Free Range Conversations

Monticello native and singer-songwriter Ward Davis will return to South Arkansas as a special guest at the annual Rison in the Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 10. Davis, whose career spans more than 25 years, has co-written songs with Cody Jinks and Paul Cauthen and contributed to recordings by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. Known for his unscripted performances, Davis tailors his setlist to eac...

The annual Rison in the Fall Festival returns Saturday, October 10, headlined by '90s country star Bryan White. On the Free Range Conversations podcast hosted by Douglas Boultinghouse and Keden Shrum, White shared memories of his Arkansas family roots, his first number-one hit "Someone Else's Star," and his iconic duet with Shania Twain. White will perform hits and new music, including his single...

Country music artist Cori Kennedy will wrap up her debut tour season at the Rison in the Fall Festival in downtown Rison. Kennedy’s career skyrocketed after her song “Hey, Who Shot the Water Tower?”—inspired by a bullet shot through Kingsland's Johnny Cash water tower—went viral with 12 million views. The track propelled her to NBC’s The Voice, a Nashville move, and a deal with William Morris Ende...

Jesse Ott, performing as Whoa Dakota, is kicking off this year’s Rison in the Fall Festival on Saturday, October 10th. The stage name originated during her nine years in Nashville, combining her former street name, Dakota Avenue, with the Black Crowes' song "Whoa Mule". Raised between her mother’s home in North Little Rock and her father’s farm in Scott, Ott grew up immersed in both urban blues sh...

Britt Talent and the Voices of the Wildcats Bruce Grubb and Murray Freeman preview the upcoming 2026 football season!

In a recent episode of the "Free Range Conversation" podcast hosted by Britt Talent, Douglas Boultinghouse, and Roy Phillips, Cleveland County Extension agents Austin Compton and David West detailed the wide range of research-backed educational programs and services offered through the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.

In a recent episode of the Free Range Conversations podcast, guest Lauren Threlkeld of Absolute Health sat down with co-hosts Douglas Boultinghouse, Britt Talent, and Roy Phillips to discuss local wellness, physical movement, and upcoming community initiatives. Threlkeld, a healthcare provider and endurance athlete currently practicing in Star City, announced plans to expand Absolute Health into R...

Samantha Johnson has assumed office early as the new mayor of Kingsland, stepping up after her predecessor’s unexpected resignation. Running unopposed in the upcoming November election, Johnson aims to provide committed leadership and combat the city's historical administrative turnover. Drawing on 15 years of experience as a social worker and crisis management professional, she is already impleme...

Rison Mayor Charles Roberts recently detailed a comprehensive blueprint for the city's future, highlighting both major infrastructure overhauls and community revitalization. To regain access to essential government grants, Rison is launching a localized, door-to-door survey to recapture its critical Low to Moderate Income (LMI) status. This effort follows a triumphant $9 million project that plumm...

Rison, Arkansas volunteer firefighters Keden Shrum and Tristan Ward faced a crisis when "Engine Two," their 1987 pumper truck, became too hazardous to drive. This equipment deficit directly threatened the town’s municipal ISO rating, risking spiked insurance premiums for residents. Bypassing slow federal grants, Shrum secured quick city council approval for an $88,000 safety budget. They purchased...

The 36th Annual Rison in the Fall Festival will take place on Saturday, Oct. 10, in Rison, Arkansas. This year’s event features a star-studded lineup of country and Americana artists, headlined by Grammy-winning 90s country icon Bryan White, known for hits like "So Much for Pretending" and his duet with Shania Twain. Joining White on the Rise Up Rison stage are several artists with Arkansas ties:...

The fourth annual Cruisin’ Cleveland County Bike Ride returns to Rison on Saturday, June 6. Organizers previewed the expanded event on the Free Range Conversations podcast, highlighting its growth from a local cycling meetup into a premier regional festival. Cyclists can choose from five distinct routes ranging from 21 to 65 miles. Despite Arkansas's flat reputation, riders will face challenging r...

In this edition of Free Range Conversations, Bruce Grubb of Cleveland County Telephone discusses the major county-wide transition from aging copper landlines to a high-speed fiber optic network. The existing copper plant, installed in the late 1980s, is roughly 40 years old and is becoming obsolete. This transition is necessary to eliminate electromagnetic interference and provide clearer, more re...

Cleveland County recently made history by officially reclassifying 911 dispatchers as first responders. This resolution mirrors a national push to recognize emergency telecommunicators as life-saving professionals rather than clerical workers. Erica Best, Communications Coordinator with 27 years of experience, describes her team as the "first first responders" and the "voice during the chaos." Des...

For many, the phrase "estate planning" conjures images of dusty law offices and uncomfortable conversations about the inevitable. However, in a the latest episode of Free Range Conversations, experts and community members gathered to reframe the topic as a vital tool for family harmony and personal agency in advance of a workshop set for this Thursday. Elaine Kneebone, an Arkadelphia-based attorne...

Get all the details on this year's Pioneer Crafts Festival in Rison, plus the inclusion of a free Homesteading Conference at the event this Saturday!

One of the questions that voters presented to the candidates in during the political forums leading up to the election for Cleveland County Judge was how they would utilize the $5.6 million the county has in its so-called “investment fund.” That fund actually consists of three separate funds: a solid waste fund, an ambulance fund and the “nursing home” fund, which was started with the money the co...

The 4th Annual Handicapped Barbie Drive is a grassroots effort led by Stacy Walz, Suzanne Lawson, and her daughter, "Fancy Nancy," to support Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Inspired by Walz's niece, Cali—who has a rare chromosome disorder—the project aims to ensure children in medical care feel seen and celebrated. By providing toys that reflect the children's own experiences, the drive helps reduc...

The second annual Bobby Lee Terry Memorial Golf Tournament will be held Saturday, May 2, at Harbor Oaks Golf Club in Pine Bluff, growing from a simple idea among friends into a community-driven event. Organized by Keden Shrum and Cordero Fuentes, the tournament honors Terry’s love of golf while raising funds for local athletics. Registration begins at 7 a.m. with an 8 a.m. shotgun start. Last year...

The Arkansas State Library Board is withholding over $1 million in state aid due to pending standards and unrelated audit issues. This existential crisis threatens Cleveland County’s library, which faces a $9,000 deficit and the loss of regional support for summer reading, e-books, and bookmobile services. Regional Director Clare Graham warns these "community anchors" are vital for digital literac...

Get all the info on voting precincts, what's required to vote, who the candidates are and more in this episode of Free Range Conversations!

Rickey Spencer, candidate for Cleveland County Judge, joins the final episode of the Meet the Candidate Series to talk about his campaign.

Republican Stephen McClellan is running for Cleveland County Judge, leveraging his extensive background in emergency management. Having secured over $5 million in past grants for infrastructure and public safety, McClellan emphasizes aggressive grant acquisition to improve roads and broadband. He identifies population loss—dropping from roughly 8,900 to 7,300 residents—and a rising median age of 4...

Candidate Jim Houston sits down to talk about his campaign for Cleveland County Judge, and what he hopes to bring to the county if elected.

Lee Freeman of Rison, one of three Republican candidates running for Cleveland County Sheriff, discusses how he will use his nearly 30 years in law enforcement experience to help him as sheriff. Freeman describes himself as a strong supporter of drug enforcement, and says he will tap into what he has learned while working nearly 19 years for the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to hel...