’s premiere garden writers, Felder Rushing.

By Lucy Fry

DINING GUIDE Eat a cheeseburger near a cow and carousel. You’re not dreaming, you’re at the unique Nickel & Dime Diner.

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MUSIC & PERFORMANCE Rock history needs you – answer the call. Plus April’s many entertainments.

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EVENTS FOR KIDS Plus crafts with kids in mind and lots of busy activities.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS April’s offerings are diverse and engaging. Let’s do it all!

On the cover: Bronze sculpture of Gen. William O. Darby in the final stage of assembly at the Crucible Foundry. The Kevin Kresse bronze will be installed April 30 after a local group’s threeyear effort to erect a monument to this outstanding Fort Smith man.

Photo by Scott Mellgren.

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APRIL 30

A Hero

is riding home

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One of Fort Smith’s distinguished heroes gains a monument

ort Smith has never forgotten its favored son, Bill Darby – a popular, accomplished young man who, along with millions of Americans of his time, left home to serve his country in World War II. Like many families who waited anxiously at home, the Darby family received the dreaded notification that their son would not return.

Heartbreakingly near the end of combat in Europe, on April 30, 1945, he was killed by an enemy shell near Torbole, Italy. Two days later, Italy would surrender. May 8 would be Victory in Europe day, when hostilities ceased.

Col. Darby was posthumously promoted to brigadier general.

On this April 30, more than seven decades later, Gen. William O. Darby will become even more vivid in the minds of many when a bronze sculpture depicting him will be placed for all time in downtown Fort Smith.

The mission to have a statue of Darby in Fort Smith has been accomplished in only three years by present-day Army Rangers and community donors, including students of the Fort Smith school that was named in his honor, Darby Junior High.

The bronze figure, to be placed in Cisterna Plaza, will appear greater than life-size and even loftier on a specially designed, raised plinth.

However, the people behind the General Darby Legacy Project intend, through a variety of ways, to emphasize “Bill’s” character and engaging personal qualities so young people will relate to the young man as he was when he grew up in Fort Smith.

His military career achievements as an adult merit the honor of this new commemorative monument. After graduating from Fort Smith High School, Darby was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point where he swiftly rose to leadership. He served as a cadet company commander. Upon his 1933 West Point graduation, he was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant assigned to a mounted artillery unit.

His destined association with the elite Army Rangers was forged as World War II became the inevitable next mission of the U.S. Armed Forces. Tasked with forming a new commando unit, he helped to establish its nature by studying British military commando units.

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His own hand-picked men formed the first American Ranger unit, called “Darby’s Rangers,” and he led its training with its British counterparts.

Trained to spearhead forward attacks, Darby’s Rangers won their tough reputation in the invasion of North Africa through risky night advances.

Rangers, now increased to three battalions, drove forward fiercely in the Allied invasion of Italy at Sicily and Anzio. Two battalions suffered severe casualties in the liberation of Cisterna, Italy, the action for which Fort Smith’s park and the statue’s home is named. During these valiant efforts, Darby reorganized Ranger units after heavy losses to get them in fighting order.

When the brigadier general and assistant division commander of the 10th Mountain Unit was wounded, Darby eagerly volunteered to go back into combat in his place, because he loved to be in action with his men.

He already had received the Distinguished Service Cross after the Arzew assault in North Africa, where he was recognized for leading the “fury of the Ranger attack” in close-quarter fighting by his “skillful employment of hand grenades,” according to his citation. He also received an Oak Leaf Cluster for extraordinary heroism in Sicily: “Lt. Col. Darby, with the use of one 37mm gun, which he personally manned, managed not only to repulse an enemy attack, but succeeded with this weapon in destroying one tank, while two others were accounted for by well-directed hand grenade fire.” His last commendation while living was the Silver Star for actions in North Africa.

But on April 30, 1944, with the Allies so near victory after brutal combat in Italy, a German shell landed among soldiers clustered around Darby, killing him and a sergeant and wounding others. Survivors, all cut from Darby’s mold, fought onward and helped force the surrender of Italy two days later.

For his courage and inspirational leadership, Darby’s commanders promoted him, after his death, to brigadier general.

Another elite unit on a mission A cadre of people can be credited for creating a bronze monument of Gen. Darby. In 2013, retired Army Ranger Joe Armstrong and his wife, Liz Berry Armstrong, first envisioned a monument. Liz spoke for her husband, who is currently working as a civilian in the Middle East, when she recalled their moment of inspiration.

“We sat up in the middle of our bed with a yellow legal pad writing down our ideas,” she remembered. “We didn’t know how we were going to do it, but we could see the statue in our minds and knew right where we wanted it to be.” They launched the campaign on the anniversary of Darby’s birthday.

They immediately got critical support from leaders of the Bass Reeves statue project, without which they could not have succeeded, Liz said in gratitude.

The Armstrongs drafted Dr. Darren McKinney, principal of Darby Junior High School, to chair the effort with their support. The general’s namesake junior high already had a partnership with the Armstrongs, who had raised funds for an electronic marquee at the Grand Avenue and North 14th Street campus. The school has strong ties to active and retired Rangers to emphasize to students the history behind the school’s name and Rangers athletic mascot.

“We teach the students that Darby came from the same neighborhood served by our school,” McKinney said. “Our motto is the U.S. Army Rangers’ motto: Rangers Lead the Way! We tell them they don’t have to follow; they can make themselves a great person. Darby walked these halls and then stepped into the world and did something extraordinary. They can, too.”

The Armstrongs reached out to retired and active Rangers to raise funds.

They also have worked to establish Fort Smith as an “All-Ranger” reunion destination for gatherings of any retired or active Ranger organization.

Rangers already visit Fort Smith frequently in respect for their founder.

At the Crucible Foundry in Norman, Okla., last month, artisans were completing the assembly of Kevin Kresse’s bronze sculpture. The fully finished sculpture will be escorted into Fort Smith by an honor guard of motorcycle-riding Army Rangers. Photos by Scott Mellgren of Norman, Okla.

April 2016

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Why the hero rides a Harley When the Armstrongs had the idea of a Darby monument, they saw him astride a motorcycle. Joe Armstrong rides, as do many Rangers. A few historical photos show Darby on a 1942 Harley-Davidson WLA, a model produced for military use. Most officers would have used a jeep; Darby was known to prefer a bike when available. Not only did the project have to find a sculptor; the artist had to create a man and a motorcycle.

Although the bike was a technical challenge, the sculptor they chose said he was far more concerned with conveying Darby’s humanity.

“I didn’t want the cool Harley to overtake him,” said Kevin Kresse of Little Rock, an award-winning artist and sculptor who has been commissioned to create works of many distinguished figures.

He referred to books, oral histories, photographs an unpublished manuscript written by the general’s nephew and a few sound clips in his quest to find the essence of the man as he was in life.

Kevin Kresse “A posthumous piece is hardest,” he explained. “You run into the danger of overworking and removing the ‘life’ of the figure.”

“There were a couple of little things” which evoked a spark of the genuine person, Kresse said. “One was a moment Darby told how he felt when he thought the ship he was aboard was about to be torpedoed.”

Learning that Darby played the clarinet intrigued Kresse, who pondered the contrast of being both a musician and a soldier. Look closely after the statue is installed to notice that Kresse gave Darby “a military hand and a musician’s hand.” Clarinet players will understand best, he said.

Working with the Crucible Foundry of Norman, Okla., was a good creative relationship, Kresse said. It’s the same foundry that helped create Harold T. Holden’s bronze of Bass Reeves at the west end of Fort Smith’s Garrison Avenue. His original, clay sculpture was scaled up by the foundry to a clay-over-foam model. Kresse then put his hands in the clay again and refined many details. A mold was made from the model.

Molten bronze is poured into the molds by the foundry artisans, who assemble the finished sculpture from several cast segments. The hardened bronze will faithfully retain the marks made by Kresse’s fingers and tools.

“The more into it I got, the more I realized my responsibility,” he said of creating Darby’s likeness. “I really want to deliver, so much that if his mama was around, she would see the piece and say, ‘There he is.’”

A photo of Darby on a military motorcycle in Italy, above, and a Crucible Foundry artisan preparing a motorcycle wheel of Kresse’s bronze sculpture.

April 30 Monument Dedication Program The program begins at 10 a.m. at Cisterna Plaza, Garrison Avenue and North 10th Street.

The Steel Horse Motorcycle Rally is also taking place, so side street parking is recommended.

Related Exhibits and Programs The Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue, has updated the Darby Room, which exhibits uniforms, personal artifacts, photographs and information about Darby. An audio cell phone tour narrated by Darby and Presson Watkins explains the exhibits. A biographical video is repeated all day in the museum’s Griffin Theater, along with related World War II oral history. Also at the museum at noon, Motorcycle Memories, a program surveying Fort Smith’s motorcycle history.

The Darby House, 311 General Darby Street, Darby’s boyhood home, will be open for tours and holds Ranger memorabilia of the World War II and artifacts related to William O. Darby.

Photo by Scott Mellgren

Speakers Maj. Gen. William D. Wofford, adjutant general of Arkansas National Guard. Wofford, an Arkansas Tech graduate, has commanded the Arkansas National Guard since 2007.

Darby Watkins will represent his late mother, Doris Nell, sister of Gen. Darby, and his siblings, Dr. Sylvia Nell Ryan and Presson Watkins. The nephew of Gen. William O. Darby will share family experiences, personal insights, and memories of "Billy" Darby.

Dr. Darren McKinney is chairman of the General Darby Legacy Project and principal of Darby Junior High School. The Darby Junior High School Band will perform. Selected 10 Entertainment Fort Smith April 2016

Darby students will recite the Ranger Creed, which includes the school’s motto, “Rangers Lead the Way.”

FORT

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making Fort Smith stronger

Steve Clark

nexpected is a descriptive word that entrepreneur Steve Clark has embraced as a brand. It’s the name of the unlikely art festival he sponsored and presented last year that covered the walls of downtown Fort Smith with street art created in a few days by artists from around the world. It was wildly successful. “Unexpected” also describes the challenges he faced when he decided to bring a landmark building back to life.

At this interview, held in the corner office of the newly completed Friedman-Mincer building, he explained that the first time he saw it, the third floor where he was now sitting was pancaked down onto the second floor. The roof had collapsed; so had most of the third floor. While the previous owner had been gutting the building for an intended renovation, the collapse drove up its projected cost so much that demolition was imminent.

Clark turned to qualified architects and engineers for a bold and admittedly expensive solution: to fortify the building with an interior steel structure and preserve its historic exterior. It is now a building within a building.

It also is an active address, as of last month. One floor down, some 40 local staff members of Propak Logistics Inc. are fully operational, having been transplanted, over one weekend, from their former suites on Rogers Avenue to Friedman-Mincer. Clark commended Propak’s tech team for achieving the transfer of digital services with only minimum down time.

In adjacent, glass-walled offices, Propak CFO John Cooley and vice president Brandon Cox direct the logistics company, which has about 1,500 employees nationwide at facilities in 19 states (and growing). Propak serves all of North America. Although Clark founded the corporation in Fort Smith, he could have chosen almost any other U.S. city for its headquarters.

Between tall windows that overlook Garrison Avenue from one side and Rogers Avenue on the other, Clark has seen a stream of visitors in recent weeks for intense conversations around the vision for Fort Smith this resurrected building represents. He has engaging, even provocative, ideas to discuss.

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Disrupting – in a positive way “I would love for what is now unexpected to become the expected for our city and for Garrison Avenue,” said Clark, adding that he knew the inaugural street art event last year would be provocative, even disliked, by some people.

“To me, it was this great social experiment and it had to be of highest quality. That’s what I talked with Charlotte (Dutoit, the curator of the festival) about. We had to get the best the world has to offer.”

As the enormous images of fanciful insect beings and even an almost obnoxious mole quickly emerged on the walls of downtown buildings, Clark heard some of the reactions he had anticipated: Why such an ugly animal?

Why not historical subjects? What does this have to do with Fort Smith?

When the murals were finished, however, it was as if everyone, collectively, “got it.” Thousands of people of all ages walked through downtown as if awakened all in one weekend – smiling, bicycling, skateboarding, strolling, taking selfies in front of the murals and talking with the international artists.

“I will say in all sincerity, Fort Smith rolled out, supported them, loved on them, gave them insane Southern hospitality, if you will,” Clark said about the artists of the murals. “They loved it.”

HONEST SOLUTIONS, OLD AND NEW

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I would love for what is now unexpected to become the expected for our city and for Garrison Avenue.

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A Google search proves that The Unexpected put Fort Smith on many maps, not only in the art scene. It also served as an image lift for the city.

That’s a short-term benefit the town will or won’t fulfill for itself, Clark said.

“If you desire to be a progressive city, you have to do the things progressive cities do. If you’re not prepared to do it, that’s fine, but you just can’t get your feelings hurt if things don’t go your way,” Clark explained. Personally, he chose to make a long-term investment in downtown Fort Smith.

“These things aren’t free and they don’t happen by accident, so what I try to tell folks is that parts of our city will take care of themselves because of location but some are so important that we have to be much more deliberate.”

Downtown is that important, he said.

“To me, Garrison Avenue has to have walkability, quality of life, quality of space, quality of place. You can’t have the kind of city you want without a healthy, vibrant downtown. To me, this is as much about economic development – the foundational element of not just attracting but keeping the talent we need; keeping the businesses here. This has to be a desirable place not just to visit but to come and live and move your business and stay.”

Leverage – and how to use it Does Clark think his investment will influence other businesses to start new ventures here? “Well, that would be awful presumptuous,” he said, pointing out significant projects by others such as Griffin Properties and Lance Beatty’s renovation of the former Masonic Temple, nearby.

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Entertainment Fort Smith

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The main stairwell leading from the Rogers Avenue door of the Friedman-Mincer building presented the architect Tim Maddox of deMX Architecture of Fayetteville with a design challenge. The building’s main, Texas Corner door owns all the “wow” factor. Its Rogers Avenue entrance was dark and a bit claustrophobia-inducing. Now, it is a spectacular space.

“You enter through the narrow hallway then it opens up into the three-story, 67-feet-tall main stairwell,” Maddox said. Sunlight from a third-story window illuminates the stairwell all day.

Throughout, the reclaimed wood was treated to appear darker and the new, maple wood details are lighter, Maddox said. “You can get up close to that wood and see the old nail holes, the texture of it. That was intentional to help tell the story of the building. We’re using the old wood and we’re not trying to combine the old and new to make it ambiguous about what was what.”

In total, some 8,500 linear feet of 100-year-old boards, in dimensions of 2x8, 2x10 and even 2x14, were saved from the partially gutted interior of the Friedman-Mincer building.

Those planks of full-dimension lumber were split in half to create 1-by boards. “We netted 16,000 linear feet of boards,” Maddox said. “That’s 16,000 feet of wood that we recycled.”

The architects had to source a sawmill to split the boards, which turned out to be M&M Lumberyard & Sawmill of Van Buren, Ark., and locate a vintage planer capable of smoothing the wood.

The structural steel beams now bearing the full load of the building are revealed in the stairwell. An elevator is located to the right of the lower interior door in this photo.

“We generally try not to do anything that’s false,” Maddox said of his firm’s design ethos. “We try to be honest in the use of all materials.”

The artful interplay of old and new carries through the design of the 1912 building, which is now good to stand another century.

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“Let’s think about it like this: mass creates gravity; gravity attracts. If we create a space that people want to be, then people will be there. If people understand that parking concerns downtown can be overcome; that within a few block of here are six good restaurants ... am I levering people? I’m pitching every day. Absolutely, I see some people coming along.”

He anticipated the next question. “Are we just rearranging deck chairs, just moving from one area to the other? My counter to that is that if someone is looking to move, we’re probably not their only option. If we convince them to move to another area of Fort Smith and stay, I view that as a big gain.”

Unexpected – with high expectations Another art festival will happen this year and it will match or exceed the effect of the first event, Clark said, but with different expectations that also reflect on his reasons for reviving the century-old building.

“I want everyone to own it. I don’t want people to ask me if we’re going to have food trucks. I want the food trucks to believe they should be there, and drive in and do it. Are we gonna do a chalk walk this year? I don’t know. Whoever did it last year needs to think about if they want to do it. Not my deal,” he said. “What I’m trying to do is create the ecosystem that fosters this organic creativity.”

He has conceived, and heard, many worthwhile proposals, commercial and cultural, to keep up the momentum toward a richly attractive, well-designed downtown.

“Part of my thought process is that I won’t live long enough, if things happen in a linear fashion, to see what I want to see. We have to be very strategic about disruptive events like The Unexpected or rallies or festivals.

I’m not trying to be northwest Arkansas – they’ll take care of themselves.

I’m trying to be the best version of us that we can be. Uniquely us.”

– Lynn Wasson 14

Entertainment Fort Smith

April 2016

HISTORIC OUTSIDE, ICONOCLASTIC WITHIN The contrast of exterior and interior was fully intended by Propak, the client, and deMx Architecture. Clark said he chose the Fayetteville firm and its principal architect, Tim Maddox, to help create attention for the downtown Fort Smith landmark.

“I wanted northwest Arkansas talking about this project,” Clark said. Maddox, who was delighted to oblige, said Clark reacted well to deMx work such as Vetro 1925 Ristorante in Fayetteville, a preservation/new design for a older building near the square.

In the center of the third floor (above), a sitting area repeats the structure-within-structure idea and makes dramatic use of the massive lumber reclaimed from the building. Surrounding the area are offices with glass walls and exterior views to Garrison and Towson avenues – and miles beyond.

Overhead on this floor, wooden glue-laminate beams and a maple ceiling surface contrast new and old.

Friedman-Mincer (top right) viewed straight at its distinctive corner site. It is the only such building downtown. This crossroads was historically called Texas Corner, as the northsouth route – now U.S. 71/Towson Avenue – led to Fort Towson, Okla., and on to Texas. Historic plaques nearby show the building in 1958 and the area after an 1898 cyclone devastated older buildings at Texas Corner.

A see-through jewel box of space visible from all directions, the building’s ground floor (bottom right) awaits a perfect tenant, Clark said, or may possibly be needed for Propak expansion.

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN CROSS April 2016

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John McIntosh’s fanfare for the future

hile a number of people in their 40s and 50s are notable players in highly visible local ventures, many veterans also are in the mix. They are the OGs – that can mean “old guard” or “original gangstas” – not so much advanced in years as seasoned in long experience.

John McIntosh has been pushing his hometown forward for decades – as a volunteer creating cultural events, other times as a marketing and advertising pro and currently as an advocate for public/private development.

His connection to Steve Clark includes both art and commerce – he was on the team behind the wildly successful Unexpected festival but previously, more than 10 years ago, sold his ad agency, The McIntosh Group, to Clark, a co-founder of the national media group Rockfish Interactive.

McIntosh is collaborating again with Clark and others as executive director of 64.6 Downtown, sponsors and volunteers partnering to hold an art festival again, and a force encouraging continued progress downtown.

Traveling light, he’s transplanted his laptop, cell phone and a few pieces of art into the Propak Inc. headquarters. He is a host to guests eager to see the strikingly revived building that opened in February.

Propak carries on its national logistics services; McIntosh gets an opening to evangelize for more new ventures.

Since the earliest years of our blues festival – the first event he backed – McIntosh has preached that cultural investment directly drives prosperity.

“It does!” he reiterated. “And part of that is if you’re going to be here, you should love your place. You should take some pride in it. Since I grew up here, it came naturally.”

Well-traveled and personally drawn to music and a cosmopolitan scene, McIntosh actively helped many efforts to make his hometown as cool as any other city. Some things worked; some didn’t.

“I had no idea what we were doing when the Blues Festival was founded,” he laughed, fondly. Even so, it is going strong after 26 years. “My first introduction to formal effort was the Riverfront Task Force.”

