1 big thing: Hutchinson condemns Trump meeting

Arkansas lawmakers look to next farm bill

2. Arkansas lawmakers look to next farm bill

Illustration of a pitchfork with money on the end. 

3. Kitchen Sink: News stream

Illustration of the Bentonville Water Tower, with a faucet added to it.

4. Where to see lights in NWA this season

Seeking employment? 

5. Walmart wins Black Friday search

Illustration of a cursor arrow with a retail price tag

🌤 The sun will come out today, and the temps will climb into the high 60s.

🤩 We hope you'll consider contributing to our mission-driven journalism today by becoming a member. 

Today's newsletter is 868 words — a 3.5-minute read.

This newsletter was edited by Gigi Sukin and copy edited by Carlin Becker.

📸 Alex printed off 600 photos from her phone and plans to put them in old-school photo albums — her hibernation project.

🚨 Worth is reading about racist flyers distributed in North Dakota.

Nw Arkansas

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Northwest Arkansas, written by local reporters.

Axios Northwest Arkansas

Before inauguration, Sarah Huckabee Sanders planning for 2026 bid

1 big thing: Sanders appoints staffers and looks ahead

Gov.-elect Sarah Huckabee Sanders gives her acceptance speech. 

2. Parsing Fayetteville's 2023 budget

3. Kitchen Sink: Scratched from the headlines 

Illustration of a chicken wearing glasses and reading a smartphone.

4. 🎙 Audio File: NWA for your ears

Illustration of a deer looking at its phone and wearing yellow headphones.

Plan your future

5. Your holiday weekend plans

Illustration of a snowman holding cotton candy.

🦃 We won't be in your inboxes tomorrow or Friday, but we're thankful to all of you who read us each morning. Happy Thanksgiving.

We hope you'll enjoy a slice of pie from "Alice's Restaurant."

☁️ Cloudy with a chance of rain. Expect highs in the upper 40s to low 60s.

Today's newsletter is 788 words — a 3-minute read.

🎸 Alex has been listening to a lot of Elle King lately.

🧠 Worth is listening to "Intelligence: A Very Short Introduction" by Ian Deary. 

Clintons elevate women's voices at Arkansas summit

1 big thing: Clintons elevate women's voices 

Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton accept an award.

Defense takes turn in federal transgender youth trial in Arkansas

2. Defense takes turn in federal transgender youth trial

Illustration of columns in the colors of the transgender pride flag. 

3. A look at Rogers' 2023 budget

An illustration of money popping in and out of the screen.

4. Kitchen Sink: No hogwash

Illustration of a wild board holding a newspaper in its mouth.

Now hiring: New job openings

5. 🧑‍🎄 'Tis the season at Alex's house

📺 Situational awareness: A 12-seat Learjet crashed in Batesville last night arounf 8:40pm. The flight originated from Fayetteville Tuesday morning and flew to Batesville and then Waterloo, Iowa, before returning to Batesville. The aircraft was scheduled to return to Fayetteville before the crash.

This is a developing story. Information about the status of passengers and crew wasn't immediately available.

Today's newsletter is 823 words — a 3-minute read.

Thanks to Gigi Sukin for editing and Carlin Becker for copy editing this newsletter. 🎉 

🥣 Alex had leftover rotisserie chicken, so she made this white chicken chili, and it's delicious.

🍉 Worth finished watching "Bad Sisters" and thinks it may be one of the best mystery series he's ever watched. 🛥

1 big thing: Runoff elections coming up

Illustration of a voting pin surrounded by election form icons

Fresh job openings around town

2. Cheers to winter dinnertime

3. Kitchen Sink: Drips and dregs

Illustration of a faucet with animated drips shaped like the letters N, W, and A falling out.

4. Twilight zone: the Razorbacks' weird week

A composite photo of Arkansas football player Myles Slusher and men's basketball head coach Eric Musselman.

We hope your travels were safe, your familial interactions amicable and your favorite teams top performers.  

☀️ Not so wintery. It's sunny with highs up to the mid-60s.

Today's newsletter is 936 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🦃 Alex stayed in town and had a relaxing Thanksgiving break.

🗣 Worth is listening to a "Fresh Air" interview with Mel Brooks. 

Hillary Clinton talks democracy in NWA

1 big thing: Clinton talks democracy

Trial delayed for Arkansas U.S. Capitol rioter

2. U.S. Capitol rioter trial delayed 

Richard Barnett of Gravett holds a piece of mail as he sits inside the office of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. 

3. Between the lines: Bentonville's 2023 budget

Illustration of a checkmark that turns into a series of dollar signs.

4. Kitchen Sink: Poultry ... processing 

New jobs to check out

5. 🎄 Your holiday decor

Good morning. We're glad you're here this Thursday.

