Greg Cornett, director of manufacturing for Walther, describes the first steps in assembly and testing of a PPK pistol at the Walther Arms site in Fort Smith. - Photo by Ben Goff FORT SMITH -- The iconic and sleek Walther PPK is considered one of the most easily identified pistols in history and now is being built in Arkansas at the gun-makers U.S. headquarters. The pistol is commonly called a classic by experts and casual gun-owners alike. It gained cache as a trophy taken by World War II GIs fighting in Europe and later cemented its pop and gun-culture legacy as the firearm carried by fictional super-spy James Bond. But since 2014 there has been no production of the PPK or PPK/S in the U.S. Before that, Maryland-based Smith and Wesson made the pistol for Walther under contract beginning in 1998. Bret Vorhees, director of product development for Walther Arms -- the American branch of Germany-based Carl Walther GmbH, -- said it was time to bring the pistol's production back … [Read more...] about Arkansas-made PPKs set to ship; Walther’s Fort Smith unit rolling out the popular pistols
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Fort Smith groups target homelessness
FORT SMITH -- Multiple agencies have banded together to empty riverside railroad tracks south of downtown Fort Smith of homeless camps and steer inhabitants to homeless services. From talks that began last spring, the decision was made to remove the homeless people who have been living along the tracks and in the private railroad right of way, according to a Fort Smith news release. Officials plan to have the homeless people in the area between South E Street and the Poteau River removed by Sept. 30 so the railroad can use a bush hog in the area and build a fence to keep people off railroad property. Involved in the project are the city; the Fort Smith Police Department; police with the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad, Kansas City Southern Railroad and the Fort Smith Railroad; Riverview Hope Campus; Next Step Homeless Services; Community Rescue Mission; Salvation Army; and the United Way of Fort Smith Area. City Administrator Carl Geffken called the homeless camps a risk management … [Read more...] about Fort Smith groups target homelessness
Capping sewer rates, Fort Smith tells EPA
FORT SMITH -- City officials have told the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency it is not raising sewer rates any more to pay for requirements of a federal consent decree but will pay what it can afford, which is about $200 million less than the original cost estimate. Fort Smith sewer customers pay 2.2 percent of their median household income on their sewer bills, surpassing the EPA's maximum affordability rate of 2 percent of median household income, City Administrator Carl Geffken said in a news release. "We drew a red line," Geffken said in the release. "We said the city of Fort Smith is not raising residents' sewer rates any higher and, by their own guidelines, the EPA should not force us to." With the current sewer rates, which have been raised 167 percent over three years since the consent decree went into effect in 2015, the city is estimated to generate $200 million to $256 million over the 12 years of the consent decree. In the past three years, the city has spent more than … [Read more...] about Capping sewer rates, Fort Smith tells EPA
3 Fort Smith residents in ring for mayor’s job
FORT SMITH -- A state representative, a former high school principal and a University of Arkansas at Fort Smith student are competing to become the city's next mayor. The filing period for the city election ended Thursday, and the candidates for mayor are University of Arkansas at Fort Smith student Luis Andrade, former Southside High School Principal Wayne Haver and state Rep. George McGill, D-Fort Smith. The position pays $10,000 a year with a car allowance of $450 a month. Andrade, of 8222 Huntington Way, is a naturalized citizen from Brazil, an Army veteran, has an associate degree in political science and plans to complete work on his bachelor's degree next year. He also is incorporator and director of Essential Liberty USA. Haver, of 3 Glen Haven Drive, retired last month after working 48 years in the Fort Smith School District, including 36 years as Southside's principal. He also has served on the Fort Smith Airport Commission since 2004. His appointment expires in June 2019. … [Read more...] about 3 Fort Smith residents in ring for mayor’s job
Voters OK millage rise for Fort Smith school renovations
FORT SMITH -- Fort Smith School District voters passed a 5.558-mill property tax increase Tuesday night, the first tax increase in 31 years, that officials say will finance a five-year, $120 million improvement plan. With all 52 precincts reporting, the unofficial results were: For 7,621 Against 4,731 In a statement from the school district, School Board President Susan McFerran said she was "elated and so proud of the Fort Smith and Barling communities for realizing the importance of this decision." Barling is a part of the Fort Smith School District. The tax rate for residents within the school district will increase from 36.5 mills to 42.058 mills. The district calculates that the increase will add about $111 to the annual real estate property tax bill for a house appraised at $100,000, which is assessed for tax purposes at $20,000. A mill is a taxing unit equal to one-10th of a cent. Each mill is charged against each dollar of assessed value and produces $1 of property tax for … [Read more...] about Voters OK millage rise for Fort Smith school renovations