Arkansas' naughty and nice list for 2021

As we reflected on the year, we couldn't help but to make a list and check it twice.

• This is the news we found to be both naughty and nice.

👺 Naughty

• Arkansas Department of Transportation bridge inspector Monty Frazier and two engineers who missed the crack in the I-40 bridge to Memphis for years prior to 2021.
• Former U of A Chancellor Joe Steinmetz who resigned abruptly, apparently related to inappropriate posts on a Twitter account.
• Restaurant Oven & Tap for firing a waitress over a tip dispute. Owners Mollie Mullis and Luke Wetzel finally gave their side of the story, but no matter how you cut it, there was a better way to handle this.
• Sen. Jason Rapert (R-Conway) who tried to extend the second special session of the General Assembly to discuss bills that were not part of Gov. Hutchinson's plan. The session could have run all the way to Christmas.

😇 Nice

• The Razorbacks are good again. Fans owe it to Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek, head basketball coach Eric Musselman and head football coach Sam Pittman.
• Snoop Dogg handed out chicken at Cane’s in Fayetteville. That’s chill.
• The Bella Vista Bypass was completed, relieving traffic congestion and lowering Alex’s blood pressure.
• A Union Cycliste Internationale World Cup competition for cyclocross was held in Fayetteville. The World Championship will be here Jan. 29.
• Fayetteville completed the library expansion. It basically has everything.
• Johnson got cool with the development of Johnson Square, including the opening of two great restaurants.

👏 Really nice

• All of the NWA health care workers and volunteers who helped with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and the organizations that worked to get the correct information about the vaccine to the public.
• All the fantastic work done by the Northwest Arkansas Council, FindingNWA, OZ Brands and all the other groups to promote the area to the rest of the nation as a place to live, work, bike, explore art, fly airplanes and raise families. The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and ABC News have taken notice.
• Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art announced it will expand, adding 100,000-square-feet to the existing 200,000-square-feet building.
• The region is poised to have more doctors with the announcement that NWA hospitals will add 82 medical residency slots, including the only specialty care slots. And Alice Walton announced she will pay to build a medical school in Bentonville.