Stories by Steve Caraway

Geese Creating Problems for Northwest Arkansas Park Maintenance, Water Quality SPRINGDALE -- Lunch was served early at Murphy Park on Friday to a flock of Canada geese, mallard ducks and other species. Almost 100 waterfowl waddled around the north end of the park, crowding in, e... July 21, 2014

More State Prisoners Heading To Work Release Program In Springdale SPRINGDALE -- New laborers with a motivation to work hard will soon join the city's workforce.The Arkansas Department of Correction is expanding its work release program from 42 inmates to 100 after r... July 10, 2014

Springdale's Tyson Interchange To Open Month Early SPRINGDALE -- A long-awaited addition to the city's street infrastructure opens Monday.The Don Tyson Parkway interchange on Interstate 49 will open after a ribbon cutting at 1:30 p.m., said Mayor Doug... July 3, 2014

Industrial Development Near Springdale School Voted Down SPRINGDALE -- Opponents to an industrial development in a rural area of the city swayed the Planning Commission to vote the proposal down Tuesday.The commission voted 2-5 against rezoning 140 acres ne... July 2, 2014

Springdale Trail Aimed At Bikers SPRINGDALE -- A mountain bike trail planned by city officials will bring people to the area, a bike proponent said.The trail in Springdale will add to parks in the area to draw mountain bikers, said S... June 28, 2014

Springdale Council Approves Ambulance Fee Adjustments SPRINGDALE -- New ambulance fees approved by the City Council Tuesday will change little in the cost to the consumer.The biggest change is to include costs previously listed separately in one price, s... June 25, 2014

Tontitown Area Fire Department Responses To End In City July 1 TONTITOWN -- The new Tontitown Fire Department will soon fly solo after the independent Tontitown Area Fire Department voted to halt its response to calls from inside the city.The Tontitown Area Fire ... June 22, 2014

Commission Looks To Cut Cost For Airport Road SPRINGDALE — A contract to build an access road for the city airport will be delayed after the low bid was more than the money available. The Springdale Airport Commission voted to table the contract ... June 20, 2014

Springdale Commission Looks To Cut Cost For Airport Road SPRINGDALE -- A contract to build an access road for the city airport will be delayed after the low bid was more than the money available.The Springdale Airport Commission voted to table the contract ... June 19, 2014

County Hopping Chase Ends With Arrest In Springdale SPRINGDALE -- A high-speed chase that started in Springdale and extended into Benton County ended Wednesday with an arrest in the parking lot of the Springdale Bowling Alley. Jason Komsonekeo, 33, was... June 18, 2014

Tontitown Council To Vote On Slinkard As City Attorney TONTITOWN -- The city will have a new attorney soon, if the full City Council approves a recommendation from the Committee of the Whole.The committee approved adding a vote on Howard Slinkard as city ... June 18, 2014

Springdale Chamber Announces Business Growth Initiative SPRINGDALE -- The Chamber of Commerce will try to bring in more than 3,700 jobs and millions of dollars in payroll to the city through an initiative called Ignite Springdale. Chamber officials announc... June 18, 2014

Springdale Council To Consider Ambulance Fee Adjustment SPRINGDALE -- Ambulance rates could change for those areas where the city Fire Department responds. Methods used to dispatch fire and medical service to Tontitown, however, will not change according t... June 17, 2014

Springdale Officials Looking For Savings in Park Construction SPRINGDALE -- City officials will have to forgo some amenities at a new southeast city park, and, possibly, any development at a new northwest park because there isn't enough money to pay for the work... June 13, 2014

Springdale Street Contracts Approved SPRINGDALE -- A move to change priority in the city's street bond program fell short Tuesday after the City Council approved two construction contracts.The council approved unanimously a $13 million c... June 11, 2014

Erosion Threatening Springdale Street SPRINGDALE -- The spring rain may be good for flowers, but the storm water has been rough on a city street that is in danger of washing out.A growing ditch along a section of Cambridge Street between ... June 10, 2014

