Bentonville plans to open the second phase of its Quilt of Parks project this week, just about a month after beginning the first phase, city parks officials told Axios.

Why it matters: It's a step toward downtown's parks being connected via a walkable promenade.

• Parks director David Wright anticipates the public will get excited once the second phase — the downtown area in front of the courthouse that will go from being a roadway to part of the walkway — is complete.

State of play: Freshly renovated Lawrence Plaza, or the first phase of the project, opened Aug. 9 and will continue to transform into an ice rink during winter. The project was delayed (mostly by weather), but that didn't stop crews from starting the second phase; hence, the back-to-back openings.

• The $31 million Quilt of Parks endeavor includes new playground equipment at Dave Peel Park, plus an amphitheater space for public events, including concerts.

The big picture: Right now, the downtown square serves as a little hub for people come see, grab a meal and then leave, deputy parks director Josh Stacey said.

• "The promenade is going to create a place you're exploring for hours," Stacey said. "You may come for brunch and find yourself needing to eat dinner now because you went down and saw the museum and the different shops and all of a sudden you've been here four or five or six hours."
• In addition to being a public space for recreation and leisure, Wright said he hopes the project also creates retail opportunities downtown and ends up significantly impacting economic development.

What's next: Expect work in front of Tavola Trattoria and Tusk & Trotter to begin after Labor Day and continue through the end of the year. The city expects to start work on the parks in spring 2025.

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Physician-recruiting company MedExcellence has moved its national headquarters to Springdale from Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Why it matters: There's a nationwide shortage of physicians, and some Arkansans have reported waiting 3-4 months to see a primary-care doctor. The state had 215 active physicians per 100,000 people in 2021 — 46th in the nation.

• Out-of-state migration for specialty health care is projected to cost NWA $1.2 billion by 2030.

State of play: The office will be headed by managing partner Diana McDaniel, former VP of operations for Arkansas Children's Northwest and CEO of health care consultancy Prosper Med.

• McDaniel described physician recruitment as being similar to other industries: Representatives attend conferences and "network," she said, but with more of a high-touch or white-glove approach.

Though MedExcellence is about a decade old, McDaniel said part of the strategy to grow the company was to move to the center of the country, where there's a lot of opportunity.

What they're saying: "You can open up a physician practice here in a number of different specialties and be immediately busy because [right now] there's so many people leaving the area for care," McDaniel told Axios.

What we're watching: With the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine set to open next year and the daily inflow of people to NWA, we'll be looking to see if our physician per capita numbers increase in the next few years.

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🚧 Signs informing the public about potential rezoning appeared last week along College Avenue in Fayetteville. It's part of the city's U.S. 71B corridor plan, which spans an area from 15th Street to Lake Fayetteville.

• The Planning Commission on Monday approved the rezoning, so now the City Council will take up the issue. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

🛒 Walmart said it will add three categories to Walmart.com: premium beauty, renewed/preowned merchandise, and collectibles. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

🏨 A planned $100 million, 16-story hotel in Rogers has dropped designs for an adjacent entertainment venue because of parking issues. (Northwest Arkansas Business Journal)

On a quick stop by Airship Pumphouse in Bentonville, I wanted something a little more than a drip coffee.

The setup: I've had luck in the past with a drink from the seasonal menu called Life on Marrs ($8) — a cold latte with blueberry syrup and coconut milk.

• Unfortunately, seasonal means it's a limited-time offer. I'm told it may return next summer.
• I ordered the Laguna Anaerobic ($7), a hot pour-over with hints of strawberry, lemon and sugarcane, the menu says.

The verdict: I'm not much on acidic coffees, but this blend hit the serious high notes of a light brew without any burning sensation on the back end.

• It was like sunshine in a cup.
• May be better on a rainy day than a 90 degree-plus afternoon.

The latest: ICYMI, Airship's Pumphouse location started serving dinner this month.

• Chef Jacob Wilson — who has culinary experience from San Francisco, Seattle and Tokyo — develops the menu with seasonal local ingredients.
• Airship calls it a fine-casual dinner service that caters "to those who are looking for a thoughtful, seasonally inspired dish in the neighborhood — without having to change out of their biking gear."

Check it out: 7am-2pm daily; dinner 5-10pm Thursday-Monday; 802 NW A St. in Bentonville.

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