1 big thing: Walmart to offer fertility treatments as a benefit

Plan your future

Tyson Foods changes up its leadership

2. Tyson Foods shuffles exec deck 

3. Kitchen Sink: Showers of news

4. Steve Case: America on the rise

Today's weather: Sunny with a high in the low 80s.

🚨 Situational awareness: The Arkansas Senate voted to suspend Sen. Alan Clark (R-Lonsdale) and strip him of seniority until the regular session begins on Jan. 9, 2023. The action stems from a frivolous ethics complaint he filed against Sen. Stephanie Flowers (D-Pine Bluff). 

Earlier this year, Clark was found guilty of violating Senate ethics. 

Today's newsletter is 737 words — a 3-minute read.

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

👩‍💻 Worth is reading about the world of the "worker productivity score."

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Walmart's building fams

NW Arkansas

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

Axios Northwest Arkansas

Arkansas' proposed constitutional vote change

1 big thing: What to know about Issue 2

Is a new job in your future?

2. Walmartians top in cycle challenge

A green bicycle leans against a brick wall. 

2. 4 places to grab lunch under $10 

3. Where to grab lunch under $10 

4. Kitchen Sink: News drippings 

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

We're glad you made it through the weekend OK and are here with us. 

☀️ Today will be sunny with a high in the low 80s.

Today's newsletter is 749 words — a 3-minute read.

🤿 Alex has the day off. Worth imagines she's sipping Capri Sun and playing on a Slip 'N Slide. 

🛸 Worth is listening to Kurt Vonnegut's "Breakfast of Champions" performed by Stanley Tucci, which mentions Little Rock, Tulsa, and so on. 😂

Do you write emails? Screenplays? Grocery lists? Learn how to say more with less in a new book from Axios' founders — "Smart Brevity." 

Manufacturing renaissance signaled for micropolitans

1 big thing: Manufacturing renaissance signaled for micropolitans

A stone sign welcomes motorists to Los Alamos, New Mexico, home to the Los Alamos National Laboratory established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project.

2. NWA's dog days decrease 

3. Kitchen Sink: Just the facts, ham 

Illustration of a razorback wearing sunglasses with a faucet reflected in the lenses.

Food for thought: Rogers' Ramen Nara rocks

4. Ramen that rocks 

Check out our Job Board

5. Red the Tide out

🎶 Here's some Alabama scorn to start your weekend. 

😎 Weekend weather: Perfect. Sun and near 80. 

🚨 Situational awareness: The Arkansas School Safety Commission's final report is due to Gov. Asa Hutchinson tomorrow. It will be used to guide how schools can apply for their share of $50 million in grant money earmarked for safety measures.

Today's newsletter is 852 words — a 3.5-minute read.

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

🏔 Alex is out for the day. Worth imagines she's climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. 

📖 Worth is listening to a "Fresh Air" interview with the author of "By Hands Now Known."

1 big thing: Prepping for cyclo-cross shenanigans 

A muddy cyclist climbs to the top of a stone feature before riding down the other side. 

A new career is waiting for you

2. Mapped: Arkansas' brain drain 

3. Kitchen Sink: News, distilled

Illustration of a pattern of kitchen sinks.

4. 😱 Pic du jour: Pray, man, pray

☀️ It'll be a little cooler with a high of 75 today and lots of sun. 

🚔 Situational awareness: One person was killed by a gunman at CHI St. Vincent North hospital in Sherwood near Little Rock yesterday. The alleged shooter was apprehended at a nearby gas station. 

Today's newsletter is 728 words — a 3-minute read.

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

📜 Alex is out for the day. Worth imagines she's checking out the Dead Sea Scrolls. 

🚲 Worth is having an inner dialogue about the merits of hopping on the Peloton after work instead of watching MLB. ⚾️

Arkansas' Libertarian candidate Harrington calls for less government

1 big thing: Harrington calls for less government and more liberty 

2. Mapped: Arkansas ranked low for workers 

3. Kitchen Sink: News bites

4. What to expect at city council 

Take your career to the next level

5. 🐾 1 mutt rec to go: Mack Brevity 

☑️ Only 41 days until the midterm election. 

☀️ Sun again today with a high in the low 80s. 

🌀 Situational awareness: Southwestern Electric Power plans to send more than 100 employees and 200 contractors to Florida in preparation for Hurricane Ian.

