Eureka Springs Independent

Recent meetings of the Eureka Springs Hospital Commission and city council have had current and former employees alleging harassment and unjustified terminations, including the firings of CEO Angie Shaw and Chief Nursing Officer Jessica...

Board meetings of the Carroll County Solid Waste District seldom attract much attention, but the parking lot of the CCSWD office in Berryville filled up before the start of the Dec. 10 board meeting. Word...

Eureka Springs City Council held its annual budget meeting on Dec. 9, and Finance Director Michael Akins presented several budgets, saying there were no huge changes, he had tried to keep it conservative, and...

The Planning Commission had a full agenda on Dec. 10, and part of that agenda spilled over into the following week. Sonya Horn outlined plans for a Planned Unit Development at the Land O’ Nod...

Lawsuits filed on behalf of former Eureka Springs Hospital CEO Angie Shaw and former ESH Chief Nursing Officer Jessica Petrino against the hospital, and six members of the hospital commission, allege that the women...

On Monday evening Eureka Springs City Council heard numerous complaints from former Eureka Springs Hospital employees for a second time after hearing similar complaints last month. Several of the employees cried when recounting their...

At Monday’s Eureka Springs City Council meeting, aldermen amended Ord. 2364 at the suggestions of the Planning Commission saying that all bed and breakfasts must advertise as a B&B to keep that designation. It...

Eureka Springs Hospital Emergency Room doctor, Dr. James Brecheisen, spoke about problems with the hospital at a city council meeting Monday night. He said after arriving at the meeting he was told he was...

Members of the quorum court budget committee met on Dec. 3 with an agenda including several items, but most of the meeting focused on the possibility of buying the Ducommun building. The building, formerly...

Christmas traditions vary from country to country, and even from state to state. In Eureka Springs, Christmas means an annual gift to school staff from Jim and Susan Nelson, owners of Nelsons Eureka Springs. Jim...

The Parks Commission held a workshop Dec. 3 mainly focusing on renovation money. Director Sam Dudley went over a rough draft of the budget and Commissioner Ruth Hager started off by asking if there...

The Historic District Commission held another short meeting Dec. 4, continuing a recent series of meetings with light agendas and little controversy. The previous meeting, on Nov. 20, took only 15 minutes, and last week’s...

On November 22, the Arkansas Ethics Commission heard complaints and allegations made by Gia and Daniel Voorheis against Holiday Island Mayor Dan Kees. The commission examined city records and were concerned about Kees using...

2024 has been a knockout year for a local kid done well. Cory West, a 2002 Eureka Springs High School graduate, saw the birth of his first child and racked up an impressive win...

The quorum court meeting on Nov. 19 was overshadowed by the loss of Justice of the Peace John Howerton, who was defeated in District 11 by Caroline Rogers in the Nov. 5 election. Howerton will...

The Nov. 19 Parks and Recreation meeting started with public comments by former commissioner Sue Hubbard, who said she was concerned about the current plans for the Gravity Feed shuttle. She was surprised that...

The City Advertising and Promotion Commission met Nov. 21 and began with a report from Finance Director Ty Reed who said $1,974,000 was in the bank at the end of October. The tax remittance...

John House, MD, a local physician who owns House Health and Life Sciences, Inc., has proposed taking over management of the Eureka Springs Hospital (ESH) by January 1, 2025. “I’m hopeful that the city and...

Chair Bryce Holland told Holiday Island Advertising and Promotion commissioners at a special meeting on Nov. 18 that they have found a replacement for the empty seat left by Tyler Scoggins. Ben Hall, a...

Anyone who blinked might have missed the Nov. 20 meeting of the Historic District Commission. The agenda only included two items, and neither provoked any discussion. Parks Director Sam Dudley received quick approval for a...

To anyone who has followed the work of photographer and multimedia artist John Rankine, art show curator for multiple artists at Brews, it comes as no big surprise that he recently won a $25,000...

The City Advertising and Promotion Commission held a workshop November 13 about hiring an events coordinator as concerns have been raised about staff and the business being done at the Auditorium. Several commissioners proposed...

During this year’s National Interscholastic Cycling Association Championship event, the Eureka Springs Highlanders Mountain Bike Team rode the most mentally and physically challenging courses that they’ve had to endure. “Past NICA courses were a breeze...

Eureka Springs Hospital Interim CEO Jodi Edmondson and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Cynthia Asbury were in for pointed criticisms from current and former staff members and concerned citizens at an ESH commission meeting on...

Emergency meetings of the Eureka Springs Hospital commission in early November where Eureka Springs Hospital CEO Angie Shaw and Chief Nursing Officer Jessica Petrino were fired, coincided with an inspection by the Arkansas Department...

The airport commission met on Nov. 15 and approved a budget for 2025. Commissioner Sandy Martin walked the others through a draft she had prepared. Commissioners noted that fuel sales were lower this year than...

Planning Commissioners worked patiently through an extensive agenda on Nov. 12, beginning with a public hearing, with commissioners sitting as the Board of Zoning Adjustment. At the October commission meeting, Bruce and Lynne Wright had...

Holiday Island Mayor Dan Kees is being investigated and going through a hearing in Little Rock under the accusation that he has broken Arkansas code 21-8-304 (a) which states that a government official cannot...

Eureka Springs City Council backed Bed and Breakfast Ord. 2364 at Monday’s meeting after Planning commissioners asked for clarity due to a bed and breakfast hiring a property manager not meeting Planning’s requirements. Council...

Eureka Springs Hospital is experiencing turmoil following recent firings of CEO Angie Shaw, RN, and Chief Nursing Officer Jessica Petrino, RN. Those firings led to resignations, including ER Director Joy Kennedy, who said she...

Historic District commissioners had no objection to the applications on the agenda Nov. 6, as the applications were all accompanied by extensive photographs and drawings. George Robinson, at 7 Charles Circle, had appeared at the...