⛅️ Today will be partly cloudy with highs in the low 50s.

🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios NW Arkansas member Porter Briggs!

Today's newsletter is 889 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🗳 Alex is voting in her local runoff election. See if you have any runoffs.

⚽️ Worth is trying to learn more about soccer and the World Cup.

Northwest Arkansas has those who want to get into the holiday spirit covered.

What's happening: You have about a month to enjoy whimsical lights and other seasonal decor.

Fayetteville's downtown square is illuminated with more than 500,000 LED lights each night until Jan. 1, 2023.

Sorry if you missed the Lights of the Ozarks festival and parade, but a walk around the festive square makes for a great way to end a night in downtown Fayetteville.

The Stewart Family Christmas Light Display features lights and inflatable decor, along with a visit from Santa and train and pony rides — a real treat for the kiddos.

Hours are 5-10pm weeknights and 5-11pm weekends at 4279 E. Wyman Road in Fayetteville. Admission costs $8 and is free for kids 2 and younger.

The Bentonville downtown square is decked out in holiday lights with a Christmas tree smack dab in the middle.

Bonus: The Rink at Lawrence Plaza is open downtown for the season, so you can enjoy a winter night straight out of a Hallmark movie.

Downtown Springdale is also a winter wonderland with light displays this season.

Where to see lights in NWA this season

If you like lights, you have to head to the downtown Bentonville square. Photo: Alex Golden/Axios

Northwest Arkansas

Northwest Arkansas has those who want to get into the holiday spirit covered.What&#x27;s happening: You have about a month to enjoy whimsical lights and other seasonal decor.

Things to Do

News

Former first lady of Arkansas, presidential candidate and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art on Wednesday night. 

Her appearance, for which Angie Maxwell, director of the Diane Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society ​at the University of Arkansas, moderated, was part of the museum's "We the People: The Radical Notion of Democracy" exhibition.

The big picture: Clinton touched on misinformation about the integrity of elections, social media attacks by foreign interests and the country's polarized political landscape, which, she said, if allowed to go unchecked, will erode democracy. 

While she and Maxwell noted that election processes are largely not included in the constitution, thus leaving room for states to gerrymander, Clinton said she's changed her mind on more checks and balances regarding elections being codified, saying they should.

Clinton called the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision reversing the constitutional right to abortion a "results-oriented outcome."

She mentioned Ireland's now-reversed abortion ban that resulted in a woman with a wanted pregnancy dying because the hospital refused her an abortion when she began miscarrying, calling it "profoundly sad" that similar situations will probably happen in this country.

"[Abortion] is a very complicated legal situation, which I think needs to be dealt with politically," she said, noting it will be a top priority politically for years to come.

Society has to figure out a way to “deprogram” people who buy into disinformation. "It's a dagger in the heart of democracy," Clinton said. 

Zoom out: As the U.S. continues to debate who "we the people" includes, Clinton said some people in power want to minimize the voices of those who don't support them through means such as voter suppression, disinformation and threatening election integrity.

What she said: "It's very troubling to see our elections, which have already been viewed as the centerpiece of our democracy, being so targeted."

She said former President Trump broke norms of national leaders who historically endeavored to unify the country and accept defeat when they lost elections. She recalled that she conceded to Trump when she lost in 2016, even as she won the popular vote.

The bottom line: Maxwell asked if she thinks democracy will survive. "Absolutely," Clinton said.

She pointed to the November midterms, noting some people were willing to speak up for facts and there were "little glimmers of fact-based reality."

Former first lady of Arkansas, presidential candidate and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at Crystal Bridges Museum.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton answered questions posed by Angie Maxwell, director of the Diane Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axios

Hillary Clinton

Former first lady of Arkansas, presidential candidate and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art on Wednesday night. <ul><li>Her appearance, for which Angie Maxwell, director of the Diane Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society ​at the University of Arkansas, moderated, was part of the museum&#x27;s &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="We the People: The Radical Notion of Democracy" data-vars-click-url="https://crystalbridges.org/calendar/we-the-people/" data-vars-content-id="433d856e-12e2-475a-9871-8991f6fd715b" data-vars-headline="Hillary Clinton talks democracy in NWA" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://crystalbridges.org/calendar/we-the-people/" target="_blank">We the People: The Radical Notion of Democracy</a>&quot; exhibition.</li></ul>

Politics

Most local and state elections were decided after the Nov. 8 midterms, but voters still have some decisions to make.

What's happening: Early voting for runoff elections starts Tuesday, Nov. 29. Election Day is Dec. 6.

Rogers City Council: Incumbent Clay Kendall will face challenger Rachel Crawford, senior national account manager at food manufacturer Mars, to represent Ward 3. The two were neck and neck, with Kendall taking 37.6% of the vote and Crawford taking 36.8%. Read our coverage.