Consider supporting our mission-driven journalism by becoming an Axios NW Arkansas member.

Today's newsletter is 761 words — a 3-minute read.

On several of my frequently long bike rides during the pandemic, I noticed Ramen Nara in Rogers. 

A bowl of noodle soup sounds good on a long ride, especially if it's chilly, but the place was always closed or I needed to push on home. 

The ramen: I settled on the shoyu chicken ($13.50) with noodles, grilled chicken, soft-boiled egg, wood-ear mushroom, bamboo shoots, fish cake and scallions in chicken broth. 

The only way to describe it: A super-sophisticated take on chicken noodle soup that just hits the spot.

Yes, and: I recommend the pan-fried pork gyoza ($7) as a starter if you're with a friend. The chef knows how to crisp them up just right and they're oh so scarfable. 

Of course, why not top it off with a little ice cream ($3)? The strawberry mochi were generous without being too heavy. 

Get your own: 301 S. Dodson Rd. in Rogers. Open Monday through Saturday 11am-2pm and 5-8pm.

Strawberry ice cream mochi. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axios

A bowl of noodle soup sounds good on a long ride, especially if it's chilly.

The chicken ramen. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axiois

Northwest Arkansas

On several of my frequently long bike rides during the pandemic, I noticed <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Ramen Nara" data-vars-click-url="http://www.ramen-nara.com/" data-vars-content-id="2916d300-bc4b-49d3-8bf9-65c6fca24368" data-vars-headline="Food for thought: Rogers&#x27; Ramen Nara rocks" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="http://www.ramen-nara.com/" target="_blank">Ramen Nara</a> in Rogers. <ul><li>A bowl of noodle soup sounds good on a long ride, especially if it&#x27;s chilly, but the place was always closed or I needed to push on home. </li></ul>

Food and Drink

Business

Micropolitans with outdoor recreation and some form of manufacturing fared better economically than others through the pandemic. 

Driving the news: Bentonville's Heartland Forward on Thursday released its biennial study — "Most Dynamic Micropolitans" — ranking 536 U.S. cities with a population of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000.

Why it matters: Researchers sussed out what economic factors helped micropolitans navigate the COVID-19 crisis, what held others back and how they stack up to peers. 

The ranking uses both historical and forward-looking data — such as entrepreneurship — so it shows where growth is likely. 

The figures also can be used as a roadmap for micropolitans looking to grow their economies, Dave Shideler, Heartland Forward chief research officer, told Axios.

What they did: Researchers used growth in average annual pay, employment numbers, GDP, level of per capita income, young-firm employment share and share of degreed workers employed at young firms to rank each city. 

What they found: Areas that count outdoor recreation or food production as part of their economy's makeup performed better than others. 

Spirit Lake, Iowa, and Albertville, Alabama, for instance, both benefited from nearby lakes. Each climbed more than 50 spots due to their outdoor economies, as the U.S. workforce looked to get outside during the pandemic. 

Dodge City, Kansas, leaped 336 spots because National Beef Packing Company — an essential service during the pandemic — kept the area's workforce stable. 

Oil-producing micropolitans like Pecos, Texas, slipped slightly because drilling wasn't as profitable in 2020. Pecos fell from No. 1 to No. 4. 

A photo of a flowing creek in the wilderness. 

Outdoor recreation is what drew Worth to this creek in the Valles Caldera National Preserve near Los Alamos. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axios 

The top micropolitans according to Heartland Forward: 

What they're saying: "A manufacturing renaissance is beginning to emerge," Shideler told us, attributing that to making more in the U.S. rather than depending on factories overseas. 

Zoom in: Arkansas' 15 micropolitans are mostly in the north-central or southeastern part of the state and all were in the lower half of the rankings. Harrison, Mountain Home, Camden, Helena-West Helena and Searcy are examples. 

The intrigue: A surprise was that Los Alamos ranked No. 1, Shideler said. While mathematically correct, it's an outlier because the rank is largely attributed to a $2.5 billion federal contract with startup Triad National Security during the reporting time. 

The bottom line: Authors of the report conclude that a diversified economy is the best hedge against the unknown.

Micropolitans with outdoor rec and some form of manufacturing fared better economically than others through the pandemic.

