In the news
October 27 - November 2, 2025
Catholic High School hosts second flag retirement ceremony
Catholic High School is proud to announce its second annual partnership with Arkansas Flag and Banner and Doubletree Farm and Veterinary Clinic to provide the public with a respectful and dignified way to retire worn American, Arkansas and Armed Service flags.
The school’s Marine Corps JROTC unit will conduct an official flag retirement ceremony at sunset on November 5, 2025, on the Chapel grounds of Doubletree Farm in Ferndale. This solemn event will follow traditional protocols to ensure that each flag is retired with the honor it deserves.
Flags that have reached the end of their service life can be dropped off at the following collection points:
Catholic High School, 6300 Father Tribou Street – Flags will be accepted during school hours in the Front Office or JROTC Office. A Flag Retirement Drop Box is also available 24/7 at the southwest corner of the building, behind the JROTC sign and flagpole, across the driveway from the athletic field gate.
Doubletree Veterinary Clinic, 2606 Ferndale Cutoff Road – A collection bin is available during clinic hours.
Arkansas Flag and Banner, 800 West 9th Street – As a special thank-you, Arkansas
Flag and Banner is offering a 15% discount on the purchase of a new flag when a flag is dropped off for retirement. Discount coupons are available at all drop-off locations. This is a perfect opportunity to replace your old flag just in time for Veterans Day.
To prepare flags for drop-off, community members are asked to fold them properly. Instructions can be found on the Arkansas Flag and Banner website.
Join Catholic High School and its partners in honoring our nation’s symbols with the respect they deserve.
Sandwiching in History: Arkansas Municipal Auditorium
On Friday, November 7, at noon, Sandwiching in History tour visits the Arkansas Municipal Auditorium in Texarkana.
The Texarkana Municipal Building was constructed between 1927 and 1930 in a combination of Art Deco and Collegiate Gothic styles to house city offices and the community auditorium for the Arkansas city. The Municipal Auditorium occupies the towering central bay of the building and was the primary venue not only for local theater productions and piano and dance recitals, but also for traveling music acts, including legends like Louis Armstrong, George Jones, Fats Domino, Johnny Horton, and Roy Orbison. Young Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash played there in 1955 while making names for themselves on the Louisiana Hayride.
NOTE: The auditorium is only accessible via two flights of stairs. We realize this may be a problem for some, and we hope to live-stream the tour online for those unable to attend physically.
Event hosted by Arkansas Historic Preservation Program
Location: 216 Walnut St., Texarkana, Arkansas
Where are buyers paying cash for homes?
It turns out that buyers are paying cash for homes mostly in the Sun Belt markets. Nationwide, about 28% of homebuyers paid cash for their home purchase. However, in some metropolitan areas, more than half of recent buyers have opted to skip financing altogether. At the top of the list is Sebastian-Vero Beach, Florida, where 63% of buyers paid cash. Other markets such as Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana, Punta Gorda, Florida, and Naples, Florida, also saw more than 50% of transactions made without a mortgage.
These areas share some common characteristics:
• Older populations, with homeowners using equity from previous properties
• Strong second-home demand and investor activity
• Attractive areas to movers
While mortgage rates remain above 6%, cash buyers are finding ways to stay active. For some, it’s a strategic move to stay competitive in markets with a tight housing supply. For others, it’s a way to avoid borrowing costs.
By Nadia Evangelou
National Association of Realtors
