Local Events

  • Sat., Nov. 1 from 10 a.m. - noon - Citizens First Congress Fall Quarterly Meeting; zoom call for citizens to attend and get caught up on the organization’s work with education and direct democracy ballot initiatives. Register HERE to attend.

  • Wed., Nov. 5 at noon - Baby Bonds and the American Dream in Arkansas webinar; Join David Radcliffe, Director of State and Local Policy, Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School, and Pete Gess, Economic Policy Director, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, as they discuss the potential of a Baby Bonds program in Arkansas. Register to attend HERE.

  • Mon., Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. - Democratic Party of Benton County (DPBC) Monthly Meeting at the Peterson Auditorium at NWACC (900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville). Hear from the Democratic candidates for the Third Congressional District.

  • Sat., Nov. 15th from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Weave the People: The Joy of Mutuality at The Apollo on Emma (308 W Emma Ave) in Springdale; Presented by Weaving NWA; prepare for a day filled with thought-provoking speakers, engaged community members, delicious bites from locally owned restaurants, and activities designed to energize both your mind and body. You'll leave recharged, with a renewed sense of joy in living, working, and creating new opportunities to weave a stronger Northwest Arkansas. Register to attend HERE.

Community Involvement Opportunities

LBJ Women’s Campaign School Applications Open for Cohort 7

The LBJ Women's Campaign School is a nonpartisan training program for women who plan to run for office or manage a political campaign. The seven-month program (which is mostly online) will begin on May 13-15th at an in-person training session in Austin.

The program provides practical skills and high-level insights to build confidence in those interested in running for office, managing a campaign or supporting women candidates at all levels. The program works to ensure all voices are heard, which unlocks the best public policy solutions and strengthens our democracy. Through training, mentorship, and networking, the program encourages collaboration across differences, and provide the political "know-how" to change the world.

Learn more about the training and application process HERE. Applications for round one (priority funding) are due by Dec. 14th. Complete your application HERE.

<Author’s note, I’m a graduate from cohort 2, and would love to help with questions or letters of recommendation for those of you interested in applying.>

Bentonville Mayor’s Community Council Applications Open

Founded in 2020 by Mayor Stephanie Orman, this 12-month program builds understanding, transparency, and connection between residents and city leadership. Participants explore how each city department, including public safety, infrastructure, parks, planning, and the library, works together to make Bentonville a thriving and well-served community.

Community council members meet the third Friday of every month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the entirety of 2026. Applicants must reside in Bentonville city limits.

If you are interested in serving on Bentonville boards/commissions or running for city council in the future, I HIGHLY recommend applying for this commission. Apply HERE as soon as you can. They have not announced a cutoff date, but I would anticipate no later than the end of November (so earlier is better!).

Arkansas Strong - Share Your Story

Arkansas Strong, a nonprofit storytelling project, is working to collect real stories of Arkansas women who’ve had to leave the state for or emergency health care or abortion health care. These stories are incredibly personal, but they believe these stories have the power to change beliefs and attitudes about women's healthcare in Arkansas.

Here’s what to know:

  • Participants receive a $150 Visa gift card for their time.

  • Participants can share their story in whatever format feels right: written, recorded, or a conversational interview.

  • Participants can choose to remain anonymous.

  • Stories will be used to educate the public about the challenges Arkansas women face in accessing care. Stories will also be used in an advocacy guide to help communities, faith leaders, and decision-makers understand the impact of Arkansas’s abortion ban and its intersection with the state’s healthcare crisis for women, girls, infants, rural residents, Medicaid recipients, and more.

If you or someone you know would like to participate, please fill out this short FORM.

Municipal Government Awareness

Bella Vista

  • Next Council Mtng: Monday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. (2483 Forest Hills Blvd)

  • Items of Note:

    • Bella Vista residents are the only voters in Benton County with an election on Nov. 18th. Residents are being asked to extend the city’s current 1% sales tax. Read more about the extension via the city’s website HERE. Early voting will begin on Nov. 12th. For voting locations, check the Voter View Arkansas website HERE.

