Columbus
Axios NW Arkansas
Judge blocks Title IX update in Arkansas and five other states
A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked a Biden administration rule extending an update to Title IX with protections for LGBTQ+ students.State of play: The ruling is the result of a lawsuit brought by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin and five other states in May.At least 20 states have blocked the new policy after similar complaints.Catch up quick: The federal rule protects against "discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics."The policy did not address transgender athletes, and the federal Education Department said its "rulemaking process is still ongoing for a Title IX regulation related to...
NWA pitchman and musician Ed Nicholson dies
Father, husband, guitarist, mentor, friend and giver of time β Harrison native Ed Nicholson died Thursday. He was 71.State of play: Many knew Ed from his 21 years in public relations at Tyson Foods, and others from playing with several bands seemingly nonstop for years.Still, more knew him from his life in Little Rock as an entrepreneur, and a skilled creator and ad man.And even more knew Ed from his life as a touring musician in the 1970s.The big picture: I had the great fortune to share an office wall with Ed for several years, and to be included in one of his circles that occasionally rides bikes together.He was a connector of people, a common thread among many in NWA.A storyteller, gentleman and a scamp, Ed loved his family above all.The bottom line: Words can't capture the depth of a man's life, and could barely scratch the surface of Nicholson's.I'm told there will be no public service.My thought bubble: Ed, I love you, man. Thank you for your light. Ed rode a recumbent bike, even up crazy hills (left). We rode across Iowa for RAGBRAI in 2016. Photos: Jack Pate
Your weekend plans: Wrapping up July
Enjoy this last July weekend.π€ Catch free live music β Memphis musicians Lana J., Esmod and Aybil will perform at 8pm Saturday at Butterfield Stage in downtown Rogers. Get tickets.βΎοΈ Go to a baseball game β The Northwest Arkansas Naturals play the Arkansas Travelers at 7pm tonight, 6pm Saturday and 2pm Sunday at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale. Get tickets for $9-$17.π See a comedy show β Andy Hendrickson will perform standup at 6:30pm tonight and Saturday at The Grove Comedy Club in Lowell. Get tickets for $18.Or check out a comedy tournament at 8pm today at Nomads West End in Fayetteville.
Arkansas Secretary of State completes signature count for abortion amendment
The Arkansas Secretary of State's office on Thursday said it completed an initial count of signatures on the petition to get an abortion amendment in front of voters this November.Why it matters: The state Supreme Court ordered the office on Tuesday to continue counting the signatures after Secretary of State John Thurston rejected the petition, claiming lack of proper paperwork related to paid canvassers.Catch up quick: Arkansans for Limited Government's (AFLG), the group behind the amendment, filed a lawsuit last week asking the court to vacate Thurston's disqualification.The court ordered Thurston to count the submitted signatures by 9am next Monday.State...
Organizers to host event on proposed Fayetteville Black Historic District
A group working to develop a Black Historic District in Fayetteville will host a community event at 6pm Friday at Walker Park. Why it matters: South Fayetteville was one of the few places in NWA where Black people could live during the 1960s. Driving the news: The NWA Black Heritage Association is dedicated to preserving and documenting Black culture in Northwest Arkansas.An educational session about the proposed district will be the key feature Friday evening. Attendees can ask questions and will have the opportunity to interact with the project's leaders.Cycling activities are planned for kids.State of play: The proposed Spout Spring...
Income-driven rental housing is coming to Bella Vista
A nonprofit will break ground next week on apartments that include income-capped units, according to a news release.Why it matters: It's another way organizations are trying to combat rising housing prices that make living in NWA difficult for some.State of play: Nonprofit Community Development Northwest Arkansas is building the $8 million Cottage Lane Village Apartments on 2.7 acres at Arkansas 279 and West Lancashire Boulevard (Arkansas 340) in Bella Vista.Five apartment buildings will include eight units each. Each will have 873 square feet of living area, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.The development will also add a multifamily option in...
What we're sipping: A Hive cocktail in downtown Bentonville
The Mangolorian cocktail is for those who want something just a bit fruity.Zoom in: This drink ($15) at The Hive with mezcal, mango, cayenne honey and lemon is a little smoky and a little sweet. Sips, not gulps, for sure.The vibe: The Hive inside 21C Museum Hotel in downtown Bentonville is sectioned off into the main restaurant area and a walk-in lounge, where drinks and appetizers are served.Walk around the museum area for free before or after drinks.Stop by: 2pm-midnight daily at 200 NE A St. in Bentonville.
