Hi Community Members!
Please take time this month to sign the Citizens for AR Public Education and Students (CAPES) ballot referendum. CAPES is a non-partisan movement dedicated to preserving and strengthening public education in Arkansas. CAPES believes that every child deserves access to a high-quality education that prepares them for success in college, career, and life. CAPES opposes the LEARNS Act, and is collecting signatures for a referendum to put the LEARNS Act to a ballot vote for all Arkansans.
Opportunities to sign the CAPES petition will be at each DPBC event this month, or visit their website for more information.
Local Events
Tuesday, July 11 at 5:30 p.m. - DPBC Social Hour at Bentonville Brewing Company in Bentonville; come spend some time with local democrats on the amazing patio
Thursday, July 13 at 6 p.m. - Latin Dance Adventures at Crystal Bridges; starts with a performance of Rhythm y MAS, a collection of original songs, scenes, and poems curated by the LatinX Theatre Project; follows with a 30min beginner’s dance class (7:30 p.m.); after the lesson, the dance floor will stay open until 10:30 p.m.; event is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance
Tuesday, July 18 at 5:30 p.m. - Vortex PAC Introduction at the Fayetteville Public Library (401 W. Mountain St.) in the Willard and Pat Walker Community Room; Vortex PAC is a new grassroots movement to transform Arkansas politics away from the far-right. We are recruiting, training, and supporting Democratic candidates to flip all four of Arkansas’ U.S. congressional districts and building a grassroots army to bring long-term political change to Arkansas
Mike Luckovich from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Leadership Opportunities
Leadership Arkansas
Applications for the Arkansas State Chamber sponsored Leadership Arkansas 18th class are now open. The program is designed for leaders from diverse backgrounds and industries. It offers participants a nine-month program filled with immersive experiences, expert-led sessions and engaging discussions about all things Arkansas. Previous local class participants include Rogers City Council Member April Legere, Attorney Bourgon Reynolds, Democratic Candidate for JP District 8 Carol Vella, and Democratic Party of Benton County Communications Chair Clint Schaff.
The application process includes an online application submission, color photograph, biography, $25 application fee, and two letters of recommendation. The application period will close on August 4th.
Emerge Southern Regional Candidate Boot Camp
The Emerge Boot Camp training is designed to support women as they face the challenges of running for office, and has helped over a thousand individuals get elected. Applications for the Emerge Southern Regional Candidate Boot Camp are open now through Friday, July 14th.
Boot Camp participants learn the fundamentals of running a campaign, including campaign strategy, building a winning team, and fundraising. They also join a powerful network of alumni who are pushing for progress in their communities, from their local school board all the way to the U.S. Congress.
Municipal Government Awareness
Bella Vista
Next Council Mtng: Monday, July 17 at 5:30 p.m. (2483 Forest Hills Blvd) - Work Session
Items of Note:
Bentonville
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, July 11 at 6 p.m. (305 SW A St.)
Items of Note:
Bentonville residents be on the lookout for the traveling “Cozy Apple” sculpture from now until October
Cave Springs
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, July 11 at 6:30 p.m. (134 N. Main St.) - Work Session
Centerton
Gravette
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, July 11 at 5:30 p.m. (202 Main St. NE) - Committee of the Whole
Items of Note:
At June 27th meeting, council voted to table an ordinance requesting a rate increase of 5.4% for Republic Trash Service (increase will remain at 3% for now)
Lowell
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, July 18 at 6:30 p.m. (216 N. Lincoln St.)
Pea Ridge
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, July 18 at 6:00 p.m. (911 Weston St.)