Bentonville

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. (305 SW A St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • Grand Opening of the A Street Promenade is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 15th. Ribbon cutting will be at 11 a.m..

    • If you are interested in serving as a member of the Bentonville Active Transportation Advisory Board, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Library Advisory Board, or the Public Art Advisory Committee, the deadline to apply is Friday, November 7. Board members must be registered voters, reside in the corporate limits of Bentonville, attend regular monthly meetings, and commit to a full term. Applications are available online HERE.

    • Daniel Hughes will be appointed to the Bentonville Airport Advisory Board at this week’s meeting (term expires Oct. 2026)

    • From Sam Hoisington at The Bentonville Bulletin, “Downtown Bentonville Church Seeks Help Building Affordable Housing”

    • Also from Sam, time to check if you follow this Facebook group, Bentonville Area Events & News; read why in “Local Facebook Page Often Shares Inaccurate Information”

Cave Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. (134 N. Main St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • “The city will update its 20-year comprehensive plan with an award-winning strategy designed to allow the downtown area to accommodate growth without compromising its character, according to Mayor Randall Noblett. He said the City Council will consider approving a revised version of the city's 2040 Vision Plan on Oct. 28. The revision will include integrating parts of the downtown master plan the city developed last year -- the first step in implementing the downtown plan.” Read more from Thomas Saccente’s reporting in the NWA Dem Gazz HERE.

Centerton

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

  • Items of Note:

    • Bentonville West High School will celebrate their band seniors and perform for the community for free at the Wolverine Stadium on Sat., Nov. 1st at 7 p.m. - FB event HERE

Gentry

  • Next Council Mtng: Monday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. (104 E Main)

  • Items of Note:

    • “The Gentry City Council is expected to consider increasing sewer service rates this year and adding impact fees on new developments after a wastewater study by a consultant called for such changes.” Read more from Randy Moll’s reporting in the NWA Dem Gazz HERE.

Gravette

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 5:30 p.m. (202 Main St. NE)

  • Items of Note:

    • If you missed the public meeting regarding the Sewer Expansion Project on Highway 72 earlier this month, the material’s presented can be found on the city website HERE.

Highfill

  • Next Council Mtng: Monday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. (2560 W Hwy 12) - meeting date is due to a reschedule for Veterans Day)

  • Items of Note:

    • If you missed the Special city council meeting in October, watch the video HERE.

    • Highfill Fall Festival will be Saturday, Nov. 15th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Highfill City Park; all ages welcome!

    • Highfill Parks Advisory Committee will meet Mon., Oct. 72th at 6:30 p.m. at city hall. At this month’s meeting new chairperson will be elected and the committee will discuss park maintenance, budget updates, and plan upcoming community events.

Lowell

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

Pea Ridge

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. (911 Weston St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • The Pea Ridge Harvest Market runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 8th at 1451 N. Curtis Ave. Join this joyful celebration of community spirit, shop with local businesses, and bask in the beauty of the season.

Rogers

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. (301 W. Chestnut)

Siloam Springs

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

  • Items of Note:

    • “The city's utilities owe the general fund approximately $3 million, according to the interim city administrator. A consultant studying water and sewer rates for the city has argued current utility rates are not sufficient to meet the city's needs and will need to increase… The estimated impact of the proposed rate increases would be just shy of $13 per month per customer in 2026, according to information presented to the board.” Read more from Marc Hayot’s reporting in the NWA Dem Gazz HERE.

Springdale

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. (201 Spring St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • During this week’s city council meeting, council members will be approving revisions to the City’s Downtown Master Plan and the Master Street Plan

County Government Awareness

State of the Region Report

Northwest Arkansas State of the Region report for 2025 was released earlier this month. Read Alex Golden’s reporting in Axios NWA, “Key takeaways from the 2025 State of the Northwest Arkansas Region report”. Explore the full report HERE.

