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JUNE/JULY
2026
Colt laughs and informs me that Dennis’s nickname is Booger. Dennis worked in the oil field like Colt does. Colt says he’s known Dennis a very long time. Colt’s life is like an episode of Landman meets Yellowstone.
Then I told him not to let Taylor Sheridan find out about his story before I get to write it. He’s already taken so many of the good ones! Colt is six generations in Franklin County and was never handed a family farm. However, his children will inherit a family farm today that Colt has milked out of his sweat in a Texas oil field.
“Now is the time for somebody like me to be popular. However, It ain’t the popularity that I wanted. I’d rather just have been left alone to be honest with you, Matthew.” I told Colt this reminded me of the sentiment expressed to Eureka Yard Party by Franklin County Sheriff Johnny Crocker. Colt informed me that they are kinfolk, that Sheriff Crocker is Colt’s cousin.
“It’s kind of cool how most of us are all kin. I know that sounds bad but we’re related some way or another.” I told him this doesn’t sound bad. It actually sounds like just the story Arkansas needs to hear right now. The story of how average, everyday Americans are resisting both domestic and foreign tyranny by fighting back peacefully.
Colt Shelby . . . For All of Arkansas
Colt Shelby is running for Governor of Arkansas as a Libertarian. I got in touch with Colt Shelby through a chance encounter in Downtown Branson with Dennis Stubblefield, the cousin of the late Gary Stubblefield who was the state senator of District 26.
The location of the proposed 3,000 Megaprison is in District 26. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders tried to delay a special election in district 26 after the passing of Gary Stubblefield.
Even though an absentee vote counts as a no vote, Colt Shelby sued the governor for her taxation without allowing representation. Colt won his lawsuit against the governor and a special election was held during the primary races this year.
Above - an outdoor Eureka Yard Party event from last year where Roscoe Van Jones, Los Roscoes, Fred Mayer, Tim Hillwood and others were playing live music.
Art exhibits, food, and community connection happens at these gatherings.
We celebrate some of the people and things that make this town great to live in. It's a beautiful thing!
See more about EYP magazine, events
and more HERE.
“Whenever it was first announced, it was 400 days until we were going to be able to elect our own representation at the state level. They are getting a little better about being sneakier than they were before.
We know the bill is going to come up again. We know it is not over. 354 which was the appropriation to build a prison here in Franklin County. We know it’s not over. So then she denies us representation.”
“Either way that would have been a no vote, but either way it eliminates us having somebody in there to defend us.
A voice of somebody saying, ‘Hey this is why it is fiscally irresponsible. Hey these 29 families that adjoin this property, do they matter to the state of Arkansas?’ The answer should be absolutely they matter.”
“If the state would just come out and say, ‘Hey, we made the wrong decision.’ The governor and all that I, I, I in the State of the State address. If she said, ‘I listened to the wrong people. I’ve made a grave mistake and I would like to fix it.’ Boom, problem solved.
It could be that easy. But we’re not going to do that. We are going to double down and be a little bit more sneaky about it. Like they took over the board of corrections.”
See Colt Shelby continued on PAGE 2
How were you able to take the governor on and win in this lawsuit?
“Let’s start back when she announced the prison. Most of us are not political and don’t pay attention. We just live our everyday lives out here. Most people, if they do vote don’t know who they’re voting for. They’re just voting because they are doing their due diligence. It all started with the announcement.”
“Well then we all started going to Little Rock. I did call all 135 legislators. Right out of the gate. I called and I emailed. Very little response across the state. A lot of them do not deserve the $46,000 that they get.
I understand they have a district but they also have an obligation to the state of Arkansas and they need to be informed.
There is still a lot of people who do not know about the prison. Which is embarrassing. They don’t know the details and they don’t care because of the cronyism that is in our state government.”
“So I started going to Little Rock and meeting with really good people. That’s when I met Jennifer Standifer. Actually Sarah Sanders indirectly introduced me to the lawyer that beat her. The stars all lined up perfectly because Jennifer worked in the government for a while as an attorney and knows the ends and outs.”
"There is still a lot of people who do not know about the prison. Which is embarrassing. They don’t know the details and they don’t care because of the cronyism that is in our state government.” -Colt Shelby
Larry Mansker painting. More at LarryMansker.com
Get a the sense of community, connection and celebration that the Eureka Yard Party is about.
Go to the EYP Section to see a recent video that captures it all.
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Alcoholics vote for public drinking
6/24/26 "As a reporter, I probably sat through more Eureka Springs city council meetings than anyone still alive in this town but I’ve never seen two of the city’s most noted Alcoholics Anonymous members vote for a PEDO (Public Entertainment District Ordinance).
That makes them PEDO-philes in my book! There's got to be more to this story."
-Vernon Tucker
UPDATE July 14th As a follow up, Heather Wilson addressed the Council on the evening meeting of July 13th.
The video consists of the entire session. If you only wish to see Heather's address to them, it starts at 7 minutes in, and concludes around 2 and a half minutes later. Video Link