A stone sign welcomes motorists to Los Alamos, New Mexico, where the atom bomb was developed. Photo: Robert Alexander/Getty Image 

Economic growth

Micropolitans with outdoor recreation and some form of manufacturing fared better economically than others through the pandemic. Driving the news: Bentonville&#x27;s Heartland Forward on Thursday released its biennial study — &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Most Dynamic Micropolitans" data-vars-click-url="https://heartlandforward.org/case-study/most-dynamic-micropolitans-2022/" data-vars-content-id="4e7cd308-c7e1-4cc8-a1a1-8692e340a0fe" data-vars-headline="Manufacturing renaissance signaled for micropolitans" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://heartlandforward.org/case-study/most-dynamic-micropolitans-2022/" target="_blank">Most Dynamic Micropolitans</a>&quot; — ranking 536 U.S. cities with a population of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000.

News

Arkansas voters will decide in November if a simple majority of ballots cast continues to have the power to make amendments to the state's constitution.

State of play: There are four issues on the state ballot, including No. 2, known as the "Constitutional Amendment and Ballot Initiative Reform Amendment."

Sponsored by Rep. David Ray (R-Maumelle) and Sen. Bart Hester (R-Cave Springs), it would increase the percentage of votes required to pass most future ballot issues.  

As it stands, a simple majority of 50% plus one is required. Issue 2 raises the bar to 60%.

The intrigue: Issue 2 would only require a simple majority to pass in November. 

Reality check: Though voter turnout in Arkansas' general elections is higher than in its primaries, usually less than one-third of the state's total population turns out to vote.

What they're saying: "Issue 2 was introduced by legislators as a clear attempt to make it nearly impossible for Arkansans to exercise their constitutional right to petition our government," Gennie Diaz of nonpartisan group Protect AR Rights said in a news release. "The current initiative process ensures that all Arkansans, not just politicians and the lobbyists who back them, have a say over the policies put before voters."

The other side: "We value the [state's] constitution and want to make sure that it's protected," Hester told Axios. 

The intent of the measure is to safeguard Arkansas against special interest groups with deep pockets that could influence votes. 

Be smart: A for vote is in favor of changing the Arkansas Constitution to increase the percentage of votes required to pass constitutional amendments to 60% of the votes cast.

An against vote opposes the change to the Arkansas Constitution.

Of note: The last day to register to vote is Oct. 11.

Mail-in and absentee ballots are due on Nov. 4, and Election Day is Nov. 8

Arkansas voters will decide if a simple majority of ballots cast have the power to make amendments to the state's constitution.

A poll worker holds a sheet of stickers during Arkansas' primary in May. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axios

2022 elections

Arkansas voters will decide in November if a simple majority of ballots cast continues to have the power to make amendments to the state&#x27;s constitution.State of play: There are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="four issues" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections/initiatives-and-referenda/" data-vars-content-id="4e86df18-f46a-4bce-b961-7256185e48b8" data-vars-headline="Arkansas&#x27; proposed constitutional vote change" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections/initiatives-and-referenda/" target="_blank">four issues</a> on the state ballot, including <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="No. 2" data-vars-click-url="https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2021R%2FPublic%2FHJR1005.pdf" data-vars-content-id="4e86df18-f46a-4bce-b961-7256185e48b8" data-vars-headline="Arkansas&#x27; proposed constitutional vote change" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2021R%2FPublic%2FHJR1005.pdf" target="_blank">No. 2</a>, known as the &quot;Constitutional Amendment and Ballot Initiative Reform Amendment.&quot;

Politics

Kids are back in school. The air is crisper. And leaves are turning. The change can only mean one thing — cyclo-cross meets Halloween. 

What's happening: Fayetteville's Centennial Park will again host a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) World Cup competition, attracting a slate of international athletes on Sunday, Oct. 16. 

Organizers added two days of activities before the pros compete, hoping to draw families and enthusiasts with amateur races.

Why it matters: Hosting UCl-level events brings international attention to NWA as a cycling destination and gets mileage out of the $3.3 million Centennial Park, built precisely for this purpose. 

Context: The World Cup is a qualifier event (think Monday night football) for the World Championship (think Super Bowl).

This World Cup is the second in a series of 14 competitions — one of only two in the U.S. — leading up to the World Championship in the Netherlands in February 2023. 