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John McIntosh beckons investors and entrepreneurs to see downtown anew from a window of the Friedman-Mincer building.

That original task force, chaired by McIntosh in 1997, had a goal to enact a half-cent tax to support downtown revitalization. Its campaign won voters’ approval for a $55.33 million public investment that underwrote the upgraded convention center, a new Fort Smith Public Library and branches and the addition to the River Park of the events building, amphitheater and pavilion. In 2001, those enhanced facilities opened to public use.

“I was beginning to see how things work instead of taking a rogue action like we did with the blues festival,” McIntosh said of chairing the successful task force, which won the “buy-in” of citizens, municipal government and businesses such as hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues.

“It was a good experience. I was used to being a lone wolf and running with my own ideas, taking risks. But, being involved with the entire city, chamber and businesses who wanted to develop when we were doing the riverfront development task force – that was a very amazing step that Fort Smith took and we’re still getting the benefits today.”

Clark’s choice to revive and relocate his company to the Friedman-Mincer Building at Garrison and Towson avenues and Clark’s generosity as the patron of The Unexpected project exemplifies private investment motivated by belief in downtown’s value, McIntosh said. This kind of outcome represents the 1997 task force’s goals come true, three stories tall.

Almost 20 years after that campaign, McIntosh can stand at a third-floor window of the Texas Corner landmark and see results: From end to end, upgrades paid for by both private and public investment have kept Garrison Avenue stable and, as he sees it, potentially “fully activated.” The balance has been tipped, he said.

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He pointed to the substantial improvements at the west end of Garrison

by Griffin Properties, which include city blocks’ worth of renovated, occupied structures: Adelaide Hall, now the Bricktown Brewery; businesses from 2nd Street to 5th, including residences, offices and retail. Within view, First National Bank anchors 6th and Garrison, one of the sources of capital for regrowth downtown and area-wide. Arvest Bank’s extraordinarily clever renovation spurred surrounding stores and restaurants. Rodney Ghan will soon complete loft residences on South 9th Street near the convention center, the Marriott Courtyard and Executive City Center hotels.

There are many underused structures in between Clark’s new stake at the Friedman-Mincer Building and on parallel streets Rogers Avenue and North B Street, he admitted, but he sees them as promising properties.

“What I have learned is that it just takes a long time,” McIntosh reflected.

He is using the tools of 64.6 Downtown, The Unexpected, participation in the Central Business Improvement District’s planning and all his varied abilities to motivate investors. There are prospective spenders, he said.

“Locally. They’ve been walking through this building for a week,” said McIntosh. “The energy is here.”

Individual businesses are needed alongside large-scale renovations like Clark’s or the Griffins’ projects, he noted.

“Let’s look at the smaller investment: Savoy Tea,” McIntosh said, gesturing at the new tea shop at 10th and Garrison. “It’s a good lease arrangement for the building owner. It’s doing gangbusters because it is developed properly – it’s a nice place to be and it has good products. That’s a small investment that really leads to the quality of life that we all like.”

“The employees now working at Propak, or AOG workers, Arvest Bank, the Stephens Building can easily walk over and enjoy a coffee or cup of tea.

A conference area in Propak’s headquarters with a view to the north.

Steve Clark’s corner office and hangout has a long view to the west.

I’m impressed with the diversity. College students, women of means, creatives - it’s a destination that we didn’t ever think would be a destination.

There’s going to be more of that.”

McIntosh foresees redevelopment growing toward the center from both ends of the street. The mural art of The Unexpected project plays a part.

Through 64.6 Downtown, approval has been won for a “pocket park” at 915 Garrison Avenue, a vacant lot overlooked by work of the artist Vhils. A Native American face is sculpted into a wall surface of the 1911 New Theater, visible at the back of the lot.

“When we get that, Garrison Commons, finished on the other end of that half-block with Savoy Tea, think of the difference those two things are going to make on the east end,” he said.

Large and small investors behind large and small projects will be the answer to smart growth, he said.

“There’s a lot of wealth in and around Fort Smith but there isn’t huge wealth. But, on the other hand, we just need to be the best we can be.”

A bold project such as Clark’s Friedman-Mincer renovation is for the long term, not a short gain, McIntosh said. “When you’re in it for the long haul – that usually happens with local people.”

The well-appointed Hanna Oil & Gas headquarters near the National Cemetery, from which McIntosh worked to plan the first Unexpected festival, was built by a hometown company that also decided purposely to boost downtown growth. But besides corporate offices, McIntosh said he is nudging locals to live downtown, too. Residents are a link in the chain that drives a fully realized neighborhood.

“Part of what I do is ask, ‘What would it take for you to move downtown?’

People say, ‘Well, I’m paying rent, we have free parking. I love downtown but there’s not the right quality.’ But if we keep asking enough things of enough people ... that’s a good conversation.”

From his vantage point, McIntosh is convinced (and is convincing) that downtown will only grow more magnetic as a place to live, enjoy and invest.

Seen from that window, all roads converge at Texas Corner.

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APRIL 29-30

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April 29 Vendor Village Set-Up Vendor tents and trailers move into the 800 block of Garrison Avenue with the backdrop of The Unexpected festival’s brightest mural.

Bike Demo Harley-Davidson national demo truck.

The Steel Horse Rally rides again: Motorcycles will own the avenue

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urrender, citizens! Thousands of motorcycles will roar into downtown Fort Smith April 29-30. The good news is, they’re coming for fun and a good cause.

The Steel Horse Rally was launched successfully last year as full-on invasion of twowheel enthusiasts. Over two days, the rally will offer spectacle, concerts, exhibits, contests, a downtown parade, vendors and camaraderie.

The festival’s creator, Dennis Snow, is twice as excited and 100 percent less nervous about this second time around and has geared up its features accordingly. Garrison Avenue and the Fort Smith

Convention Center will be the nucleus for all rally activities. A parade of thousands of bikes on Garrison Avenue at 3 p.m. April 30, the showstopper of the whole weekend, may last for two hours due to the expected attendance. Everyone of all ages is invited to ride or watch the Thunder Through the Valley Parade from the sidewalk.

Proceeds from the rally will be donated to local charities. This year’s beneficiaries are the Hannah House, Earthbound Angels, the Children’s Emergency Shelter’s Independent Living Program, the Fort Smith Museum of History and the Gregory Kistler Treatment Center.

Jackyl Concert At the Convention Center, the opening night concert features bands Juni Moon, .357 and Hillbilly Vegas opening for headliner Jackyl.

Tickets are $15 and concert-goers must be 21 or older to attend. Inside, a Steel Horse Rally “Handle Bar” will offer beer and wine.

A Tattoo Alley also is being set up inside.

Closed Street Motorcycles will be allowed to park on Garrison Avenue at designated times.

April 30 Birds of Prey Presentation 9 a.m.

Presented by the Arkansas Native Plant and Wildlife Center, this show of live birds will allow up-close education about predator birds.

Darby Monument Dedication 10 a.m.

Rally bikers are invited to join the community to pay respect to Gen. William O. Darby, highly decorated World War II soldier and “father” of the Army Rangers. The inaugural Steel Horse Rally’s proceeds contributed to this bronze monument depicting the general.

Motorcycle Memories Exhibit 10 a.m. and outdoor bike show at the Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue.

Fort City Backyard BBQ Shootout Noon River Valley Food Bank Parking Lot 1617 Zero Street, Fort Smith Vertical Groove 1 p.m.

Convention Center

Thunder in the Valley Parade 3-5 p.m.

Parade riders will muster at Fort Smith Park and roar onto Garrison Avenue until the last bike passes. The street will be closed.

Miss Steel Horse Ralley Contest 5 p.m. at the Convention Center main stage followed by music by Colton Cerny & the Red Sun Caravan, the Jason Wells Band and Blue Collar Sideshow.

Information will be updated on festival days at thesteelhorserally.com.

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MAKING

Home WORK

Garrett and Ashley Lewis weather whatever storm comes their way

Photo by Bob Dyer

The only thing more unpredictable than Arkansas weather is the Lewis family’s schedule when storms roll through the area. As chief meteorologist for KFSM TV-5, Garrett Lewis, his wife, Ashley, and their two children are at the mercy of the ever-fickle Mother Nature.

A line of severe thunderstorms or heavy snow and ice can mean long hours at work providing extended coverage to the viewing area for Garrett – and cancelled plans and extra parenting duties for Ashley.

Despite the uncertainty that comes with life as a weatherman, the Lewis crew has learned to take advantage of the calmer days and roll with the punches that nature throws their way.

When skies are fair, Garrett’s typical workday is from midafternoon through the late-night broadcast. Ashley’s schedule is quite the opposite: She works days as a teacher in the Fort Smith school system. Each morning, she heads to Chaffin Junior High School,

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while Garrett takes their 4-year-old son, Graham, to school. Garrett spends the next few hours with 7-month-old daughter, Ellis, squeezing in time at the gym and other errands before dropping her off at the babysitter after lunch. He then heads into work to prep for the 5, 6, and 10 p.m. newscasts. Meanwhile, Ashley finishes her workday when classes dismiss, picks up Graham from his school and Ellis from the babysitter’s house and heads home.

“I am a single parent at night and he is during the day,” Ashley said.

“But we make it work.”

The couple, who only get to spend about five waking hours together during the workweek, make the most of it. “We don’t have typical schedules and everything is very weather-dependent in our lives,” Ashley said. They carve out precious blocks of family time here and there. Between wrapping up the 6 p.m. and starting the 10 p.m. news,

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Photo by Bob Dyer

Garrett runs home and spends his dinner hour with his wife and children. “We eat together and cram in the kids’ baths, reading and putting them to bed,” said Ashley. “It is a lot to fit in, but it is important to us.”

Ashley and Garrett also make the most of their weekends, enjoying time together and taking care of household chores. They play catch-up on all the laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping and spend time in the kitchen doing meal prep. “We get as much as we can ready for the week so that we can just throw things in the crockpot or cook up dinner quickly when we get home,” said Garrett. “It is one less thing to have to fit into our evenings.”

Ashley schedules photo shoots on the weekend, as well, as part of her growing business, A.B. Lewis Photography. “I have always enjoyed photography and, a few years ago, I was asked to do some portrait work,” Ashley said. “Since then, it has really taken off and I am at the point of having to turn down a lot of work because I just don’t have the time.”

Scheduling a family vacation is another task that often proves difficult. “Our lives are dictated so much by the weather and television ratings, which makes it hard to make big plans,” explained Ashley.

“The weather is unpredictable and you can only really look a few days out to know if you will be clear to take off,” added Garrett. “We have had to cancel vacations last-minute, fly back early and work on location.”

This fact has forced Garrett and Ashley to be somewhat impulsive when it comes to taking a trip. “We are really spontaneous people and we kind of have to be,” Ashley said.

At New Year’s, the couple decided on a whim to head out of town.

“We picked four cities in about 30 minutes, packed our bags and left,” she said.

That spontaneity has benefitted the couple since the beginning of their relationship. Married for 14 years, the pair met while in college.

“He was actually dating one of my friends at the time,” Ashley joked.

“Some weather was coming through and he wanted to go chase the storms, but she didn’t want to go. So, I said, ‘I will.’” And so began their romance.

While hectic, Garrett and Ashley are very grateful for the work they get to do and the life they have built together. His 15 years at KFSM have earned him a solid reputation as a dedicated meteorologist and a man with a genuine concern for the public’s safety. Ashley has impacted thousands of lives during her 13 years in education and is now using her talents to capture precious memories for families throughout the region. The two also are devoted parents and consider themselves true partners in their marriage as they strive to balance it from day-to-day.

With another storm season just around the corner, the pair is once again gearing up for a crazy few months of potentially long hours and unpredictable schedules.

“I really love what I do, but it is also nice to look forward to summer and the relative calm

that it brings,” Garrett said.

The summer also will usher in a new chapter for the Lewises, as Ashley wraps up the school year and prepares to enter a new phase of her career and motherhood.

“We have decided that I am going to stay home this coming year and spend more time with our family and focusing on my photography,” said Ashley. “I am excited to have the time with Garrett, our children and to hopefully expand my business.”

So, what does Ashley do while her husband is warning the rest of us of a pending storm?

“I’m just hoping the kids stay asleep!”

– Brittany Ransom

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APRIL 23

Discover a new passion at 5th Annual Fort Smith Volunteer Fair Historic soldier? Nature trail guide? Trolley driver? Child advocate?

Fort Smith offers an astonishing variety of volunteer roles that people of almost any age can fill. Survey a possible fit for you at a volunteer fair where all possible roles are described. This fair will include two dozen local historic and natural park sites, as well as other area-wide organizations.

Volunteering can build a resume, share your skills, make new friends and strengthen our community.

Free grilled burgers and refreshments will be provided by First National Bank. Free. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. April 23. River Park Events Building, 121 Riverfront Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-226-3727 nps.gov/fosm Fort Smith National Historic Site Fort Smith Museum of History Miss Laura's Visitor Center U.S. Marshals Museum River Valley Nature Center Fort Smith Trolley Museum Clayton House Historic Mansion Fort Smith Regional Art Museum Chaffee Crossing Historic District Drennon-Scott House Historic Site Fort Smith Parks RSVP Retired Senior Volunteer Program Lake Fort Smith State Park Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center

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Crisis Intervention Center Ronald McDonald House Devil’s Den State Park Sequoyah’s Cabin Army Corps of Engineers Girl Scouts Ronald McDonald House Mercy Hospice Project Compassion STEPS Family Resource Center United Way Van Buren Visitor Center Civil Air Patrol US Air Force Auxiliary

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DESIGNER NOTES

Everybody In! Warm weather heats up Luther Stem Pools & Spas for its 54th swim season

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lot of thought goes into a new pool – from its design to construction and even the decor that adorns the pool area. The professionals at Luther Stem Pools and Spas will take care of everything so their customers can relax in their new pool or spa as quickly as possible.

In 1962, founder Luther Stem Jr. established a business philosophy of giving customers more than they expected. After 54 years, the company is still family-owned and its experienced experts have conquered every kind of challenge. It has won eight national awards for workmanship and design and many Aqua 100 Awards.

Brenda Harmon has been the pool company’s retail store manager for 22 years.

“Luther Stem Pools & Spas is not about the size of our store or how many pools or spas we

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can sell each year,” she explained. “Our company focuses on offering quality products from vendors who stand behind their products made in the U.S.A. We strive to be the friendliest and most helpful swimming pool store. We sell fun things and we want to teach customers the best and easiest way to take care of them,” she said.

Swimming pools and spas come in an astonishing variety of shapes, sizes and price ranges. The staff also can help a customer select an above-ground pool. Stem stands behind its Seaspray above-ground pools, Marquis hot tubs for relaxation and swim spas for exercise. The hospitable store will even arrange a private “test soak” in-store.

Above-ground pools are popular in this region. They can be installed in a single day and, if the owner relocates, moved or sold.

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DESIGNER NOTES After careful design for each site and budget, Harmon helps pool owners with every aspect – from maintenance to the fun stuff such as backyard decor and pool toys. The showroom is packed with choices and Harmon helps by teaching customers how to do everything.

For upkeep, Stem carries BioGuard and SpaGuard chemicals, Polaris and Baracuda automatic and robotic pool cleaners. It offers spa cover lifts, above-ground pool safety ladders and steps, Loop Loc safety covers, Solar Blankets and Liquid Solar products for pools. Child safety swimwear and swim training products, floats, child and doggie life vests, pool toys and games and pool exercise aids also are in stock.

Outdoor fashion customers will find a huge selection of skin-protecting sun hats and the popular poolside Topsie Footwear.

Lawn and garden accessories and the helpful and colorful Wasp Traps are popular items sold in the store.

Need a grill? Luther Stem has Primo Smoker Grills of varying sizes. Something that isn’t offered at most pools and spa stores is the Refuge Storm Shelters, for which Luther Stem offers an installation package.

The Stems design and build “negative edge,” traditional or lagoon pools.

Harmon and all the staff of Luther Stem are ready for water lovers’ favorite season of the year.

“Spring in Arkansas has arrived early this year. Temperatures are going to warm up those pools,” she said. “If they have no cover or a mesh cover, pool owners should get that pool going now,” Harmon recommended. “Algae will bloom in water temps above 65 degrees with the presence of sunlight. Besides, the earlier you open, the easier it is to get it back in shape.

The Stem staff ’s expert advice and products are available to every poole owner. “We have expanded our service department and now will open and service pools that we did not build,” said Harmon.

Luther Stem Pools & Spas 5011 Old Greenwood Street, Fort Smith 479-646-7772 lutherstem.com Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

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home & garden goodies

Peach- and green apple pie-flavored Lucky Kentucky Moonshine and Redd’s cranberry ale available at In Good Spirits.

Natural leaf carved ashtray by Boca Grande Outdoor Collection and Xikar cigar cutter and lighter from Winstons's Pipe and Cigar Emporium.

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Wireless speaker and underwater light show by Game found at Luther Stem Pools and Spas.

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home & garden goodies Ceramic bird, decorative potted plant, serving tray and metal lantern from Creative Furnishings by Jean.

Terra cotta lanterns and planters available at Neumeier Nursery & Florist.

Assorted fishing lures, bobbers and a Garcia Mitchell 300 reel found at Designer Again.

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home & garden goodies

Delton fine collectible pony tea set and tea towels found at Now & Then Shoppe.

Curio cabinet with adjustable glass shelves, lighted interior and curved front from Mike's Furniture in Roland.

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Handcrafted, 12-inch bowl with stand, frame and letters from India Handicrafts Inc. available at The WareHouse.

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home & garden goodies

Poufs by Ashley available in a large selection of styles and colors from Furniture Emporium.

Geometric design frame, silk tulips and Michel Design Works lemon basil-scented soy wax candle and foaming and bar shea butter soaps found at Vintage Finds inside BrickCity Emporium.

A variety of meat rubs and seasonings available at Paul’s Meat Market.

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home & garden goodies

Unique lamps made locally from a wire spool and an ammo case available at The Goods.

Amish Mission quarter-sawn oak plant stand and Heirloom Essentials crisp linen-scented fine furniture polish found at Woodco.

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home & garden goodies

Serving tray, silk arrangement, wood block sign and ceramic bird available at Greenwood Flowers & Gifts.

Aromatique candles and a Coco + Carmen fashion watch found at Zoe Bug’s in Charleston.

Non-GMO orange and carrot juice, Zevia orange soda and Beanitos lime and cheddar bean chips from Olde Fashioned Foods.

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WHAT’S COOKING with KRISTAN ROLAND

Berry Good!

TWINKIE STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE SHORTCAKE Twinkie Strawberry Cheesecake Shortcake About 15 Twinkies 8 oz. block of cream cheese, slightly softened 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk 1 tsp. almond extract 1 tsp. lemon extract 16 oz. Cool Whip (thawed), divided About 2 lbs. fresh strawberries, sliced Line a 9-inch springform pan with plastic wrap.

In the bowl of your mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and extracts, beating on medium speed until smooth and combined, scraping against the side of the bowl as needed. Fold in HALF of the Cool Whip and all the sliced strawberries.

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Line perimeter of pan with Twinkies that have been cut in half vertically and horizontally. Line up against the side of the pan standing up with the cream center facing in. Spread half of your strawberry mixture in the bottom of the pan.

Layer more Twinkies, split vertically (they should be full length, with the cream exposed) on top of the strawberry filling. You may have to cut a few horizontally to fill spots, but it's OK if there are empty spaces here and there.

Repeat with the rest of the strawberry filling, and top with one more layer of split Twinkies. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, preferably overnight, but at least a few hours.

Turn onto a plate and remove pan and wrap. Cover with remaining Cool Whip and serve.

Note: For neater slices, freeze for about an hour before serving.

