Eureka Springs, Bentonville win titles at Arkansas tourism awards
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A few Northwest Arkansas cities were recognized at the recent Henry Awards, presented by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism during the Governor's Conference on Tourism, held Feb. 23-25 in Bentonville.
The Henry Awards, named after 17th-century explorer Henri de Tonti, honor individuals and organizations for their exceptional efforts in promoting tourism in Arkansas.
Tourism Attraction of the Year was awarded to the Peel Compton Foundation in Bentonville for its Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, a 500-acre outdoor destination that combines mountain biking, camping and community experiences, according to a news release.
Crystal Bridges launches museum school program
'We are incredibly honored to receive this award,' Debra Layton, Executive Director of the Peel Compton Foundation, said in the release. 'This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, volunteers, and the local community who have supported us in making Coler Mountain Bike Preserve a premier destination. We strive to create an inclusive environment that welcomes everyone to explore and enjoy the great outdoors.'
Tourism Person of the Year went to Jack Moyer of Eureka Springs, recognized for his role in shaping the city's hospitality and tourism industry through strategic partnerships and a commitment to excellence, according to Talk Business.
On the edge of the River Valley, Russellville's Moon Over Main event won the Natural State Tourism Development Award for attracting over 46,000 visitors from across the U.S. and 45 countries for the 2024 solar eclipse.
To read more, head to .
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fort Smith human resources director retires amid internal auditor hiring controversy
FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The human resources director for Fort Smith, who has been recently involved in a controversy regarding the hiring and subsequent dismissal of an internal auditor, has retired. Rick Lolley has served as the city's Chief Human Resources Officer since 2018. The city announced on Saturday that Lolley's retirement was effective immediately. 'Rick Lolley has demonstrated considerable experience and instilled a level of professionalism in the city's Human Resources Department over his seven years as its department head,' Acting City Administrator Jeff Dingman said in a news release. 'I wish Rick well as he moves on.' The announcement comes after the Board of Directors voted to hire Rebecca Cowan as internal auditor on April 22. Two days later, the board changed course after it was revealed that Cowan faced a felony stalking charge. Fort Smith-based attorneys Joey McCutchen and Stephen Napurano filed the lawsuit against the city on May 2 after claiming Fort Smith failed to provide all public records related to the hiring of Cowan. The City of Fort Smith told Talk Business & Politics, 'Human Resources produced the background check and relayed the information to Administration per City protocol.' Judge rules City of Fort Smith violated Freedom of Information Act following failed hire Acting City Administrator Jeff Dingman, in an email to McCutchen, said, 'The background check information was delivered in hard copy. That record no longer exists. The Chief Human Resources Officer does not have a copy of the packet that was delivered. There is no hard copy.' An email from Dingman, not included in the city's FOIA response, was later obtained directly from a board member, according to the lawsuit. This email stated that Dingman 'did not believe a background check was performed.' The lawsuit also alleged the city failed to respond in a timely manner and may have withheld or destroyed public records. On June 3, the judge assigned to the lawsuit ruled in favor of McCutchen and Napurano during a hearing. An order, officially filed on June 5, said 'The Defendants' failure to timely respond, thefailure to provide clearly responsive records, the absence of any valid extension or waiver, and the troubling lack of transparency regarding the missing background check' were reasons as to why the city was ruled to have violated the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. 'The Court is troubled by the timeline of events, the lack of transparency demonstrated by the City of Fort Smith and City Administrator Jeff Dingman, and by the missing background check which, according to the testimony, was provided by Mr. Rick Lolley to Mr. Jeff Dingman but was neither preserved nor produced in response to the FOIA request,' the judge said in the order. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Judge rules City of Fort Smith violated Freedom of Information Act following failed hire
FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Sebastian County judge has ruled that the City of Fort Smith and its acting city administrator violated the state's Freedom of Information Act. Fort Smith-based attorneys Joey McCutchen and Stephen Napurano filed the lawsuit against the city on May 2 after claiming Fort Smith failed to provide all public records related to the hiring of Rebecca Cowan as internal auditor. Cowan was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors on April 22, but the offer was rescinded after it was revealed she had a pending felony stalking charge. The City of Fort Smith told Talk Business & Politics, 'Human Resources produced the background check and relayed the information to Administration per City protocol.' Acting City Administrator Jeff Dingman, in an email to McCutchen, said, 'The background check information was delivered in hard copy. That record no longer exists. The Chief Human Resources Officer does not have a copy of the packet that was delivered. There is no hard copy.' An email from Dingman, not included in the city's FOIA response, was later obtained directly from a board member, according to the lawsuit. This email stated that Dingman 'did not believe a background check was performed.' The lawsuit also alleged the city failed to respond in a timely manner and may have withheld or destroyed public records. Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club awards $64K in 2025-26 college scholarships On June 3, the judge assigned to the lawsuit ruled in favor of McCutchen and Napurano during a hearing. An order, officially filed on June 5, said 'The Defendants' failure to timely respond, thefailure to provide clearly responsive records, the absence of any valid extension or waiver, and the troubling lack of transparency regarding the missing background check' were reasons as to why the city was ruled to have violated the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. A spokesperson from the City of Fort Smith gave the following statement to KNWA/FOX24 in response to the judge's ruling: 'While the City of Fort Smith provided all relevant documents in response to Mr. McCutchen's FOIA request, we did not meet the three-business-day deadline outlined in the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act and missed the deadline by two business days. The City remains committed to operating with transparency and integrity in all public records processes.' The ruling said the city will be responsible for paying attorney fees to McCutchen and Napurano. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
City of Siloam Springs to discuss code update with residents
SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The City of Siloam Springs will host a stakeholder roundtable on Monday, June 9, at 2:30 p.m. at City Hall Board Room to discuss the city's Unified Development Code update. The public is invited to attend. A news release from the city states that feedback from residents has shaped what is in the UDC. Work on the UDC resumed after a short pause to review pending legislation from the Arkansas State Legislature. On May 20, city planning staff held a workshop with the Siloam Springs Board of Directors to provide an update on the code's progress The meeting will be livestreamed on the city's YouTube channel and on Cox Channel 245. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
