Throw on your boots and come on out to the Rodeo of the Ozarks this summer, kicking off with events starting tonight and going through the weekend.

• In the pen: From bull fighting to mutton bustin', Springdale is about to get rowdy (in a family-friendly way). Events include barrel racing, steer wrestling, bareback riding, bull riding, and more.
• Don't miss out: The rodeo will begin at 7:30pm each night (starting tonight). And to wrap it all up, the rodeo will host its 76th annual parade at 3pm on Saturday.

You can find out more about the Rodeo of the Ozarks and get your tickets HERE.

Arkansas is slowly climbing the national rankings in child wellbeing, moving up one position from where it was last year in the 2021 Kids Count Data Book. However, this progress may have been impeded by the pandemic, which prevented the state from pursuing more opportunities for growth.

• Measuring success: The Data Book released by Annie E. Casey Foundation analyzes wellbeing indicators such as health, education, and economic opportunity. It was based on numbers from just before the pandemic, and the trends showed progress across the U.S.
• Healthcare struggles: Arkansas in particular struggled with providing families adequate access to healthcare throughout the pandemic, reflecting poor scores for child wellbeing in the state. Federal aid, however, has been helping many of these families meet their needs.

Find out more about Arkansas's child wellbeing ranking HERE.

It's officially summer, and after a year with very few events and gatherings, it's exciting to begin to reconnect with co-workers, family, and friends as things open back up.

• Host with the most: If you're looking for a place to host an event, meeting, or just hang out with friends or family, Mount Sequoyah has some beautiful gathering spaces on top of the iconic Fayetteville mountain.
• Building bonds: These gathering spaces are the perfect place for groups and individuals to come together, rebuild, and grow after a year apart.

Check out the variety of options and book one of the spaces HERE.

The pandemic may have put a damper on sports last year, but it won't be a hindrance for much longer. Razorback sports are returning to normal next season, with no restrictions and full capacity in all university athletic venues.

• Bells and whistles: Tailgating, "HogTown", and on-field festivities will resume at football games as Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium is welcoming fans into its 76,000 seats for the fall 2021 season.
• Full season: The season was cut short last year, with 10 total games split between home and away. The Razorbacks schedule is filling out again, and with six games at home there is plenty of time for NWA to make up for a year without calling the hogs.

Find out more about what football in Fayetteville will look like this fall HERE. Of course there is a hype video for this announcement.

XNA is experiencing the same thing as the rest of NWA - rapid growth. The airport received approval for a federal grant on Tuesday and announced a new route courtesy of Frontier Airlines.

• Getting off the ground: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the allocation of $25 million for Arkansas airports on Tuesday, of which XNA will receive $9.04 million, to keep commercial and airport workers employed coming out of the pandemic.
• Vegas, baby: Frontier Airlines announced it would now be flying nonstop between XNA and Las Vegas. This addition gives XNA travelers two options to get to Vegas - Allegiant and Frontier - and could lead to fare competition on the route.

You can read more about how the FAA is spurring growth at XNA HERE.