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STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE COOKIES Cookies 2 heaping tbsp. cheesecake instant pudding 21⁄2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract 3/4 cup white chocolate chips Topping 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp. baking soda 2 sticks salted butter, softened 1 cup brown sugar 2 large eggs 4 oz. freeze-dried strawberries 1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and pudding mix and set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy – about two minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each. Add extract and beat until blended.

With the mixer on medium low, slowly add the flour mixture until fully combined. With a spatula, stir the dough from the bottom a few times to make sure that everything is well mixed.

Fold in the white chocolate chips and strawberries.

In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and cinnamon.

Scoop dough using a large cookie scoop. Dip the top into the graham cracker crumb mixture. Place on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies for about 11 minutes, until puffy and golden on edges.

Remove from oven and let cool on sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

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CHOCOLATE-COVERED STRAWBERRY BROWNIES Brownies 2 boxes chewy fudge brownie mix, plus eggs, oil and water needed to prepare Strawberry Frosting 3/4 cup salted butter, softened 4 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup frozen sweetened strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed 31⁄2 cups powdered sugar Chocolate Ganache 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 2 tbsp. light corn syrup or honey Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13inch pan with foil and spray bottom with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, prepare both boxes of brownie mix as instructed on the box. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for roughly 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with fudgy crumbs but no raw batter. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting: In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add pureed strawberry mixture, beating on low until smooth. Add powdered sugar and continue beating on low until just mixed. Increase mixer speed to high and beat for one minute.

Spread frosting evenly over cooled brownies.

Ganache: In a microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and cream, stopping every 20 seconds to stir until smooth. Stir in corn syrup or honey and let cool until thickened and room temperature. Pour over brownies, spreading to cover. Let chill for several hours or overnight. Remove foil and cut into squares.

About Kristan Kristan Roland, a work-athome housewife living in Fort Smith, has been blogging at Confessions of a Cookbook Queen since 2010. She balances potty training, fifth-grade math homework and running a home, all while working with brands such as Pillsbury, Disney and eBay. Her recipes have been featured in Parents Magazine and Women's World Weekly. Kristan's fun, simple, everyday approach to baking isn't the only thing that draws her readers in -- it's also her honest and hilarious musings on being a wife and mother in a world where everyone else seems to have it together. confessionsofacookbookqueen.com 34

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APRIL 23

Compassion and caring support for anyone living with cancer is sustained by Wine & Roses Gala he air will be perfumed with the fragrance of roses, a beautiful tradition of the Wine & Roses Gala, now in its 22nd year of supporting the Donald W. Reynolds Cancer House. Held at the handsome facility itself, the gala begins with that lovely fragrance and a red carpet entry of guests.

The selection of Rossi Morreale as master of ceremonies extends the party’s cachet with his celebrity status as an actor, television host and former Arkansas Razorback. Morreale will assist the father and son wine auctioneers, Jim and Michael Hadley.

Honorary hosts Julie and Matt Ketcham favored the popular dance band Ultra Suede to play fun ’70s disco and ’80s pop music. Chris & Lolly Swicegood, who also have Fort Smith roots, are a Nashville duo entertaining earlier in the evening. River City Bistro returns to cater by popular acclaim.

The works of 15 celebrated artists will be auctioned, including paintings, sculpture, paper, fiber and jewelry by artists Kay Aclin, Sydney Clayton, Eloa Jane, Suzanne King, Patricia Lappin, Amber E. Lea, Stephanie Lee, Barbara Lewis, Peter Lippincott, Carol Pace, Jason Sacran, Bob Snider, Lynn Snider and Cory Sheppard-Clay.

The tradition of dedicating beautiful vases of roses in memory and in honor of friends, colleagues or family is the signature of Wine & Roses.

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Kelly Newton of Newton’s Jewelers, left, shows Matt and Julie Ketcham, honorary Wine & Roses hosts, the ladies Rolex watch contributed by the jewelers to help raise funds at the gala.

Hundreds of dedicate bouquets are displayed all evening.

Newton's Jewelers has generously given a ladies Rolex watch for a raffle.

Tickets for a chance to own this beautiful timepiece will be available at the party or may be purchased in advance. Attendance is not required to win.

The gala is at 6:30 p.m. April 23 at support house, 3324 South M Street, Fort Smith. To purchase tickets, order a bouquet of roses, or sponsor, visit reynoldscancersupporthouse.org or call (479) 424-1812 for information.

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APRIL 28

River Valley Master Gardens Celebrate

Gardening author not so by-the-book

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elder Rushing, a Mississippi University-trained horticulturist who believes in breaking the rules and “going a little further in the garden – no matter what direction,” will be in Fort Smith April 28 to present a lecture as part of the 25th year anniversary of Master Gardening in the River Valley.

Entitled “Slow Gardening – Find and Follow Your Bliss, Using All Senses, All Seasons,” the free lecture will begin at 7 p.m. at the Fort Smith Convention Center and is sponsored by Siebenmorgen & Associates-Ameriprise Financial.

“As part of our celebration, we want to share our passion for gardening with the entire community. So, if you are a gardener, or are interested in gardening or had an ancestor who gardened, you are invited to join us for this unique perspective on gardening,” said Master Gardener president Michelle Cook.

River Valley’s 175 Master Gardeners contribute thousands of hours of volunteer work each year on 12 community projects in Sebastian and Crawford counties, as well as the annual Lawn & Garden Show and The Learning Fields at Chaffee Crossing – an education venue of two dozen demonstration gardens, an education center, and the Gelene MacDowell Wildflower Meadow.

Earlier that day as part of the celebration, the Master Gardeners will host an open house for the public at The Learning Fields, 7300 Gardeners Avenue, beginning at 2 p.m., with guided tours every 30 minutes.

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level. The truck bed houses a small garden of flowers, herbs and vegetables and, of course, a few assorted accessories – all planted in a rust-proof box on top of a rubber mat to prevent rust in the truck bed.

A 10th-generation American gardener, Rushing was “raised into his teen years under the apprenticeship of a horticulturist great-grandmother who grew flowers, vegetables, herbs and fruits without a hose or pesticides, and a garden club grandmother who garnered hundreds of blue ribbons for her plant breeding and displays,” according to his biography.

He delivers 80-plus lectures each year and is the author of 18 books, including “Passalong Plants” and “Slow Gardening.”

In a recent email he wrote, “We will have a BLAST at my presentation later this spring. It has been awhile since I was last in Fort Smith, and I have some funky stuff to share.” He was in Fort Smith in 2003 for a University of Arkansas-Fort Smith gardening lecture series hosted by then-landscape director Steve Dobbs.

“And I do hope some of the general public comes – my talks are NOT stuffy. In fact, they poke fun of some of our more cherished leftbrained horticultural postures ... lots of humor, with some gardening stuff worked in ...,” he wrote.

“When it comes to the ‘right brain’ of just having a fun, pretty and productive garden – with as little effort as possible – I am a charter member of the scattered tribe called ‘dirt gardeners’ who plant what we like, where we like for whatever reason we like. Because we are opinionated REAL gardeners, some folks like us and our approach, others do not,” he writes on his website.

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GARDENING

Author Felder Rushing transformed the bed of his father's 1988 Ford F-150 pickup truck into a flower bed to prove that, yes, you can garden anywhere. His rolling garden is complete with bottle trees and wind chimes.

A former University of experts, Felder is known for a Mississippi Extension “down home” approach with Service urban horticulture humorous anecdotes and gardenspecialist, Rushing started the irreverent metaphors, zany Master Gardener program in observations and his state, has written thousands stunning photography to help of gardening columns and has gardeners of all styles and skill had hundreds of articles and levels get past what he calls his photographs published in own beloved “stinkin' rules” of garden magazines, including horticulture.

Garden Design, Horticulture, Although he spends Landscape Architecture, several months each year in Better Homes and Gardens, the United Kingdom, home is Fine Gardening and National Jackson, Miss., where his Geographic. quirky cottage garden has He also hosts a weekly callbeen featured in numerous in gardening show on magazines.

Mississippi Public Radio, This garden includes a which he will broadcast from huge variety of hardy plants the Fort Smith Public Library (passalongs, no doubt) along on April 29. with a collection of unique He has served as a board Rushing is the author of 18 books. folk art, including pink member of the American flamingoes. There is no turf Horticulture Society, as national director of the grass, just plants, yard art and “people places,” he Garden Writers Association and as a rare male says. honorary member of Federated Garden Clubs of For more information about the open house Mississippi. He was featured in Southern at The Learning Fields and Felder Rushing’s Living magazines’ 25th anniversary issue as one lecture, go to the Arkansas River Valley Master of “25 people most likely to change the South.”

Gardener Facebook page or call the Sebastian Believing that too many would-be gardeners County Extension Office at 479-484-7737. are intimidated by a crush of “how-to” – Lucy Fry April 2016

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beauty & fitness goodies Leather handbags, sheer scarf and kitten heel slides from This 'n That Shoppe.

Matrix Oil Wonders Volume Rose products for fine hair.

Available at Vanity Calls.

Floral and lace top, beaded bracelets and gold hoop earrings found at Firefly Boutique & Gifts in Van Buren.

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beauty & fitness goodies

Mosaico and Mama’s Brocade Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses from Ennen Eye Center.

Lace petti rompers paired with baby-safe chunky necklaces found at Polka-Dotted Zebra.

April 2016

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beauty & fitness goodies

Seersucker “A” shorts

by Azarhia perfect for monogramming.

Available at Main Street Ltd. in Charleston.

Nino Bossi leather bag from Fashion Boutique.

Aveda rosemary mint products for fine to medium hair found at Metropolis Hair Studio.

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beauty & fitness goodies Maxx HD sunglasses in a wide variety of styles and colors from Coleman Pharmacy.

Canterbury cross and tiered hoop necklaces available at Seasons.

Poo-Pourri products made with natural essential oils from Salon Elements.

April 2016

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beauty & fitness goodies

Forevermark Ideal round diamond ring with halo available exclusively at Newton’s Jewelers.

Prom dresses in a variety of styles found at Abilities Unlimited.

Bvlgari fashion sunglasses from Dr. Steven Stiles Optometry.

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MUSIC & performance

April 1 It’s No Joke: NWA Rape Crisis Center Benefit April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. A comedy show and benefit stars Chicago comedian and sexual violence prevention advocate Whitney Wasson, who also works as a calendar editor of Entertainment Fort Smith while she tries to get ahead in the Whitney Wasson Chicago comedy scene.

Fayetteville comics Martin Callen, Kaia Hodo and Laura Weiderhaft are featured. Enjoy an audience joke-telling contest, silent auction, s’mores buffet, cash bar and a post-show dance party. The NWA Rape Crisis Center provides services for all survivors of sexual assault at no cost. 7-10 p.m. $20 adults, $10 for students with ID. Executive Escape, 1120 South Walton Boulevard, Ste. 148, Bentonville, Ark. facebook.com/nwarapecrisis April 1-2 VoiceJam VoiceJam Festival celebrates a cappella singing with The Swingles in concert, master classes and a prime “aca” competition. Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 waltonartscenter.org

The Music That Moved Fort Smith Call for memorabilia

Greetings, The Fort Smith Museum of History is collecting memorabilia for display in its next exhibition, Roots, Rhythm and Rock: Music That Moved Fort Smith, 2nd Movement 1945-1995. This exhibition opens at 5 p.m. June 30.

The museum needs your help finding the stories that reside in the private collections and memories of the people involved with the Fort Smith music scene. This exhibit APRIL will highlight the music of the area; the people, sounds and life that was happening in Fort Smith from 1945-1995. Who was playing on 9th Street?

Where? Who has photos of Elmore’s, the Wintergarden and The Branding Iron in the ’50s and ’60s? Who was playing at these venues: the Crossroads? Old Town? What was going on at Bobby Don’s?

1

Did you see your first real concert at Harper Stadium? Were you headed to Fort Chaffee for music? Where were you buying records and attending festivals? Who remembers Bee Bumble?

Where are pictures of all of this? You get the idea. This exhibit belongs to the people who created this music and the vibe it left within the city.

We are looking to collect the following for display in the exhibition: Music and band memorabilia, stories, history, photographs, recordings, vintage instruments (they will be secured), advertising flyers for band performances and concerts – remember the monthly calendars Old Town put out? Flyers taped inside windows or stapled to telephone poles; concert tickets, signs, programs, gold records, posters, neon signs … you get the idea. Any memorabilia that pertains to the Fort Smith music scene from 1945-1995, of any musical genre, will be considered.

The deadline for submission of stories and memorabilia is May 31. The earlier the submissions, the better. Call the museum at 479-783-7841 or contact Caroline Speir, exhibit designer, at caroline.speir@fortsmithmuseum.com or leave a message on the museum’s website at info@fortsmithmuseum.com. Hope it hear from all of you!

– The Fort Smith Museum of History 44

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April 1-3 Crimes of the Heart In Mississippi, three sisters gather to await their grandfather’s death. The oldest is a spinster; the middle sister has a failed singing career; the youngest is headed for jail. Micki Voelkel directs. $10. 7:30 p.m.

March 31; April 1-2; 6-9. 2 p.m. April 2-3. Fort Smith Little Theatre, 401 North 6th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-2966 fslt.org April 1-3 The Rainmaker In a pitiless drought, a family worries about their daughter’s future as an old maid as they do about their dying cattle. A sweet-talking man, claiming to be a “rainmaker,” sets off events that enable Lizzie to see herself in a new light. 7 p.m. April 1-2, 2 p.m. April 3.

Call or go online for tickets. 7 p.m. Alma Performing Arts Center, 103 East Main, Alma, Ark. 479-632-2129 almapac.org

Rhonda Vincent & the Rage April 2 Rhonda Vincent and The Rage She’s won more than 80 awards, had 125 appearances at the Grand Ole Opry and has been seven-time Bluegrass Vocalist of the Year. All proceeds of the concert will benefit the Fort Smith Girls Shelter. $20. 7-9 p.m. Fort Smith Convention Center, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-8932

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MUSIC & PERFORMANCE April 2 Make-A-Wish Fundraiser Family Event starring Emi Sunshine and the Rain A free concert and family day features Emi Sunshine and The Rain from 6-8 p.m. The day starts with the Sebastian County Sheriff's K-9 Units sharing dog demonstrations, fingerprinting, search-and-rescue 4wheelers and more. All donations will go to the 19 children in the mid-South chapter of Make-A-Wish.

Vendors offer barbecue and drinks. Free. 2-8 p.m. The Fort Live Music, 10301 Arkansas 45 South, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-648-0898 April 3 Rock the River for Hannah House City RockFest Tour features Christian artists Disciple, Seventh Day Slumber, Spoken, Decyfer Down and Children 18:3. This is a family event. $13 advance; $15 at the door, $10 for Disciple groups of 12 or more or $25 VIP admission. 6-10 p.m. Larry's Pizza, 6700 U.S. 71 South, Fort Smith. 479-782-5683 rocktheriver.com

April 3 Unbranded: The Spring Roundup Fort Smith Western Heritage Month presents this documentary about 16 mustangs, four men, one dream: to ride border to border, Mexico to Canada, up the spine of the American West. Created to benefit the Mustang Heritage Foundation and winning multiple cinematography awards throughout the United States, this documentary tracks four fresh-out-of-college buddies as they take on wild mustangs to be their trusted mounts, and set out on the adventure of a lifetime. Guests will be greeted at the door by the Old Fort Dandies and enjoy live music by Nashville recording artist Heath Wright on the Starlight Stage. Heath is the former lead singer of the band Ricochet and now the lead singer in Hangmen. Plus, throughout MovieLounge on the TV monitors, enjoy watching old footage from past Fort Smith rodeo events and other Fort Smith western heritage. Proceeds from ticket sales to go toward the Arkansas/Oklahoma Promotion Association Scholarship fund, a scholarship set up for high school seniors pursuing a career in agriculture.

VIP tickets are $75 and will include hors d’oeuvres/appetizers, beer and wine in the private screen room and viewing of the film in Cinema 1. General admission tickets are $50 and will include viewing of the film in Cinema 2 with food and beverage service available to order from your seats. For tickets, contact Rham Cunningham, rham@therichlandgroup.com; Kermit Walsh, kwalshok@gmail.com; or call Joan McCoy at 479-452-8944. $75 VIP, $50 general admission. 5:3010 p.m. MovieLounge, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-9844 April 4 UAFS Symphonic Band Concert Under the direction of Dr. Alexandra Zacharella, the UAFS Symphonic Band performs classic wind band repertoire and exciting contemporary pieces, from rousing Sousa marches to inspirational symphonic hymns. 7:30 p.m. ArcBest Performing Arts Center, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7300 uafs.universitytickets.com

April 5 Hungrytown Folk Music Concert Vermont-based songwriters Rebecca Hall and multiinstrumentalist/husband Ken Anderson play a blend of acoustic folk music with harmonies to die for. They pull off the trick of sounding both like traditional English folkies and old school Appalachians. The couple tours North AmerHungrytown ica, Europe and New Zealand. Hungrytown's music has received airplay worldwide and has appeared on the hit TV series “Portlandia.” Free. 7 p.m.

Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229

April 12 Branford Marsalis “The Tonight Show” bandleader and three-time Grammy Award-winner in concert. 7 p.m. Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 waltonartscenter.org

April 9 River City: 2nd Annual Bands for Babies Benefit An all-ages show benefits the Diaper Dandies Ministry of St. Paul United Methodist Church, which provides diapers, wipes and ointment to any child in need. In its first year, this ministry served more than 150 babies. In February, with a goal to help 50 infants at its first distribution, the group provided diapers to 82 babies within the first hour. The ministry received one grant, but otherwise its budget comes only from donations. The Don Bailey Jazz Combo, organizers River City band and special guest Nick Shirl entertain.

Donations of cash or checks are welcomed, with checks made out to St. Paul United Methodist Church, memo “For Diaper Dandies.” 6-10 p.m. La Huerta Patio, 400 Garrison Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark.

April 16 Film Premiere: Second Chances A new, locally made independent film premieres. After competing in the Nashville 48 Hour Film Project, lifelong friends Adam C. Essman (director) and J.D. Wilhelm (producer) of Charleston, Ark. , teamed for their first feature. With Wilhelm in Nashville and Essman in Charleston, the script for “Second Chances” was written over the phone. Bill Neumeier gave his permission for the filmmakers to shoot at Papa's Pub and Pizzaria. The Ozark Film Commission assisted. The film was shot in and around the Fort Smith area. An unfulfilled syndicated sports columnist experiences writer’s block as he attempts to complete his first novel. The actors will walk the red carpet walk at 6 p.m. The film screens at 7:15 p.m. A Q&A with the cast and crew follows. Tickets, $15, will be sold exclusively on the film website. 6-10:30 p.m. Movie Lounge, 7601 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith.

312-618-5309 secondchancesfortsmith.com

April 10 Youth Symphony Orchestra Concert UAFS Academy of the Arts presents the Youth Symphony Orchestra Concert under the direction of Dr. Fred Mayer. The concert includes masterpieces from Copland to Saint-Saens and other wonderful works. Guest pianists Alice Sanders and Gini Law perform selections for two pianos and orchestra. The orchestra will premiere an original composition by composer and UAFS music graduate Joshua Floyd.

The orchestra is comprised of the top high school students in the area. Prices vary. 3-4 p.m. UAFS Breedlove Auditorium, 5210 Grand Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7300 uafs.universitytickets.com

Georgia Guitar Quartet April 10 Mary McDonald Music Series: Georgia Guitar Quartet The high-energy ensemble the Georgia Guitar Quartet performs an eclectic mix of great music. Free. 3 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church of Fort Smith, 116 North 12th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-8919 1pres.org

April 14 UAFS Jazz Band/Jazz Catz Concert The highly energetic and entertaining Jazz Band delivers top-notch performances of varied repertoire by talented student musicians at UAFS, as well as world-renowned guest artists. The award-winning Jazz Catz are one of the Fort Smith area’s outstanding vocal ensembles, having performed with well-known national groups. 7:30 p.m. ArcBest Performing Arts Center, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7300 uafs.universitytickets.com

April 16 The Gospel According to Swing The symphony presents “one of its coolest, highest energy concerts ever” with jazz great Byron Stripling.

