News

Lacey Ekberg, executive director of the Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Commission, has responded on Facebook to a report in last week’s edition of The Citizen regarding apparent discrepancies and an omission from the resume she submitted in applying for the job in 2019.

Editor’s Note: These comments were posted multiple times on Facebook pages for the Lovely County Citizen and Carroll County News by Lacey Ekberg, executive director of the Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Commission, in response to two stories published last week. They are reprinted here in their entirety, with no editing for grammar, punctuation or spelling...

Jan. 13 11:31 p.m. - Officers responded to a motel to assist a guest with getting into her room. Jan. 14 4:41 a.m. - An officer responded to a possible intruder. 9:42 a.m. - Officers responded to a possible trespasser. 10:47 a.m. - Officers responded to a possible intoxicated driver but were unable to locate the vehicle...

Pine Mountain Village will soon be known as Pine Mountain, a planned $10 million resort in the heart of Eureka Springs.

The 4th annual Krewe du Kork Benefit Dinner will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Grand Taverne Restaurant & Lounge at 37 N. Main in Eureka Springs. This year's event will benefit the Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow. All proceeds from a raffle of One of a King art will go to the Writers' Colony...

The Eureka Springs Hospital Commission is getting ready to assume ownership of Eureka Springs Hospital.

The Krewe of Krazo is making a few changes to Mardi Gras over the next year.

Carroll County is working with Northwest Arkansas Continuum of Care to end homelessness in Arkansas, and that starts with figuring out how many homeless people live in the area.

The Eureka Springs Community Center will host Spark 2020 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, at the community center gym at 44 Kingshighway, where you can take a tour of the fitness center, see where the activity rooms and living room will be, get caught up on what happened in 2019 and learn what to look forward to in 2020.

Eureka Springs Elementary School substitute teachers Bradley Eskridge and Melinda Johnson Eskridge are this week's Citizens of the Week. They were nominated by Clare Lesieur, who said they are always doing something special for the students and staff at the elementary school. "From seasonal decorative displays to a recent makeover of the staff lounge," Lesieur said, "these two special community members make our school a better place!"...

Handsome is a loving male dog. He is good with other dogs. Handsome is looking for an active family. He enjoys playing with all of his new shelter friends. He is neutered and has his shots. He is available for adoption at the Good Shepherd Animal Shelter on Highway 62 east of Eureka Springs. The shelter is open from noon to 5 p.m. every day but Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information, call 479-253-9188...

If you ask City Advertising and Promotion Commission director Lacey Ekberg, city officials are supporting her after hearing about apparent discrepancies between the resume she submitted before she was hired and her actual employment history.

Lacey Ekberg’s resume lists a total of seven jobs from July 2011 to June 2018, with notations that each was a “short-term contract.” A review of news reports and other documents, along with interviews with people familiar with Ekberg’s history, paint an altogether different story — one that includes promises of long-term commitment followed by abrupt departures and even one short-lived job not mentioned on Ekberg’s resume.

Jan. 6 10:24 a.m. - Officers made a report on criminal mischief. 12:12 p.m. - An officer responded to a report of breaking or entering. 12:16 p.m. - Officers took a report on a two-vehicle traffic accident. 2:25 p.m. - Officers responded to a call about two dogs...

Two Eureka Springs organizations are nominated for the Excellence in Tourism Henry Awards, which recognize excellence in tourism across the state.

CAPC events coordinator Tracy Johnson is this week's Citizen of the Week. Johnson was nominated by Marcia Yearsley, who said Johnson promoted, hosted and coordinated the best Folk Festival entertainment the city has seen in years in 2019, completely filling The Auditorium two nights in a row. "Visiting with her and encouraging her each chance I get, it is obvious her commitment and enthusiasm are long-term and many agree she is a valuable asset to our artistic community," Yearsley said...

The Eureka Springs school board will be moving forward with construction plans once the facilities master plan is approved by the state.

The Eureka Springs Cemetery Commission is raising money for signs to place by the cemetery to make it easier to find.

To better serve the community, the Eureka Springs Carnegie Public Library and Media Center will now be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Eureka Springs City Council took the first step toward establishing a permanent entertainment district on Monday night.

Jimmy V. Kelley (center) pictured with his daughters Kaitlyn (left) and Hannah, was sworn in last week by Carroll County Judge Sam Barr as the newest member of the Carroll County Airport Commission. A native of Eureka Springs, Kelley is an emergency medical technician and firefighter with Eureka Springs Fire Department and has served as assistant chief and fire marshal since 2002. ...

The Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Commission is waiting to approve marketing support fund requests.

