Fire.
Baptism by fire.
Playing with fire.
Dance into the fire.
I love the word "fire."
Welcome to the hyperlocal news site just for you, Grant County, owned, written and operated by me. Suzi Parker. Once called the "most hated woman in Grant County" in a public place. Maybe the man was joking. Maybe not. After all, another man once called me out in a Grant County Quorum Court meeting asking if I was going to tell all sides of a story. Dude, just give me time I will.
You asked for it, Grant County folks. You got it and my attention. Here you go! A site focused on a county rich in history, myth and enough news to fill five sites. Your county and the county that has changed my life and that Iove.
This new site will focus primarily on Grant County, but I will drop into Saline County since the Sheridan School District sits in both. Hot Spring and Grant Counties share two circuit judges and a prosecuting attorney’s office. I may report on both counties, but the emphasis will always be on Grant County.
But I won't just be focused on hard news and investigations. Grant County is full of interesting people. Those stories will be told, too.
Let me tell you a bit about myself.
I was born and raised in Pine Bluff. In seventh grade, I decided I wanted to be a journalist, and I never stopped doing it once I decided. I graduated from Arkansas State University with an undergraduate in journalism and then earned a master’s degree in journalism from University of Arkansas at Little Rock. I worked for three years at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in the 1990s before setting out on a freelance career that led me to becoming a national journalist writing frequently for The Economist, The Christian Science Monitor, US News and World Report, Town & Country, Grist, The Daily Beast, The Daily Caller and tons of other publications.
Last year, I received the Martha Mitchell Award for investigative journalism award. It was said then:
Suzi Parker Makes History as First Journalist to Receive Martha Mitchell Whistleblower Award
Suzi Parker, longtime investigative journalist and founder of South Arkansas Reckoning, has made history as the first journalist ever to receive the Martha Mitchell Whistleblower Award.
Throughout her career, Suzi has embodied the fearless spirit of Martha Mitchell—challenging powerful systems, exposing hidden truths, and giving a voice to those often ignored. Her work through South Arkansas Reckoning has brought critical local and state issues to light, often at great personal and professional risk.
This award recognizes not just a single act, but a lifetime of courageous journalism that puts the public interest above all else. In a time when truth-telling is more vital than ever, Suzi Parker stands as a powerful example of what it means to hold the line.
I have been at this journalism game a long time. A very long time. It is not easy exposing the truth. That is why I need your support. It is not easy investigating facts, interviewing people, covering meetings and reporting stories that make people mad, happy and every emotion in between.
Grant County citizens deserve community journalism that seeks the facts, tells all sides of a story, emphasizes local talent, especially kids, and businesses, covers meetings and deep dives into controversial topics.
That’s what I plan to do if you support me. I can’t cover meetings for free or write investigative stories without funding. Seeking the truth is not easy work. Yes, I may take heat, but I am used to it. I have been a working journalist since high school. I don’t plan to stop now.
Jump into the fire with me. Subscribe below to ignite the truth in your own backyard. You can always reach me at [email protected] with questions, tips or whatever you would like to say or ask.
Suzi Parker
Owner/Publisher