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Military drone plant opens in Arkansas, drawing protest

The company plans to make unmanned aerial vehicles to operate in coordinated swarms

Business

Tech startup Swarm Aero opened a Northwest Arkansas facility Wednesday to build military drones near Fayetteville&#x27;s Drake Field, with plans to create hundreds of jobs.Why it matters: Regional leaders say the facility positions Northwest Arkansas as a growing <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="defense manufacturing hub" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2024/04/19/xtremis-technology-ai-rf-electromagnetic" data-vars-content-id="f97842e1-2f60-48cd-9179-6328cccd4129" data-vars-headline="Military drone plant opens in Arkansas, drawing protest" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2024/04/19/xtremis-technology-ai-rf-electromagnetic" target="_self">defense manufacturing hub</a>.

Mixed-use project planned for Bentonville square

The plan is to break ground on The Hart on Main this summer.

News

Construction of a development bringing retail, office and housing to the Bentonville square will begin soon.State of play: The plan is to break ground on The Hart on Main this summer with a &quot;multiyear build ahead,&quot; according to a news release.

Arkansas Gov. Sanders knocks Dems on Fox News

"If Kamala Harris is the best person that the Democrats can run again, I think '28 is looking really good for Republicans," Sanders said.

Politics

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders opined about the 2028 general election on &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Fox &amp; Friends" data-vars-click-url="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6389570439112" data-vars-content-id="ac621f56-12f0-4511-9f96-5ed102302d4b" data-vars-headline="Arkansas Gov. Sanders knocks Dems on Fox News" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6389570439112" target="_blank">Fox &amp; Friends</a>&quot; on Thursday, following a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="commentary" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/democrats-you-may-already-have-lost-the-2028-election-7bab8946?st=6xtgWW&amp;reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink" data-vars-content-id="ac621f56-12f0-4511-9f96-5ed102302d4b" data-vars-headline="Arkansas Gov. Sanders knocks Dems on Fox News" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/democrats-you-may-already-have-lost-the-2028-election-7bab8946?st=6xtgWW&amp;reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink" target="_blank">commentary</a> in the Wall Street Journal critiquing the Democratic Party.

Filmmaker second in Crystal Bridges speaker series

Ken Burns will speak in April in Bentonville.

Things to Do

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art announced Wednesday that documentary filmmaker <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Ken Burns will be the next speaker" data-vars-click-url="https://crystalbridges.org/calendar/building-bridges-an-evening-with-ken-burns/" data-vars-content-id="ad8181a3-39ed-4141-9ee6-32ede953c7fe" data-vars-headline="Filmmaker second in Crystal Bridges speaker series" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://crystalbridges.org/calendar/building-bridges-an-evening-with-ken-burns/" target="_blank">Ken Burns will be the next speaker</a> in its &quot;Building Bridges&quot; series.Context: The series, happening in conjunction with the United States turning 250 this year, &quot;brings together thought leaders, thinkers and artists to model civic dialogue,&quot; according to a news release.

UAMS lands $40M to tackle maternal and infant mortality

The money comes from federal appropriations legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump.

Health

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock will <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="receive $40 million" data-vars-click-url="https://news.uams.edu/2026/02/09/uams-to-receive-40-million-in-congressional-appropriations-championed-by-arkansas-u-s-sen-john-boozman/" data-vars-content-id="67167921-8ea0-4c0c-a4d1-78d885fb66c0" data-vars-headline="UAMS lands $40M to tackle maternal and infant mortality" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://news.uams.edu/2026/02/09/uams-to-receive-40-million-in-congressional-appropriations-championed-by-arkansas-u-s-sen-john-boozman/" target="_blank">receive $40 million</a> in federal funding aimed largely at improving maternal and infant health outcomes, the school <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="announced" data-vars-click-url="https://news.uams.edu/2026/02/09/uams-to-receive-40-million-in-congressional-appropriations-championed-by-arkansas-u-s-sen-john-boozman/" data-vars-content-id="67167921-8ea0-4c0c-a4d1-78d885fb66c0" data-vars-headline="UAMS lands $40M to tackle maternal and infant mortality" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://news.uams.edu/2026/02/09/uams-to-receive-40-million-in-congressional-appropriations-championed-by-arkansas-u-s-sen-john-boozman/" target="_blank">announced</a> Monday.The big picture: Arkansas&#x27; maternal mortality rate was the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="fourth-highest" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/maternal-mortality/mmr-2018-2022-state-data.pdf" data-vars-content-id="67167921-8ea0-4c0c-a4d1-78d885fb66c0" data-vars-headline="UAMS lands $40M to tackle maternal and infant mortality" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/maternal-mortality/mmr-2018-2022-state-data.pdf" target="_blank">fourth-highest</a> in the U.S. during 2018-2022, and its infant mortality rate was the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="second-highest" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/infant-mortality.html" data-vars-content-id="67167921-8ea0-4c0c-a4d1-78d885fb66c0" data-vars-headline="UAMS lands $40M to tackle maternal and infant mortality" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/state-stats/deaths/infant-mortality.html" target="_blank">second-highest</a> in 2023, according to the CDC.

