LATEST NEWS

We’re proud to be collecting voter signatures to place two matters on the November 5 general election ballot. We fully support the Arkansas Government Disclosure Act, and the Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment. Getting signatures is hard work. You have to find people who care about these matters enough to put their name on the line, demanding that the Secretary of State require all counties to place these measures on the ballot. Some matters are wildly popular. Others are very controversial. But one thing we’ve found: People want the opportunity to vote on them. People want to sign the petition that would roll back the LEARNS Act and broaden educational opportunities for pre-schoolers. They want to sign the petition expanding access to marijuana for medicinal purposes. They want to restore and expand access to abortion procedures. They want to give consumers a break by eliminating the state sales tax on diapers and feminine hygiene products. While gathering signatures for the proposals to strengthen your right to know about Arkansas government activities, we’ve disappointed people by telling them that we’re only collecting signatures to place the two Freedom of Information matters above on the ballot. But we need a lot more signatures to have Columbia County seen as doing its part. That’s why we’re joining with Arkansas for Direct Democracy to host a mass petition signing – the Statewide Signature Spring -- from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in front of our office at 120 N. Court Square in Magnolia. CLICK HERE to see the Direct Democracy website. If you have had the desire but lacked the opportunity to sign any of these petitions, this will be your big chance. You don’t have to sign every petition. Sign only those petitions that back the matters you want on the ballot. Arkansas is one of only 15 states that permits citizens to practice direct democracy and make new law, while circumventing the legislature. CLICK HERE for more about our plans. Join with us on Saturday and tell your friends. Let the people vote.

The Arkansas Direct Democracy movement is coming to Magnolia on Saturday, June 22, 2024. Groups that support the placement of several citizen-inspired state constitutional amendments and initiated acts on the Tuesday, November 5 general election ballot have banded together for a “Statewide Signature Sprint.”. They are racing against the...

The following people have recently been booked into the custody of the Columbia County Justice and Detention Facility on Rawhide Road in Magnolia. All the following people are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. Not listed are people serving brief commitments, state inmates held in the jail for local court appearances, or people arrested solely on a charge of failure to appear. Please remember that it is possible for a name to be shared by more than one individual. CLICK HERE to see the complete roster of all people held in custody.

From 1990 to 2023, Emerson (Columbia County) hosted an annual gathering for fans of purple hull peas. The PurpleHull Pea Festival & World Championship Rotary Tiller Race was held the last Friday and Saturday in June on and near the grounds of Emerson High School. In addition to the tiller race, the festival encompassed numerous activities related to purple hull peas, some of which included the World Cup PurpleHull Pea Shelling Competition, the Great PurpleHull Peas & Cornbread Cook Off, the Senior Walk for World Peas, and the presentation of the Emerson PurpleHull Pea Farmer of the Year award.

Columbia County real estate transactions recorded May 1 - June 5 having a value of $100,000 or greater. Information is drawn from public records held by the Columbia County Circuit Clerk and County Assessor, and the Arkansas Secretary of State. This cycle of real estate transactions includes two land sales,...

The following people have recently been booked into the custody of the Columbia County Justice and Detention Facility on Rawhide Road in Magnolia. All the following people are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. Not listed are people serving brief commitments, state inmates held in the jail for local court appearances, or people arrested solely on a charge of failure to appear. Please remember that it is possible for a name to be shared by more than one individual. CLICK HERE to see the complete roster of all people held in custody.

Local organizations are increasingly relying on Facebook to announce their events and other important announcements without putting out a press release. Here’s why that’s a bad idea: Not everybody on Facebook sees everything you post. In fact, only a fraction of the people who follow your account will see your post in a timely manner.

The following people have recently been booked into the custody of the Columbia County Justice and Detention Facility on Rawhide Road in Magnolia. All the following people are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. Not listed are people serving brief commitments, state inmates held in the jail for local court appearances, or people arrested solely on a charge of failure to appear. Please remember that it is possible for a name to be shared by more than one individual. CLICK HERE to see the complete roster of all people held in custody.

The son of an Arkansas man is suing after his father died in police custody. Randy Dewayne Rogers is bringing a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. His father, Randy James Rogers, died from a heart attack in the Columbia County Jail on the morning of July 8, 2022.

Applications are being accepted for the Leadership Magnolia-Columbia County Class of 2024-2025. The application deadline is August 9, 2024. CLICK HERE for more information and to apply. The mission of Leadership Magnolia-Columbia County is to improve the quality of life in the community by developing qualified leaders who will address...

The following people have recently been booked into the custody of the Columbia County Justice and Detention Facility on Rawhide Road in Magnolia. All the following people are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. Not listed are people serving brief commitments, state inmates held in the jail for local court appearances, or people arrested solely on a charge of failure to appear. Please remember that it is possible for a name to be shared by more than one individual. CLICK HERE to see the complete roster of all people held in custody.

Columbia County's unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) decreased to 3.6 percent for April, down from 3.9 percent in March, according to a preliminary county by county report released in late May by the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services. According to the report, for April Columbia County had a labor force...

The following people have recently been booked into the custody of the Columbia County Justice and Detention Facility on Rawhide Road in Magnolia. All the following people are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. Not listed are people serving brief commitments, state inmates held in the jail for local court appearances, or people arrested solely on a charge of failure to appear. Please remember that it is possible for a name to be shared by more than one individual. CLICK HERE to see the complete roster of all people held in custody.

A job fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 15, 2024 at the Columbia County Library, 2057 N. Jackson. Companies that want to reserve a table at the job fair may call Hollie Howard at 870-234-1991. The U.S. Marine Corps and the Army National Guard...

The following people have recently been booked into the custody of the Columbia County Justice and Detention Facility on Rawhide Road in Magnolia. All the following people are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. Not listed are people serving brief commitments, state inmates held in the jail for local court appearances, or people arrested solely on a charge of failure to appear. Please remember that it is possible for a name to be shared by more than one individual. CLICK HERE to see the complete roster of all people held in custody.

Millions of dollars in work has been scheduled for U.S. 82 between Magnolia and El Dorado. Included are the replacement of two bridges on the Village Flats west of Arkansas 98, and the resurfacing of almost 11 miles of roadway. Bid awards and other documents posted by the Arkansas Department...