Parking Possible Downtown Springdale Problem SPRINGDALE -- Parking spots near Emma Avenue are easily available now, but that could change if efforts to revitalize the city's downtown are successful.A major access point for the Razorback Greenway... June 9, 2014

Springdale's Ryan's Building Sells SPRINGDALE -- The building that once housed a landmark Emma Avenue retail store has been purchased by a company associated with the Walton Family.The building that housed Ryan's Clothing sold to Sprin... June 7, 2014

Springdale Commission Tables Sign Request SPRINGDALE --A business' second sign on a major-intersection corner lot will have to wait after the Planning Commission tabled a variance request Tuesday.Owners of Everett Chrysler Dodge requested a v... June 4, 2014

Springdale Council Considers Cutbacks On Street Construction SPRINGDALE -- City Council members received good news Monday about the sale of a historic building and a grant for a mountain bike trail but bad news about how far street bond money will stretch.Tyson... June 3, 2014

Lawsuit Planned Over Springdale Auto Salvage Lot SPRINGDALE -- The site of a longtime salvage yard could be contaminated by oil, gas and other automotive fluids.The old Meadors Truck and Van Salvage at the corner of Thompson Street and Black Oak Ave... June 2, 2014

Money Short For Springdale Street Projects SPRINGDALE -- Street bond money will fall far short of the estimated cost of city officials' road improvement wish list.The City Council, in a Monday committee meeting, will discuss cutting back on pr... May 31, 2014

Historic Springdale Building Earns Reprieve SPRINGDALE -- The Brown building, a structure on Emma Avenue in downtown Springdale, dodged demolition Tuesday after a buyer showed interest. The City Council voted to table a demolition contract Tues... May 28, 2014

Tontitown Area Fire Department Gives Up City Building; Mayor Asks Volunteers To Not Respond Inside City The Tontitown Area Fire Department is moving out of its city-owned building.Mayor Jack Beckford notified the department it must clear two bays and an office in the building it uses.Insurance Service O... May 21, 2014

Springdale Council Considering Cambridge Repairs SPRINGDALE -- The City Council is looking at repairing a road before they lose it.At a council committee meeting Monday, council members discussed repairs to Cambridge Street, which is being eroded by... May 20, 2014

Tontitown Council Repeals Public Safety, Approves Police, Fire Departments TONTITOWN -- The Public Safety Department is out and city Police and Fire departments back in.Tontitown's City Council voted Tuesday to split the department created in March. The town will have a Poli... May 7, 2014

Springdale Council Moves Toward Closing Mill Avenue SPRINGDALE -- Mill Street between Emma and Johnson avenues could be closed after the next City Council meeting.The Council Street and Capital Improvement Program Committee voted Monday to send a resol... May 6, 2014

Blitz Scheduled for Springdale Neighborhood SPRINGDALE -- A blitz will hit Springdale this week, one designed to fight the unsightly condition in one neighborhood.The Springdale Community Engagement Division on Saturday will send all of its cod... May 5, 2014

Springdale Council Considers Extra Signs For Corner Lots SPRINGDALE -- City Council members could allow businesses located on corner lots at the intersection of major streets to erect an additional sign if a proposed ordinance change is approved.Alderman Ri... April 29, 2014

Spending of Springdale Senior Center Grant Money Questioned SPRINGDALE -- A planned kitchen expansion at the Springdale Senior Center is in limbo because money to pay for the project was apparently spent elsewhere by the agency contracted to oversee senior cen... April 27, 2014

Springdale Council Approves Lodge Purchase, Historic Poultry Building to be Razed SPRINGDALE -- Historic buildings scored a win, a loss and a tie Tuesday in the City Council meeting. The council voted to purchase Rabbit's Foot Lodge, demolish the Jeff Brown building and table razin... April 23, 2014

Trucking Pioneer Dies SPRINGDALE -- Business leaders and friends say Northwest Arkansas lost a gentleman entrepreneur with the death Sunday of Willis Dean Shaw. Shaw, 95, was the founder of Willis Shaw Express, a trucking ... April 22, 2014

