Local Events

  • Tuesday, Mar. 4 from 1 - 3 p.m. - March Forth for Democracy with 50501; Join Moms Demand Action, Democratic Party of Benton County, Indivisible NWA and other organizations at the Washington County Courthouse for a peaceful protest in solidarity with the 50501 national movement. Across the country there will be visual representations of resistance and protest against fascism and the dismantling of the checks and balances that uphold our constitution. The march will begin at 1:30 pm at the courthouse and end at the town center on the square. Sign up for alerts HERE.

  • Thursday, Mar. 6 at 6 p.m. - NWA Young Dems Meeting at the Washington County Dems HQ (1102 S Thompson St, Springdale); Open to all young Dems under the age of 36 (including High School students)

  • Monday, Mar. 10 at 6:30 p.m. - Democratic Party of Benton County monthly meeting at <NEW LOCATION> Best Friends Animal Society Pet Resource Center in Bentonville (1312 Melissa Dr.);

  • Saturday, Mar. 15 from 1 - 2:30 p.m. - Indivisible NWA Monthly Meeting at Good Shepherd Lutheran’s Alton Center in Fayetteville (2925 Old Missouri Rd); register HERE

  • Sunday, Mar. 30 from 2 - 6 p.m. - Pearls & Politics: The Women Who Lead at Crystal Bridges; A sophisticated and thought-provoking gathering hosted by the AKA; where dynamic women in politics share their journeys, insights, and impact. Reserve a spot at this FREE event HERE. Guests include Benton County Election Commissioner Dr. Melanie B. Hoskins!

Community Involvement Opportunities

Arkansas Strong Needs Your Stories

Do you have a story to share? Arkansas Strong is committed to lifting up the voices of every Arkansas no matter the color of their skin, from where they hail, who they love, or how they pray. They seek to amplify stories of everyday Arkansans— folks who are essential to the function of our communities and our state. They appreciate essays, non-fiction stories, and opinion pieces. Typical posts range from 500-2,000 words. Feature pieces can be up to 4,000 words. For questions, please email [email protected].

Annual Illinois River Cleanup

Volunteer opportunity on Saturday, April 12th from 9 - noon. There are 15+ locations you can volunteer at across the watershed in both Arkansas and Oklahoma, including 3 river float cleanups! To volunteer, see the registration form HERE and request which site(s) you would like to volunteer at. There will be a lunch and raffle held at WOKA Whitewater Park in Oklahoma from 12:30 - 2:00 pm following the cleanups that all volunteers are welcome to join for barbeque and fun prizes!

Municipal Government Awareness

Bella Vista

  • Next Council Mtng: Monday, Mar. 17 at 5:30 p.m. (2483 Forest Hills Blvd) - work session

  • Items of Note:

    • The city is now accepting applications from residents interested in serving on the Board of Construction Appeals. This non-paid position will fill an immediate vacancy for a term expiring Jan. 1, 2026. Deadline to apply is Friday, April 11, 2025. Apply online HERE.

    • The city is now accepting applications for multiple positions available on the Library Advisory Board to fill unexpired terms. Must reside in city limits, active library patrons encouraged to apply. Apply online by Tuesday, April 1. Apply online HERE.

    • Rachel Dickerson reports in the NWA Dem Gazz, “Construction gets underway at Cooper Chapel grounds in Bella Vista - office and visitor center with wheelchair-accessible restroom in works”

Bentonville

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Mar. 11 at 6 p.m. (305 SW A St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • Read Heather McCombs’ excellent recap from last week’s city council meeting in The Bentonville Bulletin HERE. For those interested in the proposed water rate hikes, consider attending the public meeting scheduled next week on Monday, Mar. 10 at 6 p.m. at City Hall (305 SW A St.)

