Arkansas's Big Apple

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Northwest Arkansas born and bred, Signature Bank of Arkansas provides complete financial services to NWA's small businesses, families, and farms. Our dedication to community banking traditions and personalized customer service sets the Signature Banking experience apart. Open an account here.

Sponsored by CACHE

Arts & Culture Monthly Spotlight

Stay up to date with Northwest Arkansas’s vibrant arts & culture scene with the Arkansas Creative Calendar by CACHE. Here are a few events we’re excited about this December:

• Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey will discuss their book She Said in a conversation at Crystal Bridges on Friday, Dec 8, from 6-7p.

• Dance the night away at Jingle Jam, a 3-in-1 holiday dance extravaganza with NWA Movement Hub at CACHE Studios in Bentonville on Friday, Dec 8, from 7-10p.

• Enjoy a mix of sacred and secular holiday favorites during A Very SONA Chrismas at Walton Arts Center on Saturday, Dec 9, at 2p and 7:30p.

• The Ozark Ballet Theater presents The Nutcracker at the Berry Performing Arts Center in Siloam Springs on Dec 9 & 10 at 7p.

• Get down with Funk Factory at The Music Depot in Downtown Rogers on Friday, Dec 15, at 7p.

Find other events happening this month on the CACHE Creative Calendar HERE.

Highlight

Fayetteville Becomes First in Arkansas to Earn LEED Gold Certification

Fayetteville achieved LEED Gold Certification this year, making it Arkansas's first and only city to earn the designation.

• Leading Green: LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, scoring cities on integrative processes, natural systems and ecology, water efficiency, energy and greenhouse gas emissions, transportation and land use, materials and resources, quality of life, innovation, and regional priority.

• Going for Gold: Fayetteville earned the LEED Gold certification by excelling in smart energy use, environmental care, and community involvement and demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainable and community-friendly practices.

Read more about Fayetteville’s LEED Gold Certification in the Fayetteville Flyer HERE.

Sponsored by OJOY Wine Company

Modern Wines for Modern Times: Local Startup OJOY Wine Company’s NA Wines Are a Must-Try

Local startup OJOY Wine Company is revolutionizing the way people drink wine with its offering of fine dealcoholized wines. We tried their flagship Sparkling Blanc, and it gave us something to wine about.

• Alcohauled Off: OJOY fine dealcoholized wine starts as 100% authentic California wine, then the alcohol is gently removed using cutting-edge dealcoholization technology. The process results in remarkably great-tasting wine with less than 0.5% abv and only 15 calories per 6oz pour.

• Champagne Dreams: The OJOY Sparkling Blanc has a crisp, fresh flavor with notes of citrus, apricot, and black currant. You’ll think you’ve poured a glass of champagne without risking a hangover. It's a great non-alcoholic option for Christmas parties, and not a bad idea to keep some on hand as we approach ‘Dry January.’

Win a case of 24 cans (equivalent to 12 bottles!) by entering their giveaway HERE.

Development

Excellerate Housing Announces Development of 200 Affordable Rental Units

Excellerate Housing, in collaboration with Strategic Realty and Mercy Health, recently announced a public/private partnership to build a new affordable rental development in Bentonville called McAuley Place.

• Location and Amenities: Located at the corner of SW I St and SW 41st St, McAuley Place will offer approximately 200 rental units catering to families making 30% to 60% of the Area Median Income. The prime location is made possible through a land donation from Mercy Health Northwest Arkansas Communities.

  Community Impact: The first phase of McAuley Place, providing 60 rental units, is projected to offer rents between $450 and $800 per month, significantly reducing the rent burden for Bentonville residents. The coalition secured $8.8m in funding for Phase I, demonstrating the potential for public/private partnerships to address crucial issues like affordable housing in the community.

Learn more about the project HERE.

Highlights

Springdale’s Black Apple Hard Cider Named Among Top 10 Cideries in the Nation

Black Apple Hard Cider earned a spot in the Top 10 Cideries during the 9th annual U.S. Open Cider Championship, raking fourth overall out of hundreds of cider entries nationwide.

• Apple of My Eye: Black Apple opened in July 2015 as the Natural State’s first and only cidery. It manufactures and serves over 14 varieties of hard cider in a historic building and taproom on Emma Avenue in Downtown Springdale.

• Give It A Dry: The U.S. Open Cider Championship is one of the largest cider judgings in the US, with judges from the United States, Canada, and England. Black Apple’s Dry Me! was selected as the fourth-best cider from over 240 ciders entered by cideries, wineries, and breweries from Canada to California.

Learn more about Black Apple Hard Cider HERE.

NWA Daily Picks

In other news…

• 🥯 Brews & Bagels: Fayetteville Beer Works will soon have a morning brew option with the opening of Fayetteville Coffee Works, which will serve coffee and New York-style bagels overnighted directly from the Empire State every day.

• ⚽️ Giving Goals: Displaying that soccer builds community far beyond the pitch, USL Arkansas is rallying around the King family as we head into the holiday season. Let’s help them make their goal!

• ⭐️ Celebrity Spotted: Paris Hilton made an appearance at Walmart store 100 in Bentonville last week to promote her new cookware line.

• 🏈 Like Cats & Dogs: The Fayetteville Bulldogs and Bentonville Tigers football teams traveled to Little Rock over the weekend to battle for the 7A State Title. The Bulldogs came out with a 22-16 win after a gripping, back-and-forth fourth quarter.

• 📅 Ditch the FOMO: Post your upcoming events on our Events Page, and stay in the know about upcoming events mentioned in the newsletter.

• 🥳 Join the Club: Our NWA Daily Fan Club keeps this thing going. In return for being awesome, they get access to exclusive giveaways — ranging from gift cards and concert tickets to bikes and kayaks!

• 🚀 Take Off: Share your message with our growing community of 35,300+ readers. We have several advertising opportunities to help you share your story with Northwest Arkansas.

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Employment

Cool Jobs In NWA

Looking for a job? Find listings in the health, education, and retail industries on our Job Board, or find great candidates by posting your open positions HERE.

• Interested in an investment opportunity? BreakRoom NWA is seeking a Strategic Business Partner to lead its expansion.