As if anyone is surprised, Markham & Fitz Chocolate located in Bentonville, was listed as one of the top 50 chocolate shops in America recently by Food & Wine.

• "Lauren Blanco and Preston Stewart came to chocolate from two very different backgrounds, cultural anthropology, and chemistry, but however they got here, it's safe to say they have arrived, in all senses of the world." Food & Wine

• About: Markham & Fitz, located at 8th Street Market in Bentonville, opened its doors in December of 2017. Their bean to bar chocolate craft is some of the best, if not the best we've ever had. Kudos to you folks and keep up the work!

In a short timeframe, Markham & Fitz has scaled in a great way. We were in Savannah, Georgia a few weeks ago and found some of their chocolate in a local coffee shop. You can learn more about the chocolatiers HERE

“Every year, the generosity of the Northwest Arkansas community exceeds our expectations,” said Chris Haas, chairman of the board at NWA Gives. The 4th annual NWA Gives event will take place on Thursday (4/8) and will host fundraising efforts for 298 local nonprofits.

• What is it? The 12-hour giving event aims to boost the profile of regional nonprofits and connect them with potential donors. Last year, the event raised a total of $525,671, benefitting 202 nonprofits with the help of 2,457 donors.

• Pre-game: A pre-event rally will take place on Tuesday, 4/6, in the rose garden of the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville at 11:30am. Brock Short will provide live entertainment and cash prizes will be given to select nonprofit organizations in attendance.

• Quote: “We want to lift everyone’s spirits, put a smile on their faces, and remind them how amazing it is to live here,” Haas said. “When we invest in these nonprofits, we’re building our culture, empowering underserved people, and strengthening our cities... So whatever you have a heart for, you can showcase it during an event like NWA Gives.” Talk Business & Politics

Want to read more? Visit HERE.

Springdale's Shaw Family Park is now open for business. The 121 acre park is located at the corner of West Downum Avenue and Ball Street in Northwest Springdale and features two playgrounds, an extreme fitness area, tennis courts, a dog park, and splash pad (biggest in the city!)

• Quote: "It's a family park," said Chad Wolf, director of the city Parks and Recreation Department. "It's a big space Springdale has never really had."

• Once everything's said and done, the city will have spent around $10 million on construction of the park. In 2012, the city bought the 121 acre tract from Arvest Bank with funds from a bond issuance. The remaining balance comes from the 2018 bond issue, which included $21.3 million for parks. A future bond issue may be used to cover the costs of ball fields and a water recycling system in the splash pad. NWA Democrat-Gazette

• Bonus points: The grand lawn is intentionally wired so the space could be used for concerts or movies. The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission will stock two ponds for fishing and three trails will cover almost 3 miles around the park.

This is the first of several park improvements the City of Springdale is considering. You can read the full article HERE.

Last Wednesday, President Biden began pitching his $2 trillion infrastructure plan for the country. With thousands of miles of road and bridge improvements, what does this mean for Northwest Arkansas?

• It's no secret that good infrastructure will play a key role as the region continues to grow. As more projects such as the Bella Vista Bypass are set to be completed later this year, ARDOT says they are always open to additional federal funding.

• Quote: “Many people are moving here and the needs of our infrastructure are great, those are the present needs, we also have to keep an eye to the future and when I say the future I mean one day, I-49 is going to be the equivalent of what we see on Business 71," said Congressman Steve Womack. 40/29 News

• An indicator as to where these additional funds might be allocated in NWA would be to improvements on HWY 112 to make it a major corridor and the northern Springdale bypass. The region's 2045 Master Transportation Plan can be found HERE.

You can find the full story HERE.

The phrase "Happy Hour" sounds like music to our ears - quite literally. The Walmart AMP is hosting a series of happy hour events in the newly renovated Choctaw Plaza - and all proceeds will go to support the Ghost Light Recovery Fund.

• When & Where: Starting May 7th and running through the 28th, you can sit back, relax and enjoy drinks and live music at NWA's favorite patio party.

• Entrance is FREE but capacity is limited, and tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A limited number of tables can be reserved in advance by clicking the links below. Table reservations close 48 hours prior to each event.

View the full schedule of events and register HERE.