Join the Arkansas Kids Count Coalition for Policy Lab, an interactive training where you will learn key aspects of critical public policies impacting the well-being of Arkansas’s children and families, including topics such Medicaid, Arkansas’s child welfare system, education funding, family economic well-being, and more. Through activities like round table discussions, quizzes, and more, you’ll have opportunities to connect with other advocates, deepen your policy knowledge, and prepare to speak up for the interests of children with lawmakers from the state to the nation’s Capitol.

Sign up to attend in person on Aug. 25th from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Jones Center in Springdale using the link HERE.

Join local community members at the annual Little Flock picnic to meet local Democratic candidates and U.S. Senate Candidate Hallie Shoffner. The picnic in on Sunday, Sept. 27th and starts at 1 p.m. at 1500 Little Flock Drive. You bring camping chairs, and they’ll provide the food (picnic standards). Purchase tickets or sponsorships HERE.

🚨 ACTION ALERT🚨

At the Committee of the Whole/Quorum Court meetings this month, there will be a second discussion and reading of the ordinance to establish a 287g Ice Program Fund for the federal dollars the county will receive for participating in the more advanced (optional) program that the county sheriff is participating. If you would like to express your opinion on the creation of the fund and the distribution of the fund dollars, you should email your Justice of the Peace representative and/or speak at the upcoming meetings this month.

Justice of the Peace candidate for district 2, Angelina White, has posted a good video to her Facebook profile explaining the process and the fund. Watch it HERE.

Upcoming County Government meetings at the Admin Building in downtown Bentonville:

Over the weekend, current State Representative and Benton County Judge candidate, Austin McCollum, was arrested and booked on charges of third-degree battering, aggravated assault on a family or household member, and first-degree false imprisonment. KNWA has more information on the police report, responses from other law makers, and a statement from current Benton County Judge Barry Moehring HERE.

This is a horrible situation for the McCollum family and for Benton County voters. Currently, Austin is the only candidate who will appear on the Nov. 3rd ballot for the Benton County Judge position. Based on the rules governing a vacancy, it is unlikely that the County Republican party can replace him on the ballot if he backs out anytime soon. It’s more likely that a special election will need to be called after he either backs out of the race or after he wins and then resigns. As I learn more, I’ll let you all know.

Municipal election candidate filings began last week and will continue until NOON, Wed., Aug. 5th. You can access the current list of filers from the “Municipal Candidates” link on the Benton County Website HERE.

Hallie Shoffner’s Senate Campaign is excited to announce they are beginning volunteer training sessions and door knocking events this Saturday, Aug. 8th at the Benton County Democratic Party headquarters in Rogers (1504 W Walnut St.).

Volunteer training will begin at 2 p.m. and last until 3:30 p.m.. After the training, they will break volunteers up into smaller groups and knock some doors from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m..

After door knocking, there will be a "Canvass Debrief" back at the headquarters around 5:30 p.m.. Please show up wearing cool, comfortable clothing for door knocking and have your phone fully charged.

Sign up HERE.

Please consider attending the following upcoming event to learn more about and support like-minded candidates running for office in Arkansas.

Justice of the Peace: Campaign Kickoff for District 5 Justice of the Peace Candidate Steven Baker at the Bentonville Brewing Company (901 SW 14th St.) in Bentonville on Thursday, Aug. 6 from 5 - 7 p.m.

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