NWA is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month and the region's diverse cultures with the Hispanic Heritage Festival.

• A month to remember: Hispanic Heritage Month in the U.S. lasts from Sept. 15th to Oct. 15th every year, celebrating the contributions, heritage, and culture of "Hispanics in the United States."
• Join the fiesta: On Sunday, Sept. 26th, the Fayetteville Square will be hosting a variety of family-friendly events for the community to attend. The celebration includes parades, live performances, and more.

You can find out more about the NWA Hispanic Heritage Festival HERE.

Last week, teachers from Fort Smith were invited to NWACC's Brightwater culinary school to learn about promoting healthy lifestyles to their students.

• A pinch of science: Kindergarten and first grade teachers learned more about how healthy living can intersect with math and science education over the course of the 20-hour training program.
• Regional effort: 12 teachers were able to participate in last week's pilot session. The program will "be assessed for expansion during the school year," and Brightwater and is excited about the potential impact the program could have on other communities in the years to come.

You can learn more about the culinary initiative HERE.

Uber Freight acquired logistics platform provider Transplace for $2.25b last week, creating an unusual opportunity for the firm's expansion in the supply chain industry.

• Unique timing: The news was announced just a week after Transplace opened its new 150k sqft office building in Rogers, which is where the majority of its employees are based.
• Where NWA fits in: The region is considered to be "the heart of the US logistics and supply chain management ecosystem," and the U of A provides a solid talent base through its supply chain management program.

Read more about the multi-billion dollar acquisition and what it means for the region HERE.

Real estate market numbers are coming in, and homes aren't getting any cheaper. As of June, average home prices exceeded $300k in NWA.

• At a glance: Over the first six months of 2021, the region totaled $1.71b in real estate sales, up from $1.44b last year. Much of this increase is due to a spike in prices fueled by low inventory.
• Looking ahead: The market seems frothy, but some may be wondering if NWA's market is on pace for prolonged growth similar to what has happened in Austin or Nashville.

Find out more about the record-setting year in NWA HERE.

The Jones Center in downtown Springdale is on track for a remodel of its entire 52-acre campus. The renovation will include elements from many local communities, creating spaces for all to enjoy.

• Navigating the remodel: The new campus features bike paths through native prairie paintings, playgrounds modeled after the Ozarks, and sidewalks designed after Marshallese stick charts.
• Bigger picture: Upon completion, the new campus will blend with the Springdale Downtown Revitalization Master Plan and connect with Lake Fayetteville and Fitzgerald Mountain.

You can read more about how this project HERE.