Walton-backed STEM university names first president

Penn State University's David Mazyck will lead the school.

Education

The planned Bentonville <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="STEM university" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/05/08/waltons-stem-university-bentonville-walmart" data-vars-content-id="25460435-7456-4052-9011-2c8541430ff2" data-vars-headline="Walton-backed STEM university names first president" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/05/08/waltons-stem-university-bentonville-walmart" target="_self">STEM university</a> on Wednesday named its first president and said it&#x27;s preparing to demolish the former Walmart Home Office, where the school will be located.Why it matters: Turning a former corporate landmark into a STEM university positions the project as a long-term anchor for education, talent development and downtown growth in Bentonville.

Northwest Arkansas schools shuttered for 2nd snow day

Temps dipped into the single-digits early Monday and are forecast to remain below freezing until Wednesday.

Kids rejoiced and some parents cringed when the major NWA school districts called off classes for the second day in a row. The big picture: Many NWA weather forecasters last week predicted 8–10 inches. The National Weather Service snowfall <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="reports for the weekend" data-vars-click-url="https://www.weather.gov/source/crh/snowmap.html?zoom=10&amp;lat=36.14&amp;lon=-94.17&amp;hr=72" data-vars-content-id="3ecf9d2e-78ec-428e-995a-a4ad7949821b" data-vars-headline="Northwest Arkansas schools shuttered for 2nd snow day" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.weather.gov/source/crh/snowmap.html?zoom=10&amp;lat=36.14&amp;lon=-94.17&amp;hr=72" target="_blank">reports for the weekend</a> show totals as high as 12 inches in Siloam Springs and as low as 3.3 inches in east Fayetteville.

Bentonville schools debunk ICE field trip rumors after mix-up

Bentonville officials clarified that students didn't tour an ICE facility, despite viral claims. The mix-up involved two DHS-listed buildings.

Bentonville Public Schools officials clarified Saturday that students did not tour an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility this week, despite online claims that they had taken a field trip there.Driving the news: In a Saturday email to district employees, students, and families obtained by Axios, Superintendent Debbie Jones said the mix-up occurred when a bus briefly took Gifted and Talented students to the wrong building before transporting them to the intended destination, a Homeland Security Investigations office in Fayetteville. It was for forensics education, she said.

University of Arkansas rescinds law school hire under political pressure, legislator says

The university said it had received "feedback from key external stakeholders."

The University of Arkansas had hired a new dean for its law school but has since rescinded its offer — because of political pressure, a state legislator says.Why it matters: This raises concerns over freedom of speech and academic expression, American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas executive director Holly Dickson said Thursday in a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="statement" data-vars-click-url="https://www.acluarkansas.org/press-releases/aclu-of-arkansas-statement-on-unconstitutional-political-interference-in-university-of-arkansas-law-dean-hiring/" data-vars-content-id="f2e30c1e-9528-4e07-94fe-ca57104b4606" data-vars-headline="University of Arkansas rescinds law school hire under political pressure, legislator says" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.acluarkansas.org/press-releases/aclu-of-arkansas-statement-on-unconstitutional-political-interference-in-university-of-arkansas-law-dean-hiring/" target="_blank">statement</a>.

Northwest Arkansas' 2025 in headlines

The big picture: 2025 was a rollercoaster.

It&#x27;s time to take a beat and reflect on the year through the news that changed our region.The big picture: 2025 was a rollercoaster.