The contrasting styles of gospel and swing meet in this concert also featuring R&B organist Bobby Floyd. The program will begin classically with Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 5 “Reformation” and move on to gospel classics such as “Down by the Riverside.”

Subtly, the symphony will move toward the jazz standards echoing faith and celebration, leading to “When the Saints Go Byron Stripling Marchin’ In.” $38-$43; students $15-$20. 7:30 p.m. ArcBest Performing Arts Center, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-7575 fortsmithsymphony.org April 16 Amy Schumer at the BOK Center This comic, with awards for her writing, directing and performance on TV and in film, is having her hilarious moment. 8 p.m. BOK Center, 200 South Denver Avenue West, Tulsa, Okla. 1-866-7-BOKCTR ticketmaster.com April 2016

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MUSIC & PERFORMANCE

Keb’ Mo’

April 19-24 The Bridges of Madison County One of the most romantic stories ever written – first as a best-selling novel now is a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. Gorgeous music by composer Jason Robert Brown and a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman tell the poignant story of two people caught between decision and desire, as a chance encounter becomes a second chance. $26$56. Seven performances include evenings and matinees. Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 waltonartscenter.org

April 16 Keb’ Mo’ For two decades, Keb’ Mo’ has earned his reputation as a modern master of American roots music. Asked multiple times to the Riverfront Blues Festival, this artist has a loyal local fandom. His music is a living link to the seminal Delta blues blended with pop, R&B, rock, jazz and soul music. $27-$47. 8 p.m. Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 waltonartscenter.org

April 21 Children's Choir Concert The UAFS Academy of the Arts will present the performance by 150 grade school children. In addition to choir, two dance groups will be performing along with the academy's amazing Drums Alive team. The program is directed by Gini Law, Hachya Franklin, Eric Williams, Kirsten Binns, J.R. Bergenstock and Mollie Armour. Prices vary. 7-8 p.m. UAFS Breedlove Auditorium, 5210 Grand Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7300 uafs.universitytickets.com

April 16-17 Dead to the Last Drop Who murdered sweet, adorable Miranda DeVere? Her stepmom? One of the cafe's baristas? Her former English professor? Student actors perform in Ken Jones’ comical interactive murder mystery. Audience members interact with cast to solve the mystery. 7 p.m. April 16-17; 3 p.m. April 17. $3. 7 p.m. Mansfield High School, 2500 U.S. 71 South, Mansfield, Ark. 479-928-1105 mansfieldtigers.org

April 23 Standup Comedy with Anjelah Johnson Anjelah Johnson broke out with her character Bon Qui Qui – a fast food cashier with attitude and no filter.

Millions of fans know her from Bon Qui Qui videos and songs. Others caught her viral video set, “Nail Salon” or her role as a MADtv regular. $49. 8 p.m.

Pocola CenterStage inside Choctaw Casino, 3400 Choctaw Road, Pocola, Okla. ticketmaster.com

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April 23 C.C. Dozier Concert and Fundraiser This concert to benefit wounded veterans will feature award-winning country artist C.C. Dozier of Oklahoma, who has been named Male Vocalist of the Year by the Oklahoma Opry two times and Entertainer of the Year by the same organization. Dozier has his own style and performs as well in the style of Randy Travis and other popular country stars. Dozier also is an accomplished poet. Reserved tickets $10, available by phone and at the door. 6 p.m. King Opera House, 427 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-649-8803 April 23-24 Alice in Wonderland More than 50 local artists will be dancing down a rabbit hole in Western Arkansas Ballet’s performance of “Alice in Wonderland.” This “mad” tale will be told through dance with all of the interesting characters who help Alice her find her way through a fantasy land. Group tickets available for groups of 10 or more.

Make reservations by April 8. $25 adults; $15 children and students. 7:30 p.m. April 23; 2:30 p.m. April 24.

ArcBest Performing Arts Center, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-0152 waballet.org April 23 Chamber Ensemble Concert Music will be performed from a plethora of styles and eras, including baroque, classical, romantic, modern and even jazz. Composers featured include Beethoven, Bach and Handel. Free. 7:30 p.m. The Blue Lion, 101 North 2nd Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7544 uafs.edu

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MUSIC & PERFORMANCE April 26 A Grand Night for Singing An evening of musical theater and light opera, with songs from the great American songbook and some of the most enduring Broadway musicals. The young vocalists and musicians bring a high level of energy to the performance. Call or go online for tickets. 7:30 p.m. ArcBest Performing Arts Center, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7300 uafs.universitytickets.com April 28-30 One-Act Play Showcase The UAFS Theatre presents a variety of short productions directed and performed by students. This challenging dramatic exercise shows the talents of students of this award-winning theater program.

Recently, student David Harris was honored by the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for his original play and students Alex Sanders and Hannah Lovins advanced to the top 10 in the Irene Ryan acting competition. Free. 7:30 p.m. UAFS Breedlove Auditorium, 5120 Grand Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7303 uafs.edu April 30 Patti LuPone: Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda Although this winner of Tony and Olivia Awards is renowned as a queen of Broadway, “Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda … Played That Part” is her show of songs from roles she could have, should have and did play – or will. She will perform songs from “Hair,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Funny Girl,” “West Side Story” and “Peter Pan.” This concert features her show-stopping vocal performances from “Evita” and “Gypsy,” for which she won Tonys. 7:30 p.m. ArcBest Performing Arts Center, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith.

479-788-730 uafs.universitytickets.com

Cold War Kids will lead Peacemaker Festival with Turnpike Troubadors, Leon Russell, Old 97’s Last year’s Entertainment Fort Smith “Readers Favorite Festival” the Peacemaker Music & Arts Fest, announced its line-up for the July 29-30 event.

Cold Water Kids headline Saturday night and Turnpike Troubadors star Friday night.

Cold Water Kids have a decade behind them and a fifth album. The Turnpike Troubadors tour and record under their own Bossier City imprint. Other major acts include Tulsa’s titan songwriter/singer, Leon Russell, the Old 97’s, Blackberry Smoke, the Revivalists, Blackberry Smoke, American Aquarium, the Ben Miller Band, Hosty Duor and Jillia Jackson.

Sunday will again include the “Praise God and Pass the Biscuits” breakfast and gospel singing. Tickets are on sale with tiered pricing.

Advance tickets at the lowest tier are $19 for single day, available at peacemakerfest.com, where more information can be found.

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Photos by Bob Dyer

Chris Carter

The popular band that never changes actually does Chris Carter joins (or rejoins) Mr. Cabbagehead and the Screaming Radishes

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Ask a long-time fan of Mr. Cabbagehead and the Screaming Radishes why they’ve loved the band for decades and one answer will be that the same guys always play the same classic, danceable rock and soul covers – with a horn section!

That answer pleases the 10-piece band, fronted by singer Ricky Young with an ensemble of some of the very tastiest veteran musicians in this region.

But the Cabbageheads do change. Around a nucleus of founding members, the band creating the act’s signature Memphis-to-Motown sound has revolved with a “who’s who” of hot players.

In fact, one of most derailed stories ever published here was an attempt by the late Steve “Bubba” Carter and Tommy Cunningham, original members, around the time of the band’s 20-year mark, to list everyone who had ever played onstage with the band. When they got past 100, they gave up.

The latest man to proudly enlist is Chris Carter, Bubba’s son. But he insists he should count as an original member from 1984. At 12 or 13, Chris said, his dad drafted him as the drummer (he had been practicing with them) for a gig downtown.

Chris’ dad, the band boss, had promoted Ricky Young from drums to lead vocals and needed Chris to fill in as drummer.

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“He just threw me in,” Chris recalled, also remembering his mother’s strong objection. “It was a gig at Arlie Muck’s and I remember clearly a fight breaking out during ‘Mustang Sally.’”

(The statute of limitations has expired.)

“My dad turned around and said, ‘Keep playing, they’ll quit.’ At the stroke of midnight, the gig was over – and so was I.” Instead, Chris enjoyed listening to his father, his uncle Richard Carter and the band of tight friends entertain at dances, charitable benefits and festivals even as he went to college and began his career as a coach and administrator. He is assistant principal at Northside High School.

“Before he died, Dad almost did it to me again,” Chris said, laughing at the memory. “He called me at about 2 a.m. and said, ‘I have fired Larry Matthews and we’re playing the fair – tomorrow night. You’re the new drummer.’ ” Bubba told his sputtering son to “listen to some records” to prepare. Oh, and to bring the drums.

Chris was frantically borrowing equipment from students when the phone rang again.

“Son? You’re fired. Larry’s back.”

Chris couldn’t even be mad. “I love Larry – he loved my dad.” That genuine love among the band’s members consoled Chris and his family

during Bubba’s illness with cancer and his death in 2013. With some emotional soul-searching, the Cabbageheads played on.

Three months ago, Chris got an invitation to what he called “one of the neatest experiences of my life.” Because Matthews now is touring with “Bluffett,” the successful Jimmy Buffett tribute band led by Larry Pearson of Fort Smith, Chris was asked to be a full-time Screaming Radish.

“To know these guys – Ricky, Jimmy Atchison, Josh Hice, Steve Clark, Harley Vinsant, Mike Lenzini, Ronnie... – who spent so much time with my dad, it’s almost like he’s there,” he said.

He sometimes gets lost in the music. “I could listen to Ricky sing the phone book,” he said. “It’s new to me every time I hear them.”

The band is recognized by the Arkansas Arts Council as “Arts On Tour” artists. Their next big gig is for the Gregory Kistler Treatment Center, May 7. They will perform at the Mayor’s Fourth of July celebration again, which is now a firm Fort Smith tradition. Summer gigs abound.

“I think Mr. Cabbagehead is about to give every band in town a run for its money,” Chris said, sounding just like his father. “I’m committed to them because of Dad – and it’s a blast!”

– Lynn Wasson

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KIDS calendar of events

April 1-June 1 UAFS Academy Summer Registration The UAFS Academy of the Arts announces open enrollment for summer camps and classes. Three musical theater camps will be offered for grades 1-9 and an intensive theater performance camp for the serious teen actor. Performances with each camp. Directors include Shannon Stoddard, Mollie Armour, Gini Law and Adrein Parmenter. The exciting Drums Alive program with director Hachya Franklin is in June as a weeklong camp for students entering grades 4-7. Art camps are held in June for students grades 1-9. Each camp is a week long with artist/teacher Marianne Nicodemus. The academy offers private lessons by professional faculty in June and July in piano, guitar, drums, strings, all other instruments, voice, composition, dance, acting and art. There are preschool programs, as well. Register by phone or online. Tuition varies by class. UAFS Echols Building, 504 North Waldron Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7253 uafs.edu/academy April 2 Little Miss Edamame Pageant Held in conjunction with the Edamame Festival in Mulberry, this pageant has divisions for newborns up to 18 year olds. Spring outfits only for this outdoor pageant under the music pavilion. Noon-2 p.m. Mulberry City Park, 419 Mulberry Highway 64W, Mulberry, Ark. 479-632-3500 pageantgypsy.com

Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, this eyepopping spectacle has won the hearts of over 35 million people worldwide. This classic musical love story is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes, and dazzling production numbers including “Be Our Guest” and the beloved title song. This is a the classic story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped in a spell placed by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out.

If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. Experience the romance and enchantment of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” $30-$74. 7:30 p.m. May 6 and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. May 7-8. Walton Arts Center, 495 West Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-443-5600 tickets@waltonartscenter.org

MAY

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April 1-15 National Library Week Enter your name each time you visit the library for a chance to win a spring basket filled with goodies. The name of the winner will be drawn at 4 p.m. April 15.

Free. Mulberry Public Library, 220 North Main Street, Mulberry, Ark. 479-997-1226

April 1-29 Express Yourself Poetry Contest Compose an original poem, free verse, prose, song lyric or Haiku and it will be added to the library “Community Works” book to be on permanent display. Your name will be entered for a chance at a prize for each poem written. You can also get one more entry for checking out one of the poetry books on display. Free.

Mountainburg Public Library, 1300 U.S. 71 North, Mountainburg, Ark. 479-369-1600 50

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April 1-29 Plant a Tree Contest Each time you visit the library or check out a book about trees, you may sign up to win a small flowering tree on Arbor Day, April 29. Free. Mountainburg Public Library, 1300 U.S. 71 North, Mountainburg, Ark. 479369-1600

April 1-30 Post-it Note Poetry Celebrate National Poetry Month. Ask for a Post-it note to express yourself through poetry. Next, bask in your awesomeness by posting your poetry on the windows of the library, or take the time to read the thoughts of others. Post-it Note Poetry is for all ages.

Free. Windsor Branch Library, 4701 Windsor Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-0405 fortsmithlibrary.org

April 2 Project Graduation Pageants Van Buren High School Project Graduation sponsors the 2016 Miss Teeny, Miss Petite, Miss Tiny, Miss Little and Miss Junior Van Buren. This event is broken down into five categories from infant to eighth-grade contestants. 1 p.m. Van Buren Fine Arts Center, 2001 Pointer Trail East, Van Buren, Ark. (479) 806-4796 vbsd.us/fac

April 4 Primetime Story Time: “Alice in Wonderland” with the Western Arkansas Ballet These talented dancers will make a special appearance at story time to share the magic of books and ballet.

Take your friends for this exciting evening of stories, dancing and crafts at this family-friendly evening story program for kids of all ages. Free. 6 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org April 4-25 Mountainburg Story Time Each story time will also include a craft. 10:30 a.m.

Monday. Free. Mountainburg Public Library, 1300 U.S. 71 North, Mountainburg, Ark. 479-369-1600 April 4-25 Tween Time Games, crafts, computers, contests, and more are offered during this special time for tweens. 3:45 p.m.

Mondays. Free. Mountainburg Public Library, 1300 U.S. 71 North, Mountainburg, Ark. 479-369-1600

April 5-26 Baby & Me Babies from newborn to age 3 and caregivers can join the library for songs, finger plays, bubbles, parachute play, a story and play time. This is an opportunity for social interaction with both babies and their adults.

This program supports early literacy and language

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KIDS EVENTS skills. 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. Free. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045

April 6-27 Toddler Story Time Enjoy stories, music, crafts, and snacks. 10 a.m.

Wednesdays. Free. Mulberry Public Library, 220 North Main Street, Mulberry, Ark. 479-997-1226

April 6-27 Preschool Story Time Hear wonderful stories and make a craft to take home.

Free. 10 a.m. Cedarville Public Library, 737 Pirates Way, Cedarville, Ark. 479-410-1853 April 6-27 Toddler Story Time Fruits and vegetables, books, sheep and nursery rhymes will be the topics. Free. 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays. Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140

April 6-27 Children’s Story Time Themes include baby animals, Earth Day and bugs.

9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. Free. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045

April 7, 28 Kids Kicking Cancer Cancer is hard but life can be fun. The Reynolds Cancer Support House offers an activity-based support group for children ages 7-17 who are cancer fighters or survivors themselves or have a sibling or primary caregiver that is a cancer fighter or survivor. This is a safe place to "keep on living." Provided in partnership with Western Arkansas Guidance and Counseling.

Free. 6-7 p.m. Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House, 3324 South M Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479782-6302 reynoldscancersupporthouse.org

April 7-28 All-Ages Fun Day Crafts, games and everyone’s favorite, brick builder time using LEGO bricks on April 28. 3:30 p.m. Thursdays. Free. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045

April 8 An Evening with the Snakes of Arkansas Through a live snake show, local reptile enthusiasts Jeremy Sloan and Brad Birchfield will explain how to identify Arkansas’ most common snakes, venomous vs. nonvenomous, and how to avoid them. Free. 6:308 p.m. River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993

April 8 Make Your Own Kite The sky’s the limit when it comes to kites! Decorate your own kite to bring to the KISR Kite Flight. Kites will be provided to the first 200 children ages 12 and under who attend. Sponsored by KISR 93.7FM. Free.

5-7 p.m. Central Mall Food Court, 5111 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-1866 April 10 Academy of the Arts Youth Symphony Orchestra Concert The UAFS Academy of the Arts presents the Youth Symphony Orchestra Concert under the direction of

Dr. Fred Mayer. The concert includes a variety of masterpieces from Copland to Saint-Saens and other wonderful works. Guest pianists Alice Sanders and Gini Law will be playing selections from the SaintSaens Carnival of the Animals for two pianos and orchestra. The orchestra will premiere an original composition by composer and UAFS music graduate Joshua Floyd. The symphony orchestra is comprised of the top high school students in the area. Prices vary.

3-4 p.m. UAFS Breedlove Auditorium, 5210 Grand Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7300 uafs.universitytickets.com April 11 4-H Meeting Children, tweens and teens interested in 4-H are invited. 4 p.m. Free. Mulberry Public Library, 220 North Main Street, Mulberry, Ark. 479-997-1226

April 11, 25 Lap Time Story Time A love of reading starts early. Babies and their caregivers are invited to this special story time geared toward children birth to 24 months old. There will be rhymes, songs, simple stories and lots of interactive fun. The story time will last around 20 minutes, with time for casual interaction following the program.

Free. 10:30 a.m. Miller Branch Library, 8701 South 28th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-646-3945 fortsmithlibrary.org April 11 Cuentos para Niños en Español Niños de todas las edades y sus familias están invitados a la Biblioteca principal a la hora de los cuentos GRATIS, incluiremos cuentos, historias, canciones, refranes y otras actividades divertidas en español. Ven y aprende acerca de la Biblioteca y lo que tiene para ofrecer a tu familia. 6 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org April 12 Drop Everything and Read Day! Snacks will be served to children, tweens and teens who drop everything and read at the library. 1-5 p.m.

Free. Mulberry Public Library, 220 North Main Street, Mulberry, Ark. 479-997-1226

April 12 Teen Poetry Night at Dewey’s Café In celebration of National Poetry Month, teens ages 12-17 can share their favorite poems, perform original pieces or just listen. Volunteer readers will perform classics and teen-friendly poetry in between walk-in guest performances. Dewey’s has tasty snacks available for purchase and a microphone and speakers will be provided. Teens that perform will be entered into a prize drawing. Take a friend and enjoy a night in the spotlight. Free. 5-6 p.m. Dewey's Cafe at the Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org April 13 We Love Libraries Story Time and Craft Celebrate National Library Week at this story time about libraries, featuring stories, crafts and snacks.

Free. 10:30 a.m. Dallas Branch Library, 8100 Dallas Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5650

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April 13 Movie Time In this enchanting computer-animated fantasy, set in a world where the dinosaurs never went extinct, an amiable young Apatosaurus named Arlo (voiced by Raymond Ochoa) loses his father in a storm and is swept away by a vicious river current, stranding him in a frightening new place far from his home. He soon embarks on a journey to reunite with his family, and befriends a prehistoric human child known as Spot (Jack Bright) along the way. Free. 3:30 p.m. Cedarville Public Library, 737 Pirates Way, Cedarville, Ark. 479-410-1853 April 14 Teen Advisory Council: “The Fellowship” Join other teens for lively conversation and snacks.

Teens come together to discuss and share ideas to help the library and their community. Free. 3:30 p.m.

