Local Events
Tues., Jan. 20th at 5 p.m. - Arkansas Democrats Present: The Hub; an online monthly webinar updating Arkansans on the work Democrats are doing across the state; sign up to attend the zoom HERE
Tues., Jan. 20 starting at 5:30 p.m. - Democratic Party of Benton County Happy Hour at Gusano’s Pizzeria in Bentonville (2905 S Walton Blvd); grab a slice and join in a casual meet up of likeminded Dems
Tues., Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. - League of Women Voters Benton County Monthly Meeting in Bentonville (6811 Harmony Way); This year is a big year with mid-term elections coming! Learn how you can plug in to register voters, increase awareness of candidates, create transparency in local government and more!
Tues., Jan. 20 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Stand Together with Heather Cox Richardson: One Year Post-Inauguration virtual event hosted by Red, Wine & Blue - This conversation is not just about naming what’s gone wrong; it is also about recognizing what’s beginning to shift. She will share why the tide may be turning as cracks form in the MAGA movement and more people are rejecting extremism in favor of humanity. Let’s start the new year talking about how we will continue to bring positive change and the power we have when we stand together. Register to attend HERE
Sun., Feb. 1 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Arkansas Advocate's for Children & Families Soup Sunday at the Rogers Convention Center; Join in this fun, family friendly fundraising event by purchasing tickets in advance HERE. Don’t forget to bring your muffin pan from home (IYKYK).
Community Involvement Opportunities
Ballot Initiatives - Time for Citizens to Get to Work
There are two direct democracy campaigns working to undo laws recently passed by the state legislature limiting Arkansans constitutional rights to make changes to Arkansas laws and/or the state constitution via a citizen led ballot initiative process.
The first direct democracy campaign is led by the Arkansas League of Women Voters. Review their proposed constitutional amendment HERE. Subscribe to get updates on their direct democracy project HERE.
The second direct democracy campaign is led by a coalition of seven affiliated organizations under the name of Protect AR Rights. Review their proposed constitutional amendment HERE.
Upcoming Initiative Related Events:
Protect AR Rights Signature Collection Event (come and sign the initiative) on Monday, Jan. 19th from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Horsebarn Park in Rogers (423 S. Horsebarn Rd)
AR Ballot Measures Town Hall on Tuesday, February 3rd at 6:30 p.m. at the Fayetteville Public Library (401 W Mountain St.); the Fayetteville panel of fellow advocates includes: Bobby Howard, Executive Director at Arkansas Appleseed Legal Justice Center, Gennie Diaz, Founding Director at For AR People, Bill Kopsky, Executive Director at Arkansas Public Policy Panel, and Kwami Abdul-Bey, Elections Coordinator at Arkansas Public Policy Panel
Arkansas Kids Count Coalition Policy 101
This year, the Arkansas Kids Count Coalition is hosting a monthly webinar series, Policy 101, to explore the fundamentals of major policies and programs impacting children and families in Arkansas. The webinars are meant to provide advocates with the basics around many important topics to help you in advocating for the well-being of Arkansas’s children. They will cover essential components of a program or policy, as well as current issues affecting the policy. Each webinar will end by answering participant questions.
The first webinar, Child Welfare 101, will be on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 1 p.m.. They will go over key aspects of Arkansas’s child welfare system, including foster care, adoption, and child abuse and neglect prevention. Register HERE.
Municipal Government Awareness
Bella Vista
Next Council Mtng: Monday, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. (2483 Forest Hills Blvd)
Items of Note:
Upcoming mayoral appointments: Eugene Oberlander, Jr. to the Board of Construction Appeals (term ends Dec. 2028) and Chuck Woods to the Tree Advisory Board (term ends May 2028)
Starting Monday, Feb. 9, commercial businesses operating within Bella Vista will be required to obtain a business license from the city. Existing businesses will have until Friday, April 10 to apply for and obtain a license. Applications and other documents are not yet available. Find more information HERE.
The city is seeking applicants to fill vacancies on the Active Transportation Advisory Board. Regular and ex-officio (youth) positions are available. Regular position candidates must be residents or property owners in Bella Vista city limits. Youth members, for which there are two non-voting positions, must be between the ages of 10 and 18 years and live in the city. Those interested in serving on the board should submit their resume and letter of interest by applying online HERE by Jan. 28th.
Bentonville
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 6 p.m. (305 SW A St.)
Items of Note:
Travel + Leisure Magazine highlighted Bentonville as one of their top places to visit in 2026 for “cultural immersion”; read their blurb HERE
From Thomas Saccente with the NWA Dem Gazz, “Bentonville moves ahead on drainage improvements expected to cost $846,951”
Tues., Jan. 20th from 8 - 9 a.m. - Coffee with the Mayor at Fire Station 1, register to attend HERE
Cave Springs
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. (134 N. Main St.)
Centerton
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. (210 Municipal Dr.)
Items of Note:
From Thomas Saccente with NWA Dem Gazz, “Centerton adopts new community brand, logo”; You can also see the meeting where the design was approved on YouTube HERE (start at around 14 minutes in)
Gravette
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 5:30 p.m. (202 Main St. NE)
Highfill
Next Council Mtng: Rescheduled from last week to Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. (2560 W Hwy 12)
Lowell
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. (216 N. Lincoln St.)