    • If you are a resident of the City of Bentonville who is 18 years of age or older, you are eligible to participate in the City of Bentonville E-Bike Rebate Program. The first application period of 2025 is open between Monday, Mar. 3 at 9:00am and Monday, Mar. 10 at 10:00am. For information and instructions regarding the types of bikes approved, rebate amounts for income qualified and non-income qualified, and other frequently asked questions, go HERE

    • Thomas Saccente reported in the NWA Dem Gazz, “Bentonville soliciting public input for proposed changes to federal Community Development Block Grant program” Find more information about the program on the city’s website HERE.

Cave Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Mar. 11 at 6:30 p.m. (134 N. Main St.)

Centerton

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Mar. 11 at 6 p.m. (210 Municipal Dr.)

Gravette

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Mar. 11 at 5:30 p.m. (202 Main St. NE) - Committee of the Whole

Lowell

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Mar. 18 at 6:30 p.m. (216 N. Lincoln St.)

Pea Ridge

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Mar. 11 at 5:30 p.m. (911 Weston St.) - Committee of the Whole

  • Items of Note:

    • The city is looking for feedback from residents within city limits regarding the trash service provided by Republic Services. Complete the anonymous survey HERE.

Rogers

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Mar. 11 at 6 p.m. (301 W. Chestnut)

  • Items of Note:

    • From Gael Langdon’s reporting on the Rogers State of the City address in the NWA Dem Gazz last week, “Of the biggest accomplishments, Rogers adopted a new Unified Development Code in 2024, making Rogers the first city in the area to implement unified zoning, subdivision and engineering standards into a single, modern framework, [Mayor] Hines said.” Read more HERE. Watch the State of the City video from Facebook HERE.

    • The folks at the Rogers Historical Museum care deeply about making the history they share with you, the community, and visitors, meaningful. They want to better understand visitors' different needs and values so they can best serve you. Museums (like this one) strive to encourage and expand learning while also addressing the challenges facing our society, and they need to hear your thoughts. Please share your thoughts by taking their survey HERE.

Siloam Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Mar. 4 at 6:30 p.m. (400 N. Broadway)

  • Items of Note:

    • Join the city for the first Coffee & Conversations on Wednesday, March 12, from 9 to 10 a.m. at City Hall. This new ongoing program is designed to create a welcoming space for open dialogue, citizen ideas, and meaningful conversations. It’s a chance to connect with local leaders, share your thoughts, and be part of discussions that help shape the Siloam Springs community—all over a cup of coffee.

    • Read March’s Siloam Springs newsletter HERE

    • From Marc Hayot in the NWA Dem Gazz, “The Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality has placed the failed wastewater system in the area of the Dawn Hill community into receivership. The Dawn Hill Townhouse and Condominium Property Owners Association, John and Holly Wood and Kevin Escobar entered into the agreement with Environmental Quality on Aug. 24, according to a copy of the agreed order for receivership filed in Benton County Circuit Court on Feb. 12.” Read more HERE.

Springdale

County Government Awareness

Benton County Quorum Court

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

  • Election Commission Meeting - Mar. 4 at 3 p.m. (at the Election Commission office in Rogers)

  • Planning Board Meeting - Mar. 5 at 6 p.m.

  • Finance Committee Meeting - Mar. 11 at 6 p.m.

  • Development Review Committee Meeting - Mar. 12 at 10 a.m.

State Government Awareness

95th General Legislative Assembly:

Recaps from last week’s legislative activity:

Bills of note in committees this week:

  • 👍 HB1542 - Rep. Wooten (R - Beebe); from AACF, “This bill would require private schools that receive state funding to participate in the statewide student assessment system, which is administered by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education currently for public schools and open-enrollment public charter schools. The bill would also require private schools to admit any student who applies and intends to use state funding to pay to attend, as long as the school has capacity. It is on the agenda for the House Education Committee at 10am on Tues., Mar. 4.”

  • 👎️🚨 HB1615 - Rep. Lundstrum (R - Elm Springs); Amends law concerning religious nondiscrimination; There will be more to come on this bill. From Arkansas Appleseed: “Note the provisions toward the end allowing government officials to recuse themselves from authorizing, licensing, solemnizing, or performing a marriage, when the official's personal beliefs about "biological sex or marriage" are in conflict.” It is on the agenda for the House Committee on Judiciary at 10 am on Tues., Mar. 4.