Springdale City Council: Incumbent Brian Powell will face banker Alice Gachuzo-Colin to represent Ward 3. Powell won 36% of the vote, while Gachuzo-Colin won 26%. Read our coverage.

Bentonville School Board: Two races are on the ballot, including Jeremy Farmer vs. Blanca Maldonado to represent Zone 3 and Tatum Aicklen vs. Letisha Hinds to represent Zone 5.

Bella Vista mayor: Local business owner Randy Murray and City Councilmember John Flynn will compete. Murray got 44% of the vote followed by Flynn's 32%. Read our coverage.

Farmington mayor: Mayor Ernie Penn, who won 49.7% of the vote, will face City Councilmember Diane Bryant, who collected 31.4%. Read our coverage.

Bella Vista City Council: Voters have three races to decide, including Donna Hutchinson vs. Wendy Hughes to represent Ward 1, incumbent Larry Wilms vs. Wynn Peterson to represent Ward 2, and Julie Yandell vs. Craig Honchell to represent Ward 3.

Be smart: While state races require a candidate to win the most votes to win, most local races require candidates to win over 50% of the vote or 40% if they have at least 20 more percentage points than the runner-up.

Go deeper: Find your sample ballots and polling places.

Runoffs are coming in NWA

Most local and state elections were decided after the Nov. 8 midterms, but voters still have some decisions to make.What&#x27;s happening: Early voting for runoff elections starts Tuesday, Nov. 29. Election Day is Dec. 6.

The holidays are in full swing in Northwest Arkansas. 

Here are some ways to celebrate this weekend:

Christmas on the Creek: This family-friendly event in downtown Springdale includes a parade, a visit from Santa, a holiday market, a tree and live music from 11am-8pm Saturday.

"The Nutcracker": You have four chances to see the classic at Walton Arts Center this weekend. Get tickets ranging $30-$53.

"It's a Wonderful Life": The film is showing at 7pm Saturday at Victory Theater in Rogers. Get tickets for $10.

Your post-Thanksgiving weekend plans

Here's what our community has in store for the holiday weekend.

The holidays are in full swing in Northwest Arkansas. Here are some ways to celebrate this weekend:

I, admittedly, suggested dinner with my fiancé at Cheers at the Old Post Office because I was cold and it was the closest restaurant after walking around Fayetteville's downtown square to see holiday lights at the Lights of the Ozarks festival.

I've been meaning to try this restaurant smack dab in the middle of the square in the historic building since it opened in 2019. Something about eating there in the winter feels particularly cozy.

Background: The building was a post office from 1911 to 1963 and later a restaurant from the late 1970s to the early 2000s. After hosting a revolving door of businesses for 15 years or so, it’s returned to restaurant space.

For starters: crab cakes with an old fashioned. Photo: Alex Golden/Axios

On the menu: Sandwiches, burgers and entrées like penne pasta in a Creole cream sauce and a bacon-wrapped fillet with blue-cheese sauce.

Don't sleep on the drinks or apps here. Cheers has a lengthy starter menu with items such as roasted poblano goat cheese dip and New Orleans BBQ shrimp. We got the crab cakes, which were truly "loaded" with crab as the menu says and had a nice kick.

I went classic and got grilled chicken with chipotle macaroni and cheese and collard greens. Any fellow serious mac and cheese fans out there looking for something new should definitely order this spicy twist as a side.

When and where: 11am-10pm Wednesday through Saturday and 11am-9pm Sunday at 1 W. Center St. in Fayetteville.

Cheers to winter dinnertime

But really, the chipotle mac and cheese at Cheers at the Old Post Office.

I added an extra side for $4. Totally worth it. Photo: Alex Golden/Axios

I, admittedly, suggested dinner with my fiancé at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Cheers at the Old Post Office" data-vars-click-url="https://cheersopo.com/" data-vars-content-id="c4dfe326-d21b-48cb-a922-b842cb2da478" data-vars-headline="Cheers to winter dinnertime" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://cheersopo.com/" target="_blank">Cheers at the Old Post Office</a> because I was cold and it was the closest restaurant after walking around Fayetteville&#x27;s downtown square to see holiday lights at the Lights of the Ozarks festival.Yes, but: It was the right choice.

Alex Golden

Stories

Hillary Clinton talks democracy in NWA

Where to see lights in NWA this season

Cheers to winter dinnertime

Runoffs are coming in NWA

Your post-Thanksgiving weekend plans

Newsletter editions

👩‍💼 Hillary in NWA

📣 Raising women's voices

Hutchinson pans Trump

🗳 Local runoff elections

🎉 Sanders' big plans