NW Arkansas

Northwest Arkansas Alerts

Alert

blue

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

Axios Northwest Arkansas Thought Bubble

Thought Bubble

Axios NW Arkansas Partners

Axios Northwest Arkansas

Standard

Axios NW Arkansas Deep Dive

Deep Dive

Northwest Arkansas Members

Membership

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.

Children's hospital expansion on track to open in fall

This won't be the last expansion of Arkansas Children's Northwest.

The Arkansas Children&#x27;s Northwest expansion is set to be complete late this fall, and families are already seeing some upgrades at the hospital, president and CEO Marcy Doderer told Axios.Why it matters: More space, services and medical professionals mean <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="more children can get care closer to home" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2023/05/16/arkansas-childrens-hospital-expansion-little-rock-nwa" data-vars-content-id="e4d774e0-860a-4f21-81de-cadfe443f538" data-vars-headline="Children&#x27;s hospital expansion on track to open in fall" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2023/05/16/arkansas-childrens-hospital-expansion-little-rock-nwa" target="_self">more children can get care closer to home</a> and avoid traveling to Arkansas Children&#x27;s Hospital in Little Rock or another children&#x27;s hospital.

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.

Arkansas sees whooping cough surge

Arkansas saw its highest level of whooping cough cases in 15 years at 500 cases — and one death — in 2025, according to a news release from the state&#x27;s department of health.The big picture: This comes as the Trump administration on Monday dramatically overhauled the federal <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="childhood vaccination schedule" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/12/22/childhood-vaccines-denmark-cdc-lawsuits" data-vars-content-id="20aee123-48ab-49b1-9f5d-d7ff8355fe03" data-vars-headline="Arkansas sees whooping cough surge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/12/22/childhood-vaccines-denmark-cdc-lawsuits" target="_self">childhood vaccination schedule</a>, cutting the number of recommended <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="shots from 17 to 11" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/06/trump-administration-rfk-midterms-vaccines-kids" data-vars-content-id="20aee123-48ab-49b1-9f5d-d7ff8355fe03" data-vars-headline="Arkansas sees whooping cough surge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/06/trump-administration-rfk-midterms-vaccines-kids" target="_self">shots from 17 to 11</a> to align with what it called &quot;consensus among peer nations,&quot; Axios&#x27; Caitlin Owens writes.

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.

Nearly 1 in 3 Arkansans reports symptoms of depression

The Arkansas Health Survey provides a detailed description of the state's mental and physical health, mapping conditions in more than 800 census tracts.

Almost 31% of Arkansans experience symptoms of depression, according to a University of Arkansas health survey out Wednesday — notably higher than the roughly 23% <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="reported" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/pdfs/mm7224-H.pdf" data-vars-content-id="d2a0a50f-1f5b-4ab5-8dd2-f62fcb45805a" data-vars-headline="Nearly 1 in 3 Arkansans reports symptoms of depression" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/pdfs/mm7224-H.pdf" target="_blank">reported</a> by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Why it matters: Depression is a major contributor to mortality, morbidity, disability and economic costs, the CDC notes.

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.

A preview of Alice Walton's future health care campus

Designers are on deck for a nature-inspired medical campus in Bentonville.

The Alice L. Walton Foundation has hired firms to design a new health care campus in Bentonville that will start with cardiovascular care.Catch up quick: The Walmart heir&#x27;s foundation announced in February it had <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="purchased about 100 acres in Bentonville" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/02/19/alice-walton-foundation-walmart-land-purchase-health-care-campus" data-vars-content-id="4e73d723-a684-4101-8a34-3b2233a252a9" data-vars-headline="A preview of Alice Walton&#x27;s future health care campus" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/02/19/alice-walton-foundation-walmart-land-purchase-health-care-campus" target="_self">purchased about 100 acres in Bentonville</a> to develop a health care campus. The campus is separate from Walton&#x27;s new <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="four-year medical school" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/07/21/alice-walton-medical-school-opens-bentonville" data-vars-content-id="4e73d723-a684-4101-8a34-3b2233a252a9" data-vars-headline="A preview of Alice Walton&#x27;s future health care campus" 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">four-year medical school</a> and health care policy-focused <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="nonprofit Heartland Whole Health Institute" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/05/05/walmart-alice-walton-heartland-health-institute" data-vars-content-id="4e73d723-a684-4101-8a34-3b2233a252a9" data-vars-headline="A preview of Alice Walton&#x27;s future health care campus" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2025/05/05/walmart-alice-walton-heartland-health-institute" target="_self">nonprofit Heartland Whole Health Institute</a>, both now open near Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

Bird flu's comeback raises fears about readiness

The most immediate concern is how the spread of the disease in poultry flocks could drive up food prices.

Migratory birds are driving up avian flu cases across the country, reviving concerns about U.S. readiness to respond to outbreaks, especially during the government shutdown.Why it matters: The most immediate concern is how the spread of the disease in commercial poultry flocks could drive up food prices.

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 sees uptick in adult obesity

Arkansas and 18 other states have adult obesity rates at or above 35% as of 2024.

Arkansas&#x27; adult obesity rates are not rising as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="rapidly as most states" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/16/obesity-rates-state-map" data-vars-content-id="f7722478-63b7-4990-881f-e60ca88691c0" data-vars-headline="Arkansas sees uptick in adult obesity" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/16/obesity-rates-state-map" target="_self">rapidly as most states</a>, but the state continues to have one of the highest proportions of adults with obesity in the country.Why it matters: Obesity is tied to several health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="COVID-19" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/health/coronavirus" data-vars-content-id="f7722478-63b7-4990-881f-e60ca88691c0" data-vars-headline="Arkansas sees uptick in adult obesity" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/health/coronavirus" target="_self">COVID-19</a> complications and more.

Health 🩺

Children's hospital expansion on track to open in fall

UAMS lands $40M to tackle maternal and infant mortality

Arkansas sees whooping cough surge

Northwest Arkansas' 2025 in headlines

Nearly 1 in 3 Arkansans reports symptoms of depression