nw arkansas: A Half-Million People in NW Arkansas? Really? - 05/28/14 04:46 AM
By the time you read this, you will be one of 500,000 people living in NW Arkansas. That’s an astounding number for those of us who have made this area our home for many years.
The Northwest Arkansas Council made that projection based on the increase of residents in 2013 census over 2010 census. According to the council, this area grows by 24 people a day. The area includes Benton, Madison and Washington Counties in Arkansas and sparsely populated McDonald County in Missouri.
Half a million people is really not that amazing when one considers the reasons people come here. … (0 comments)

nw arkansas: Live Entertainment at the AMP (Arkansas Music Pavilion) in Fayetteville This Summer - 04/26/11 03:20 AM
Check the schedule for summer concerts at the AMP to make sure you can get tickets for the groups you like.
The new season opened April 22nd with a show by "Pretty Lights." Already scheduled for May are Lucinda Williams, The Band Perry, and Primus. Chris Young, Rick Springfield, and the Charlie Daniels Band are also on the slate this summer, with more in the works. Those of us with a few years on our shoulders will be looking forward to the B52s and their party music on July 14. 
Past shows have included such artists as Lee Ann Womack, Patty … (0 comments)

nw arkansas: 40 Miles of Bike Trails in NW Arkansas? - 01/28/11 02:14 PM
Not yet, but soon. Bicycling for fitness, recreation, and commuting continues to increase in NW Arkansas. There are many trails available throughout the area, and things are going to get even better. 
The Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway Proposal recently announced it will receive $15 million through the Department of Transportation's "Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Program."
The money will be used to build new trails to connect with existing trails. The finished project will boast 40 miles of non-motorized trails from south Fayetteville to Bella Vista. Bicyclists will be able to access it from those two cities as well as … (2 comments)

nw arkansas: Craft Fair Weekend in NW Arkansas - 10/14/10 01:24 PM
This is the fall weekend for the craft fairs in NW Arkansas (there's another one in May). From just a few locations like the War Eagle Mill and Convention Center in Springdale, there are now many locations for finding craft treasures and hand-made goodies. More
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nw arkansas: Northwest Arkansas Community College Anniversary - 10/01/10 05:57 PM
A couple of weeks ago Northwest Arkansas Community College celebrated their 20th anniversary.
When the college opened in 1990, 1200 students enrolled in classes that were held in churches, elementary schools, and anywhere else space was available in Bentonville and Rogers. Back then some folks referred to it as the "School Without Walls." It definitely fulfilled a need for post-secondary education in NW Arkansas to supplement that of the U of A in Fayetteville.
Now a mere 20 years later, 8400 college-credit students are enrolled. The college (pronounced  "EN-WAC" for its abbreviation of the name, NWACC) now has its own campus … (0 comments)

nw arkansas: Another "Best Places" honor for Fayetteville--Named #2 in Huffington Post’s “7 Unexpectedly Green Cities” - 08/09/10 04:59 PM
Sometimes, I think it's a good thing that NW Arkansas isn't growing as fast as it was a few years ago. It allows us to step back and take stock. We can look at what was happening then and how it affected the area and decide if that's how we want future growth to look.
One trend which has been noted and bandied about by elected officials and others is that of developing a so-called "green corridor" in NW Arkansas to try to attract clean businesses and pursue green growth concepts. And it's working. Fayetteville was just named number 2 in … (0 comments)

nw arkansas: Walton Arts Center Expansion Draws 24 Proposals - 08/07/10 04:47 PM
August 2 was the deadline for proposals for the Walton Arts Center expansion in NW Arkansas. There were 24 proposals submitted from northwest Arkansas communities, chambers of commerce, the University of Arkansas, and individuals.
I'm for expanding the current site in Fayetteville, but some of the other site proposals are very interesting and provide an expansion of the "arts scene" in northwest Arkansas. With the Crystal Bridges museum under construction in Bentonville, the existing Walton Arts Center and University of Arkansas music and arts venues in Fayetteville, the new expansion will contribute positively to the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas--wherever … (0 comments)

nw arkansas: The Greening of NW Arkansas - 05/28/10 05:56 AM
Fayetteville and NW Arkansas appear on many "best places" lists--to live, retire, do business, raise a family, etc. One of the factors that contributes to this is a beautiful landscape (green, of course), hilly with lots of trees, which contributes to a high quality of life and the Arkansas nickname, the "Natural" state.
Increasingly, NW Arkansas is adopting green policies for business and fomenting green policies for development (city bike trails, for example). In my most recent post at my main blog, read more about these initiatives.
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nw arkansas: First Bilingual Post Office in Arkansas - 01/31/07 03:03 PM
Lots of Hispanics have been moving to Northwest Arkansas (and other areas of the state as well) during the past 10 years or so. According to newspaper estimates, the Hispanic population of Washington County increased 73% from 2000 to 2005, bringing the total to more than 22,000 people. During the same time frame Benton County's Hispanic population increased 78%, to approximately 24,000 people.
With those figures in mind, it is good news that a bilingual (English/Spanish) U.S. Post Office is now open in Springdale. It's located in the southeast section of the city, in a tiny strip mall at the intersection … (2 comments)

nw arkansas: New Opportunities for Shopping in NW Arkansas - 01/31/07 10:19 AM
Pinnacle Hills Promenade, the newest destination for upscale shopping, opened last fall in time for the Christmas season in Rogers. Everything (almost everything) you always wanted can be found there.
The Promenade calls itself a "lifestyle." The open-air mall features almost 1 million square feet of retail and office space along with beautiful architecture, fountains and verdant landscaping. It is an "outdoor" mall, which may be great in the spring, summer and fall, but I wonder when temperatures drop in the winter, whether business to the many stores will suffer.
Anchors are JCPenney and Arkansas' own Dillard's. Malco Theaters will feature an … (3 comments)