Bentonville schools' program to expand with help from Walton organizations

The Alice L. Walton Foundation is considering constructing a building for the Ignite program on its new health care campus.

Alice Walton&#x27;s organizations plan to work with high school students pursuing careers in health care and other fields, and the students could have a building at Walton&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="future Bentonville health care campus" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/11/14/alice-walton-future-health-care-campus-preview" data-vars-content-id="e490c60c-2071-415a-ac9f-c7df84ce1597" data-vars-headline="Bentonville schools&#x27; program to expand with help from Walton organizations" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/11/14/alice-walton-future-health-care-campus-preview" target="_self">future Bentonville health care campus</a>.Why it matters: Northwest Arkansas <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="needs more health care workers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2024/11/14/nwa-health-care-council-report" data-vars-content-id="e490c60c-2071-415a-ac9f-c7df84ce1597" data-vars-headline="Bentonville schools&#x27; program to expand with help from Walton organizations" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2024/11/14/nwa-health-care-council-report" target="_self">needs more health care workers</a> both to serve its growing population and to treat patients from surrounding rural areas. A <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="2019 report" data-vars-click-url="https://nwacouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/NWAHealthcareAssessmentOnlineVersion.pdf" data-vars-content-id="e490c60c-2071-415a-ac9f-c7df84ce1597" data-vars-headline="Bentonville schools&#x27; program to expand with help from Walton organizations" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://nwacouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/NWAHealthcareAssessmentOnlineVersion.pdf" target="_blank">2019 report</a> commissioned by the Northwest Arkansas Council recommended creating a more robust pipeline with health care education, Alice L. Walton Foundation spokesperson Diane Carroll noted.

Americans don't think college is worth it. It is.

The median income of those with bachelor's degrees in NWA is about $27,500 higher than those with high school diplomas.

The share of Americans who say <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="college" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/09/college-blue-collar-gen-z" data-vars-content-id="6fd3461e-4bd1-4e73-ab23-e81418e7486f" data-vars-headline="Americans don&#x27;t think college is worth it. It is." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/09/09/college-blue-collar-gen-z" target="_self">college</a> is &quot;very important&quot; plummeted over the past decade, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new Gallup" data-vars-click-url="https://news.gallup.com/poll/695003/perceived-importance-college-hits-new-low.aspx" data-vars-content-id="6fd3461e-4bd1-4e73-ab23-e81418e7486f" data-vars-headline="Americans don&#x27;t think college is worth it. It is." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/695003/perceived-importance-college-hits-new-low.aspx" target="_blank">new Gallup</a> polling finds.Why it matters: College may not live up to the American Dream that it promised in the past — and there are other pathways for success becoming more appealing for Gen Z — but in terms of lifetime earnings, a college degree is actually still important.

New medical school celebrates opening

The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, which <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="began classes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/07/21/alice-walton-medical-school-opens-bentonville" data-vars-content-id="470e83b5-5d73-4832-b20d-f07814b1dc8b" data-vars-headline="New medical school celebrates opening" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/07/21/alice-walton-medical-school-opens-bentonville" target="_self">began classes</a> in July with its inaugural class of 48 medical students in Bentonville, hosted a grand opening Wednesday morning.What they&#x27;re saying: &quot;When we founded this school it was based on a vision for a new kind of med school,&quot; founder Alice Walton said during the ceremony. &quot;One that would transform the next generation of physicians based on what communities need now — not just disease care but whole person care, prioritizing keeping people healthy, not just seeing them when they&#x27;re sick.&quot;

Arkansas partly delays changes to child care funding

Some Arkansas families face new preschool and day care copays as other funding changes are pushed to Nov. 1.

The Arkansas Department of Education delayed some changes to a federally funded preschool and day care program that were announced Sept. 19 while allowing some changes to take effect Wednesday, a department spokesperson confirmed to Axios.Why it matters: The school readiness assistance program typically serves families that earn 85% of the state median income or less. Child care professionals and advocates say sudden changes in how Arkansas distributes the money will hurt low-income families.

Education 📚

UAMS lands $40M to tackle maternal and infant mortality

Walton-backed STEM university names first president

Northwest Arkansas schools shuttered for 2nd snow day

Bentonville schools debunk ICE field trip rumors after mix-up

University of Arkansas rescinds law school hire under political pressure, legislator says