Local Events

  • Monday, Oct. 9 at 6:30 p.m. - Democratic Party of Benton County Monthly Meeting in Downtown Bentonville (Arvest Conference Room directly behind the square) - Come and learn more about “spooky” Arkansas politics with Blake Rutherford

  • Tuesday, Oct. 10th starting at 5:30 p.m. - Democratic Party of Benton County October Happy Hour at Pedaler’s Pub in Bentonville (410 SW A St) - on patio if the weather is good

  • Wednesday, Oct. 11 from 11 - 6 p.m. - NWA Center for Sexual Assault Open House in Springdale (1670 W Sunset Ave); Open house will include meet and greet, a survivor support station, organizational updates, silent auction and refreshments. RSVP here (free event, donations welcome)

Step Up and Lead Opportunities

Applications are open for LBJ Women’s Campaign School - Cohort 5!

The purpose of the LBJ Women's Campaign School is to increase the number of women in elected office and campaign senior staff positions — regardless of political affiliation — through a structured curriculum, high-impact mentorship, and alumnae support (including Arkansans Jenny Flanagan, Anna Beth Gorman, Sarah Luhtanen, Chelsea Miller, and myself).

Round 1 Application Deadline is Dec. 1, 2023. Successful applicants will have the following characteristics:

  • Civic-minded and committed to public service: Uses her voice and her time to lift up those around her, votes, volunteers, and has the capacity to lead toward meaningful change.

  • Significant, meaningful experience: has demonstrated success in her career or other aspects of her life, is ready to lead.

  • Can apply what she learns in the program: has clearly defined goals for running for office or staffing a campaign in the next one to three years (i.e., running or managing a 2024, 2025 or 2026 race).

  • Skilled communicator: Inspires those around her through her communication skills, authenticity, and vision.

REGISTER FOR INFO SESSION
APPLICATION DETAILS

Leadership Benton County - Accepting applications for the 2024 class

Leadership Benton County’s purpose is to inspire and connect leaders to serve their community. The program objectives include:

  • Participants will identify their strengths and passions that can be leveraged to serve their community.

  • Participants will understand the strengths, needs, and inter-connected systems that provide opportunities within our community.

  • Participants will be able to apply and build their social networks and connections.

  • Participants will emerge as board-ready leaders who are equipped to step into open opportunities.

  • Participants will be prepared to share their experience, bringing knowledge back to their employers and teammates.

Application deadline is Oct. 20, 2023.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Municipal Government Awareness

Bella Vista

  • Next Council Mtng: Monday, Oct. 16 at 5:30 p.m. (2483 Forest Hills Blvd) - Working session

Bentonville

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. (305 SW A St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • Bentonville is accepting applications for openings on the Public Art Advisory Committee (PAAC) and the Tree & Landscape Committee - complete application HERE

    • Public Open House Monday, Oct. 2 from 4-7 p.m. at the Bentonville Community Center (1101 SW Citizens Circle) to gather feedback on Greenhouse Road safety improvements.

    • The League (Bicycle Friendly America) is seeking resident input about local bicyclists’ experiences in Bentonville; survey HERE.

Cave Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 6:30 p.m. (134 N. Main St.) - work session

Centerton

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. (210 Municipal Dr.)

  • Items of Note:

    • Public Open House Monday, Oct. 2 from 4-7 p.m. at the Bentonville Community Center (1101 SW Citizens Circle) to gather feedback on Greenhouse Road safety improvements.

Gravette

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 5:30 p.m. (202 Main St. NE) - Committee of the Whole

  • Items of Note:

    • Trick-or-Treat Main Street Halloween event will be on Tuesday, Oct. 31 from 4 - 7 p.m. on the first two blocks of Main St in Gravette. Information to sign up to hand out candy, learn where to park, and more is HERE.

Lowell

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 6:30 p.m. (216 N. Lincoln St.)

Pea Ridge

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. (911 Weston St.) - Committee of the Whole

Rogers

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. (301 W. Chestnut)

  • Items of Note:

    • Deadline to apply to be in the Dec. 1st Rogers Christmas parade in Nov. 17th - more details and the float application can be found HERE

Siloam Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. (400 N. Broadway)

  • Items of Note:

    • The 2nd annual Hispanic Heritage Festival in Sept. attracted approx. 2,500 attendees (60% increase from first year). Participants and vendors reported pleasure at the event and attendees stayed an avg. of 30 minutes longer than first year.

    • Read September’s Connect Siloam Springs magazine HERE.

Springdale

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. (201 Spring St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • The League (Bicycle Friendly America) is seeking resident input about local bicyclists’ experiences in Springdale; survey HERE.

    • City Council approved contributing up to $250k to the building of the Gerald Harp Memorial Park at the Randal Tyson Sports Complex. Read more about the project and Gerald Harp in Laurinda Joenks report in the NWA Dem Gazz HERE.

County Government Awareness

The League (Bicycle Friendly America) is seeking resident input about local bicyclists’ experiences in Northwest Arkansas (Benton and Washington Counties); survey HERE.

Benton County Quorum Court

Update from the team at Arkansas Justice Reform Coalition:

Last week, the Benton County Quorum Court held a Finance & Budget Meeting to discuss how to fund and operate the addition of an I-Pod to hold people charged with misdemeanor crimes. The cost of operations to incarcerate 300 people per year is $5,835,000, a cost the County can’t afford with their reserves alone. Many JPs suggested implementing a sales tax for operations of the jail. After two hours of conversation, they moved a 2.7 million expansion of the sally port and medical unit forward. They will discuss adding more beds to the jail in January 2024 following the end of the budget season. You can read more on Twitter @ArReform, or watch a video of the Sept. 28th meeting on Facebook HERE.

Next Meetings:

State Government Awareness

State Infrastructure News:

U.S. Department of Energy has allocated $10.3 million in federal funds to Arkansas over two years to use to upgrade the state’s electrical grid; read Alex Golden’s report from Axios NW Arkansas HERE.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders:

Things are heating up in the world of “podium/lectern-gate” for the Governor… Not sure what I’m referring to? 😲 Catch up here:

Election Information

Videos:

Stephannie Lane Baker, Executive Director of Emerge Arkansas, and I created four short videos explaining the filing process for positions up for election in Arkansas in 2024. Please share with your networks!

Other Important Candidate Election Reference Materials:

Political Training Opportunities

Arkansas Farm Bureau Two-Day How to Win an Election Seminar

This seminar, developed by the American Farm Bureau, focuses on essential skills for evaluating candidates and the electorate, constructing a campaign structure, fundraising, recruiting allies, forming coalitions, and capturing the attention of voters on election day. Seminar will be held in Little Rock from Oct. 17 - 18th. This training (open to any political parties) is available to candidates, campaign managers and candidate spouses for a fee. Applications are due on Oct. 13th.

Register HERE

National Democratic Training Committee - Free Webinars:

NGP VAN - Free Webinar:

Odds & Ends

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Should You Panic?

Panic about nothing, worry about everything. Don’t be complacent. This poll tells us nothing new. This is going to be a very close race, and we have a lot of work to do to rebuild the anti-MAGA majority. All of us have 14 months to persuade our friends and family about the stakes of this election, President Biden’s economic record, and how much better he would be than Trump.

Dan Preiffer - “No, Trump isn’t Really Winning by 10 Points”

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