Democratic Party of Benton County Holiday Parade Participation:

Come lead off holiday and campaigning season with us! Join your fellow Democrats in spreading the holiday cheer, smiles, and laughs as we connect with the local communities. We will be handing out candy again along side our escort, Rudolf (the best looking vehicle in NWA)!

Rogers Christmas Parade:

Bentonville Christmas Parade

Once the exact time and location for the line up is confirmed by the parade organizers you will receive an email/text with that information.

Bentonville Residents:

NWA State of the Region 2023 Report Released

The Northwest Arkansas Council and the University of Arkansas Walton College of Business released the 2023 NWA State of the Region report earlier this month.

About the report (from their reporting):

The report shows Northwest Arkansas remains an economic engine that often outperforms the rest of the state and the national average, with substantial growth in population, employment, wages and business establishments.

The picture is more mixed when comparing to the report’s six peer regions, which include Austin, Texas, and the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. Among this group, NWA does well in employment, GDP and population growth but is weakest in income, R&D spending and share of adults with a bachelor’s degree. Local homeownership cost also has soared more quickly than in all of the peer regions.

Due to construction of a new Quorum Courtroom in the Benton County government building in downtown Bentonville, members of the Quorum Court will be meeting at the Rogers Office (2111 W. Walnut St.) during November scheduled meetings. Due to space limitations, the meetings will only be audio recorded. Follow the County’s Facebook page for the latest information.

Last week the Quorum Court approved placing a question on the March 5 primary ballot regarding a dues increase for the Avoca Fire and Rescue Department. The ballot question will ask voters to vote for or against and increase in annual dues from $50 to $125 for any occupied residences and businesses in the designated area of the Avoca Fire & Rescue department.

Buffalo River Drama!

Congratulations to the Madison County Record for their stellar reporting on the push to create a national park preserve on public land around the Buffalo River. Read the report from Ellen Kreth, published with permission on the Arkansas Advocate, HERE.

Additional reporting from Arkansas Advocate: Arkansans are fiercely protective of one of the few free-flowing rivers left in the U.S., so talk about changing the country's first national river into a national park preserve led more than 1,100 people to gather in Jasper (pop. 547) to voice their concerns. Many Northwest Arkansas residents were alarmed when they learned that discussions about the park preserve designation had already taken place at high levels.

LEARNS Act updates:

Important reporting on our state legislators Culture Wars priorities from Arkansas Advocates: Arkansas state Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, continued his crusade against libraries and diversity programs last week in a legislative committee meeting.

Libraries. The head of the Arkansas Library Association declined an invitation from Sullivan to appear before the Joint Performance Review Committee to answer questions about the group's affiliation with the American Library Association. That didn't deter Sullivan, who said he intends to try to take state funds away from libraries associated with the national group.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. A week after DEI offices and principles at colleges and universities were on the hot seat with some Arkansas legislators, a representative of a conservative group told lawmakers that defunding DEI programs was the best way to address racial discrimination.

Matt Campbell (blogger for Blue Hog Report and now contributor to the Arkansas Times) filed suit with the governor’s office alleging FOIA violations. Read Sonny Albarado’s write-up in the Arkansas Advocate, “Arkansas governor sued over alleged violations of public records law: Exemption for ‘working papers’ other communications of governor don’t apply, lawsuit says”

In what is surely an attempt to side-step the Lectern-gate news cycle, the governor issued an urgent Executive Order to <checks notes> ban gender-neutral language… 🙄 Read more from Tess Vrbin at the Arkansas Advocate, “Executive order bans gender-neutral language in Arkansas government Documents - Gov. Sanders cites an example from a Department of Health memo and claims other uses of what she calls ‘nonsense terms’ have been reported to her office.”

Caitlin Draper is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a clinical focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder and eating disorders, Caitlin has made it her mission to improve the lives of children and families in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley. Her extensive professional background includes a successful private practice, where she has provided invaluable support to those facing these challenges and has had a front row seat to the destruction Republicans’ extreme power grabs have had on women and LGBTQ families.

Beyond her clinical practice, Caitlin serves as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Arkansas School of Social Work, where she has inspired and educated the next generation of social workers. Her commitment to higher education and her students is indicative of her passion for positive change and progress.

Caitlin Draper believes strongly in empathy, education, and community. That’s why her campaign will focus on lowering the cost of living and healthcare for families, protecting public education and reproductive rights, and addressing the climate crisis. Draper lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with her husband. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

Follow Caitlin’s Campaign:

Donate HERE.

2023 Bentonville Annual School and Gravette Special Election:

Registered voters residing in the Bentonville School District can vote on the annual school millage (this vote does NOT impact the current school millage). School millage questions (regardless if there is no change requested by the district) must be presented to voters annually.

Registered voters residing in the city of Gravette will vote for or against a new 0.75% sales and use tax (replacing the existing tax of the same amount approved in 2016). Read the entire bond question HERE.

Early Voting: Benton County Clerk’s Office (215 E. Central, Bentonville) from 8 - 4:30 p.m. on November 7-9 and November 13th.

Day of Voting: Gravette Civic Center (401 Charlotte Street S.E., Gravette) from 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. on November 14th.

Democratic Party Benton County Position Filing Information:

Representatives from the Democratic Party of Benton County will be available at the Benton County Clerk’s office for Democratic candidates to file to run for Justices of the Peace and Constable positions during the following dates/times:

Candidates filing will be required to complete the following steps (these can all be done at the County Clerk’s office):