❝

Hi Community Members,

A friend shared this information from Rabbi Laura at the Temple Shalom of Northwest Arkansas. Two nonprofits the rabbi recommended doing important work on the ground in Israel: New Israel Fund and Magen David Adom (Israel’s equivalent of the Red Cross). The rabbi also shared an article on “How to Talk to Kids About What’s Happening in Israel Right Now”.

In addition to the resources above, I’d like to share NPR’s article on “How to talk to children about the violence in Israel and Gaza” and the just released collection of resources from the New York Times (🎁 article), “Teaching About the Israel-Hamas War: A collection of resources to help students learn about Hamas’s recent attack on Israel, the dire situation in Gaza, the conflict’s root, media literacy and more.”

- Christine

Local Events

  • Saturday, Oct. 21st from10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Arkansas Democrats on the Hill Tailgate Event - Candidates and members of the public are welcome to attend the football tailgating event hosted by Arkansas Democrats before this Saturday’s game in Fayetteville. Food and drinks will be provided. Please register HERE to attend.

  • Tuesday, Oct. 24th from 5:30 - 7 p.m. - Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families Celebrate 15 Years in Northwest Arkansas at Bailey Center (150 N. Skyline, Fayetteville); ticketed fundraiser - more information HERE

  • Friday, Oct. 27 - Sunday, Oct. 29 - Young Democrats of Arkansas Annual Fall Conference in Little Rock - welcome to all Democrats under the age of 36. Hear from speakers like retired Senator Joyce Elliott, Dr. Chris Jones, State Chair Grant Tennille, former candidate Kelly Krout, and others. Registration and event details HERE.

  • Saturday, Nov. 11th - League of Women Voters Washington County: Dash for Democracy 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk at Veteran’s Park in Fayetteville. Register to participate in-person or sleep in to support HERE

Municipal Government Awareness

Bella Vista

  • Next Council Mtng: Monday, Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. (2483 Forest Hills Blvd)

  • Items of Note:

    • Halloween at the Bella Vista Public Library will run from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28th. Costumes are encouraged but not required. Attendees should bring their own treat bag.

Bentonville

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. (305 SW A St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • City launched new website Plan Bentonville to gather community feedback on where/how city will grow.

    • Virtual coffee with the mayor Tuesday, Oct. 17 from 8 - 9 a.m.; register HERE.

    • Bentonville Police Department hosted Trunk or Treat on Saturday, Oct. 21st from 11 - 1 p.m. at Memorial Park.

Cave Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. (134 N. Main St.)

Centerton

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. (210 Municipal Dr.)

  • Items of Note:

    • City hosted Trunk or Treat event followed by the movie Hocus Pocus will be Saturday, Oct. 28th from 5 - 8 p.m. (1550 Gamble Rd)

Gravette
Highfill

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. (2560 W Hwy 12)

  • Items of Note:

    • The city of Highfill is suing Northwest Arkansas National Airport to prevent the deannexing from Highill. Read the recap from Tracy Neal at the NWA Dem Gazz HERE.

Lowell

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. (216 N. Lincoln St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • Lowell Fraternal Order of Police Trunk or Treat event on Sunday, Oct. 29th at 5 p.m. at Ward nail Park (park in lot spaces off McClure Ave.)

Pea Ridge

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. (911 Weston St.)

Rogers

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. (301 W. Chestnut)

Siloam Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. (400 N. Broadway)

  • Items of Note:

    • City hosting Monster Mash event on Friday, Oct. 27th from 4 - 8 p.m. at Memorial Park; costumes encouraged.

Springdale

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. (201 Spring St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • At last meeting, the council approved buying 2 additional acres of land (3058 S. 48th St.) for the Randall Tyson Recreation Complex. No plans for the property have been announced or approved at this time.

County Government Awareness

Benton County Quorum Court

The Benton County Justices of the Peace voted at last Tuesday’s budget meeting to ask each of the county’s elected officials to try to cut 2.5% from their proposed budgets for next year in order to address the current $1.5 million dollar deficit in the 2024 proposed budget. Read more from Tracy Neal’s write up of the meeting in the NWA Dem Gazz HERE.

Upcoming meetings:

Benton County Election Commission:

The Benton County public testing of voting machines for this November’s election will be held at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24th at the new Election Commission office (1428 W. Walnut St., Rogers). A public testing for next year’s primary will be held next February and I will make sure to share the information here.

Benton County Prosecutor’s Office:

Benton County’s elected Prosecuting Attorney, Nathan Smith, announced last week that he will resign by the end of the month to take a job in the private sector with Walmart. The governor will appoint an interim prosecuting attorney and a special election will be held in 2024 to fill the remainder of the original four-year term (which extends through 2026). Full recap from Tracy Neal at the NWA Dem Gazz can be found HERE.

Other News Impacting the County:

from Doug Thompson at NWA Dem Gazz, “Tontitown landfill expansion should stand, judge rules, because kept collecting fee”:

The landfill in Tontitown has been NWA’s only licensed public landfill since 1980. It has 10 - 12 years of capacity left if the expansion is approved, its managers estimate. Eco-Vista will run out of room without the expansion in or around February 2024, it told the commission in documents in the case.

State Government Awareness

94th General Legislative Assembly:

Last Friday, the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee authorized a probe of the lectern purchase by the Arkansas Legislative Audit, an independent body with the authority to investigate spending by any state or local government entity. Read Tess Vrbin’s report in the Arkansas Advocate, “Panel OKs audit of Arkansas governor’s lectern purchase, some FOIA-exempt records”.

Here’s hoping the Audit will help answer the questions outlined in Sonny Albarado’s opinion piece from last week in the Arkansas Advocate, “Governor: We still have questions about that lectern”.

State Board of Election Commissioners

Last week the State Board of Election Commissioners announced that the audit of vote tabulating machines in 15 counties from the 2022 general election found election results to be accurate. Read Bill Bowden’s NWA Dem Gazz writeup HERE. Read the full Post-Election Audit Report published by the state HERE.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders:

Governor’s lectern purchase is making national news and is fodder for late night comedians, catch up here:

Election Information

Last minute search for candidates!

We’re still looking for Democratic candidates to run in the following positions/districts. Links to maps can be found on the webpages linked to the party. Interested parties can respond to this email. Filing for these positions will run from Nov. 6 -14th.

2024 Ballot Initiative Update

  • A government transparency group (Arkansas Citizens of Transparency) released a proposal to enshrine the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act into the state constitution. Their goal is to protect the FOIA law by requiring a vote of the people to enact any future changes to lessen government openness. Read a full write-up on the proposal from Hunter Field at the Arkansas Advocate HERE.

  • Last Tuesday, the Attorney General approved the ballot language for a proposal to exempt feminine hygiene products and diapers from state sales tax. Ballot petitions will begin to be distributed by the group leading the initiative soon. Read a full write-up on the proposal from Hunter Field at the Arkansas Advocate HERE.

Odds & Ends

Reply

or to participate

Keep Reading

No posts found