  • 👎️ SB223 - Sen. M. Johnson (R - Little Rock); Bill creates the Religious Rights at Public Schools Act of 2025 - Read Sonny Albarado’s commentary in the Arkansas Advocate, “Arkansas religious rights bill augurs more than just a clarifying guide”. It is on the agenda for the House Education Committee at 10am on Tues., Mar. 4.”

Recently filed bills to be aware of for future activity:

  • SB340 - Sen. A. Clark (R - Lonsdale); from AACF, “This bill would eliminate fees and fines in the juvenile court system, while still requiring young people to make restitution to victims in delinquency cases. “

  • SB353 - Sen. Hester (R - Cave Springs); This bill will make all Arkansas general election primaries in March on even years. Currently the primary is in March on presidential years and in June for governor election years. By making this change, any candidate wishing to run for a partisan position (county, state legislature, state-wide, and federal positions) will have to file to run for office in November an ENTIRE YEAR before the general election. <CEJ: This bill makes me very sad.>

  • SB352 - Sen. Stone (R - Camden); Bill prohibits antisemitism in public elementary and secondary schools and in state-supported institutions of higher ed. <CEJ: It’s over 6 pages of new statute and I have questions…>

Bills of note signed by the governor:

  • Act 218 - Requires ballot petition signature canvassers to inform signers that petition fraud is a criminal offense - which we all know will cause Arkansans unnecessary anxiety when signing a petition

  • Act 220 - Adds eighth judgeship to Benton County. Position will be filled during the 2026 judicial election timeline. Tracy Neal reports on the bill in the NWA Dem Gazz HERE.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders:

from Roby Brock at Talk Business and Politics:

“Gov. Sarah Sanders outlined Wednesday (Feb. 26) the Communist China Defense legislative package, a group of bills that will divest state resources from China and ban foreign adversaries from buying land around critical infrastructure like military bases and electric substations. It will also shorten the amount of time a banned company has to divest.

Other bills that will be forthcoming will forbid state purchases of promotional items made in China, halt lobbying on behalf of Chinese companies, and stop Arkansas cities from partnering with Chinese communities in the Sister Cities International exchange program.” Read more HERE. And from Antoinette Grajeda in the Arkansas Advocate HERE.

Election Information

  • Tom Cotton officially announced he will be running for his third term in the Senate. Read more about his announcement in Talk Business & Politics HERE. If you would like to see a qualified and excellent challenger to Cotton in 2026, feel free to provide me with names!

  • Candidate Filing for Benton County Spring School Board Elections ended earlier today.

    • Gravette Zone 2 will have a contested race between incumbent Matt Croxdale and Dani Madison

    • Rogers Zone 5 will have a 3-way race between Elizabeth-Ann Lee, David Regan, and Jessica Thompson

    • NO candidate filed for Decatur Zone 1, Gentry Zone 1, and Gravette Zone 2. If you know anyone in these zones who would be a good school board representative, please reach out to them and encourage them to apply to be appointed to the vacancy.

    • The incumbents will continue to serve in Decatur Zone 4, Pea Ridge Zone 2 & 3, and Rogers Zone 3

    • Mary Ann Spears will be the new school board representative for zone 5 in Siloam Springs, adding a woman to the board again

Other Local Community Items of Note

In the Ear

  • Get a quick update on the landfill air quality permitting for Tontitown from KUAF HERE.

  • President Trump’s affinity for crypto currency has emerged as another vehicle for profit and peddling influence. On last week’s Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams episode, Stacey and her guests break down the basics of crypto and how the industry infiltrated Trump’s world, unpack the ways this administration is creating a friendly environment for this unregulated market in ways that might impact our economy more broadly, and question its ethics.

  • In last week’s Uncanny Valley episode from WIRED, Executive Editor Brian Barrett joins global editorial director Katie Drummond to talk about the many conflicts of interests within DOGE that are popping up across the federal government, including most recently at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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