Waterwheeling & Dealing

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Development

Bentonville Unveils Plans For Its Very Own “Central Park”

Providing a new center for recreation and urban nature, 8th Street Gateway Park in Bentonville will feature nearly 100 acres of community enjoyment.

• Enhanced Ecology: The park’s unique location atop the Elk River Watershed will allow visitors to learn about the region's ecology and improve water quality for the Elk River. Over 1,000 new trees will be planted to preserve the wet meadow landscape.

• Community Connected: Plans for the park include 12.5 mi of greenways, multi-use paths, and bike trails; a 6-mi beginner mountain bike trail; 1-acre playground; a Wheelsports Garden for skateboarding; a 3-acre Great Lawn; multiple gathering spaces; and a 13,000 sq. ft. plaza for events, food trucks, and more.

Find renderings of the park’s amenities and submit feedback to park planners HERE.

Arts & Culture

Renowned Muralist And Champion Boxer To Host Next Table Talks At The Medium

The next installment of Table Talks at The Medium will feature local artists Jason Jones and Bernard “Big Smoove” Oliver to discuss finding balance as a creative on Wednesday, Feb 21, from 6-8p.

• Food For Thought: Table Talks is a monthly gathering at The Medium, a creative destination in Downtown Springdale, where you can meet other creatives, get inspired, eat good food, and find your people. The event is free, but registration is encouraged!

• Out Of The Box: The theme for this month is Balance, featuring muralist & painter Jason Jones and Bernard “Big Smoove” Oliver, an award-winning filmmaker and champion boxer. So many projects, so much life. How do we find a balance between our creative practice and wellness?

Food is provided, and registration is free. Sign up HERE.

Sponsored by Best Friends Animal Society

Best Friends Pet Resource Center Hosts Mixer For DINKS & Dogs

Join Best Friends Animal Society for Brews & Barks Mixer: A Social Affair for DINKS and Dogs at the Pet Resource Center in Bentonville on Thursday, Feb 29, from 5:30-7p.

• DINK Life: Do you live in a dual-income home? Are there no kids in that home? Congratulations! You're a DINK (dual income, no kids).

• Dog Mom: Enjoy the camaraderie of other couples from the area over drinks while meeting adorable, adoptable dogs. Human kiddos might not be in your plans, but who’s to say you shouldn’t have a furbaby?

Tickets are $10, and they’re going fast! Reserve yours HERE.

Highlight

Historic War Eagle Mill Keeps Turning Under New Ownership

War Eagle Mill exchanged hands last week, as new owner Mark Hall acquired the historic building from Elise Roenigk — effective Feb 16.

• Time Keeps Turning: War Eagle Mill is a piece of Arkansas’s rich milling history, dating back to 1832. Located along War Eagle Creek, it is the only working mill in Arkansas, and it is still powered by an eighteen-foot cypress waterwheel, which is still used today by War Eagle Mill Food Group.

• Preserving The Past: The Roenigks, who owned the site since 2004, played a pivotal role in preserving the mill and the nearby bridge. New owner Mark Hall brings a commitment to honor the mill’s legacy while introducing initiatives that will carry it into the future. War Eagle Mill Food Group will remain under the ownership of Sam & Chris Sputo.

More on the story in About You HERE.

Highlight

EforAll Teams Up With Springdale To Give Students Entrepreneurial Experience

Entrepreneurship for All NWA and Springdale Public Schools launched a new program this year to help students develop entrepreneurial skills, like discovering innovative ideas and fostering creativity and resilience.

• Getting Started: EforAll is a national entrepreneurship organization based in Massachusetts that helps make entrepreneurship accessible to anyone with the drive to start their own business — the NWA accelerator launched in 2021.

• Starting Young: The collaboration with Springdale Public Schools and the Tyson Family Foundation introduces junior and senior students to regional mentors and entrepreneurs through an ongoing speaker series, and students get to partake in a high school pitch competition.

Read more about the program in Talk Business & Politics HERE.

NWA Daily Picks

In other news…

• 🦘 From Down Under: Laugh it up this weekend with Australian-born comedian Monty Franklin at The Grove Comedy Club for four shows from Feb 23-24 — Franklin has headlined some of the nation’s biggest comedy clubs, opened for Rob Schneider, Joe Rogan, & Jim Breuer, and made appearances in hit shows like New Girl.*

• 🗣️ Freedom of Speech: When will you add your voice to the chorus of raves about What the Constitution Means to Me? See the play that has audience members saying, "Wow, wow, wow! I am so moved by her performance," on stage at TheatreSquared until Mar 3.*

• 🚂 All Aboard: The 21st annual Great NWA Model Train Show will roll into the Benton County Fairgrounds for a fun day of train fun this Saturday, Feb 24, from 9a-4p.

• 🧤 Gloves On: The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks will host a Volunteer Orientation & Recruitment event for those interested in serving opportunities this Saturday, Feb 24, from 10-11:30a.

• 😊 Priceless: Head over to the Scott Family Amazeum for another Priceless Night this Wednesday, Feb 21, from 4:30-7:30p — admission on Priceless Nights is pay-as-you-wish!

• 📅 NWA Calendar: Stay up to date with events mentioned in the newsletter, or post your own upcoming events on our events calendar!

• 🚀 Launch Your Message: Share your message with our growing community of 35,000+ readers. We have several advertising opportunities to help you share your story with Northwest Arkansas.

_{*Content is sponsored}

Employment

Cool Jobs In NWA

Find exciting new job opportunities on our Job Board, or find great candidates by posting your open positions.

• FoodCorps Arkansas is seeking a Food Education Service Member.

Help Us Grow

Contributions from our Fan Club help us make continual improvements to the newsletter, like the recent updates we made to our Job Board & Event Calendar.

Thank you, Fan Club!