The rate of cesarean births in Arkansas is higher than the national average, new data show. By the numbers: Arkansas' rate for C-sections in 2023 was nearly 34% but has declined since 2018, according to provisional CDC data. Why it matters: The World Health Organization considers 10-15% "ideal." Zoom out:...

Led by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin and Missouri AG Andrew Bailey, six GOP states filed a lawsuit challenging the Biden administration's recent changes to Title IX. Why it matters: The new rules expand protections for LGBTQ+ students. School districts across the U.S. may have to decide if they'll comply...

Soul legends Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight will perform together Sept. 13 at The Momentary, the Bentonville venue announced yesterday. Also, TLC and Shaggy will be in concert Sept. 6. If you go: Tickets to both shows go on sale to the public Friday. Get general admission tickets to Patti...

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders last week ordered Arkansas to disregard recent changes to Title IX that expand protections for LGBTQ+ students.Why it matters: Arkansas school districts are now caught between conflicting state and federal rules that could affect their funding.Catch up quick: The new federal rule protects against "discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics." The law had been more narrowly applied under guidance from former President Trump's administration.The policy from the Biden administration does not address transgender athletes, and the federal Education Department said its "rulemaking process is still ongoing for a Title IX...

I had lunch outside Rogers food truck El Viejón with Reggie James and Anthony Ball, co-founders of Music Moves, a nonprofit focusing on education and performance of Black music.Why it matters: "Every genre … that has been created on this soil comes out of the Black diaspora — whether it's pop, whether it's rhythm and blues, whether it's country, whether it's bluegrass," James told me."If I appreciate you, then I understand your contribution. Then I don't treat you like you're just here. I treat you like you're a very integral part of what has gone on in our country."The intrigue:...

The Fayetteville City Council plans to vote tonight on:A resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and for the prevention of further deaths in the Middle East.Applying for a $250,000 federal grant to pay for two school resource officer positions for four years. The city would match $156,390 and Fayetteville Public Schools would pay $496,100.A contract worth nearly $990,000 with Benchmark Construction of NWA for the second phase of the installation of a storm drain for the Mission Boulevard Trail from Viewpoint Drive to Old Wire Road.If you go: 5:30pm at City Hall or watch online.

How to get out in NWA this week.How to get out in NWA this week:🎤 Live music — See Local Natives on Thursday at JJ's Live in Fayetteville. ($30)♟ Game night — Play bingo at Tontitown Winery or trivia at Rendezvous Junction Brewing on Wednesday.🐶 Art on the Bricks — This monthly event includes pop-up art galleries and events in downtown Rogers. Thursday's pet-themed version will feature pet portrait artists and photographers.

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and The Momentary wrapped up a wellness festival over the weekend with the opening of an art experience focused on mental health curated by singer Jewel.The big picture: The festival agenda touched on several aspects of overall wellness, including innovations in health care, meditation, maternal health and food demos.This comes as Crystal Bridges founder and Walmart heir Alice Walton will soon open both a medical school and a physical home for the nonprofit Heartland Whole Health Institute.The organizations aim to practice a "whole health" approach to care that focuses on physical, emotional and mental...

Two firms with backing from the Walton Family Foundation are looking to jumpstart 15 new companies in Northwest Arkansas in five years, founders tell Worth.Why it matters: As the area's economy broadens beyond dependence on a few large companies, startup studios like Highway Ventures and Fieldbook Studio will be key to building a regional entrepreneurial ecosystem and attracting talent.Driving the news: Founders for both companies will present for the first time Wednesday evening as part of the Midcon VC Summit, set for Tuesday-Thursday in Bentonville.Cortodo Ventures of Oklahoma City organized the summit that will convene at least 250 investors, entrepreneurs...

Reckless behavior in the form of a milkshake exists, and it has a whole-ass doughnut in it.State of play: Flashback Pizza and Milkshakes in downtown Rogers is bringing some 8-year-old's dream of desserts to life with menu items like the chocolatey The Breakfast Club with Cocoa Krispies topped with whipped cream, a mini waffle and a donut.There's also the Revenge of the Nerds that overflows with cotton candy, Twizzlers and Pop Rocks. Another has a whole Nutty Buddy candy bar. It's chaos over there. Photo: Alex Golden/AxiosThe vibe: The whole place is a throwback, with floor-to-ceiling remnants of mostly 1980s...