Russellville aluminum company plans $60M expansion
Aluminum fabricator Taber Extrusions of Russellville on Tuesday said it would invest $60 million to expand its facility and will bring the largest direct-extrusion press in North America.π©βπ Why it matters: The project is expected to add 70 jobs.State of play: Taber casts and extrudes aluminum used in aerospace projects, shipbuilding, and construction for private-industry and government customers.Extrusion is the act of forcing heated metal through a shaped die to make lengths of finished material suitable for building purposes.Driving the news: Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Chuck Stout, president of Taber, made the announcement at the Farnborough International Air Show in the United Kingdom.The expansion is designed to meet aerospace industry demands and is expected to be operating in 2026.The bottom line: "This investment highlights our commitment to continue to serve our national defense, aerospace and large industrial market partners," Stout said in a news release.
Bachelor or bachelorette party ideas in Northwest Arkansas
In case it's your turn to plan a once-in-a-lifetime bachelor or bachelorette party, here's how to make it memorable for a bride or groom in Northwest Arkansas.Plan a group daytime activityπ Do an escape room β Northwest Arkansas Escape Room has Bentonville and Fayetteville locations for a group of detective groomsmen or bridesmaids.π¨ Break stuff β Put on safety goggles and air out the wedding planning stress by taking a sledgehammer to glass at NWA Smash Lab in Fayetteville.ποΈ Play luxury golf β Book a bay at Topgolf in Rogers.π Learn a dance β OK, so this one's for the...
The Agenda: Ambulances, restoration and street plans
What's on deck at city council meetings tonight:Bentonville will consider:A resolution valued at $527,409 authorizing Sy-Con Excavation and Utilities to build a hangar access road at Bentonville Municipal Airport.Authorizing the purchase of two ambulances for up to $800,000 to replace two from 2016.To accept a grant from the Walton Family Foundation of $175,875 for the Arkansas/Missouri Trail and to pay CEI Design and Engineering the same amount for services related to the project.Rogers will consider:Adopting a new master street plan, as well as a future land-use map and an official zoning map for the city.Springdale will consider:A construction contract valued at $515,000 for restoration work on the historic Beely-Johnson Building.If you go: 6pm at Bentonville and Springdale city halls; 6:30pm at Rogers City Hall.
Arkansans still earn less despite better U.S. wage outlook
Data: Oxfam; Chart: Rahul Mukherjee/AxiosAlmost one-third of Arkansas workers β an estimated 450,657 β earn less than $17 an hour. Nearly 40% of women and 44% of Black workers fall below that line, per data from Oxfam.Only Mississippi performs worse.Why it matters: A single person with no children must earn $19.10 per hour to make ends meet in the Natural State, according to MIT's Living Wage Calculator, a commonly accepted barometer.The state's minimum wage rose to $11 per hour from $10 on Jan. 1, 2021.The big picture: Nationally, wages have improved. Just 13% of workers in the U.S. are now...
Week ahead in NWA: Mainly music
Thursday is the winner this week, with live music set for several spots around NWA. Here's where:Bentonville β Collide @ The Momentary is a free event featuring live DJ Haus of Untz and a skating rink (open 8-11pm).Fayetteville β The city closes out its Gulley Park Summer Concert Series at 7pm with crowd fave Arkansauce.Springdale β It's the last Thursday of July, so the band March to August will open for Brick Fields at Springdale's Live! at Turnbow concert series. The fun starts at 6:30pm and is free.Reminder: This is the last week to see "The Portal: An Art Experience by Jewel" at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The exhibit/show runs Wednesday-Sunday evenings.Tickets start at $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers.
Monday Munchies: Fayetteville's Chick'n Headz aces wings
I screwed up. Back in January, I declared Fayetteville's chicken strip as a one-mile stretch of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.I didn't go far enough. Just west of Interstate 49 is locally owned Chick'n Headz, a wing and catfish place.This was a mammoth mistake on my part.The vibe: Yes, it serves wings, catfish, fries, tenders and the like, so Chick'n Headz has a sports-bar feel without being one.Really, it's more like a small-town diner, where everybody knows each other and are genuinely glad to see you.The verdict: Go eat here. These are what wings are meant to be.The naked version...
Arkansas Gov. Huckabee Sanders set for second European trade trip
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders left over the weekend for her third overseas trade mission. She announced the trip to the news media Thursday.Why it matters: A mission to the Paris Air Show in June 2023 yielded deals with aircraft maker Dassault Falcon to expand its operation in Arkansas and defense contractor RTX to build a missile production plant in the state, Sanders claims."This year, I'll continue that success by pitching Arkansas at the Farnborough [International] Air Show in the United Kingdom and meeting with some of our state's major business partners in Germany," Sanders said.Sanders' second overseas trade mission was...