Benton County Quorum Court

From Thomas Saccente’s reporting in the NWA Dem Gazz about the latest Benton County Committee of the Whole Meeting: “ Benton County will consider teaming up with Washington and Madison counties to create a new entity meant to finance and build large-scale real estate projects to attract businesses to Northwest Arkansas. The Quorum Court -- meeting as a Committee of the Whole -- voted Tuesday [Oct. 21st] to send a requested ordinance adopting the creation of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Industrial and Technology Development Authority for a first reading at its next regular meeting Tuesday [Oct. 28].” Read the full article HERE.

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

  • Quorum Court Meeting - Oct. 28 at 6 p.m.

  • Benton County Board of Appeals (Planning) - Oct. 29 at 6 p.m.

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

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

  • Finance Committee Meeting - Nov. 12 at 6 p.m.

State Government Awareness

Child Care Funding Issues:

Latest on the federal funding shortfall for child care aid in Arkansas from Tess Vrbin at the Arkansas Advocate:

  • “Arkansas child care providers ask state for help after changes to school readiness program - Child care centers have closed or expect to close due to higher copayments and adjusted reimbursement rates, providers say”

  • “State commission creates emergency panel to assist Arkansas child care providers - A federal funding shortage prompted changes to a low-income child care aid program, which frustrated providers” - from the article, “The Arkansas Early Childhood Commission voted with no dissent to create an emergency working group of researchers, lawmakers and child care providers with the goal of assisting and advising the state Office of Early Childhood on how to keep child care services afloat and sustainable by Nov. 1…. The planned reimbursement rate cuts are expected to cost providers statewide $727,000 per week, according to a survey of providers in 50 counties presented at the work session.”

Food Insecurity Issues:

Latest on the federal funding shortfall addressing food insecurity in Arkansas from the Arkansas Advocate:

Annie E. Casey Foundation Poverty Report

Last week the Annie E. Casey Foundation released a 10-year update report on measuring access to opportunity in the U.S. around poverty. In Arkansas, the 2022-24 child poverty rates grew to 14.5% (from just under 9% five years prior), but the foundation estimates that the poverty rate would around 30% without federal and state economic policies aimed at decreasing poverty. Read more from Talk Business & Politics reporting HERE.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders:

  • From Tess Vrbin at the Arkansas Advocate, “Arkansas lawmakers urge feds to help farmers stay afloat in struggling industry - The governor has petitioned the U.S. Department of Agriculture for farm aid, according to the state’s finance chief”

  • Governor Sanders appointed the replacement for deceased Benton County Justice of the Peace Gregory Woodell (position 9); Jacob Jeanson will serve the remainder of the term (Dec. 31, 2026).

Election Information

2026 Partisan Candidate Filing for County Positions

Candidates wishing to file as a Democrat for county level positions (e.g., County Judge, County Clerk, Justice of the Peace), will need to file with the DPBC during one of the times listed below at the Bentonville County Clerk's Office (215 E. Central Ave.).

  • Monday, Nov. 3rd: noon - 2 p.m. (filing period opens at noon)

  • Tuesday, Nov. 4th: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

  • Wednesday, Nov. 5th: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

  • Thursday, Nov. 6th - 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

  • Friday, Nov. 7th - noon - 4 p.m.

  • Monday, Nov. 10th - 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

  • Wednesday, Nov. 12th - 10 a.m. - noon (filing period closes at noon)

For questions regarding filing or to request an alternative time, email [email protected] and [email protected].

In the Ear

Odds & Ends

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“Scholar of social movements Lisa Corrigan noted that large, fun marches full of art and music expand connections and make people more willing to take risks against growing state power. They build larger communities by creating new images that bring together recognizable images from the past in new ways, helping more people see themselves in such an opposition.”

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