Items of Note:
The City and the Runway Group partnered together to add three bright green bicycle racks to the Pea Ridge community; read more HERE
AR biz assist luncheon for Pea Ridge small business owners at the Messiah Lutheran Church (15315 N. Hwy 94) registration open for July 20th
Rogers
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, July 11 at 6 p.m. (301 W. Chestnut)
Items of Note:
Quinton J. Harris has been named the city’s new Parks and Recreation director
Siloam Springs
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, July 18 at 6:30 p.m. (400 N. Broadway)
Items of Note:
City Directors voted to offer the city administrator position to current Siloam Springs Police Chief Allan Gilbert at the July 3rd meeting, read more HERE
Springdale
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, July 11 at 6 p.m. (201 Spring St.)
Items of Note:
Springdale City Clerk’s office has moved to a new location: 201 Spring St
County Government Awareness
Benton County Quorum Court
At the June meeting, the Quorum Court unanimously voted to spend $30,000 for conceptional drawings for a county jail expansion
State Government Awareness
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders:
From Tess Vrbin at the Arkansas Advocate:
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed former U.S. Attorney Cody Hiland (and current chair of the Republican Party of Arkansas) to the state Supreme Court on Monday, filling the seat left vacant by Associate Justice Robin Wynne’s death in June.
Hiland will serve on the court until Jan. 1, 2025. The state’s next judicial election will be in May 2024 and will include a special election to fill the rest of Wynne’s eight-year term, which began in January of this year. Hiland’s appointment means he is ineligible to run for the seat, according to the Arkansas Constitution, though other justices’ seats will be up for election. Read more HERE.
Attorney General Tim Griffin:
AG Griffin announced in June that he is forming a working group of legislators and FOIA stakeholders to advise him privately on potential changes to Arkansas’ FOIA laws. Read/watch interview with Talk Business, HERE.
Scary Quote of the Week:
“Hiland will bring “strict originalism” to the court.”
Bidenomics Talking Points
Listed below are some great talking points to share in conversations with friends and family when discussing Bidenomics:
The US economy added 209,000 jobs in June, bringing the total job created since President Biden took office to a record 13.2 million jobs – including nearly 800,000 good-paying manufacturing jobs.
The share of prime working age Americans in the workforce is at its highest level in over 20 years.
The unemployment rate has been under 4 percent for 17 months in a row – the longest stretch of low unemployment since the 1960s.
Wages are growing at one of the fastest rates in years, up 4.4 percent over the past year.
Annual inflation has fallen for 11 months in a row and is down by more than half since last summer.
Election Information
From the Arkansas Public Policy Center:
Legislative Ballot Issues - 2024
For the first time in nearly 40 years, Arkansas legislators have referred only one constitutional amendment to voters. Election Day is Nov. 5, 2024.
Issue 1 - A constitutional amendment to provide that lottery proceeds may be used to fund or provide scholarships and grants to Arkansas citizens enrolled in vocational-technical schools and technical institutes.
Election Dates
Starting in 2024, special elections will only be allowed to take place on two dates unless it's an emergency. According to Act 300 of 2023:
In a presidential election year, special elections will take place the second Tuesday in March or November.
In non-presidential years, cities and counties can hold special elections on the second Tuesday of May or November.
Political Training Opportunities
National Democratic Training Committee (Free & Online):
How to Recruit & Train Volunteers - Tue, July 11 - noon
How to Have Meaningful One-on-One Conversations - Thu, July 13 - noon
How to Make Hard Asks for Volunteers - Wed, July 19 - noon
Expert Q&A: Messaging Around Reproductive Rights & Abortion - Thu, July 20 - noon
Running in a Red District - Tue, Aug. 1 - noon
Odds & Ends
Read Alaina Demopoulos in The Guardian, “The sex ed class you wish you’d had: the influencer doctors teaching Americans the basics”
Read Tess Vrbin in the Arkansas Advocate, “Black maternal mortality in Arkansas rose 110% in two decades, study shows” ‘Perfect storm’ of contributing factors including systemic racism, shortage of care providers in rural areas, experts say
Read guest columnist Chris Wlaschin (SVP and CIO for Election Systems & Software) in the NWA Dem Gazz, “Your vote counts - because we count them”