Sean Anthony Bright was located about 5 miles south of Arkadelphia late Tuesday when police saw him exit a field on River Road, Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson said following the 56-hour manhunt for Bright. Bright is back in custody. The sheriff released a statement Wednesday morning: StatementDownload "On Sunday, April 5th at or around 2:32 pm inmate Bright fled from the Clark County Detention Facility. Bright had been working an assigned detail in the detention centers kitchen. All area law enforcement were notified and a search of the area was conducted. Investigators immediately were able to obtain recorded phone…
Valor Emergency Medical Services ceased operations on Monday morning, April 6, 2026. The Arkadelphia-based company provided ambulance services in two counties. The company's CEO, J.D. Windham, posted the news to Facebook. "Due to financial hardships beyond our control, Valor EMS ceased operations at 0900 this morning. Pafford Medical Services has agreed to assume 911 services and non-emergent transports for Clark and Dallas Counties," Windham said. Valor also held a contract to provide ambulance services in neighboring Dallas County. Responding to a text message from The Arkadelphian that was sent prior to the Facebook announcement, Windham said he was on his…
This post was updated 4/6/26 with updates. It also corrects the date the suspect was last incarcerated. The search continued Monday for a prisoner who escaped from the Clark County Detention Center. Sean Anthony Bright remains on the lam after he reportedly walked away from a kitchen detail Sunday afternoon. Sheriff Jason Watson said agencies used tracking dogs throughout the night in search of Bright, 31. He is described as a white male standing at 5-foot-4-inches and weighing 170 pounds. He was last seen wearing either a jail-issued orange shirt or a white shirt, with either orange or brown pants.…
The community is invited to take part in the annual, fun-filled festivities that raise funds for a special cause. The Duck Derby Festival, benefitting the Percy and Donna Malone Child Safety Center, will take place Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Lower Lake Recreation Area. The community-based event is free to attend and offers a wide variety of activities, including games, food, entertainment, and more, promising an enjoyable experience for families and community members of all ages. One of the main attractions of the event is the duck race, where participants can adopt rubber…
The year was 1972. The 3-man Apollo 16 crew of astronauts were minutes away from re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere following an 11-day journey to the moon and back. Meanwhile, in the Pacific Ocean about midway between the U.S. and Australia, a 21-year-old James Phelps was wrapping up a semi-mandatory 2-year stint in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Ticonderoga aircraft carrier.
Schools throughout Arkansas are invited to engage with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Generation Conservation Summit in Hot Springs this fall
Unlike many GOP nomination fights, the race for secretary of state wasn’t a battle over how far right the candidates could go. Neither Hammer nor Norris could be viewed as a moderate or “Republican in Name Only.”
Today let’s talk about two independents who were on Arkansas’ March 3 ballot – one explicitly independent, one functionally so. The explicit one lost badly. The functional one won easily.