Homebuilding permits set for slight rise in Northwest Arkansas this year
Data: Census Bureau via housingdata.app; Chart: Axios VisualsNorthwest Arkansas is on track to permit more new housing units than last year, but only by about 2%, according to Census Bureau data.Why it matters: That's a problem for people facing steep housing prices. Experts estimate America is short more than 3 million units of housing, either to rent or buy.The big picture: U.S. metros overall are on track to permit fewer new housing units than last year. Higher interest rates for loans are slowing new-home and apartment construction, according to the National Association of Home Builders.Labor and lot shortages are also...
U.S. small business chief tours tornado damaged Benton County
Steve Womack, the former Rogers mayor turned congressman, introduced Isabel Guzman, administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, to a Thursday roundtable of Rogers business owners.Exposed studs and missing ceiling tiles in the meeting room at the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce still show damage from the May 26 storms that killed three people and damaged much of downtown and other parts of Benton County.State of play: Guzman was in NWA to review the damage and see the SBA's disaster-assistance program in action. She and Womack heard directly from 10 business owners impacted by the storm before they were briefed by...
Your NWA weekend: Learnin' and livin' large
Get out and soak up some summer. You can always clean the garage next weekend.Driving the news: Here's what's going on in the area.Mmmm bop β Kidz Bop performs at the Walmart AMP tonight at 7pm. Tickets start at $30.Natural fit β Laurel Lamb, curator of education and engagement for the University of Arkansas Museum, will present an interactive program on natural history at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, 1-4pm tomorrow. The event is free.Fantasy and fun β Botanical Garden of the Ozarks' annual Firefly Fling Festival is Saturday, 5-10pm, at the Fayetteville garden. Tickets are $30 for adult nonmembers ($15 for kids) and $20 for members ($10 for kids).Movie and a show β LGBTQIA+ organization Dark Hearts Community will screen "To Wong Fu, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar" on Saturday and sponsor a drag show. The event starts at 6pm at 3130 S. School Ave. in Fayetteville. Tickets are $5 in advance or $10 at the door.
Northwest Arkansas' senior population out grew all others
Data: U.S. Census Bureau; Chart: Alice Feng/AxiosThe 65-and-up population grew faster than any other age group in Northwest Arkansas from 2020 to 2023 β 13.5% compared to 8% overall.That's an estimated 80,000 people, according to the Census Bureau's latest population estimates.Why it matters: Cities with growing senior populations must be mindful of older residents' specific needs, like health care, transportation and affordable housing.The big picture: The trend reflects a broader national phenomenon, with America's overall 65-plus population rising 9.4% to about 59.2 million people in this time frame.Data: U.S. Census Bureau; Map: Alice Feng/AxiosBetween the lines: Retirees packing up and relocating are likely driving at least some of the change in cities with especially notable 65+ growth, like Raleigh (+18.3%), Austin (+17.3) and Houston (+15.3%).What they're saying: "While some metro areas saw increases in their youth population, and many saw gains in working-age populations, what's particularly remarkable is the near-universal increase in the older population for metro areas across the country," said Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Branch, in the agency's analysis.Go deeper: Arkansas' senior workers are fewer than U.S. average
Arkansas' senior worker rate is lower than U.S. average
Data: BLS; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosArkansas' share of 65-and-up adults in the workforce (14.6%) is one of the lowest in the U.S., according to preliminary 2023 census data.Why it matters: The 2024 presidential campaign between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is sparking a fresh conversation about age, ability and mental acuity.The big picture: It's not uncommon these days for older Americans to stay in the workforce, particularly in states with older populations.Nationally, 18.7% of adults 65 or over are still working.Today's older workers are better educated, working more hours, and more likely to be receiving employer benefits, compared to past decades, per a 2023 Pew Research Center report.Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Note: Data is not seasonally adjusted; Chart: Axios VisualsBetween the lines: Fewer older Americans are working now compared to during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Axios' Emily Peck reports.Yes, but: The share of older adults in the workforce has been generally rising since the late '80s, Emily writes.That's in part because of changes to Social Security and retirement plans, and in part because medical advances are extending Americans' lives and their time in the workforce.Go deeper: NWA's senior population outgrew all others
Axios NW Arkansas
1K+
Posts
4M+
Views
Axios NW Arkansas, anchored by Worth Sparkman and Alex Golden, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. Itβs essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.