Free. Cedarville Public Library, 737 Pirates Way, Cedarville, Ark. 479-410-1853

April 14 Umoja Soul Story Time Leora Jackson will share fun stories about unity and togetherness. Jackson is an activist, advocate, speaker, poet, author and storyteller. This story time event is intended for all ages. Free. 6 p.m. Windsor Branch Library, 4701 Windsor Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-0405 fortsmithlibrary.org April 14 Bingo for Books Toddlers, children, tweens and teens are welcome to celebrate National Library Week with a game or two

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of bingo. Don’t miss the opportunity to win free books.

Free. 4 p.m. Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140

April 15 Alice in Wonderland Jr. Preview Show The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Academy of the Arts Academy Academy Playerz will present a special preview of their production “Alice in Wonderland Jr.” Travel down the rabbit hole and join Alice, one of literature’s most-beloved heroines, in her madcap adventures. Featuring updated songs from Disney’s thrilling animated motion picture, Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland Jr.” is a fast-paced take on the classic tale. Arrive early to get a good seat. Free. 4:30 p.m.

Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org

April 16 What Doesn't Belong in Arkansas Experience The Natural State with this walk-through program. Master naturalist Denis Dean will provide a hands-on program that challenges visitors to pick items from the natural environment that are found or not found in Arkansas. The items consist of mammals, birds, trees, rocks, water creatures, flowers and more. It’s a fun way for adults and children to test their knowledge and learn about an environmentally diverse area. Free. 1-4 p.m. River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 rivervalleynaturecenter.com April 16 Jungle Book Kids Join a cast of first- and second-graders for this de-

lightful 40-minute show, complete with singing, dancing and wonderful animal costumes. A great show for children. Prices vary. 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m. The Blue Lion at UAFS Downtown, North 2nd and B Streets, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7300 uafs.universitytickets.com April 17 WAB Guild Mad Hatter Tea Party Fundraiser Wear your maddest hat – prizes will be awarded! The Mad Hatter Tea Party is most appropriate for ages 410. $20. 2-4 p.m. Western Arkansas Ballet Studio, 4701 Grand Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-0152

April 18 Lego Club Kids, tweens and teens are invited to design, create and build unique creations with the Lego Club! Legos provided – just take your imagination. Free. 5-6 p.m.

Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org April 19 Evening Canoes on Wells Lake Staff members will assist boaters on Wells Lake. A parent or guardian must accompany children. Participants are required to wear life jackets, which are provided. This activity is weather permitting. Free. 6-8 p.m. River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 April 19 Academy of the Arts Extreme Teenz Preview: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Academy of the Arts Academy Extreme Teenz will present a special

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KIDS EVENTS preview of their production “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

The Biblical saga of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes to vibrant life in this delightful musical parable. Joseph, his father's favorite son, is a boy blessed with prophetic dreams. When he is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt, Joseph endures a series of adventures in which his spirit and humanity are continually challenged. Free. 6 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 April 20 Fun with Recycling: Story Time and Craft Celebrate Earth Day with this special story time for preschool age children featuring seasonal stories, a craft made of recycled materials and snacks. Free.

Dallas Branch Library, 8100 Dallas Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5650 April 21 Spanish Story Time Enjoy the magic of stories through reading, singing and other fun activities in Spanish. Free. 6 p.m. Windsor Branch Library, 4701 Windsor Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-0405

April 22 Earth Day Make and Take Crafts Children of all ages can make a take-home craft or two focusing on recycling.

Light refreshments will be available. Free. 1-6 p.m. Miller Branch Library, 8701 South 28th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-646-3945

April 23, 25 Coloring Break Take a crayon break with Dewey's Cafe. Coloring helps promote relaxation and stress relief. Enjoy a break from the workday and unwind while engaging in the creative process in a fun, friendly and casual atmosphere. Coloring pages for adults and kids and colored pencils will be provided by the Café. Free. 2-4 p.m.

April 23; 6-8 p.m. April 25. Dewey's Cafe at the Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 April 25 Money Smart Week A representative from the Bank of the Ozarks will present a program on basic banking – how to open you first checking and saving accounts, money market information, CDS and answer your questions. 4 p.m. Free. Mulberry Public Library, 220 North Main Street, Mulberry, Ark. 479-997-1226 April 26 SYS (Swap Your Stuff!) for Kids and Teens Out with the old and in with the new. Children and teens are invited to take stuff they no longer want or need (books, DVDs, CDs or games) and trade it for a one-to-one exchange for something that someone else brings. Items for trade will be in the Youth Services Department. Please make sure to take something that someone else will want. Free. 4-6 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229

April 28 Arbor Day Craft Celebrate Arbor Day with tree-themed crafts and learn about planting and growing flowers, before planting our own plants. Free. 4 p.m. Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140 April 28 Game Day for Tweens, Teens and Adults Take your cards, you pick the game. Free. 3:30 p.m. Cedarville Public Library, 737 Pirates Way, Cedarville, Ark. 479-410-1853

May 6 9th Annual Safe Kids! Fair Hosted by the U.S. Marshals Museum and Arvest Bank, Safe Kids! offers children and parents the opportunity to meet with multiple agencies, learn ways to protect themselves and learn how to talk about difficult topics. Free Next Generation DNA LifePrint kits will be available, including fingerprints, palm prints, photographs and DNA swabbing to help in the event a child goes missing. Arvest Bank will provide free hot dogs and chips, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. will provide free drinks and all participating children receive a free tote bag. Free. 3-6 p.m. Riverfront Pavilion, 100 North B Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-709-3766

Van Buren Schools seeks community support to fill student hunger gap

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oliday breaks are something most students look forward to, but days away from school can prove stressful for families whose pantries are bare. With 65 percent of its student population on free or reduced lunch, many children in the Van Buren School District depend on school meals for their daily nourishment and are forced to go without when class is not in session. The district is seeking to make an IMPACT on this problem by providing students with the food they need to keep from going hungry over the long breaks.

The new IMPACT Program targets those most at-risk for food shortages and supply them with items to sustain them at three critical times, including spring break, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. “These are periods when students are out of school for several days, with limited assistance available,” said Tom Watkins, who serves as the IMPACT Coordinator. In the summer, students can utilize the school’s summer meals, which provides breakfast and lunch each weekday at no cost. Weekends are also supplemented for many through the well-known backpack program (Meals for Kids) provided by the Community Services Clearinghouse. “But there is a gap during the long holidays, which is why we have created IMPACT.” VBSD officially launched IMPACT in mid-March with its first-ever packing and distribution process taking place the week before Spring Break. Dozens of volunteers came together for a special packing session on the Wednesday before school dismissal to stock boxes with staples such as cereal, pasta, and easyto-open snacks.

More than 400 vouchers were issued by VBSD to students giving them the opportunity to pick up a box of groceries on the Friday before break. The district currently has more than 100 students enrolled who are classified as homeless and more than 600 who receive some form of food assistance outside of school via existing programs. “We extended the vouchers to those currently participating in the backpack program, as they had already been identified by their counselors as being at-risk for hunger,” explained Watkins. The distribution was held at the VBSD Service Center, allowing parents and students to pick up the boxes off-campus and take directly home.

Building upon the launch’s success, VBSD has issued a “call to action” to the community. Organizers are seeking local civic groups, churches, businesses and organizations to host food drives to collect needed items for the next distribution process. “We invite groups or individuals to sponsor drives and collect items that can support IMPACT,” said Watkins. VBSD will welcome donations throughout the spring and summer including monetary contributions, which will help purchase food at discounted rates through IMPACT’s partnership with the River Valley Regional Food Bank. “We want IMPACT to be something that engages our schools, businesses, and community to help support those students who are truly in need,” said Watkins. Those interested in sponsoring, donating or volunteering can contact Watkins at (479) 479-471-4017 or at twatkins@vbsd.us.

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April 1-3 Racquet to Sack It Tennis Tournament Vein Clinics of Arkansas presents with 100 tennis players expected to compete. The proceeds from this event will be used to support the Sack Lunch Program relocation project. 8 a.m. Ben Geren Park Tennis Center, 7200 Zero Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-5333 April 1-3 Ozark Mountain Bike Fest Join park staff for a fun weekend on the bike trails.

Fun for all ages and levels of riders. Free. 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Devil's Den State Park, 11333 West Arkansas 74, West Fork, Ark. 479-761-3325 April 1, 15 Crochet Club Take your own supplies and share projects, ideas, patterns and work on your own projects. Beginner to advanced welcome. 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045

The wedding of Ouida Caldarera and Sarino Lovoi.

The Lovoi Café, which was located at 709 Rogers Avenue.

The Caldarera Family: Feeding Fort Smith for a century Savor Fort Smith Italian history as rich as the spicy tomato sauces of southern Italy at this presentation by Tom Caldarera Jr. and his son Joe. Owners of Taliano’s and Emmy’s German Restaurant, respectively, the two will share the ingredients of their family’s Fort Smith history, from the patriarch Salvatore Caldarera, to his five children and their children. Nineteen-year-old Salvatore Caldarera arrived in the United States in 1882 from the southern Italy island of Sicily. In the early 1900s, he opened Garrison Avenue businesses, including the Caldarera Fruit Co. and Caldarera Confectionary. His son, Thomas Caldarera Sr., worked with him to start the fruit business and later owned a Augustina wife of patriarch café, as well as a concession stand known for its freshly Salvatore Caldarera. popped corn at a silent movie theater on the avenue.

Thomas’ sister Ouida married Italian immigrant Sarino Lovoi, and they, too, carried on the family tradition of the food business. Their ventures included the Lovoi Café at 709 Rogers Avenue and the Club Bar at Texas Corner, the Garrison-Towson avenue intersection. Many people and businesses of Fort Smith’s past will be mentioned, from the children’s education at St. Anne’s Academy, to the Italian soldiers at Fort Chaffee who enjoyed good Italian cooking at Ouida Caldarera Lovoi’s home. The program, held in the restored, elegant home of frontier prosecutor William H.H. Clayton, will be preceded at 1 p.m. with music and refreshments. Make reservations by phone or online. $10; free to members of the Fort Smith Heritage Foundation. 1:30 p.m. The Clayton House, 514 North 6th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-3000 claytonhouse.org

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April 1-30 Rotary Centennial Roses As a part of its 100th Anniversary Celebration, The Rotary Club of Fort Smith is selling 100 3-gallon red rose bushes. Each plant will have a permanent commemorative tab and would be suitable to honor a publicspirited friend, relative or person. The club was founded on June 1, 1916 as No. 224 worldwide of the thousands internationally. Call to order. $25. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Fort Smith, Ark. 479-459-7314

April 1-30 Post-it Note Poetry Celebrate National Poetry Month. Ask for a Post-it note to express yourself through poetry. Next, bask in your awesomeness by posting your poetry on the windows of the library, or take the time to read the thoughts of others. Post-it Note Poetry is for all ages.

Free. Windsor Branch Library, 4701 Windsor Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-0405 fortsmithlibrary.org

April 2 Vietnam Veterans Appreciation Day Chapter 467 of Vietnam Veterans of America will honor veterans of the Vietnam War era, held at two locations. Plans include the re-dedication of the Arkansas Casualty Monument, located at the Fort Smith National Cemetery, with a renovation that includes 597 names of record of Arkansans. At noon, a short ceremony will explain the monument’s history, make introductions of distinguished guests and specially honor all Vietnam vets attending. The Marine Corps League will provide an honor guard. Special thanks will recognize donors American Precision Fabricators for engraving the names and providing materials and the Harry G. Barr Co. for encasing and installing the panels. At the VVA’s Museum at Chaffee Crossing, a motorcycle Poker Run fundraiser will begin at 10 a.m., with a first stop near the National Cemetery. Tours of the Vietnam Veteran Museum will be conducted throughout the day. Food will be provided by the First National Bank grill team and door prizes and items for a silent auction have been donated by local vendors. Live music will be performed.

Enter the Poker Run by calling 479-926-5122. Fort Smith National Cemetery, Garland Avenue and South 6th Street, Fort Smith, Ark., and Vietnam Veteran Museum, 12112 Redwood Drive, Chaffee Crossing Historic District, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-459-4234

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April 2 Mulberry Edamame Festival The third annual celebration of the bean called edamame (soybeans) includes promotion and education about its uses, health benefits and its positive impact on the local and state agricultural industry.

Taste samples, learn recipes and learn more at the festival’s central “Edamame Experience” booth and enjoy kids activities, food vendors, games and activities all day. Free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mulberry City Park, 19 U.S. 64 West, Mulberry, Ark. Facebook/Mulberry City Limits

April 2 Vike Hike Half Marathon & 5K Grab your running shoes and hit the road in Poteau for a fun and challenging race. Beginning at Carl Albert State College in Poteau, runners can select the more difficult half marathon route or the 5K route. Whatever route you choose, you will be winding through some of the most beautiful scenery in Poteau. Both courses are USATF-certified. The half-marathon route will take runners along the breathtaking Poteau Scenic Bypass where beautiful Oklahoma views will wait at every turn. Runners of the 5K race will see stunning scenery, as well. Every finisher will receive a shirt and medal. $33-$81. Carl Albert State College, 1507 South McKenna, Poteau, Okla. 918-721-3922, 918-647-1200

April 2 St. Jude Breakaway 5K The Sigma Nu fraternity at UAFS hosts its ninth annual St. Jude Breakaway 5K to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude Children’s Hospital of Memphis is a research and treatment hospital that cares for children from around the world with pediatric diseases. Last year, Sigma Nu donated $3,600 to St. Jude’s and fraternity president Andrew Haught said the fraternity’s goal is to increase that amount. The race will begin at the Bell Tower on UAFS campus.

Registration, $20, is open up to race day, or register online. 9 a.m. UAFS, 5210 Grand Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7696 uafssigmanu.com

April 2 Super Heroes for Autism 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run Developmental Wings will host the Super Heroes for Autism 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run, a great excuse to dress up as your favorite superhero and raise money for programs that assist children affected by autism and developmental disorders. Online registration is

50 Memories of Lincoln High School The Fort Smith Museum of History is excited to announce plans for an summer exhibition to be displayed at the Lincoln Alumni Association Reunion celebrating the legacy of Lincoln High School. The museum invites the alumni of Lincoln to contribute memories of high school life JUNE for the exhibition. Fifty “memories” will be selected, touching on a variety of topics such as academics (including teachers), athletics, the arts (music, dance, theater), status within the Fort Smith community and region and general life as a high school student. Please submit a “memory” of no more than 250 words and a picture that corresponds to that memory or a picture of yourself from that time. Help celebrate this historic Fort Smith high school. Submissions may be made online at the Fort Smith Museum of History’s website or email text and images to info@fortsmithmuseum.com. Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-8741 fortsmithmuseum.com

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available through March 15 and guarantees a T-shirt for each participant. Late registration is available March 16-April 1. Packets may be pick up from 5-7 p.m. April 1 at Creekmore Park. There will be medals for the top male and female finishers and age group awards. There also will be prizes for best costume in individual male and female (adult and children) categories and prizes for the best team costume. $25 adults and teens; $10 for kids before March 16; $30 and $15 after. 7 a.m. registration, 8 a.m. start. Wells Lake at Chaffee Crossing, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 901-359-3232 endurancecui.active.com

April 2 Women and Murder in the Indian Territory (1870-1898) In celebration of Women's History Month, the Fort Smith Museum of History will explore undesirable women who made history in a two-part series.

Women and Murder in the Indian Territory (18701898), presented by volunteer Mark Potter, will conclude with the second program of the two-part series April 2. The program will detail the stories of 15 women and girls arrested and charged with murder during the era when the jurisdiction of the federal court in Van Buren and Fort Smith stretched into the Indian Territory. Former slaves, a widow in need of

money, jealous men, a wife who killed over money, murders in self-defense, a suicide and a poisoning by a 14-year-old; these stories and more are the focus of Women and Murder in the Indian Territory (18701898). Women such as Arena Howe, Fanny Echols, Elsie James and Susan Riley, along with young girls like Mollie Speaks, were accused of crimes just as horrible and gruesome as the men who were executed on the gallows of the federal court. These stories are an important part of local history and add to a deeper understanding of what the federal court dealt with during the latter part of the 19th century. The presentations are offered free with museum admission: $7 adults, $2 children, under age 6 are free. 1-2:30 p.m.

Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-7841 fortsmithmuseum.com April 2-30 Van Buren Farmers Market Every Wednesday and Saturday from April through December local farmers and craftspeople display their produce and art at the Van Buren Farmers Market. Locally sourced produce, eggs, jellies, jams and more are available. 7 a.m.-noon. Van Buren Public Library Parking Lot, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. (479) 218-2316 facebook.com/VanBurenFarmersMarket April 2016 Entertainment Fort Smith 55

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April Fort Smith Library Art Exhibitions Tracy Farrar: Photography Tracy Farrar will display a collection of her photographs encompassing wildlife, landscapes and fine art. A selftaught, natural-light photographer, Farrar’s travels with her camera have taken her from Honolulu to St. Louis to Ocho Rios to the Yucatan Peninsula. Meet the photographer at 2 p.m. April 16 when she holds a slide show of works not included in the exhibition. Free. Library hours. Community Room, Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org

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Michael Leonard: Photography An exhibit of the photographic works of Michael Leonard will feature landscapes and wildlife. Free. Library hours. Dewey’s Cafe, Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229

Jim Anderson: Photography Original works by photographer Jim Anderson of Van Buren will be on display. Anderson is a schoolteacher by trade and a photographer of the natural landscape as a hobby. He has traveled and photographed in all 50 states, always looking for natural settings and natural lighting. Free.

Library hours. Miller Branch Library, 8701 South 28th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-646-3945 April 3 TrailBlazers Hiking Club: Fern Gully This gully is more accurately a canyon with nicely formed sandstone ledges, very impressive bluff lines and many boulders as large as a house. After an easy short hike into the canyon, explore the bluffs and crevices and enjoy the scenery. Meet at Cloverleaf Plaza parking lot in Van Buren to carpool. 1 p.m. Fern Gully Scenic Area, Highway 215, Fern, Ark. 479-6469562 thcfs.com

April 4 WANTED: High Profile Cases of the U.S. Marshals Service Session 2 of this four-part spring lecture series will highlight the Christopher Boyce case, featured in the movie “The Falcon and the Snowman” (1985), and the case of the Sleepover Bandits, the basis for the 2001 movie “Bandits,” starring Billy Bob Thornton and Bruce Willis. Retired Deputy U.S. Marshal Dennis Behrend will discuss his involvement in these two cases. Tickets are $25 for the series, or $10 for each individual lecture, and are available for purchase online via eventbrite.com. 6:30-8 p.m. Fort Smith Convention Center North Rotunda, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-709-3766 56 Entertainment Fort Smith April 2016

April 4-25 Learn to Dance, Make Your Dreams Come True Advance dance lessons are from 6:30-7:30 p.m., and beginners dance lessons are from 7:30-9 p.m. Learn a dance every month. Start the first Monday of the month so you can advance with other students. These lessons cover an array of interests and styles of dance to include ballroom, Latin, country western, swing and many others. Comfortable casual clothing and shoes without sticky soles are all you need to get started. $5.

6:30-9 p.m. Eagles Ballroom, 3317 South 66th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-674-2578

April 5-7 11th Annual Ozark Mountain Transformation Conference This annual event features lectures on the Tarot, guides and guardian angels, lifelines, spiritual masters, messages from the other side, unsolved mysteries of the past and the wise woman tradition of healing. Keynote speakers include Erich Von Daniken and Susun Weed. Workshops and speaker dinners available for additional fees. Vendors open to public.

