Following are news brief items from the Fort Smith metro.
Command Change
Col. Jonathan E. “Brute” Esparza is the new commander of the 188th Wing at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith following a change of command ceremony held Jan. 30. The previous commander was Col. Jay R. “Evil” Spohn.
The ceremony was presided over by Brig. Gen. Matthew Groves, assistant adjutant general for air at Arkansas Joint Force Headquarters.
Spohn commanded the 188th Wing from 2024, leading the unit through a period of growth and operational success, according to a 188th press release. Under his command, the 184th Attack Squadron was recognized nationally as the U.S. Air Force’s top operations squadron. The wing also earned an “Effective” rating during its inaugural Combat Readiness Inspection and successfully hosted the first-of-its-kind active-duty Foreign Military Sales (FMS) mission on an Air National Guard installation.
Spohn will now serve as the director of operations, for the Arkansas Air National Guard.
Esparza, a Texas native, received his commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He has accumulated more than 2,800 flight hours in the F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, F-15 Eagle, T-38 Talon, and T-34 Mentor.
Esparza has served in a variety of leadership roles, including mission commander, flight instructor, director of operations, and commander of the 185th Cyberspace Operations Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.
The Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Wing is home to more than 1,000 military members. The wing operates the unmanned MQ-9A Reaper, conducts intelligence analysis and targeting, provides expeditionary medical capabilities, and delivers full-spectrum mission support. The wing also hosts the F-35 FMS formal training unit.
The Art ‘World’
The Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, also known as RAM, will hold its fourth annual “Art ‘Round the World” fundraising event on Feb. 21 at the Arkansas Colleges for Health Education’s Event Center in Fort Smith.
“Evening in Spain” is the theme of the fundraiser, and tapas-style courses will be served on tables using artistic lazy susans painted by regional artists. The lazy susans will be part of the gala’s silent auction offerings. There will also be a live auction during the event.
“Each year, ‘Art ‘Round the World’ lifts up the culture of a city or country through its food, music, and art and highlights famous artists from that area of the world,” said gala chair Julie Moncrief. “RAM strengthens its ability to provide exhibitions and classes free to the public.”
Dancers from the Western Arkansas Ballet will perform the flamenco. Artists – portrayed by actors of the Fort Smith Little Theatre – to appear at the gala are Diego Velázquez, Francisco Goya, María Blanchard, Pablo Picasso, and Salvador Dalí. Music will be provided by classical and Spanish guitarists Jay Shepherd and Chris Swicegood. After dinner, dance music will be provided by Gary Hutchison, and his band, Oreo Blue.
Link here for more information about the gala, tickets, and sponsorships.
Golden Deeds Nominations
The Fort Smith Noon Exchange Club is seeking nominations for the 2026 Book of Golden Deeds award recipient. The award will be presented March 13, at a banquet held at Hardscrabble Country Club.
Nominations can come from anyone who knows of a person or group in the Fort Smith region who deserves recognition for service to the community. The nomination deadline is Feb. 23. Link here for more information about the nomination process. Nominations also may be emailed to [email protected].
Nominations also may be mailed to the Fort Smith Noon Exchange Club, P.O. Box 180895, Fort Smith, AR 72918. Entries should include name and address of the nominee, a brief history of the nominee’s humanitarian service to others, and name, address and phone number of the person making the nomination.
The Fort Smith Noon Exchange Club is a civic organization working to make the community a better place to live through programs of community service and the organization’s national project, the prevention of child abuse. Fort Smith Noon Exchange Club has been active in the region for more than 100 years and is an affiliate of the National Exchange Club.
Van Buren Automation
Students at Van Buren High School have an opportunity to explore automation technology through a concurrent program in partnership with Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus.
Through the program, students can complete five automation courses to earn a certificate of proficiency in controls fundamentals while still in high school. The program transitions into the associate of applied science degree in automation technology at ATU-Ozark.
“ATU-Ozark is proud of its partnership with the Van Buren School District,” said ATU-Ozark Chancellor Dr. Sheila Jacobs. “By aligning automation programs and offering concurrent credit, we are creating clear pathways from high school to postsecondary education and into high-demand, high-wage careers. ATU-Ozark is committed to strengthening and expanding these partnerships across the region to meet workforce needs and support student success.”
According to ATU-Ozark, the program prepares students for future jobs by expanding access to workforce education and equipping them with real-world skills necessary for careers in manufacturing, energy, logistics, and industrial maintenance.
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