Newsletter-Early-Week

Around mid-July C.R. Crawford Construction began their demolition work to remove sections of the Corning High School and Corning Middle School campus. Superintendent Jennifer Woolard says that, “We are hopeful the demolition will be complete by August 13, the first day of classes. We are waiting on final approval of our plans for construction. Once those get approved we will send out bid packages and get going on accepting bids. I am hoping construction will begin 2-4 weeks after demo is complete. Right now the construction management company is saying 18.5 months from start of construction to completion.”

Koss Construction Company, a group contracted by the Arkansas Department of Transportation has completed the three concrete pylons for the County Road 139 overpass over Future I-57. This construction is part of the larger Corning Bypass Project (Job No. 101172) which started in February of this year which is expected to be completed by mid-2027. County Road 139 was the road chosen from input given at the public meeting that ARDOT held on March 14, 2024, at the M.B. Ainley, Jr. Community Center to create an overpass for local traffic. County Road 143 meanwhile will soon dead end where the new road intersects with it. Utility companies have been busy both west and north of Corning relocating their lines around where the interchanges with US 67 will be built.

Tom Haynes, established attorney and fifth-generation Northeast Arkansan, has officially announced his candidacy for Circuit Judge in the 2nd Judicial Circuit, which serves Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Greene, Mississippi and Poinsett counties.

The July Corning Area Chamber of Commerce Luncheon was called to order by Pres. Rhonda Sollis at Gigi’s Restaurant on June 12. An invocational prayer was offered by Terry Gleghorn following which President Sollis asked Drew Calhoun to give an update on how the 4th of July Picnic went. He said that despite the short notice there was quite a crowd in attendance and that Growing Corning Together heard only positive comments.

The Arkansas Department of Transportation has resumed their work on the Knobel Y safety improvement project. These upgrades, mirroring what was installed at the Corning Y last year, will add a concrete median to the north bound lane of Arkansas Highway 90 as it junctions north with Arkansas Highway 135. The angle at which Arkansas Highway 90 enters Arkansas Highway 135 is being adjusted as well. When completed, ARDOT will begin work on the Beach Grove Y in Greene County where Arkansas Highway 34 intersects with Arkansas Highway 135.