Forty-four students have been selected for inclusion in the 2026 edition of Who’s Who at Arkansas Tech University
The following people have recently been booked into the Clark County Detention Center on Crittenden Street in Arkadelphia
A 3,000-bed prison plan derided as ‘Arkansas Alcatraz’ and a ‘mega prison’ by critics is getting national attention
The Asian longhorned tick was first confirmed in the United States in 2017 before being found in Arkansas in 2018
A Clark County student was honored by the Oklahoma State University Ferguson College of Agriculture with academic scholarship support for the 2026-2027 academic year
Imagine if the Clark County Courthouse were the focal point of the city
Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson is warning citizens of a scam that claims they have unpaid traffic fines
USDA has the authority to determine what foods are eligible under SNAP, which provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget
The community is invited to view a Special Collections exhibition and reception featuring selections from the Jane Ross Collection
The annual Community Egg Hunt is scheduled for Saturday, April 4, 2026, from 10 a.m. until noon at the Arkadelphia Youth Sports Complex
Bryan Norris announced Thursday he’s requested recounts in multiple Arkansas counties after losing the Republican runoff for secretary of state to Kim Hammer by fewer than 1,000 votes
In 2025, the Arkansas Plant Health Clinic diagnosed more than 1,500 plant samples from 62 of the state’s 75 counties, including an increased number of plants diagnosed with bacterial diseases after the state saw severe flooding last April
Baptist Health is closing the labor and delivery unit and ending obstetric care at its Fort Smith hospital, leaving Arkansas with only 31 hospitals where women can give birth in less than a third of the state’s counties
Arkansas’s Best Burger Contest is a statewide effort to identify and recognize restaurants that exemplify quality in the preparation of 100% beef burgers
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Arkansas must remove a Ten Commandments monument from state Capitol grounds, but put her order on hold so officials can appeal the decision
As of April 1, 2026, there were 339 people listed as Clark County inmates by the Arkansas Department of Corrections website
Hunters in 2025 harvested 22% more turkeys than the previous year
Kim Hammer, a state senator who has sponsored several restrictions on Arkansas’ elections and initiative process, has won the Republican nomination for secretary of state
If you’ve come here today for a good April Fool’s spoof, we’re sorry to disappoint
As real estate activity continues across Arkadelphia and surrounding areas, one local business is preparing for growth
The U.S. should widen its focus to Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, experts in international trade said
A jackpot-winning Powerball ticket worth $250.8 million was sold in Arkansas for the March 2 drawing
Citizens are invited to a community-wide fundraiser barbecue to benefit the 11 families displaced by the March 17 fire that destroyed Valley View Apartments
The following people have recently been booked into the Clark County Detention Center on Crittenden Street in Arkadelphia
At its March 2026 meeting, Clark Country Retired Teachers heard from Tommie Rogers, community health nurse specialist
The celebration will feature live music from Los MX, a variety of authentic taco trucks, and a Kids Zone — complete with a Ferris wheel, bounce houses, temporary tattoos, and a piñata zone
Tina Hall has joined Arkansas Community Foundation as its chief communications officer—providing leadership for branding, marketing and communications to advance the organization’s philanthropic mission of community development
While Arkansas lawmakers prepare to debate the rising cost of the state’s school voucher program, the Legislature must also determine the cost of an adequate public education
Egg prices are heading upward from their February dip, but consumers should get used to a price rollercoaster
Clark County Judge Troy Tucker has issued a burn ban for Clark County effective Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Early voting in several races with primary runoffs starts Tuesday, with voters choosing the Republican nominee for secretary of state, as well as major party primaries for legislative and local seats
The following incidents were gathered from reports filed March 16-23, 2026, at the Arkadelphia Police Department and Clark County Sheriff’s Office
ailThe following people have recently been booked into the Clark County Detention Center on Crittenden Street in Arkadelphia
Arkansas led the nation in Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings in 2025 and had the largest year-over-year rise, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation
The earnings gap between men and women slightly widened last year, according to a new analysis published Thursday
How important is a candidate’s use of online “salty language”?
Army veteran Bryan Norris and state Sen. Kim Hammer are advancing to a runoff later this month for the Republican nomination for secretary of state
Longtime Reddie athletic administrator David Salley has been named senior director of marketing and communications at Henderson State University
Arkadelphia High School announced the Honor Roll for the third nine weeks of the 2025-2026 academic school year
The exhibition features 11 fully robotic dinosaurs with realistic movement and sound, allowing visitors to encounter species such as Stegosaurus, Velociraptor, Triceratops, Amargasaurus, and Albertosaurus
Leading cable manufacturer AmerCable has announced plans to expand its existing operations in El Dorado, Arkansas, with an investment of more than $10 million
On Monday morning, April 6, community leaders and Arkadelphia High School students who spearheaded a recent Badgers Give Back fundraiser made a special announcement aimed at those who were displaced by a fire that leveled the two-story Valley View Apartments complex March 17
