Arrison to be inducted into Hall of Fame
Steve Arrison, longtime CEO of Visit Hot Springs and one of Arkansas’ most influential tourism leaders, will be inducted into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame during the 53rd Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Outdoor Recreation, scheduled for Feb. 22–24 in Little Rock.
Arrison is also a former director of the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
He has served as CEO of Visit Hot Springs for the past 27 years, where he has been responsible for the creation and implementation of the advertising, promotion and marketing strategy for the City of Hot Springs, according to a news release.
Under his leadership, the Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission oversees a $14 million annual budget and attracts more than 3.6 million overnight visitors to the city each year, according to a news release.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
He also operates the Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission, which manages key tourism assets including Visit Hot Springs, the Hot Springs Convention Center, the Northwoods Biking and Hiking Trails System and the Majestic Park baseball complex.
Arrison is widely recognized for his creativity and vision in developing signature events and attractions that have become synonymous with Hot Springs. He is the founder of the World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Running of the Tubs Bathtub Races down historic Bathhouse Row and the Hot Springs Baseball Trail — all of which have garnered national attention and contributed significantly to the city’s tourism identity.
Arrison served for 15 years on the Arkansas Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission, including one term as chairman. He has also served as chairman of the Arkansas Hospitality Association and president of the association’s Travel Council.
His honors include induction into the Arkansas Hospitality Association Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame in 2025.
ARDOT postpones Sparkman meeting
Due to weather conditions, the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) has postponed the public involvement meeting previously scheduled for Tuesday to discuss design changes for the proposed safety improvements to the Y-intersection of Highway 9 and Highway 128 in Dallas County. The meeting was previously scheduled for Holly Springs Baptist Church in Sparkman and will be rescheduled at a later date.
Locals on Maryland’s Dean’s List
Jillian Espinoza of DeWitt and Ashley Harrington of Sheridan are among students named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2025 term at the University of Maryland Global Campus in Adelphi, Md.
To be eligible for the honor, a student must complete at least six credits during the term, earn a GPA of at least 3.5 for the term, and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 at UMGC, according to a news release.
SBA disaster loans still available
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Arkansas of the Feb. 23 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding occurring April 2-22, 2025.
The disaster declaration covers the Arkansas counties of Arkansas, Baxter, Calhoun, Chicot, Clark, Clay, Cleburne, Columbia, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Fulton, Garland, Grant, Greene, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Little River, Lonoke, Miller, Mississippi, Monroe, Montgomery, Nevada, Ouachita, Perry, Phillips, Pike, Poinsett, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Sharp, St. Francis, Union, White and Woodruff.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and private nonprofits including faith-based organizations with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises, according to a news release.
The deadline to apply is Feb. 23. However, after the deadline has passed, there is a 60-day grace period in which SBA will accept applications.
For details or to apply, visit sba.gov/disaster, call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.
Samaritan’s Purse thankful
Samaritan’s Purse is celebrating a successful season after collecting 12.2 million Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts in 2025, sharing the love of Jesus with children in need around the world, according to a news release.
The milestone reflects the generosity of millions of shoebox packers helping to fill shoebox gifts with toys, school supplies and personal care items.
Across the U.S., the project collected 10.9 million shoebox gifts in 2025. Combined with those collected from partnering countries, the ministry is now sending more than 12.2 million shoebox gifts to children worldwide, including those whose lives were impacted by Hurricane Melissa, a category 5 storm that recently struck Jamaica.
“Each shoebox gift is an opportunity to remind boys and girls around the world that God loves them,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “We are so thankful for the generosity of every person who packed a shoebox. These gifts are bringing joy and the hope of the Gospel to children in need.”
For many children, a shoebox gift is the first gift they have ever received. Each one is a tangible expression of God’s love, offering hope to children facing war, poverty, disease and disaster. Details: samaritanspurse.org/occ.