Coleman Warren is a junior at the U of A, and in the summer of 2019, he served as an Americorps VISTA in Omaha, Nebraska, where he helped feed over 600 children each day at a local food bank. After exploring the local artisanal ice cream shops in Omaha during his time off, Warren realized that his home in NWA was in need of a superhero with super-premium ice cream.

• His solution? Warren launched Simple + Sweet, a super-premium ice cream shop and an economic engine for nonprofits to fight child hunger in NWA. Despite a major setback in March 2020 due to COVID-19 complications, Coleman and his team began to make ice cream in October 2020.
• In the first three months of business, Simple + Sweet donated 10,000+ meals to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. For each pint of ice cream sold, over 50 percent of the profit is contributed to fighting child hunger in NWA. “It couldn’t have worked out better,” Warren said. “It allows us to represent a lot of things: being safe in a pandemic and supporting small businesses.”
• Simple + Sweet sources local ingredients like honey, dairy, and chocolate from KYYA in Bentonville and Ozark Natural Foods in Fayetteville to make their superior ice cream.
• What makes ice cream super-premium? While most ice cream contains only 10 percent butter (the fatty part of milk), Simple + Sweet's ice cream contains about 14 percent. They also only use all-natural ingredients and are made small-batch. To go even further, Simple + Sweet hand delivers their products to ensure satisfaction.
• “I want people to know when they are buying this ice cream that they are helping people," Warren said. Head over to Simple + Sweet's website to order your super-premium pint of ice cream and help fight child hunger in NWA. Read the full story HERE.

Today is President's Day and NWA is currently covered in blanket of snow from weekend winter weather - meaning there will be more closures than normal that you need to know about. Here are a few:

• Retail and Restaurant: Most major retail stores will remain open, but more locally owned business and restaurants are likely to be closed to observe the holiday.

• Government: President's Day is a federal holiday so the Post Office, courts, drivers license bureau, and other government offices will be closed in observance of the Presidents' Day holiday. However, FedEx and UPS will still be making deliveries.
• Public Libraries: Public libraries will remain closed today, but check with your local library to be sure. If you're in need of a good read, most libraries offer an online catalog of e-books and audiobooks that's always available.
• Stock Market: The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will also be closed in observance of the holiday.

Just three years after leaving the area, Everett Auto Group has filed a preliminary development plan, motioning its intention to build a six-acre car dealership in along I-49 in Rogers.

• The planning document, awaiting technical review, was filed on Feb. 4 and will go before the city’s planning commission at a later date. The potential new dealership will be situated along northbound I-49, on West Poplar Street.
• Everett previously owned three major dealerships in NWA — Everett Chevrolet (Springdale), Everett Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat (Springdale) and Everett Buick GMC (Bentonville). A group of investors, including Johnelle Hunt and Jerry Jones, bought the dealerships in February 2018. -Talk Business & Politics

• Based in Bryant, Everett Auto Group was established through an acquisition of an existing dealership in 2006 by Dwight and Susie Everett, and their two sons-in-law, Hendrix and Hudspeth. They own four dealerships in Central Arkansas: Everett Buick GMC, Everett Chevrolet, Everett Ford and Infiniti of Central Arkansas. -Talk Business & Politics

The Square 2 Square Bike Ride is back and we couldn't be happier! 2021 will offer both virtual and in-person ride options for the popular 30-mile trip from Fayetteville to Bentonville on the Razorback Greenway.

• Despite having a virtual event last year, the seasonal ride had a turnout of more than 2,500 people participating.. The leisure-or tour-style ride is feasible for all ages and abilities. The in-person ride will take place on Saturday, May 1, 2021, and the virtual ride allows for participants to complete a 15-mile or 30-mile ride between May 2 and May 31.
• According to the City of Fayetteville, participants must register in advance and will receive a swag bag that includes a synthetic t-shirt, stainless steel mug, and finisher medal. Adults (14+) can register for $35, and youth (13 and under) can register for $20. A family of up to 4 household members can register for $60.

• Register for the event HERE.

The Walker Atrium is a brand new Walton Arts Center experience that provides local artists, performing wide array of genres and art forms, a space to perform and entertain.

• The Walton Arts Center is hosting free, socially distanced LIVE performances in the impressive new Walker Atrium. Socially distanced tables for parties up to 4 now available for reservation.

The February concert set list includes:

• Candy Lee - Americana and folk/jazz singer songwriter //
  Friday 2/19 @ 7pm.
• Los Valeros - Bossa Nova/Samba quartet //
  Saturday 2/20 @ 7pm.
• Classical Duo Devanee Williams (Harp) & Michael Puryear (Cello) - F
  eaturing works by Pescetti, Fauré, Pärt and J. Strauss Jr. //
  Sunday 2/21 @ 2pm.
• Brant Jester - With special guest David Dove //
  Friday 2/26 @ 7pm.
• La Tempesta -
  A Piano Recital by Mickel Jason Gordon, featuring works by Beethoven, Clara Schumann and Chopin //
  Sunday 2/28 @ 2pm.