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New Newport Smartphone App Unveiled
Jul 16, 2014
Would you like to be able to find the phone number of any Newport business at your fingertips at any time? Guess what, there’s an app for that! How about getting turn by turn directions from your location right to the front door of the business you seek? There’s an app for that too! What about a mobile community calendar that highlights the events coming up in Newport and Jackson County over the remainder of the year? You got it, there’s an app for that as well!
The brand new Newport mobile app is now available to download on all mobile phones; IPhones, Android phones and Windows phones. The app is made available by the Newport Economic Development Commission to help local residents and guests to the community connect with our businesses. You can download the app from your app store by typing “Newport Arkansas” into the search function and you will see a Newport, Arkansas app.
The Newport Economic Development Commission and the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce worked together with the City of Newport to obtain as complete a list of businesses as possible from the phone book, business license list and Chamber membership list. Corrections may be needed on a few businesses and changes can easily be made. Just email any changes to director@newportaredc.org or call 870-523-1009 and submit the changes that need to be made. It takes about a week for the changes to update on the app.
The app has a Business Directory that lists local businesses by alphabetical name or by category. The business listing has the name of the business, the address and a place for a two sentence description. Businesses need to submit the two sentence description to the Newport Economic Development Office if they would like to have it included. There is a “Call Business” feature that allows you to dial the business directly from the app and a “Show Map” feature that locates the business on a map of Newport. Using the convenient “Directions” feature you can actually get turn by turn directions from your location to the front door of the businesses you seek.
The Events Directory lists upcoming events in Newport and Jackson County that will be of interest to the entire family. The directory includes the title of the event, a brief description of the event, the event location, date and time. To have your community events included in the calendar, please email them to either director@newportaredc.org or director@newportarchamber.org.
Additional features of the app include the weather, a place to sign up for the Newport Economic Development Commission’s newsletter, the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce’s upcoming events email, a link to the Facebook and Twitter pages and place to request information.
So you want something that will help you keep your spending local and find exactly what you need while also keeping you informed of everything that is going on guess what, there’s an app for that! The Newport Arkansas app! Download it today!
Jackson County Community Theatre!
There's No Place Like Local This Holiday!
Newport Christmas Parade The Newport Christmas parade will be held Thursday, December 14, 2023 beginning at 6 p.m. Entries are now being accepted at the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce for business and nonprofit organization floats, walking groups, antique vehicles, beauty queens, horseback riders, school clubs and organizations, etc. Participants will be traveling down Hwy. 69 to Malcolm Avenue then down to Village Mall parking lot. Awards will be given for first, second and third place for both the commercial and non-commercial categories. Entry is free, and participants may choose their own holiday theme. However, Santa Claus will be flying in early from the North Pole as the last entry in the parade, so please do not plan a “fake” Santa on your float. Float judging will begin no later than 5:30 p.m. Please include the name of your business or organization somewhere on your float for faster judging. Line up will be held in the parking lot across from Riceland Foods no sooner than 5 p.m. (McLain and Hwy. 69). Walkers and dance groups should line up on the Riceland side of Hwy. 69. Vehicles that are entered in the parade are to enter the parking lot from McLain Street and face toward Hwy. 69. There will be a line up crew on hand. The line up area will be very crowded. Those who are driving vehicles that will not be in the parade are asked to find parking on the Riceland side of Hwy. 69 and walk across to the line up area. If dropping off a parade participant, please do not enter the parking lot. If you are planning to watch the parade along the route with children, please make sure that they stay by the street curbs and not in the road for safety purposes. Immediately following the parade, there will be a drive-by Christmas display event at the home of Dr. Patti Mullins, 4 Sue Circle. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there. Enter by clicking the link below. Entry forms are also available at the Chamber office, 201 Hazel Street. Completed forms may be faxed to 523-1055, dropped off at the Chamber at 201 Hazel Street, or emailed to director@newportarchamber.org . In the event of inclement weather, parade participants will be notified of an alternate date. Parade Entry Form
Mary Alice Holden Conner Memorial Park Closed For Maintenance
Public Notice for KOKR Radio
Public Notice for KNBY Radio
25th Annual Depot Days
18th New Vision Newport Leadership class now accepting applications!!
Newport Alumni Hall of Fame Banquet Thursday, August 10, 2023
NEDC Wins Settlement Worth $2.5 Million in Medical Marijuana Lawsuits For Immediate Release Newport Economic Development Commission Newport, Arkansas director@newportaredc.org The Newport Economic Development Commission won a settlement with a value of $2,518,015.00 yesterday in two separate lawsuits concerning the relocation of a medical marijuana cultivator previously located in Newport, Arkansas. In November of 2020, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission approved a transfer of Natural State Wellness, LLC’s license to Good Day Farms, LLC. At that same meeting, the Commission also approved a transfer of location, allowing the facility to move from Newport, Arkansas to Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Jon Chadwell, Executive Director of the Newport Economic Development Commission made a formal request to the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission to reverse the decision to move the facility. That request was denied. In April of 2021, Attorney David Couch, a Newport native, filed a lawsuit for plaintiffs the Newport Economic Development Commission; the City of Newport; the Newport Charitable Foundation and the Newport-Jackson County Industrial Development Bond Board against the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission; the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division; Good Day Farm, LLC; Natural State Wellness, LLC and Harvest Health and Recreation, Inc. in Circuit Court of Jackson County. The suit was to recoup economic damages caused by the relocation of the facility. That lawsuit was followed by another lawsuit in October of 2021 by Couch for the Newport-Jackson County Industrial Development Bond Board to recapture possession of the property sold to Natural State Wellness with all improvements, including the building constructed on the property by Natural State Wellness. The lawsuit against the property owner BLRS was moved to federal court. On February 22, 2023, a mediation process was held with Couch and Chadwell representing the plaintiffs and individuals and attorneys representing Harvest Health and Recreation, Inc. and Good Day Farms, LLC. Through the process, the defendants agreed to a settlement which returned the building and land to the Newport-Jackson County Industrial Development Bond Board, awarded $1,000,000 in cash restitution to the community and covered the legal fees and costs. The total value of the settlement is $2,518,015.00 which is being paid through a negotiated agreement between Harvest Health and Recreation, Inc. and Good Day Farms, LLC and a transfer of property from BRLS to the Newport-Jackson County Industrial Development Bond Board. “We feel vindicated to receive this settlement from Harvest Health and Good Day Farms on behalf of Newport,” stated Jon Chadwell. “We have many exceptional businesses in Newport that are significant partners in growing the community. However, when a business does not live up to its commitments, we feel obligated to take action behalf of the community.” Newport Mayor Derrick Ratliffe said, “The City of Newport has established a very pro-business environment and we are excited to have this building back under local control so we can use it to recruit another company to our community.” This settlement brings an end to the two-year process of seeking restitution for Newport and Jackson County.