Data: Climate Central via U.S. Department of Energy; Note: Major power outages affect at least 50k customers or interrupt service of 300 megawatts or more; Outage events can cross state lines; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosAlmost 91% of the 65 major power outages in Arkansas for the past two decades were related to extreme weather, according to a new analysis. Why it matters: The electrical grid is under increasing strain as climate change raises the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, from heat waves to wildfires.Outages, and lengthy restore times, can cost the economy billions of dollars and lead to loss...

I would walk many miles for a cup of coffee if times were tough. ☕️ State of play: The situation with Airship's coffee shop off a Bentonville trail isn't quite that dramatic, but you do have to walk or bike a bit to get there. The intrigue: While it's...

Cinco de Mayo is Sunday. The holiday commemorates the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, in which Mexican troops defeated the French. U.S. celebrations often include tacos and margaritas. Here's how to celebrate in NWA:. How to celebrate in NWA:. Enjoy food and games at a...

The Washington County Crisis Stabilization Unit, established in part to divert people with mental health problems away from jail, has closed.Why it matters: The closure exacerbates existing struggles to provide inpatient mental health care, with beds lacking statewide.State of play: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences staff was operating the 16-bed unit and said in March it would have to stop in June.But the unit closed abruptly in mid-April. UAMS cited staff resignations, per the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.The big picture: Patients have to be in an acute mental health crisis, like being suicidal or homicidal, to be admitted to an...

This year's NWA Health Summit took place all day yesterday in Fayetteville and honed in maternal health care in Arkansas.Why it matters: Arkansas' maternal mortality rate has doubled the national average in recent years.Arkansas had the second-highest infant mortality rate in the country in 2021, with 8.59 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the CDC.During a panel with doctors and a midwife, moderator Nirvana Manning, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UAMS, asked participants how they would improve maternal health if they had unlimited resources.Here's what made the top of their lists.Everyone would have the same...

Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton led a group of fellow GOP senators Wednesday in denouncing pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses.Why it matters: Republican congressional campaign arms are already cutting footage and are ready to launch ads slamming vulnerable Democrats for not condemning the campus protests that have erupted over Israel's war in Gaza.The escalating tension in recent days has put a spotlight on one of the most sensitive and divisive issues within the Democratic Party.What they're saying: "These little Gazas are disgusting cesspools of antisemitic hate full of pro-Hamas sympathizers, fanatics and freaks," Cotton said in a press conference Wednesday."Every...

Bad outcomes from pregnancies cost Arkansas an estimated $1.8 billion in 2020, according to a new report from Bentonville nonprofit Heartland Forward.Why it matters: Aside from the immeasurable toll of the loss of lives, a lack of investment in maternal health care has drastic implications for the economy.How it works: Pre-pregnancy health problems like obesity and diabetes, along with a lack of access to maternal health resources, contribute to high medical costs during and after pregnancy, according to the report. So do unplanned pregnancies and mental health challenges like substance abuse.Additionally, lost wages from the premature deaths of moms and...

Data: PitchBook; Chart: Axios VisualsNorthwest Arkansas companies closed on more than $90 million in investments last year, according to PitchBook data shared with Worth.Why it matters: Capital investment gives startups and young companies resources to help them rapidly grow into mature, profitable businesses.An increase in venture capital signals investor confidence in the area's entrepreneurial community — a measure of perceived economic health.The big picture: The number was less than half of 2022's record $200 million, but still far larger than investments back to 2014, according to PitchBook.By the numbers: PitchBook reported 16 deals in the NWA metro area during 2023.Only...

It's already been a busy news week for Bentonville's largest employer. Catch up on top headlines: Walmart will close its 51 health centers in five states because the "challenging reimbursement environment and escalating operating cost" make the business segment unprofitable, it said Tuesday. (AP)No specific dates were announced.All displaced employees are eligible to transfer to a Walmart or Sam's Club location, the company said.The Federal Trade Commission is requesting more information from Walmart and Vizio on their proposed $2.3 billion deal, Vizio said. (Axios Pro: Retail Deals)Walmart in February announced it would acquire Vizio in a bid to boost its retail...

Walmart is adding a day care and preschool as the second major amenity to open on its new campus next week.Why it matters: The company wants its 350-acre campus in Bentonville to be a modern workplace that helps retain and attract talent. And that means making it an easy place to walk, bike, eat, work out, and to drop off or pick up kids.Parents can also pop over to the center to join their kids for lunch or just to check on them, and there's a nursing room for breastfeeding.State of play: The 73,000-square-foot Little Squiggles Children's Enrichment Center includes...