Prices vary. Best Western Inn of the Ozarks, 207 West Van Buren, Eureka Springs, Ark. 479-738-2348 transformation-conference.com

April 6-7 Blood Drive The blood drive occurs during this year’s “Greek Week” so Greek students at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith will be competing to donate and/or get other students to donate blood. The drive is sponsored by the UAFS Student Activities Office and is open to the public. Appointments for the blood drive may be made the week prior in the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center hallway, by calling 479-788-7697 or

Tracy Farrar

Jim Anderson

by emailing studentactivities@uafs.edu. Walk-ins are also welcome. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Reynolds Room of the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center, UAFS, 5210 Grand Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7025

April 7 Arkansas Gives Dozens of Arkansas charities will participate, and you can choose to give to the causes that mean the most to you. During this one-day event, each donation will help your favorite nonprofit organizations qualify for additional bonus dollars from Arkansas Community Foundation. All participating nonprofits will receive a portion of a pool of bonus dollars provided by Arkansas Community Foundation; the more a nonprofit raises, the more of the bonus dollars it will receive. Arkansas Gives is one day, one easy way to make charitable dollars stretch farther and shower your favorite nonprofits with support. Check the website for a list of local participating organizations. Donate online. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. arkansasgives.org April 7 Manage Your Money and Manage Your Credit This workshop is presented by Bill Gentry, Credit Counseling of Arkansas. Cancer, other major illness

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS or an unexpected job loss are a few circumstances that can have devastating effects on one's finances.

Gentry will discuss the different types of debt, including medical debt, credit card debt, secured and unsecured debt and provide practical ways to deal with and manage that debt. Topics to be discussed include budgeting, credit score issues, charity care, collection agencies and bankruptcy. Plenty of time will be allowed for questions and answers. Free, registration required. 5:30 p.m. Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House, 3324 South M Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-6302 ReynoldsCancerSupportHouse.org

April 7-May 12 Patricia Lappin: Color and Composition, Exploration in Oils From beginner to advanced, professional artist to hobbyist, this class will offer something for everyone.

Lappin has the training and experience to bring you to a new level in your painting endeavors. Join her as she delves into two of the main elements of painting; color and composition. Call to register and for a list of supplies, which are not included in the fee. $150.

6-8 p.m. Thursdays. Center For Art and Education in Van Buren, 711 South 14th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-474-7767 April 8 Bingo for Books Meet new friends and win books playing bingo. Everyone will go home with at least one book. 10-11 a.m.

Free. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045

April 8, 22 Redwork Club Beginners to advanced embroiderers and needle workers welcome. You can participate in a group project or work on something of your own. Free. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045

April 8-10 29th Annual Ozark Mountain UFO Conference Lectures include Unsolved Mysteries of the Past, Symbols and Binary Code, UFO Mysteries, the Extraterrestrial Hypothesis, Extraterrestrial Ambassadors on Earth, Flying Saucer Invasion, Remote Viewing Aliens and more. Keynote speakers include Erich Von Daniken and Linda Moulton Howe. Prices vary. Best Western Inn of the Ozarks, 207 West Van Buren, Eureka Springs, Ark. 479-738-2348 ozarkufo.com

April 9 Fluff for Families: 5K, Fun Run and Baby Walk Benefits the River Valley Bum Fluffers cloth diaper donation program for families in need. The Fun Run will begin at 10 a.m. with prizes being awarded in the age categories birth-5, 5-10 and 10-17. The 5K will grant

awards for first, second and third place. The Baby Walk, a one-mile event for the babywearing community, will be the final event. Register online at eventbrite.com. 10 a.m. Chaffee Crossing, 7213 Terry Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-213-7154 Facebook.com/groups/Bumfluffers April 9 Grow Great Tomatoes The class will cover the basics of growing tomatoes, companion plants for tomatoes and tomato seed saving. Class fee includes four heirloom tomato plants.

Immediately after the tomato class, Bob Lindow will demonstrate how to make a tomato cage. Cages also will be available for purchase. Class size limited to 20.

Call for reservations. $15. 9-10:30 a.m. Learning Fields at Chaffee Crossing, 700 Gardener Lane, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-462-4113

April 9 Coyote Challenge Trail Run Channel your inner coyote as you choose a 5K, 10K or 16K distance and run through the Boston Mountains, the most challenging and rugged terrain in all of the Ozarks. All pre-registration is online at GetMeRegistered.com or at the park on the day of the race. $5 for all distances, $6 on run day. 9 a.m.-noon.

Lake Fort Smith State Park, 15458 Shepherd Springs Road, Mountainburg, Ark. 479-369-2469

April 9 Zonta Club of Fort Smith Annual Geranium Sale Beautiful geraniums in red, dark pink, white, and salmon will be available. Proceeds support local and international projects that advance the status of women. Local support includes the Single Parent Scholarship Fund, Esther House, Girls Shelter, Girls Inc., The Crisis Intervention Center, First Impressions Workshop and a career fair for local junior high girls.

The Zonta Club of Fort Smith also awards five educational scholarships to area women from the proceeds of the flower sale. Throughout the world, Zonta works toward justice and universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Pre-sales of flats of geraniums and giant marigolds, which end April 4, guarantee color choices. Flats, $27 for 18 plants, must be picked up 8 a.m.-noon the day of the sale. $1.50 each day of the sale. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sagely and Edwards Realtors parking lot, 3101 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-414-9117 zontafortsmith.com April 9 TrailBlazers Hiking Club: Mount Kessler Mount Kessler is a 1,854-foot mountain near Fayetteville. Hike on the Rock City Trail through an area known for its stunning rock formations and then follow one of the loops for a total distance of 5-6 miles rated moderate. Meet at Cloverleaf Plaza parking lot in Van Buren to carpool. 8 a.m. Mount Kessler, 1725

South Smokehouse Trail, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-646-9562 thcfs.com

April 9 Dance for a Difference Help support Developmental Wings by ditching the workout and joining the Zumbathon Dance for a Difference party! The goal of Developmental Wings is to provide customized educational, developmental, and advocacy programs for people with autism and developmental disabilities in under-served populations in eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. $25.

9:30-11:30 a.m. Fraternal Order of Eagles, 3321 South 66th, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-459-0645 developmentalwings.com

April 9 Crawford County Friends of Genealogy Workshop “Cherokee Lineage, Research and Resources” features speaker Gene Norris, senior genealogist at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah, Okla. Afternoon classes will work on Genealogy 101. Morning refreshments served, along with lunch. Take pen and paper for notes. Register by calling Janette Perryman 479-474-0664 or Hilda Daugherty 479-474-2270 for information. Free, registration required. 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045

April 9 Reunion of the Lambda Chapter of Delta Beta Sigma Sorority All members of the Fort Smith high school chapters of DBS are invited to a reunion, historical exhibit and fashion show presented by current members of the sorority. The active DBS class will highlight its 2015 service accomplishments with a presentation of $22,000 raised for the Wounded Warriors Project. The event will culminate with a fashion show at 2:30 which will be open to the general public. 1 p.m. Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-7841 April 9 Pancake Breakfast Enjoy the traditional breakfast fare at this friendly, family-style, all-you-can-eat breakfast at Belle Point Masonic Lodge #20. $5 for adults, $3 for kids under 10.

8-10:30 a.m. Belle Point Masonic Lodge #20, 6000 Zero Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-5454 facebook.com/bellepointmasoniclodge20

April 9 Mountain Bikes and Jazz!

This Mountain Bike Poker Run event benefits the Spiro High School Band as they begin raising funds for a trip to Washington. The Spiro High School Band has been invited to represent Oklahoma in the 2017 Memorial Day Parade. Students will march in a parade along Constitution Avenue and will see the sights of our nation's Capitol. Entry fee is $30 per participant with prizes going to Best and Worst Hands of poker and door prize drawings for all participants. Food, drink and T-shirts provided to those that ride/play, or available for nominal pricing to those that may not want to ride, but would like to support. Entertainment will be provided by the Spiro High School Jazz Band.

For inquiries or to pre-register, contact band director Amy Cumpton at acumpton@spiro.k12.ok.us or call 918-962-3872. $30. 11 a.m. Mountain Bikes and Jazz, Springhill Park, Barling, Ark. 918-962-3872 April 2016

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April 11 Embroidery Guild of Fort Smith This month's project is Ribbon Embroidery. Everyone is welcomed. Take your own basic supplies. Refreshments provided. Free. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479646-2759 April 11 Book Talk: Ken Follet’s “The Pillars of the Earth” A limited number of copies are available at the front desk – get yours before the book talk. Whether you read the entire book or just a section, you will enjoy the discussion of the historical setting, complex characters and the great scenery of this novel. 7 p.m. Free. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045 April 11-15 Van Buren Public Library Celebrates National Library Week Read a book to a child, take a card to a treat to the library workers, enjoy a game of Scrabble, learn about databases and enjoy coffee and cake.

Free. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045

Arkansas River Valley Student Art Exhibition The Center for Art and Education invited students from the community to enter their original artwork in the River Valley Student Art Competition. The competition is open to students, kindergarten through 12th grade throughout the River Valley area including Sebastian, Crawford, Franklin and Logan counties in Arkansas and bordering counties in Oklahoma. Student work will be juried by Arkansas artist, Shawn Adair with cash prizes awarded for the top four artists in four age categories. The exhibit for students in grades kindergarten-sixth will be 1-4 p.m. April 9 at the Center for Art & Education, 104 North 13th Street, Van Buren; artwork by students in seventh-12th grades will be 1-4 April 10 at the Van Buren Senior Center, 607 Knox Street, Van Buren. Light refreshments will be served. The exhibits continue through April 21. Free. Center For Art and Education in Van Buren, 711 South 14th Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-7767 art-ed.org

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April 12 United Way of Fort Smith Area Day of Caring Day of Caring is an area-wide event benefiting many community groups in Crawford, Franklin, LeFlore, Logan, Sebastian and Sequoyah counties.

The day will begin with a kickoff breakfast at Golden Corral in Fort Smith, Ozark Area Youth Organization in Ozark and Jeral L. Hampton Meeting Place in Booneville. An army of volunteers helps nonprofit agencies in a six-county area complete projects that they may not have the money or manpower to complete. Volunteer teams from local companies and businesses, families and individuals work together to complete projects and conduct special programs for United Way’s community partners who, much of the time, lack the necessary resources and manpower to tackle the projects. These projects range from reading to children or painting a room to engaging in outdoor activities such as painting, landscaping or washing windows. Each year, Day of Caring unites generous, community-focused people under the common mission of creating real, lasting change in the lives of children, families and seniors, right where we live. This year there are 92 projects to be helped. Volunteer online to participate. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. United Way of Fort Smith Area, 320 South 18th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-1311 unitedwayfortsmith.org April 12 Classic Film Date Night: Bringing Up Baby (NR) Take a friend or a date to watch the classic movie “Bringing Up Baby.” In this screwball comedy from 1938, Cary Grant plays a mild-mannered paleontologist who meets and falls for free-spirited Katherine Hepburn, who suddenly finds herself the guardian of a tame leopard named Baby.

This film is not rated. Refreshments will be available and feel free to bring a blanket or pillow if you would rather watch from the floor. Free. 7 p.m. Miller Branch Library, 8701 South 28th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-646-3945

April 12 Social Security Seminar Learn about the changes in the laws affecting your Social Security benefits and how to decide when you should begin your Social Security.

Free. 6:30 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library Community Room, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-755-9944 northernstarar.com

April 12 National Library Library Workers Day Drop by to honor the library workers and enjoy a snack. Free. Mulberry Public Library, 220 North Main Street, Mulberry, Ark. 479-997-1226

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April 12 Book Talk: Edward Moore’s “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” In Plainview, Ind., is a home away from home for Odette, Clarice, and Barbara Jean, dubbed "The Supremes" by high school pals in the tumultuous 1960s. Now, however, they’re about to face their most challenging year yet. Proud, talented Clarice is struggling to keep up appearances as she deals with her husband’s humiliating infidelities; beautiful Barbara Jean is rocked by the tragic reverberations of a youthful love affair; and fearless Odette is about to embark on the most terrifying battle of her life. With wit, style and sublime talent, Edward Kelsey Moore brings together three devoted allies in a warmhearted novel that celebrates female friendship and second chances.

Free. 6 p.m. Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140 April 13 Monthly Nutrition and Cancer Series Debunking Cancer-Related Nutrition Myths will be presented by Ryan Ellison, registered dietician. Free.

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Reynolds Cancer Support House, 3324 South M Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-6302 reynoldscancersupporthouse.org April 13 Fort Smith Historical Society Membership Meeting The Fort Smith Historical Society's annual membership meeting is an opportunity for new folks to become members. The historical society produces The Journal of Fort Smith History two times a year, a publication of record surveying local history. It also meets monthly to hear interesting programs and presentations on a wide variety of subjects. New members are welcome. The election of officers and board members for the next year will be held at this meeting. Free. 6:30 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, Community Room, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229

April 14 Humorous Speech Contest Love a funny story? River Valley Toastmasters will hold this contest and invites non-members to enjoy the hilarity. Toastmasters is an international speaking and communication club that helps members reach their potential through communication and leadership skills development. Membership is open to this positive, fun and supportive organization where anyone can learn to gain confidence, control nervousness, better organize a presentation and persuade, teach, inspire or entertain audiences. Call membership director Jean Werschem to learn more. Free. 6:30 p.m.

Creekmore Park Community Building, 3301 South M Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-648-9444 rivervalley.toastmastersclub.org

April 14 Author Visit and Slide Presentation with Tom Wing Tom Wing, assistant professor of history at UAFS and director of the Drennen-Scott Historic Site, will offer a slide presentation spotlighting historical images of Van Buren. The author will share a slideshow of pictures from his new book, “Images of America: Van Buren,” and entertain the audience with little-known facts and forgotten tales from the area. Books will be available for sale and signing and light refreshments will be served at this special evening looking back at historical Van Buren. Free. 7 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org 60 Entertainment Fort Smith April 2016

April 14 Adult Craft Party Register by April 8 to celebrate spring than with a craft that brings a little of the outside indoors. Make a terrarium using succulents and Mason jars. Free. 2 p.m.

Alma Public Library, 624 Fayetteville Avenue, Alma, Ark. 479-632-4140 April 15 Diamond Dance This is a monthly fun social dance that includes ballroom, Latin, country, European and line-dancing music together in a relaxing social environment. The T&T Combo of Wes and Hope will be providing music for your dance enjoyment. This is a smoke-free environment and the dress attire is dressy casual to formal. $5. 8-10:30 p.m. Eagles Ballroom, 3317 South 66th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-674-2578

April 15 Food for Thought: Passalong Plants River Valley Master Gardener Rosemary Wingfield will talk about passalong plants; treasures that have survived in gardens for decades by being handed from one person to another. These botanical heirlooms, such as flowering almond and Confederate rose, usually cannot be found in neighborhood garden centers; about the only way to obtain a passalong plant is to beg a cutting from the fortunate gardener who has one. This special National Library Week program is a preview of the free public lecture by international garden writer Felder Rushing to be held at 7 p.m. April 28 at the Fort Smith Convention Center, hosted by the River Valley Master Gardeners in celebration of their 25th anniversary. Take a lunch or pick one up at the library's Dewey's Cafe. The library will provide drinks and dessert. Noon. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org April 15-16 Byrdfest Byrd's Adventure Center is an 800-acre campground facility with three miles of river frontage on the Mulberry River running through the property. The facility offers shaded camping, swimming, canoe float trips, restaurant, general store, electric sites and live music.

There will also be merchandise and food vendors.

Weekend passes include camping, parking and live music. One-day tickets are available for Saturday only.

Tickets are available at the gate during the festival. $35-$60. 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Byrd's Adventure Center, 7037 Cass Oark Road, Ozark, Ark. 479-667-4066 byrdfest.com

April 15-17 God is with Us: The Good News of God's Mercy What does the Bible reveal to us about God's desire to meet us, accompany us and transform us? This will be an opportunity to explore a key aspect of biblical spirituality, the singularly good news that God's very presence is a gift that speaks mercy into our lives.

Where will this good news lead us? Lodging and meals are included in the resident price. Meals only are included in commuter price. $195; commuter $150. St. Scholastica Retreat Center, 1205 South Albert Pike, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-1135 stscho.org/retreat-registration April 16 Alma Super Dog Run Half Marathon and 5K This is a chipped, timed race. Awards will be given to

the top male and female in the half marathon and 5K, as well as the top three male and female finishers in each age category. All runners will receive a finishing medal for the half marathon. There also will be a fun run for children 10 and younger. Register online by April 4 to be guaranteed a T-shirt. Half marathon $45 advance, $55 day of race; 5K $25 advance, $35 day of race; children 10 and under $10. 8 a.m.-noon. Alma Performing Arts Center, 101 East Main Street, Alma, Ark. 479-632-1953 Registration.mylaps.com/superdogrun2016

April 16 What Doesn't Belong in Arkansas Experience The Natural State with this walk-through program. Master naturalist Denis Dean will provide a hands-on program that challenges nature center visitors to pick items from the natural environment that are found or not found in Arkansas. The items consist of mammals, birds, trees, rocks, water creatures, flowers and more. It’s a fun way for adults and children to test their knowledge and learn about an environmentally diverse area. Free. 1-4 p.m. River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 rivervalleynaturecenter.com April 16 Eastern Oklahoma Autism Walk The Pervasive Parenting Center hosts an Autism Awareness Walk to raise awareness for the growing number of children diagnosed with autism each year.

Food will be provided. Free. 10 a.m. Jay Reynolds Park, 945 South Opdyke, Sallisaw, Okla. 918-6585076 pervasiveparentingcenter.org April 16 CASA Sebastian County Annual Fundraiser This event offers a cash bar, dancing, hor d'oeuvres and a silent auction. Backroad Anthem provides musical entertainment. CASA is a nonprofit, volunteer program in the 12th Judicial District that advocates for children in foster care who are the victims of abuse and/or neglect. Currently, 74 volunteers serve 340 children in the Sebastian County area. Sebastian County has more than 500 children in foster care. All proceeds benefit CASA of Sebastian County to continue advocacy for foster children. $35. 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Fort Smith Convention Center, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-4171 Facebook/CASA of Sebastian County April 16 April Bus Tour to Crystal Bridges Forget the fuss of driving, parking and walking and join the Center for Art and Education for a bus excursion. The tour bus will board at the art center and take the party to the museum’s main entrance. Refreshments are provided on the bus. Buy lunch at the Eleven Restaurant at Crystal Bridges. The permanent collection is always on view and two additional exhibitions will be available: Samuel F. B. Morse’s Gallery of the Louvre and the Art of Invention The Open Road, which features nine photographers on the move across America from the 1950s to today. Cost includes transportation, refreshments and admission to all exhibits. Tickets are not available for the Frank Lloyd Wright house on this day. Parking is available at the center. $65. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Center For Art and Education, 104 North 13th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-474-7767 art-ed.org

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April 16 Meet the Photographer: Tracy Farrar Photographer Tracy Farrar will provide a slide presentation of images set to music as an accompaniment to her current library exhibit. Lasting about an hour, the program will feature images of people, places and things from her vast collection of works that she was not able to include on the walls of the Community Room. Get to know the photographer as she tells about herself and shares some entertaining stories about how she “got that shot.” The photographer will be available for questions following the presentation, and small unframed prints were be available for sale.

An exhibition of Tracy Farrar’s works is on display in the Community Room at the Main Library through April. Free. 2 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229

April 19 Crossroads Antique Mall Book Club Crossroads Antique Mall is starting a new book club.

Members will choose a favorite author to showcase, then read and discuss the book. Crossroads owner Karen Roe and Fort Smith author Linda Laughlin present the first meeting. The first month, the group will discuss Linda's favorite author, Nora Roberts. Read any of Nora Roberts' books and go ready to discuss.

The group will meet the third Tuesday of every month.

Free. 1-2 p.m. Crossroads Antique Mall, 3325 South 74th Street, Suite A, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3037 crossroadsantiquemallfortsmith.com

April 17 21st Annual Charity Dinner at St. Luke’s Listen to a great band, enjoy a delicious meal and learn about the mission of the Donald W. Reynolds Crisis Intervention Center from the executive director. Entertainment is provided by the River City Band. Eat a traditional roast beef dinner in St. Luke's Luther Hall at 6 p.m. There is no admission fee, but donations will be gathered. All proceeds benefit the Crisis Intervention Center. Reservations recommended. 6-8:30 p.m.