Lodge Purchase Vote On Springdale Council Agenda; Donation To Cut Cost SPRINGDALE -- The city, if approved by the City Council, will soon own a historic building and more land for parks. The Council Street and Capital Improvement Program Committee voted Monday to recomme... April 22, 2014

Tontitown Fire Department Faces Bleak Future TONTITOWN -- The Tontitown Area Fire Department is running out of money because a contract for services with the city couldn't be worked out.The department still has bills even if city money isn't com... April 20, 2014

Bruns Seeks Re-Election To Springdale City Council SPRINGDALE -- Alderman Brad Bruns said he is still passionate about Springdale's future and wants to continue to provide leadership for the city. Bruns, 58, announced he is running for re-election to ... April 19, 2014

Tontitown Making More Fire Equipment Purchases The city's budget should soon reflect its change from paying the Tontitown Area Fire Department to its own Public Safety Department. The City Council's Committee of the Whole voted Tuesday to revise t... April 16, 2014

Filings Climb In Springdale Small Claims Court Small claims have become big business for Springdale District Court, at the expense of Rogers. Filings in the Springdale court are up 183.5 percent since the start of the year, from 97 in the first th... April 14, 2014

Johnson minister and family escape fire unharmed A Johnson minister, his wife and his 97-year-old father-in-law escaped a fire in his church's parsonage Friday. The fire, reported at 8:54 a.m., started in the back of the parsonage, located next door... April 11, 2014

AERT Fined In Springdale Fire Death A local manufacturer has been fined for violating safety regulations after a worker died last year. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Advanced Environmental Recycling Tec... April 10, 2014

Internet Connection New for Springdale Ballpark Northwest Arkansas Naturals team officials said they want Arvest Ballpark to look as good or better on its seventh opening day as it did on the first. "We'd like it to look brand-new every time someon... April 10, 2014

AERT fined in worker's death A Springdale manufacturer has been fined for violation safety regulations after a worker died last year. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Advanced Environmental Recyclin... April 9, 2014

Springdale Council Approves Noise Ordinance Change The city could be a little quieter after the City Council approved changes Tuesday in the noise ordinance. The revision pertains to loud noise created by sound amplification. It allows police officers... April 9, 2014

Committee Approves Condemnation Cases Six condemnation cases could soon be filed by the city to acquire right of way on 56th Street. The City Council Street and Capital Improvement Program Committee sent a resolution to the full council M... April 8, 2014

Man killed in Springdale fire identified A man died today from injuries from a Sunday fire. According to a news release, the man was identified as Daniel Hull, 71. He was taken to Springfield, Mo., for medical care and later pronounced dead,... April 7, 2014

Wandering Trucks Causing Problems in Springdale, Other Cities Not as Affected SPRINGDALE -- Walt Laster of Springdale grew tired of big trucks coming through his street headed for a construction site for a new junior high school. "They were tearing up the street," Laster said. ... April 6, 2014

Fire Stations Plans Approved, Construction Could Begin in Summer SPRINGDALE -- City officials will try to perform a magic trick when building new fire stations, trying to pull three $3.1 million buildings out of a $7.7 million hat. The construction bid could come i... April 5, 2014

Warnings Flood Springdale Weather Notification Users A tsunami warning sent erroneously to some Northwest Arkansas residents could wash away their ability to receive notifications of bad weather. Springdale's weather notification system sent out text me... April 3, 2014

Springdale emergency notification system fixed after tsunami warning The Springdale emergency notification system came back online Wednesday after it was taken down due to a large number of erroneous warnings, including a warning about a tsunami. The system sent out te... April 2, 2014

Tontitown Fire Contract Voted Down A vote by the City Council left an agreement between the Tontitown Area Volunteer Fire Department and the city hanging Tuesday. The council voted 2-3 against a contract with the Fire Department at its... April 2, 2014

Trees Mixing Well With Streets In Northwest Arkansas Benefits ranging from traffic control to cooling air are among the reasons some street projects are including trees along right of way, officials said."Pedestrians feel safer with trees," said Troy Ga... March 29, 2014