The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism announced yesterday more than $3.6mm in Outdoor Recreation Grants (ORGP) awarded to projects within 25 counties across the state - 5 of those projects are in NWA.

• Source: The ORGP is housed within Arkansas State Parks and is tasked with the promotion and facilitation of public outdoor recreation in Arkansas. They offer technical and funding assistance for land acquisition and development of parks to local governments throughout the state. 
• Update: The list of the 2022 park grant recipients includes: Johnson City Park improvement, an all-inclusive playground at KJ Memorial Park in Lowell, funds to upgrade Muddy Fork Park in Prairie Grove , City of Goshen, and Brentwood Community Park for a total of $688K of improvements for NWA.

“Few things can unite a community like a local park" - read more about the announcement HERE.

Photographs of your maternity journey, of your newborn, or of your child’s milestones are captured moments you’ll hold onto for the rest of your life. 

• Process: At Rustic Arrow Photography, your photo session experience will be unmatched with a photographer who is specially trained in newborn and child posing and procures a process completely free of unnecessary stress. Sit down with your photographer, plan your dream session together, and watch it come to life.
• Prints: The studio is scheduling maternity, newborn, and milestone sessions through November with everything from maternity gowns to child outfits and props provided. And if you mention NWA Daily when you inquire about a session, you will receive a complimentary 11x14 print of your choosing! 

Invest in precious moments HERE. 

A new opportunity was announced yesterday to bring more sound to downtown Springdale.

• Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange (CACHE) yesterday announced the launch of the Creative Exchange Fund (CXF) - a 1-year initiative designed to activate the Springdale creative Center, 214. CACHE is rejuvenating the space as a creative hub and flagship destination for artist development, creative production, and public engagement.
• As part of this program, CXF will invest in local creative production capabilities and skill sets by subsidizing artist time, access to space, and professional development resources through a series of five funding opportunities.

Read more about the program HERE.

The University of Arkansas continues to improve its online offerings, and the rankings are reflecting that.

• The download: Online bachelor’s degree programs at the University of Arkansas ranked no. 16 in the “Best Online Programs for Veterans” announced by U.S. News & World Report earlier this month, rising 6 places from 2021.
• In other online rankings: The U of A ranked No. 24 out of 361 in Best Online Bachelor's Programs. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.

See how your alma mater ranked HERE.

Tyson Foods, who last week was named one of the most admirable companies by Forbes, released its Q1 2022 financial results, and shareholders seemed to be pleased.

• Exceeding Expectations: Tyson beat the market's estimates for the quarter due in part to significantly higher meat prices. This led to a 10% jump in shares, setting a 52-week high.
• From the top: "We’re pleased with the results of the first quarter and of the steps that we are taking to improve productivity,” said Donnie King, President and CEO of Tyson Foods. “Our performance reflects the resilience of our multi-protein portfolio even with continued volatility in the marketplace."

Read more about the quarter HERE.