Luther Hall at St. Luke Lutheran Church, 5401 Free Ferry Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-2385

April 18 Tax Day at the Library Enjoy the relief of having it done with po-boy sandwiches and Payday candy bars (while supplies last).

Free. Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045 April 18 Colorful Ladies: Adult Coloring Program The library will have coloring sheets and pencils available, but feel free to take your own. Enjoy some relaxing time coloring and chatting. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.

Van Buren Public Library, 1409 Main Street, Van Buren, Ark. 479-474-6045

April 18 Willie Blount Wright Heartsill: Author and Labor Leader The contributions of early Greenwood resident W.B.W. Heartsill will be highlighted in this presentation by South Sebastian County Historical Society members.

Also included is a virtual tour of the Old Jail Museum's 2016 exhibits. Free. 7-9 p.m. Community Room, Farmers Bank, 71 West Center Street, Greenwood, Ark. 479-996-6357 facebook.com/OldJailMuseum

April 18 Sewing Machine Center Grand Opening Visit the new Sewing Machine Center location for door prizes and learn more about new products and classes. Free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sewing Machine Center, 6700 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-484-5351

April 19 Evening Canoes on Wells Lake Staff members will assist boaters on Wells Lake. A parent or guardian must accompany children. Participants are required to wear life jackets, which are provided. This activity is weather permitting. Free. 6-8 p.m. River Valley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-452-3993 62

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April 19 Authors in the Evening with Marilyn White: They Hollered Me Up Little Rock author Marilyn White will sign copies of her latest novel, “They Hollered Me Up.” The book is a Western-themed work of historical fiction based on true events in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, of the late 19th century. Marilyn White, a Fort Smith native, has an affinity toward offering a new voice on the history concerning her hometown and its connections to its neighbor, San Bois, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, of the 19th century. Copies of “They Hollered Me Up” will be available for purchase and signing at this open-house style event. Free. 6-8 p.m. Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org April 20 Lunch and Learn: Stroke Prevention Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. It can happen to anyone at any time. But up to 80 percent of strokes can be prevented, if you know the signs and what to do in the event of a stroke.

Neuro-interventional radiologist Clint Wood, M.D., will host a Lunch and Learn about the danger of strokes and what can be done to prevent them. Lunch will be provided to those who register. Call or go online to register. Free. Noon-1 p.m. Shuffield Education Center,

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS Sparks Regional Medical Center, 1001 Towson Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-709-3627 sparkshealth.com/classes-and-programs

April 20-May 18 Business Communications/Etiquette In this course on Business Communications and Etiquette, participants will explore the concepts of manners and etiquette in mainstream business culture. In addition, they will learn social manners and etiquette, including e-mail etiquette. Free. 8-9:25 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Fort Smith Adult Education Center, 501 South 20th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-1232 adulteducationfortsmith.com April 20-May 18 QuickBooks 2012 Level 2 This course covers extensive use of QuickBooks including managing inventory, payroll, tracing time and estimates, as well as budgets and customizing the QuickBooks program. $80 tuition includes textbook and USB drive. 9:30-10:55 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Fort Smith Adult Education Center, 501 South 20th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-1232

April 20-May 18 MS Word 2013 Level 2 This class will cover more complex features of Word 2013. Topics the student will learn in this course include newsletter columns, WordArt and clipart, document themes, styles, picture editing, mail merge, footnotes and endnotes, headers and footers, templates, tables of contents and indexes and more. $80 tuition includes textbook and USB drive. 11 a.m.12:25 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Fort Smith Adult Education Center, 501 South 20th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-1232 April 21 Networking Happy Hour Young professionals 21-40 are welcome at a networking happy hour. Enjoy free appetizers and door prizes.

The Fort Smith Jaycees is an organization focused on community involvement, personal/professional development and networking. Free. 6-8 p.m. Grub's Bar and Grille Fort Smith, 8302 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 901-359-3232 fortsmithjaycees.com

April 21 Financial Aid 101 Trish Richardson of enrollment management and Olan James, financial aid officer of UAFS, will provide a free financial aid college admission workshop for seniors and parents. To get the full experience, parents should take 2015 tax information and students should create a Federal Student Aid ID on the Federal Student Aid website before the program. There will be a limited supply of laptops available or attendees may provide their own. For preliminary information, call Richardson at 479-788-7416. Free. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Windsor Branch Library, 4701 Windsor Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-0405 fortsmithlibrary.org

April 21 Open Mic Night at Dewey’s Café Musicians, poets and other talented folks are invited to perform. Sign-up at the door; arrive early to ensure a spot on the list. Showcase your talent or just listen.

Music or poetry does not have to be original work – come and share a favorite poem or musical piece.

Acoustic music only, please. Free. 7 p.m. Dewey's Cafe at the Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229

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April 21-May 19 MS Excel 2013 level 2 This course provides thorough intermediate training of Excel 2013. Topics introduced include large worksheets and workbooks; tables; outlines; inserting clip art, pictures and SmartArt; templates; digital signatures and more. $80 tuition includes textbook and USB drive. 9:30-10:55 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Fort Smith Adult Education Center, 501 South 20th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-1232 adulteducationfortsmith.com April 21-May 19 Windows 8.1 Components and functions of Windows 8 operating system will be introduced. Students will learn the basics of using the mouse and working with windows.

Students will gain the knowledge to manage their files and understand the organization of folder hierarchy.

Students will also learn how to customize the computer to the settings that best fits them. Basic computer maintenance and security is also introduced.

This is a beginning computer class. Those who have little or no experience using computers should take this course. Minimal typing skills are recommended. $80 tuition includes textbook and USB drive. 8-9:25 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Fort Smith Adult Education Center, 501 South 20th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-1232 adulteducationfortsmith.com April 21-May 19 MS Access 2013 Microsoft Access class introduces the uses of creating and using databases. This course covers introductory and intermediate skills, and is ideal for the beginning or mid-beginning Access user. Topics introduced include the Ribbon interface, creating tables in Datasheet view, previewing and printing data, designing databases, creating database objects, formatting tables, lookup fields, field properties, queries, designing a relational database, split forms, creating and modifying reports, parameter queries, crosstab queries and more. $80 tuition includes textbook and USB drive. 11 a.m.-12:25 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Fort Smith Adult Education Center, 501 South 20th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-1232

April 23 River Valley Master Gardener Spring Plant Sale Annuals, perennials, trees and unexpected plants will be available, along with pots, planters and garden art.

Proceeds support The Learning Fields at Chaffee Crossing. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. First Christian Church parking lot, 3501 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-462-1713

April 23 TrailBlazers Hiking Club: Waterfalls Hike with this welcoming club to three waterfalls – Glory Hole, Magnolia Falls and Woods Boys Falls.

Glory Hole drills through a rock bluff line and Magnolia and Woods Boys Falls are very scenic. There should be lots of wildflowers along the way. Total hiking distance is about 4 miles, rated moderate. Meet at Cloverleaf Plaza parking lot in Van Buren to carpool.

Free. 8 a.m. Ozark National Forest, Arkansas 21, Near Fallsville, Ark. 479-646-9562 thcfs.com April 23 Founders Day 2016 Celebrate the brave pioneers who settled the Ozarks.

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A volunteer musician performs for young visitors to the Fort Smith National Historic Site.

5th Annual Fort Smith Volunteer Fair This event will include two dozen local historic and natural sites as well as volunteer organizations throughout the Fort Smith area. Interested volunteers will have a chance to see all the local sites that they could become a part of. See what position best fits you and your talents. It is a great chance to build your resume, share your skills, make new friends and strengthen your community. Organizations include: Fort Smith National Historic Site, Fort Smith Museum of History, Miss Laura's Visitor Center, U.S. Marshal's Museum, River Valley Nature Center, Fort Smith Trolley Museum, Clayton House, Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, Chaffee Crossing, Drennon-Scott House, Fort Smith Parks and Recreation, Chaffee Crossing, RSVP, Lake Fort Smith State Park, Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center, Crisis Intervention Center, Ronald McDonald House, Devil’s Den State Park, Sequoyah’s Cabin, Army Corps of Engineers, Girl Scouts, Ronald McDonald House, Mercy Hospice, Project Compassion, STEPS Family Resource Center, United Way, Van Buren Visitor Center and the Civil Air Patrol: U.S. Air Force Auxiliary. At 10 a.m., Fort Smith Mayor Sandy Sanders will give a speech on the importance of volunteering in and around Fort Smith. Free grilled burgers and refreshments will be provided by First National Bank. Free. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. River Park Events Building, 121 Riverfront Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-226-3727 nps.gov/fosm

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including a re-creation of an actual Ozarks wedding that took place in 1888, followed by a traditional dinner and authentic shivaree. All events are fun for the whole family. Check the website for specific program times and details. Free. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Lake Fort Smith State Park, 15458 Shepherd Springs Road, Mountainburg, Ark. 479-369-2469

April 23 Make the Journey 5K Run/Walk Make your journey down U.S. 71 south to enjoy the views of Ouachita Mountains and the historical side of Waldron while enjoying a run/walk event. Email waldronrun@yahoo.com for an application and visit the website for additional event information. This event supports Waldron and Booneville high school students' educational tours in Europe. $20. 8 a.m. Scott County Fair Building, 165 Mill Street, Waldron, Ark. 479-207-3641 ksparks986.wix.com/waldronrun

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS Smith and hosts of a wine auction. Fort Smith native and former Arkansas Razorback wide receiver-turned actor and producer Rossi Morreale will be the guest auctioneer for the event. Music by Chris and Lolly Swicegood, a duet from Nashville, followed by the music of Ultra Suede. A selection of fabulous gourmet food is always a focal point for this event. Coming back to amaze the guests with their culinary skills is River City Bistro, locally owned by Susan Tucker with her son, executive chef, Jason Haid. Newton’s Jewelers has generously donated a Rolex Watch valued at $8,700; chances may be purchased from any committee member or on the support house website. Tickets are $10 each, $50 for a book of six or $100 for 13 and you need not to be present to win. The Rose part of Wine and Roses comes from the rose bouquets beautifully arranged by Johnston’s Quality Flowers and dedicated in memory or to honor a loved one. Those who are unable to attend but would like to honor or remember someone may purchase a dozen roses to be tagged with the name of your family member or friend. All bouquets are available for their sponsors to take home following the event or to pick up the next day. Different works and styles of art will be offered. Valet parking available. $125. 6:30 p.m.-midnight. Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House, 3324 South M Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-424-1812 reynoldscancersupporthouse.org

Gallery Exhibit: Anna Sue Wilcox A gallery exhibit of the work of artist Anna Sue APRIL Wilcox will open with an evening reception.

Wilcox will exhibit about 30 paintings that span space and time from Africa to Europe to the railroad tracks of Sallisaw, Okla. Her vision embraces the human experience, striving to convey the hearts of the people she portrays. Addicted to the aroma of oils since age 9 and largely self-taught, Wilcox also studied under John Bell Jr., from whom she drew a great deal of knowledge and inspiration. Since the 1970s, she has done commissioned portraits and her work can be found in collections in Europe and throughout the United States. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Michael’s Mansion, 2900 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-883-8336 michaelsmansion.biz

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April 23 Herbal Adventures The River Valley Master Gardener's Herbal Adventure Group will teach how to make organic cleansers. The event includes tips on spring cleaning, how to use simple ingredients to create healthy cleaning products and how to use homemade cleaners for laundry, kitchen, windows, bath and more. Reservations required. Refreshments will be served. $20. 9:30 a.m.-noon The Learning Fields at Fort Chaffee, 7300 Gardeners Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-2104, 479-646-8234

April 23 Chamber Ensemble Concert Music will be performed from a plethora of styles and eras, including baroque, classical, romantic, modern and even jazz. Composers featured include Beethoven, Bach and Handel. Free. 7:30 p.m. The Blue Lion, 101 North 2nd Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7544 uafs.edu

April 23-24 Wine and Roses This year’s event that supports the multitude of services offered freely by the Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House, the largest free-standing cancer support facility in the country. The cancer support house serves 5,500 active cancer fighters and survivors – aged from 1 to 90 years. The black-tie optional event offers dozens of wines handpicked by Jim and Michael Hadley, owners of In Good Spirits of Fort 66 Entertainment Fort Smith April 2016

April 23-25 Coloring Break for Adults and Kids Take a crayon break with Dewey's Cafe. Coloring helps promote relaxation and stress relief. Enjoy a break from the workday and unwind while engaging in the creative process in a fun, friendly and casual atmosphere. Coloring pages for adults and kids and colored pencils will be provided by the café. Free. 2-4 p.m. April 23 and 24; 6-8 p.m. April 25. Dewey's Cafe at the Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org

April 24-30 A Sustainable Landscape for St. Scholastica Monastery: An Exhibit A collaborative design project focusing on St. Scholastica Monastery featuring the talents of University of Arkansas Biological Engineering and Landscape Architecture students will be on display on the second floor of the main library. The sisters of St. Scholastica are looking to move to a new, purpose-built monastery building that will allow the order to enjoy the amenities of a modern, single-level building.

Under the leadership of Prioress Sister Maria De Angeli, the sisters have expressed a desire to have the new monastery landscape deal with stormwater in a responsible manner – in keeping with the environmental consciousness and ecological concerns of the order. At the same time, there is scope to provide a beautiful landscape for the sisters that allows for home-harvesting, gardening, walking, contemplation and prayer. The collaborative project received generous support from the University of Arkansas Office for Sustainability and a Sustainability Academic Program Grant; the ideals of inter-disciplinary working and sustainable design reflect the cultures of the College of Engineering, The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design and the university as a whole. The proposals created by these students are purely conceptual and indicative, but act to demonstrate that collaborative design could reduce and clean stormwater typical for an urban site, while creating opportunities for habitat, aesthetic appeal and recreation. Dr. Carl A. Smith, associate professor with the Fay Jones School of Architecture, and associate professor Thomas Costello from the Biological and Agricultural Engineering faculty will be on hand 2:30-3:30 p.m. April 24 for the opening of the exhibition. The design proposals are available for viewing during regular library hours. Free. 2:30 p.m.

Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-0229 fortsmithlibrary.org April 28 Welcome Neighbor Book Club The book “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doeer will be reviewed. Any woman is welcome to attend and enjoy the discussion. Free. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Dewey's Cafe, Main Library, 3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-459-1603 WelcomeNeighborFtSmith.weebly.com

April 28 Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon: The Sack Lunch Program One day a year, time is taken to honor the hundreds of Sack Lunch Program volunteers who tirelessly serve the people of this area who are hungry and may not know when they will have another nutritious meal. Each day, a meal and a kind smile is served to each customer who comes to the serving window. Their motto is Fighting Hunger, One Sack Lunch at a Time. Preregistration is required for the luncheon; call 479-252-1360 by April 18 to register. Luncheon is generously sponsored by Western Arkansas Title Services. Free. 12:30-2 p.m. First Presbyterian Church Family Life Center, 116 North 12th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-252-1360

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April 28 Master Your Money Learn the basics rules of money management. Bill Gentry with the non-profit Credit Counseling of Arkansas (CCOA) Inc. will help you master your money goals. The class will cover the fundamentals of budgeting and saving, how to create a spending plan, and ways to cut expenses on things like groceries, entertainment and utilities. No registration is required. Free. 6 p.m. Windsor Branch Library, 4701 Windsor Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-785-0405 April 29 Gen. William O. Darby: Updated Exhibits To coincide with the unveiling of the statue of Gen. William O. Darby during the Steel Horse Motorcycle Rally, visitors may view updated exhibits in the Darby Memorial Room. A cell phone audio tour will feature Presson and Darby Watkins, nephews of Gen. Darby, to include the story of the Fort Smith native and famous founder of Darby's Rangers in World War II. The updated exhibition includes Darby's his early life in Fort Smith and education at West Point, his years as a soldier and the lasting legacy of the well-known founder of the modern Army Rangers. William Orlando Darby was born in Fort Smith on Feb. 8, 1911, to Percy and Nell Darby. A natural born leader, from a young age Darby desired to be a soldier. Following graduation from Fort Smith High School in 1929, he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. After graduation from West Point in 1933, Darby was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery of the 1st Cavalry at Fort Bliss, Texas. Following Pearl Harbor, Darby was assigned as aid-de-camp to Maj. Gen. Russell P. Hartle and selected to train an elite combat unit known as Darby's Rangers. The first Army Ranger Battalion was activated on July 9, 1942. Darby’s Rangers distinguished themselves in combat in North Africa and Europe. Col. William O. Darby was killed in action on April 30, 1945, at Torbole, Italy, and posthumously promoted to brigadier general on May 15, 1945. He was buried in a military cemetery outside of Cisterna, Italy, and reinterred at the Fort Smith National Cemetery in 1949. During his career, Darby received three Purple Hearts, two Distinguished Service Crosses, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Russian Order of Kutuzov and the French Croix de Guerre. Army Rangers of today honor the legacy of Gen. William O. Darby. Numerous thing are named for him, including Darby Junior High School in Fort Smith, the Army troopship USNS General William O. Darby, the USAT General William O. Darby, Camp Darby in Italy, many Army training fields, the 1958 Warner Brothers film "Darby's Rangers" and numerous civic clubs and organizations carry his name. Cisterna and Fort Smith are sister cities in memory of Darby and his Rangers. $7 adults, $2 children, under age 6 are free. 10 a.m. Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-7841 fortsmithmuseum.org April 29-30 Sequoyah County OHCE Annual Quilt Show Over 60 quilts will be on display. Vendors, craft and bake sale items and demonstrations are available both days. On Friday a chicken and dressing lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. will be served for $7 per person. A raffle drawing for a quilt will be held on Saturday at 2 p.m. $2. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sequoyah County Fair Building, East Redwood and Shurley Street, Sallisaw, Okla.

918-775-5908

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April 29-30 4th Annual Motorcycle Safety Awareness Hosted by the Gold Wing Road Riders Association Region H Arkansas District Chapter F in Fort Smith at The Steel Horse Rally. Visit their tent for safety brochures, membership applications and maps of the area. Free. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Fort Smith Convention Center, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. Contact Bruce Armentrout 479-414-1089 or Louis Wofford 479-883-2621.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

April 29-30 Alphonso Trent Documentary In conjunction with the exhibition “Roots, Rhythm and Rock – Music That Moved Fort Smith: 1880-1945” during the Steel Horse Motorcycle Rally, the museum will present several screenings of a new, locally produced documentary on Alphonso Trent, Fort Smith native and well-known jazz musician. Produced by Dr. Henry Rinne, John McIntosh, Five Star Productions and featuring actor/singer Ryk St. Vincent and musician Chris Cameron, the documentary is based on a screenplay by Rinne who has completed extensive research on Trent. Trent was born in Fort Smith on Oct. 24, 1902, to Professor E.O. and Hattie Trent, prominent citizens of the city. A gifted pianist and natural leader, Trent organized the Alphonso Trent Orchestra, encouraging strong technique and performance ability, influencing many young African-American musicians. Jimmie Lunceford, in an article in the 1947 Esquire Jazz Book states, “I’d say that Trent's band gave inspiration to more young musicians than any other.” The Alphonso Trent Orchestra was a sophisticated dance band playing for fashionable audiences during the Jazz Age, a time of prosperity in the United States. Although not well-known nationally, Trent was a gifted musician and natural leader who contributed significantly to the training of numerous young African-American jazz musicians of the era. This project is supported in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Museum admission: $7 adults, $2 children, under age 6 are free. The documentary will be shown at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. April 29 and at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. April 30. Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-7841 fortsmithmuseum.com

April 30 Miles for Mutts Miles for Mutts is a 5K run/walk benefitting the Sebastian County Humane Society. All runners will receive a T-shirt for registering. Take your four-legged friends to enjoy a great day and help support the homeless animals in our area. $25 or $50 for a family of three. 8-11 a.m. Riverfront Park, 121 Riverfront Drive, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-4395 sebastiancountyhumanesociety.org

April 30 4th Annual Life’s an Uphill Run 5K Presented by Bekaert Corp., this race to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Van Buren will start at the club and track through the hills of the city park. A one-mile family run/walk also will be held at the park lake.

