United Van Lines released the company’s 44th Annual National Migration Study on Jan. 4, revealing the majority of Americans moved westbound and southbound, largely due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Arkansas made the list of the top ten states in the US that had the most inbound moves in 2020. At No. 10, Arkansas had 59 percent inbound.
• Northwest Arkansas in particular had an inbound rate of 61 percent, and an outbound rate of only 39 percent.
• Arkansas as a whole had 928 total shipments, 543 inbound and 385 outbound.

Early in 2020, interns at the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History were busy creating a series of short documentaries focused on the Marshallese community in NWA. However, due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last March, the students had to quickly pivot and decided to produce a podcast instead.

• The Arkansas Atoll Podcast now has a total of six episodes, all available online.
• Sarah K. Moore, video producer at the Pryor Center and a collaborator on the podcast, said they wanted to focus on the effects of climate change, from the voices of the Marshallese.
• "We had the voices, just not the visuals," said Shane White, a graduate student intern at the Pryor Center, on the decision to switch to a podcast medium.
• Listen to the full story on KUAF.

Butterball, one of the largest turkey producers in the country, has announced its plans to invest $8.7 million in two processing facilities and create a total of 360 new jobs within three years in Northwest Arkansas.

• $4.7 million will be invested in the Ozark location where the company will create 160 jobs, and another $4 million will be allocated to the Huntsville where it will create 200 new jobs.
• “This is a great day for Northwest Arkansas,” said Gov. Asa Hutchinson. "The trust that they have placed in our workforce and business climate is a great testament to the hard work and dedication of our state and these two communities.” -Arkansas Inc
• Butterball is known to support the communities they operate in, hosting events like the Turkey Talk-Line, providing meals during natural disasters, American Heart Association Heart Walks, donating to Feeding America, offering leadership development programs, and working to reduce the company’s environmental footprint.

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach has released a way-too-early Top 25, implying the Hogs will face six of the top 25 teams in college football in 2021.

• Alabama (2), Georgia (4) and Texas A&M (6) are the heavy hitters on Arkansas’ schedule. Other major contenders are Ole Miss (18), LSU (20) and Texas (21). -KNWA/Fox24
• On Sat. Sept. 11, the Razorbacks are set to have the home field advantage, reviving a long-time rivalry with Texas at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
• In addition, four SEC conference games against Alabama, Ole Miss, LSU and Georgia, will be road games. Geez, no rest for the weary!
• On the bright side, Arkansas will host Auburn and Mississippi State on The Hill and Missouri in Little Rock. Woo Pig!