Local Events
Sat., Nov. 2nd from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Kemem: The Big Marshallese Celebration at Crystal Bridges; Together with the Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese, celebrate all children with artmaking, family portraits, and engagements in the new special focus exhibition Navigating Lolelaplap.
Sat., Nov. 2nd from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Women for Harris Rally at NWACC; Come by the parking lot near the Burns Hall parking garage and meet likeminded Arkansans and choose from some same-day volunteer opportunities to help support some of our local candidates.
Tues., Nov. 5th starting at 7:30 p.m. - DPBC Election Night Watch Party in downtown Rogers; reserve your ticket HERE and join in our celebration of all the candidates who worked so hard this year. Ticket gets you pizza and cookies. Bar will be open for an extra charge.
Fri., Nov. 8th from 6 - 9:30 p.m. - NWA Harm Reduction 2024 Fall Benefit Dinner at The Apollo in Springdale (308 W Emma Ave); attend this fundraiser supporting NWA Harm Reduction; live music by Jesse Dean and Company, dinner, and awards ceremony. Purchase tickets or become a sponsor HERE.
Community Involvement Opportunities
LBJ Women’s Campaign School Application Period OPEN
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 program (which is mostly online) will begin on May 21, 2025, with the intention of training potential candidates and campaign staff for the elections of 2026, 2027, and 2028.
Politics doesn't have to be scary! Join program leadership on Thursday, October 31st at noon for a special information session about applying to the 6th Cohort. Take a break from the stress of the election and learn more about how YOU can get involved in politics with a supportive network behind you!
They will be giving an overview of the program, including the components of the training, the cost and logistics of attending, and application best practices. There will be ample time for Q&A. Sound good? RSVP HERE.
Municipal Government Awareness
Bella Vista
Next Council Mtng: Monday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. (2483 Forest Hills Blvd)
Bentonville
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. (305 SW A St.)
Items of Note:
The Bentonville Planning Commission will be holding a Special Meeting on Tues., Oct. 29th at 5 p.m. at Bentonville City Hall (305 SW A St.). The agenda will cover the Plan Bentonville Update and Schedule and the Plan Bentonville Future Land Use Map discussion. Review information online now HERE
Attend the Grand Opening of the Bentonville Library expansion on Wed., Oct. 30 starting at 5 p.m.
The city is accepting applications from city residents interested in serving on the Public Art Advisory Committee or the Tree & Landscape Advisory Committee. Applications are due Fri., Nov. 8th
Cave Springs
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m. (134 N. Main St.)
Centerton
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. (210 Municipal Dr.)
Items of Note:
Centerton now has a Centerton Chamber of Commerce, check out their website HERE
Gravette
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 5:30 p.m. (202 Main St. NE) - Committee of the Whole
Lowell
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m. (216 N. Lincoln St.)
Pea Ridge
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 5:30 p.m. (911 Weston St.) - Committee of the Whole
Items of Note:
The city is hosting another Public Engagement Meeting Tuesday, Oct. 29th from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. at 977 Weston St.; Learn more about the Master Plan drafts and submit feedback at the event
Next Round Table with Mayor See is this Friday, Nov. 1st at City Hall from 8 - 9:30 a.m.
Rogers
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. (301 W. Chestnut)
Items of Note:
From Gael Langdon in the NWA Dem Gazz, “The Rogers Public Library is celebrating its 120th anniversary with a five-day special exhibit… The exhibition will be set up in the library entrance and the community room, highlighting over a century of public service and literary advocacy. The exhibition begins Wednesday and will remain through Sunday during regular library hours.” Read more HERE and please stop in!
Siloam Springs
Next Board Mtng: Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. (400 N. Broadway) - NOTE, this is a special change to move the regular meeting to Wednesday from election day - to be approved at the special board meeting Tuesday, Oct. 29th at 4 p.m.
Items of Note:
The 2024 State of the City event will be held Thurs., Nov. 14th at 2 p.m. at the Berry Performing Arts Center on JBU campus (1400 W Valley Dr); reserve a spot HERE
Springdale
Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. (201 Spring St.)
Items of Note:
The Gerald Harp Treehouse Park (3058 S 48th St) is now open to the public!
County Government Awareness
Benton County Quorum Court
Upcoming County Government meetings at the Admin Building in downtown Bentonville:
Election Commission Meeting - Nov. 2nd at 11 a.m. (at the Election Commission office in Rogers)
Election Commission Meeting - Nov. 5 at 7:30 a.m. (at the Election Commission office in Rogers)
Planning Board Meeting - Nov. 6 at 6 p.m.