Awards will be presented to the top finishers in each age and gender category. Participants who register in advance will receive a goody bag and an event dri-fit T-shirt. Advanced registration is $20 online; day of race, $25. Check-in 7 a.m.; 8 a.m. start. Boys & Girls Club of Van Buren, 1403 City Park Road, Van Buren, AR. (479) 474-9401 VBClub.org

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Museum of History: Motorcycle Memories During the Steel Horse Motorcycle Rally, the Fort Smith Museum of History presents an exhibit and a program on local and regional motorcycle history. The exhibit will be in place in the museum lobby. A program is scheduled for noon April 29 and will include refreshments. The exhibition, which was first presented in 2008, features vintage motorcycles and photographs exploring the “art of the motorcycle” in Fort Smith and the region from the 1940s through present day. Fort Smith has an historical association with motorcycle culture. Learn about the people and places that places that put the region on the map for motorcyclists. Quin Winters Bike Shop on Towson Avenue was the nexus of motorcycle culture in Fort Smith from 1939 until 1975. His sons, Leroy and Robert Winters, gained national fame for their accomplishments in the field of motorcycle racing. In 1940, Fort Smithians Ercie Gann, Kathryn Johnson and Jean Fivekiller became charter members of the “Motor Maids,” a national organization of female motorcyclists. The annual “Razorback Run,” a 150-mile roundtrip ride from Fort Smith to White Rock Mountain near Mulberry, Ark., drew motorcycle enthusiasts from a regional area from 1952 to 1955. Otis Spiker played a vital role in the area cycling culture. As one of the few manufacturers of Henderson motorcycle parts, Spiker gained national recognition, as well as becoming a local motorcycle legend.

Motorcycle Memories is designed to unite the “art of the motorcycle” with the generation of Americans that enjoy a lifestyle

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April 30 TrailBlazers Hike: Lake Sequoyah TrailBlazers Hiking Club will hike at Lake Sequoyah near Fayetteville. Hike the King Fisher Trail, 3.2 miles rated easy, and then check out the Rookery Trail. There will be beautiful views of the lake and possible sightings of blue heron. Meet at Cloverleaf Plaza parking lot in Van Buren to carpool. 9 a.m. Lake Sequoyah, Arkansas 16 East, Fayetteville, Ark. 479-646-9562 thcfs.com

April 30 Motorcycle Show During the Steel Horse Motorcycle Rally, the Fort Smith Museum of History will host a motorcycle show. All proceeds benefit the museum. Awards: People's Choice, Museum Choice, Steel Horse Rally Choice, 64.6 Downtown Choice. Prizes awarded in each class: Classic (1985 and older), Antique (1966 and older), Custom, Competition (drag race, road race, dirt track), American, British, European and Metric. Register by phone, online or in person from 8-9 a.m. April 30. $15 donation suggested. 9 a.m.-noon.

Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-7841 fortsmithmuseum.org

April 30 Motorcycling in Arkansas Grady Spann, director of Arkansas State Parks, will 70

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Ercie Gann (third from the left) was a charter member of Motor Maids.

The Fort Smith Boys on their Harleys in the 1950s.

peculiar to the American mainstream. The exhibit will strive to educate future generations about a fascinating spectrum of Americana. The Fort Smith Museum of History was selected to receive proceeds from the Steel Horse Motorcycle Rally. Museum admission: $7 adults, $2 children, under age 6 are free. Noon-9 p.m. Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-7841 fortsmithmuseum.org

present a program entitled Motorcycling in Arkansas.

Spann has more than two decades of experience with Arkansas State Parks and is an avid motorcyclist.

Spann is a certified law enforcement officer/park ranger. He holds a bachelor’s degree in parks administration, with a minor in military science from Henderson State University and served as a military officer for nine years previous to his tenure with Arkansas State Parks. Learn about the excellent motorcycle rides and trails available in Arkansas. Free with museum admission: $7 adults, $2 children, under age 6 are free. 1-2 p.m. Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-783-7841 fortsmithmuseum.org

April 30-May 1 Alma High School Dance Show With one of the largest dance programs in Arkansas, the three-peat state champions always impress. Students in grades 7-12 show off their skills with a mix of dance, theater and acrobatics. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office. Alma Performing Arts Center, 103 East Main, Alma, Ark. 479-632-2129 almapac.org May 2 Skin Cancer Screenings and Education May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Free skin cancer screenings with Dr. Sandy Johnson by appoint-

ment from 8-11:45 a.m. and 1-2:15 p.m. Dr. Johnson presents “The Skinny on Skin Cancer and other Skintastic Issues” at noon. Lunch provided by Johnson Dermatology. Call to schedule appointment and RSVP to lunch. Free. 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Reynolds Cancer Support House, 3324 South M Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-6302 ReynoldsCancerSupportHouse.org

May 2 TrailBlazers Hike: Ozark Highland Trail TrailBlazers Hiking Club will hike to the Marinoni Scenic Area on the Ozark Highland Trail. There will be views of the Mulberry River Valley, waterfalls, bluffs, blooming wild azaleas and umbrella magnolias. This 5.5-mile hike is rated moderate due to the elevation gain of 750 feet. Meet at Cloverleaf Plaza parking lot in Van Buren to carpool. 8 a.m. Ozark National Forest, FR #1505, Near Oark, Ark. 479-646-9562 thcfs.com

May 2-15 CAN~VAS Fundraiser at BrickCity Looking for unique items for Mother’s Day? Check out arts and crafts created by various artists from CAN~VAS. Each piece will be unique and proceeds will go toward Cre8ive Arts programs. Enter to win a drawing for a summer art exploration. Free. 10 a.m.6 p.m. Cre8ive Arts Network Visual Art Studio, 7408 Buckhorn, Chaffee Historic District, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-357-9079 canvasar.com

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May 5 Teal to Teal Community Luncheon Teal to Teal stands for "Tell Every Amazing Lady to Take Early Action and Live." The River Valley Ovarian Cancer Alliance presents a free community lunch and learn event about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer on World Ovarian Cancer Day. Reservations are required, seating is limited. Free. 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Fort Smith Convention Center, North Rotunda, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-883-3379 rivervalleyoca.com

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

May 6 9th Annual Safe Kids! Fair Hosted by the U.S. Marshals Museum and Arvest Bank, Safe Kids! offers children and parents the opportunity to meet representatives from multiple agencies, learn ways to protect themselves and learn how to talk about difficult topics. Free Next Generation DNA LifePrint kits will be available. Arvest Bank will provide free hot dogs and chips, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. will provide free drinks and all participating children receive a free tote bag. Free. 3-6 p.m. Riverfront Pavilion, 100 North B Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-709-3766 usmarshalsmuseum.org May 6-7 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat The UAFS Academy of the Arts presents a full-length musical production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Part of the On Stage Series, this wonderful, timeless show is presented by the teen theater company and children's ensemble of the Academy. Prices vary. 7-9 p.m. Arkansas Best Performing Arts Center, Rogers Avenue and South 9th Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-788-7300 uafs.universitytickets.com

May 6-7 7th Annual Airing of the Quilts Quilt Show Beautiful quilts will be displayed in the arts and craftsstyle building with views of Mount Magazine, as well as vendors and a silent auction. The popular Miss Sue's Tea Room will serve lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. View the special exhibit Sisters Sewing Together. Sponsored by Alpha Delta ESA, proceeds from the event benefit the South Sebastian County Historical Society. To enter a quilt or for more information, call 479-883-0254 or 479-806-1081. $5. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sen. Ed Wilkinson Pavilion, 1050 Bell Park Road, Greenwood, Ark. 479-883-0254 or 479-806-1081 facebook.com/GreenwoodQuilts

May 7 8th Annual Nurses' Day of Prayer Breakfast The Nurses' Day of Prayer Breakfast was founded in Fort Smith by Sue Christian, R.N., and others eight years ago to spiritually and professionally support all nurses. In 2015, there were approximately 2.7 million nurses in the United States. Arkansas issued 53,000 licenses in-state for all levels of nurses in 2015. This breakfast is open to all nurses – active, inactive, retired or student. The topic is A Journey with Autism, presented by speaker Sherri Pannell, parent of a child with autism. Nurses will eventually interact with a child/adult with autism. Jackie Scarborough, Ph.D., LPC, also will be present to help answer any clinical questions regarding autism. She is the director of Mental Health at Bost Inc. in Fort Smith. Free; participants may purchase breakfast. 8:30-10 a.m. Golden Corral Restaurant, 1801 South Waldron Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-479-6512 April 2016

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May 7 3rd Annual River Valley Kid Ducky Derby Highly trained and dedicated rubber ducks will take to the water as STEPS Family Resource Center presents this event with live music, bounce house, games, face painting, a caricature artist, free photos with Waddles, free hot dogs and, of course, the main event – the Rubber Duck Derby at 1 p.m. Watch hundreds of ducks race to cross the finish line. Ducks are available to "adopt" for a $5 donation. You do not need to be present to win. The Supervised Visitation Program provides free visitation services to more than 400 children in foster care. Free. $5 for ducks. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Creekmore Park, Rogers and South 31st Street, Fort Smith, Ark. 479-782-7837 stepsfrc.org

May 7 38th Birthday Bash and Annual Archaeology Day May 9, 1978, was the opening day of the only prehistoric, Native American archaeological site open to the public in Oklahoma. Archaeologists will look at collections to help identify artifacts. Native American artist are expected to show their wares. Lectures will occur during the day. At 1 p.m., archaeologist Dennis Peterson will lead a guided tour of the site. Free. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center, 18154 1st Street, Spiro, Okla. 918-962-2062 May 7 WW&L United Way Bass Tournament Cash prizes will reward the anglers who bring in the big bass in this 4th annual fishing tournament sponsored by Weldon, Williams & Lick to benefit the United Way. Tackle Box and Hawg Hunter Bass Club are partnering sponsors. Boats will launch in the order of the entry form received by mail. Fisherman may enter at the boat ramp on the day of the tournament, as well.

Registration forms can be found at the Tackle Box and Alma Service Center. Boats will leave in flights of 25.

The $3,500 prize money will be awarded as $1,500 first place; $1,000 second place, $500 third place and $500 cash for the biggest bass. Call Burel Schaberg, 479-353-8717 for more information. Entry free $80 per boat, maximum two fishermen. 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

Clear Creek Park, Alma, Ark.

Dr. Udouj is experienced in the treatment of temporomandibular joint dysfunction for over 15 years.

(479) 648-9988

Treating TMD (TMJ) •Headaches •Jaw Pain •Limited Opening •Popping Joint Graduate of the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies.

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Member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

2600 Market Trace • Fort Smith, Ark.

www.perfectingyoursmile.com

May 7 Inaugural Greenwood ArtFest on the Trail The Chamber of Commerce ArtFest is a fine arts event located on the beautiful walking trail in Greenwood.

There will be fine artists showcasing their work in different mediums, including oil, watercolor, acrylic, handmade jewelry, wood carving and more. The day will also be highlighted with live music, live exhibitions and the Annual Airing of the Quilts at Bell Park showcasing beautiful handmade quilts, as well as a Farmers Market on the square. There also will be food vendors and a food court to enjoy an outdoor picnic with family. Sponsored by Greenwood A&P Commission Free.

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Greenwood Walking Trail, Bell Park and the Square, 16 Town Square, Greenwood, Ark. 479-996-6357 greenwoodarkansas.com May 7, 21 Chester Farmers Market Hot breakfast under the pavilion and plenty of parking available. For additional information on special events and featured tables throughout the season, check out the Facebook page, Chester Farmers Market and Poultry Swap. Take Exit 34 off U.S. 49 and turn right. Free.

8-11 a.m. Chester Farmers Market Pavilion, East Front Ave field, Chester, Ark. 858-361-3430

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2016 Grit Award Nominees RESTAURANT

The Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau’s annual Grit Awards (Giving Recognition In Tourism) honors those who go beyond expectations to encourage and support tourism in Fort Smith.

The public is invited to attend the Grit Awards Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. April 21 at the Fort Smith Convention Center.

We believe something so important to Fort Smith’s future shouldn’t be a thankless job.

These awards are our way of publicly saying thanks to the people who have most earned our local tourism community’s respect and gratitude.

LODGING PARTNER

PARTNER

A restaurant that shows community involvement, positively promotes Fort Smith, delivers quality service to visitors, tourists and convention groups and may occupy a unique niche as a tourist destination itself.

The nominees are:

A lodging that proactively draws people through custom sales and outreach; delivers quality service to visitors, tourists and conventions groups; shows involvement and demonstrates pride in Fort Smith heritage. The nominees are:

R. Landry's New Orleans Cafe

Comfort Inn and Suites

Doe's Eat Place

Courtyard by Marriott

Beef 'O' Brady's

Hampton Inn Fort

ATTRACTION

POLLY CREWS

PARTNER

An organization that holds events to promote itself and Fort Smith; continually improves and refreshes facilities, programs or exhibits to create an exciting experience for visitors; demonstrates pride in this area’s heritage. May be in the surrounding area including Oklahoma. The nominees are:

Fort Smith National Historic Site Fort Smith Museum of History Fort Smith Trolley Museum

BUSINESS

HOSPITALITY PERSON OF

THE

YEAR

Someone who is just plain awesome. Goes above and beyond to positively promote Fort Smith. Demonstrates leadership and vision in the business community about Fort Smith’s tourism future. The nominees are:

Dennis and Karen Snow Steel Horse Rally John McIntosh The Unexpected Mural Project Jeff Gosey The Peacemaker Music & Arts Festival

PARTNER

A business or corporation that shows vision and leadership in the business community about Fort Smith’s tourism future and seeks to engage and support the tourism community. Nominee is known to positively promote and represent Fort Smith.

The nominees are:

First National Bank CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU 2 North B Street - Fort Smith 800-637-1477 / 479-783-8888

64.6 Downtown Propak Corporation

Vote online for the Grit Awards at Facebook/ Experience Fort Smith.

Download and enjoy the features of the Experience Fort Smith mobile app.

fortsmith.org

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DINING GUIDE

There’s no other place like the Nickel & Dime Diner owntown Fort Smith is the only place in the world to order from a classic diner menu in a converted passenger railroad car while watching a Ferris wheel spin and an ornate carousel whirl round and round. The food is great and the atmosphere unforgettable.

You’ll pass a whimsical life-sized cow, a gang of giraffes and even an elephant on the way in.

Making memories was developer Phil White’s aim in 2005 when he lifted the 1950 Pullman Commuter Coach by giant crane and placed it in the Park at Westend. He installed the ornate wooden counter, stools and back bar from a dearly loved local café, Pete’s Place, and turned the train seats into booth seating.

The vintage amusement park is operated seasonally by the City of Fort Smith. White has invited Jessica Barber Smith and a team of waitstaff and good cooks to carry on year-round in the diner. In pleasant weather, patrons can enjoy eating at patio tables outside in the park.

White’s inspiration came from his boyhood memory of a tiny carnival with rides set up seasonally near Creekmore Park pool. He wants children growing up now to cherish memories of this pocket-sized wonder.

“I put it in to be a fun place that was familyoriented to give balance to the avenue, to give families a place to enjoy,” White said. Delicious food from the diner was always in his vision.

Smith is tending to that nicely. She and her diner team collaborated to create a menu to fulfill that experience. They selected a breakfast-all-day, combined with burgers, primo sandwiches like the Ninja (corned beef with jalapenos, tomato, swiss and mustard on rye bread) and hearty fare like beans & cornbread.

“Breakfast is big,” Smith said. “We wanted to offer it all day because so many people like it.”

Many come especially for Mona Casey’s beautiful omelettes, which range from veggie and Western to a supreme and chicken fajita style, to name a few.

For diner cred, there’s a bone-in ham steak breakfast plus a chicken fried steak selection.

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Jessica Smith, above, and the diner staff are always ready with a hot pot of coffee and a smile.

It’s a classic – the Nickel & Dime Diner’s burger menu is crowned with an all-American mayo or mustard choice, plus a pepper jack/jalapeno/chipotle ranch variety. There are also grilled mushroom and custom choices.

Kids will go for pancakes or French toast all day and, of course, are partial to the chicken tenders.

They also love tater tots although moms can choose green beans. Fun appetizers include Texas Toothpicks - battered jalapeno and onion strips with Chipotle Ranch dip.

Kids meals are served in trays designed as vintage cars and they usually take them home.

The Nickel & Dime serves many visitors who have exited the interstate for a break. As the Ferris wheel is a focal point on the skyline, they’re attracted to this unique spot. It’s a short walk to the museum and historic site. On weekends, the Farmers Market is right outside the diner.

Nickel & Dime Diner 15 North 2nd Street, Fort Smith 479-784-9233 Facebook/Nickel & Dime Diner Open Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-9 p.m.

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DINING GUIDE PAIZI’S GYROS Fresh vegetables, freshly baked pita bread, seasoned meats sizzling on the grill – Paizi’s Gyros, a long-time favorite food truck, has gone indoors with a wide menu including kabobs, salads and other brightly flavored Mediterranean dishes. 4900 Rogers Ave.

NICKEL & DIME DINER

SAKÉ SUSHI BAR

Dine in a railroad car on classic burgers, a chicken-fried steak sandwich or countrystyle breakfast, all day. Hours now extended to 9 p.m. Just step outside to enjoy the Park at West End’s vintage carnival rides.15 North 2nd Street.

Our readers’ “Favorite” Sushi. Saké Sushi & Martini has unmatched creativity in sushi and seafood. The chefs also turn out stunning premium steaks and filets. The martini menu is amazing in its variety. Full bar. 823 Garrison Avenue.

WESTERN SIZZLIN’ Known for its famously tender steaks and the endless variety of the long food bar, with hot entrees, fresh vegetables and colorful, healthy salad selections. Two Fort Smith locations: 5720 Rogers Avenue and 5200 Towson Avenue.

WEINKELLER RESTAURANT

JUAN’S

A pleasant drive east to Exit 41 on I-540 leads to Wiederkehr Village, home of a 135-year-old winery and the famous Wiederkehr Weinkeller Restaurant with Swiss, French and German cuisine. Wine tastings and vineyard tours are free!

Juan’s Mexican Restaurant is a Fort Smith classic at 3121 Towson Avenue known for its signature, tasty cheese dip and delicious combo platters. Fast service and lunch specials make it a business lunch favorite.

Fresh chili rellenos are a house specialty.

RIVER CITY BISTRO

Chosen by our readers as Favorite Restaurant Overall and Favorite Catering and Favorite Gourmet Deli, Chef Jason Haid and coowner Susan Tucker offer fine dining, daily bistro and deli selections and spectacular event catering. 7320 Rogers, Ste. 7

LA HUERTA It’s patio weather at La Huerta Mexican Restaurant’s downtown location. But at any location, the fajitas will arrive sizzling hot and the margaritas will be icy cold. Dine at 400 Garrison Avenue, 5511 Towson Avenue and 3501 Old Greenwood Road.

WHOLE HOG CAFE Whole Hog Cafe can serve any crowd with pulled pork, ribs, brisket, pulled chicken, sausage, baked beans, or their famous potato salad. Ask for a pre-done “Buddy Pack,” or tailor meats and sides to your crowd. 4501 Burrough Road, Fort Smith.

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