Pea Ridge
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. (911 Weston St.)
Rogers
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 6 p.m. (301 W. Chestnut)
Items of Note:
From Jada Robison with the NWA Dem Gazz, “Modified Pinnacle Reserve proposal results in neighbors’ change of heart in Rogers - Silo Falls residents throw support behind rezoning”
Siloam Springs
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. (400 N. Broadway)
Springdale
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 6 p.m. (201 Spring St.)
Items of Note:
From Tom Sissom with the NWA Dem Gazz, “Springdale OKs multimillion-dollar intersection improvement proposal involving three busy areas - Most of cost expected to be covered by state”
AR Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting on Thurs., Jan. 22nd from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the Revival Tabernacle Church (2608 East Emma) in Springdale to review the proposed design plans for the extension of Hwy 265 to Hwy 412
County Government Awareness
Benton County Planning Board
“Benton County is working on addressing additional road infrastructure issues after state legislation last year put the planning areas of its cities under its jurisdiction… Act 314 took effect Aug. 5 and transferred the authority municipalities had under state law to enforce zoning and city codes in unincorporated areas surrounding their borders -- called planning or extraterritorial jurisdiction areas -- to counties. The size of each city's planning area varied depending on the city's population… The county's planning jurisdiction prior to Act 314 stood at 300,536 acres, according to [County Planning Director Nathan] Crouch. The legislation brought that area to 375,290, a nearly 25% increase, he said.”
Read more from Thomas Saccente’s reporting in the NWA Dem Gazz from earlier this month HERE.
Benton County Quorum Court
Upcoming County Government meetings at the Admin Building in downtown Bentonville:
Committee of the Whole - Jan. 20 at 6 p.m.
Planning Board - Jan. 21 at 6 p.m.
Development Review Committee - Jan. 28 at 10 a.m.
Quorum Court - Jan. 29 at 6 p.m.
Planning Board - Feb. 4 at 6 p.m.
State Government Awareness
95th General Legislative Assembly:
ABUSE OF POWER alert - You may have heard by now that the recently announced new dean of the University of Arkansas Law School has had her offer of employment revoked due to pressure from specific state legislators (looking at you, Sen. Hester). I highly encourage readers to review the following recaps:
From the Arkansas Advocate staff, “University of Arkansas withdraws incoming law dean’s offer in wake of Republican complaints”
From Alex Golden with Axios NWA, “University of Arkansas rescinds law school hire under political pressure, legislator says”
Additionally, check out JJ Thompson’s (Attorney and Cave Springs City Council Member) post to Facebook recapping the issue and pointing out other abuses of power being applied to staff at the University of Arkansas HERE
Additional State Reporting:
From Antoinette Grajeda with the Arkansas Advocate, “Legislative panel to consider extra $32 million for Arkansas school voucher program” and “Arkansas receives $25 million in federal funding for literacy education”
🙄 From Tess Vrbin with the Arkansas Advocate, “Arkansas begins new search for ‘monument to the unborn’ design after artist seeks copyright - The submission window will be open until March 14”
Local Candidate Events
Please consider attending one or more of the following upcoming events to learn more about and support candidates running for office in Arkansas.
State Legislature: Candidate Kick Off Event for Jacob Allen in House District 10 (North Bentonville and south/central Bella Vista) and Mitchell Smith in House District 13 (South Bentonville and NW Rogers) in Bentonville:
Arkansas U.S. Senate: Candidate Hallie Shoffner (all Arkansas voters in the Democratic primary) fundraiser in Rogers:
In the Ear
From Daniel Caruth via Ozarks at Large, “Canopy NWA uplifts immigrant, refugee entrepreneurs in business expo”
Also from Daniel Caruth via Ozarks at Large, “Springdale vigil mourns Renee Good, decries ICE enforcement”
Hear “Why Hallie Shoffner is Running for the US Senate” on the District 3 podcast
Odds & Ends
The United Health Foundation released their 2025 Annual Report on America’s Health Rankings. Spoiler alert, Arkansas ranks 49th out of 50; just behind Louisiana as the least healthy state in the U.S.. Read the entire report HERE. Additionally, the USDA just reported that Arkansas has remained the hungriest state in the nation (can’t imagine there’s a correlation 🙄 ). Read a recap on the federal reporting from Ainsley Platt at the Arkansas Advocate HERE.
Doug Thompson was kind enough to report on the candidate forum hosted by the Republican Party of Benton County from earlier this month. “All three candidates for state office who attended a Republican Party of Benton County candidate forum Thursday night touted their conservative bona fides, including the candidate for nonpartisan office. Nick Bronni of Little Rock, running for the nonpartisan Position 3 seat on the state Supreme Court, bragged of having sued then-President Joe Biden more often than anyone in Arkansas as solicitor-general for the state attorney general's office. Gov. Sarah Sanders appointed Bronni to fill a vacancy in December 2024. Bronni gained the Republican Party of Arkansas' endorsement during the party's convention last month.“ Read the entire recap HERE, and consider weighing this information when you vote for the Supreme Court position in the primary.