The Eureka Springs Community Center thanks Victor and Amanda Smith and their three boys, Korbyn, Kiptyn and Kayn, for donating wall pads to the gym area of the community center. 'I am happy to make this donation,' Victor said. 'The gym holds great memories for me. ...

 Finnegan is a sweet male dog. He is good with other dogs. Finnegan came to us with seven of his friends. He is still very shy and looking for a calm family. He is neutered and has his shots. He is available for adoption at the Good Shepherd Animal Shelter on Highway 62 east of Eureka Springs. The shelter is open from noon to 5 p.m. every day but Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information, call 479-253-9188...

A Eureka Springs resident was arrested last week after allegedly filing a false report with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

More than 20 citizens addressed the Eureka Springs City Council at a town hall on a proposed permanent entertainment district Monday night at the Auditorium.

Dec. 31 1:00 p.m. - Officers responded to a possible intoxicated driver. 2:28 p.m. - Officers responded in reference to a deer hit by a vehicle but were unable to locate it. 6:01 p.m. - An officer spoke to someone in reference to a theft, but no report was done yet...

Investigators believe a man whose body was found on Christmas Day 2018 in Osage Creek in southern Carroll County was actually killed in Missouri, Carroll County Sheriff Jim Ross and chief deputy Maj. Jerry Williams said Monday.

You can always learn something new about the community at Eureka Springs Cemetery, even if you visit the grounds regularly.

Marty is a handsome male dog. He is good with other dogs. Marty is a shy boy, looking for a calm home. He is neutered and has his shots. He is available for adoption at the Good Shepherd Animal Shelter on Highway 62 east of Eureka Springs. The shelter is open noon to 5 p.m. every day but Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information, call 479-253-9188...

Eureka Springs coach Brian Rambo knew this season could include some growing pains after the Highlanders lost several key players from last year’s team that won 33 games and a regional tournament championship. Still, Rambo was hopeful that the Highlanders can still be a factor in the 2A-1 conference race...

The Eureka Springs Lady Highlanders seemed to come out of nowhere last season. After winning just nine games total over the previous three seasons, Eureka Springs went 23-14 and won the 2A-1 conference title under first-year coach Ryan Sanchez. And they did it without a single senior...

The Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollows will celebrate the life of Sandra Ostrander at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14. Feel free to bring a small dish to share as well as your stores and memories of Ostrander. Ostrander was a volunteer with Good Shepherd Humane Society, giving her time at the thrift store and writing the organization's monthly newsletter for many years. ...

A Cup of Love Ministry will have a BBQ Rib and Spaghetti Dinner from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11. There will also be a game of Bingo. This event will be held on the second Saturday of each month.

Once again this year, the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa began offering ice skating on Jan. 1, the hotel announced in a news release. “A little part of us had hoped for colder temperatures to help us with our rink,” said Jack Moyer, hotel executive vice president and general manager, “but Mother Nature hasn’t cooperated...

Randy Wolfingbarger is this week's Citizen of the Week. Wolfinbarger was nominated by Ellen Summers, who works with him at Best Western Inn of the Ozarks. Summers said Wolfingbarger took on the general manager role on Dec. 16, 1979. "He's honest, kind, fair and hardworking," Summers said. ...

Whether you're attending a Eureka Springs City Council meeting or a hospital commission workshop, one thing is always true. The times are changing and city representatives have a lot to say about it. Here's a rundown of a few big developments in 2019.

Dec. 23 9:35 a.m. — An officer responded to an accidental 911 call. 11:17 a.m. — Animal control went to pick up a dog that was left in a parking lot. 11:26 a.m. — An officer went to speak with someone about an incident between him and his ex-wife. The officer advised them to not have contact...

Eureka Springs is a strong community dedicated to volunteerism, and that's especially clear when you look at the various schools in town. In 2019, Eureka Springs schools experienced heartbreak, growth and everything in between.

Eureka Springs is one of eight cities to be named a 2019 Volunteer Community of the Year at the Arkansas Municipal League's awards ceremony on Feb. 13, and for good reason. Here's a list of our most active nonprofits and what they've accomplished in 2019.

Carroll County residents were attacked in two separate instances in 2019 and the Citizen has followed each story every step of the way.

Chief is a sweet male dog. He is good with other dogs. Chief came to us as a stray. He is neutered and has his shots. He is available for adoption at the Good Shepherd Animal Shelter on Highway 62 east of Eureka Springs. The shelter is open from noon to 5 p.m. every day but Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information, call 479-253-9188...

Melodye Purdy is this week's Citizen of the Week. Purdy was nominated by Fiona Richards, who thanked Purdy for coordinating holiday baskets to be delivered to residents at Peachtree Village who do not have family. Richards said Purdy is "always a giving and kind person in our community."...