Election Commission Meeting - Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. (at the Election Commission office in Rogers)
Finance Committee Meeting - Nov. 14 at 6 p.m.
Northwest Arkansas Community College
From Al Gaspeny at the NWA Dem Gazz: Alex Vasquez has been hired to fill the recently vacated Chief of Staff position at the college. “Vasquez will oversee the office of the president's administrative, operational and budgetary functions, according to the release. He'll also manage public relations and government affairs and serve as the official college spokesperson.” Read more HERE.
The NWA Dem Gazz Editorial staff has a strong opinion about the shenanigans pulled earlier this month by the college and Trustee Ron Branscum (zone 5, up for election in 2026); “Getting a rental discount at NWACC looks easy if you’ve got a trustee on your side - NWACC clears the path for ‘Trump train’”. Additional reporting from Al Gaspeny, “Price for group to rent NWACC lot for Trump rally cut from $664 to $60, documents show - Board of Trustees member apparently covers reduced tab.”
Bentonville School District
From Al Gaspeny’s reporting in the NWA Dem Gazz covering the most recent Bentonville School Board meeting Tax Cut vote:
“After a countywide property reappraisal in the spring in Benton County, it was determined the existing real property values within the boundaries of the School District increased from $2.7 billion to $3 billion, according to information provided by the district. That increase triggered the rollback, Janet Schwanhausser, the district's executive finance director, told the board before the 7-0 vote. As required by law, the millage rate was lowered by 1.2 mills, from 48 mills to 46.8 mills, Schwanhausser said… The 1.2-mill reduction is equal to $120 in annual tax savings on a property valued at $500,000…. The change will take effect in the spring, Schwanhausser said.”
Northwest Arkansas Council
The Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) at the Sam M. Walton College of Business (U of A) and the Northwest Arkansas Council released the annual State of the Northwest Arkansas Region Report last Thursday. Read Jeff Della Rosa’s reporting from the release luncheon in Talk Business and Politics, “New report shows NWA remains fast-growing, challenges persist”.
Read additional reporting from Alex Golden at Axios NWA, “The economic burden of housing and child care in NWA”.
“Northwest Arkansas needs to build 15 housing units a day to keep up with growth — and it's not doing that.”
State Government Awareness
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders:
Concerns mounting about the Governor’s 2023 decision to combine the Cabinet Secretary for the Dept. Of Public Safety and the Arkansas State Police Director positions into one led be Mike Hager. Read Rich Shumate’s Commentary in the Arkansas Advocate, “Arkansas governor drags state police into her politics”.
Education:
ACT scores from this past year were released and the Class of 2024 for Arkansas averaged a composite score of 18.5 (out of 36). That’s down a tick from 18.6 in 2023 and 18.8 in 2022. Ten years ago, Arkansas was at 20.4! Current national average is 19.4. The national average ten years ago was 21. Of the four subjects tested, Arkansas students are performing worst at Math, with only 19% of students hitting the benchmark score (22).
Election Information
Brady Shiers from Little Rock has been doing some really interesting voting analysis across the state of Arkansas. Check out his updates and Substack HERE.
Congratulations to the voters in West Memphis! Shortly before the beginning of early voting, the State Supreme Court ruled that Crittenden County must open two West Memphis early voting locations. Prior to this legal battle, West Memphis (the most populous city in the county) had ZERO early voting locations. Read more from Mary Hennigan at the Arkansas Advocate HERE.
Read more about the two State Supreme Court Justices running for the Chief Justice position from Sonny Albarado at the Arkansas Advocate, “At odds over email and abortion rulings, Arkansas Supreme Court justices seek chief justice post - Both candidates claim the mantles of transparency and conservative”. AND DON’T FORGET TO VOTE BAKER
In the Ear
More interviews with Bentonville City Council candidates on the Underview: Bill Burckart; his opponent Sara Folkins declined to do an interview (yes, you should be suspicious of that)
District 3 interviewed Randy Wilburn, the creator of I Am Northwest Arkansas, about the state of podcasting in Arkansas
Odds & Ends
I’m just as nervous about the future of AI as the next person, but here’s one story to get excited about from Caitlin Owens at Axios, “1 big thing: Cancer diagnostics' rapid evolution”
From Beth Hawkins at The 74 via the Arkansas Advocate, “The Anti-Culture Warriors: Incubators training moderates to run for school board - With 12,000 seats up for grabs nationwide, can a new candidate recruiting effort tame some of the red-hot races at the bottom of the ticket?”