Cyclo-cross is not to be confused with mountain bike racing, which was held here in April.

By the numbers: The championship is what was held in Fayetteville last January. It drew more than 17,000 spectators, including an estimated 6,000 from Europe. 

That event spiked hotel-motel-restaurant tax collections to be the highest ever for the month of January in Fayetteville, a 144% increase over the previous year, Molly Rawn, CEO of Experience Fayetteville emailed Axios. 

Between 650-700 amateurs are expected to race on Saturday, Oct. 15. 

It's too early to know how many elite and junior women and men will compete on Sunday. 

Details: Last year, the competition was held on a Wednesday — in the rain — but still drew a significant crowd of dedicated spectators. Organizers hope more will turn out for the weekend event and have added attractions for younger people, including costumes and candy. A complete schedule is available, but for an idea of what to expect: 

Friday — UCI races begin at 10am and run through the evening. Kids will be encouraged to trick-or-treat throughout the expo.

Saturday — Amateur races begin at 8am and run all day. Outrageous costumes are welcome for both spectators and competitors. Registration is still open. 

Sunday — Amateur juniors start at 8am and UCI racing begins at 9:15am. 

What they're saying: "I don't care if you're 2 or 102, we've got a race for you," Brannon Pack, director of cycling tourism for Experience Fayetteville, told Axios. 

Review: New cyclocross course at Centennial Park is a tough two miles.

Why Fayetteville's new cyclo-cross course is a BFD.

In photos: Cyclo-cross World Cup in Fayetteville.

In photos: NW Arkansas hosts Cyclo-cross World Championship.

Fayetteville preps for cyclo-cross World Cup event

Centennial Park will host a Union Cycliste Internationale World Cup, attracting a slate of international athletes.

A muddy cyclist climbs stairs before riding down the other side. 

A competitor in last year's World Cup event. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axios

Kids are back in school. The air is crisper. And leaves are turning. The change can only mean one thing — cyclo-cross meets Halloween. What&#x27;s happening: Fayetteville&#x27;s Centennial Park will again host a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Union Cycliste Internationale" data-vars-click-url="https://www.uci.org/" data-vars-content-id="abe6cc58-7039-4521-bf86-10325fbdb9d8" data-vars-headline="Fayetteville preps for cyclo-cross World Cup event" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.uci.org/" target="_blank">Union Cycliste Internationale</a> (UCI) World Cup competition, attracting a slate of international athletes on Sunday, Oct. 16.

Sports

Things to Do

Data: National Bureau of Economic Research; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

About 21% more four-year college graduates leave Arkansas than remain as of 2021, according to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Of those who leave the state, most go to Texas, followed by Tennessee and Missouri, a Washington Post data analysis reveals. 

Why it matters: Retaining college graduates where they're educated is a contributing factor to growing a state's long-term economic prosperity and developing industry hubs that attract more talent. 

By the numbers: Missouri (2%) and Tennessee (1%) retain more students than Arkansas. 

The Natural State is on par with Louisiana and Oklahoma, but 40% more Mississippi graduates leave the state with their degrees. 

The bottom line: Texas gains 10% more college-educated people than it graduates. 

Mapping Arkansas' brain drain

About 21% more four-year college graduates leave Arkansas than remain as of 2021.

Arkansas

About 21% more four-year college graduates leave Arkansas than remain as of 2021, according to a study by the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="National Bureau of Economic Research" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w30088/w30088.pdf" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w30088/w30088.pdf" target="_blank">National Bureau of Economic Research</a>. <ul><li>Of those who leave the state, most go to Texas, followed by Tennessee and Missouri, a Washington Post <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="data analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/09/09/films-assigned-college/" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/09/09/films-assigned-college/" target="_blank">data analysis</a> reveals. </li></ul>

Sections

Axios Local

Axios gets you smarter, faster with news & information that matters.

About

Subscribe

Worth Sparkman

Stories

Arkansas' proposed constitutional vote change

Food for thought: Rogers' Ramen Nara rocks

Manufacturing renaissance signaled for micropolitans

Fayetteville preps for cyclo-cross World Cup event

Mapping Arkansas' brain drain

Newsletter editions

State voter amendment

🏆 Small town successes

🚴‍♂️ Cyclo-cross craze

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Walmart's building fams

🗳 Harrington's hands-off agenda