Executive order puts Bass Reeves loop, other Fort Smith projects in limbo

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

There is about $40 million in federal grant funds awarded to the City of Fort Smith in limbo following an executive order by President Donald Trump to freeze certain infrastructure funds tied to bipartisan legislation approved by Congress and signed into law.

Trump’s executive order required federal agencies to “immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act [IRA] of 2022 … or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act [IIJA].”

The White House later issued this statement in an attempt to clarify the order: “The directive in section 7 of the Executive Order entitled Unleashing American Energy requires agencies to immediately pause disbursement of funds appropriated under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169) or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58).  This pause only applies to funds supporting programs, projects, or activities that may be implicated by the policy established in Section 2 of the order. This interpretation is consistent with section 7’s heading (‘Terminating the Green New Deal’) and its reference to the ‘law and the policy outlined in section 2 of th[e] order.’ For the purposes of implementing section 7 of the Order, funds supporting the ‘Green New Deal’ refer to any appropriations for objectives that contravene the policies established in section 2. Agency heads may disburse funds as they deem necessary after consulting with the Office of Management and Budget.”

Executive order puts Bass Reeves loop, other Fort Smith projects in limbo

Bass Reeves portrait to be on display in the Arkansas Capitol

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Artists will soon be solicited to paint a portrait of Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves for display in the Arkansas Capitol building. Reeves will be the first African-American and first non-governor to have a portrait in the Capitol, according to the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office.

Reeves was a U.S. Deputy Marshal under U.S. Federal Judge Isaac C. Parker. Reeves was born a slave in Texas in 1838 and died in Muskogee, Okla., on Jan. 12, 1910. Reeves was an African-American and illiterate, but captured more outlaws than anyone else, according to the book, “Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves,” written by Art Burton. Burton wrote that Reeves was an expert tracker and detective, and was able to memorize the warrants for every lawbreaker he was to arrest and bring to trial. Reeves was the first African-American inducted into the Great Westerners Hall of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City in 1992.

A 25-foot tall monument of Bass Reeves was unveiled in downtown Fort Smith in May 2012. It was created by sculptor Harold T. Holden. The larger-than-life statue of Reeves also includes his horse, Blaze, and his trusty dog, named simply “Dog.”

Bass Reeves portrait to be on display in the Arkansas Capitol

Photo of Bass Reeves and his monument in downtown Fort Smith.

Fort Smith baseball team adopts ‘Marshals’ moniker, mascot

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

“Marshals” is the team name and mascot for the Fort Smith baseball team set to begin play in the new Mid America League this spring. The name and logo was unveiled Thursday (Jan. 18) during at event at the U.S. Marshals Museum in downtown Fort Smith.

According to Marshals General Manager Greg Kigar the new name was “easily the most popular” in a naming contest sponsored by the team. Other names considered included Lawmen, Judges, Gunslingers and Outlaws.

“The Marshals name is a great fit for the team, which includes the regional history of Bass Reeves, Judge Parker, and the U.S. Marshals Museum,” Kigar said in a statement. “The primary team cap will incorporate a unique star with an ‘F’ and ’S’ for Fort Smith, and the secondary logo is a rugged image of a marshal with cowboy hat and scarf. An Old West script will be utilized for the uniforms, incorporating Fort Smith on the road jerseys and Marshals on the home uniforms.”

Fort Smith baseball team adopts ‘Marshals’ moniker, mascot