Lauren Spencer

Boston

Reporter at KFSM-TV (Fort Smith, AR)

Social at @nobull via @heydudeshoes & @Patriots. @Suffolk_U journalism / @gosuffolkrams soccer grad.

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Articles

Fayetteville opens call for proposals to deploy $1.6M in federal funds for affordable housing

4 days ago | 5newsonline.com | Lauren Spencer

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The City of Fayetteville is officially accepting proposals to allocate up to $1.599 million in federal HOME Investment Partnership Program funds — a move that city leaders hope will expand affordable housing opportunities and directly assist low-income residents struggling with Fayetteville’s rising housing costs.
Madison County woman describes night of severe weather that left 5 trees on her home

2 weeks ago | 5newsonline.com | Lauren Spencer

HUNTSVILLE, Ark. — Pamela Montoya has lived across the country, but she chose Huntsville as her forever home. "I'm originally from California, but I've lived all over United States, and I always tell everyone, this is home. I I chose to live here. I wasn't born here. I picked it," Montoya said. Her property in Madison County, inherited from her mother, took a direct hit in Thursday night's storms — a system that may have included a tornado, though officials haven’t confirmed it yet.
Arkansas WWII veteran set to celebrate 100th birthday in France

2 weeks ago | wtsp.com | Lauren Spencer

BELLA VISTA, Ark. — Kenneth B. Smith, a Bella Vista man known to most as KB, is not just turning 100 years old, he’s also embarking on a journey back to France to honor his role in one of the most pivotal moments of World War II — the D-Day invasion. KB’s journey began when he was just 17 years old, when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
'It smells like rotting flesh' | River Valley residents push back against Denali Water Solutions over odor concerns

3 weeks ago | 5newsonline.com | Lauren Spencer

ALMA, Ark. — A strong and persistent odor lingering in the River Valley has residents speaking out, and state officials are now listening. At a public hearing Thursday night at the Alma Community Center, locals told the Arkansas Division of Energy and Environment Quality that the smell is more than just a nuisance — it’s a threat to their quality of life and local economy. “It’s a pungent smell," said Fort Smith City Director Christina Catsavis. "It smells like rotting flesh.
Arkansas WWII veteran set to celebrate 100th birthday in France

3 weeks ago | thv11.com | Lauren Spencer

BELLA VISTA, Ark. — Kenneth B. Smith, a Bella Vista man known to most as KB, is not just turning 100 years old, he’s also embarking on a journey back to France to honor his role in one of the most pivotal moments of World War II — the D-Day invasion. KB’s journey began when he was just 17 years old, when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
Arkansas priests react to selection of new pope

4 weeks ago | thv11.com | Lauren Spencer

SPRINGDALE, Ark. — In a decision that has made history and sparked emotion across the globe, the Catholic Church has elected its first U.S. pope. Robert Prevost has been selected and taken the name Pope Leo XIV — a move that’s being celebrated by local priests as both a spiritual milestone and a sign of hope for the future of the Church.
Local priests react to new pope selection

4 weeks ago | 5newsonline.com | Lauren Spencer

SPRINGDALE, Ark. — In a decision that has made history and sparked emotion across the globe, the Catholic Church has elected its first U.S. pope. Robert Prevost has been selected and taken the name Pope Leo XIV — a move that’s being celebrated by local priests as both a spiritual milestone and a sign of hope for the future of the Church. The news reached Father Rodolphe Balthazar, a priest at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Rogers since 2019, while he was visiting a hospital and ran into a friend.
Crawford County Library System will pay full amount in legal fees from 2023 lawsuit

1 month ago | 5newsonline.com | Lauren Spencer

CRAWFORD COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — After a back-and-forth argument between the county and the library system in Crawford County, Justices of the Peace decided they won't help the library pay thousands of dollars in legal fees. The Crawford County Quorum Court voted unanimously in a special meeting Monday night on an appropriations bill that would allocate $112,978.31 from the Crawford County Library System (CCLS) to fund judgments and damages from the 2023 lawsuit.
Crawford County Library System votes to foot the bill for legal fees from lawsuit

1 month ago | 5newsonline.com | Lauren Spencer

CRAWFORD COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — After a judge ordered Crawford County to pay plaintiffs' attorney fees last week in a lawsuit involving the Crawford County Library System (CCLS) conversations have been had on where that money will come from, the county's general reserve or the library's budget. In a special meeting on Wednesday, the library board voted 3 to 1 to pay the $112,978.31 in legal fees.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner visits Northwest Arkansas

1 month ago | 5newsonline.com | Lauren Spencer

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) hosted the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner to the 3rd Congressional District to highlight local affordable housing initiatives and urban redevelopment opportunities. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders also joined in on part of the tour.