Five Northwest Arkansas hospitals received an ‘A’ grade for Spring 2022 by the Leapfrog Group, a healthcare watchdog organization.

• Hospitals: Washington Regional, Mercy-Northwest, and Northwest Health Medical Centers in Bentonville, Springdale, and Siloam Springs received the national distinction for protecting patients from preventable harm and error while in the hospital. This was Mercy's 6th consecutive year to receive an 'A' grade. 
• Grading: The Leapfrog Group is a nonprofit that collects, analyzes, and publishes healthcare data on safety, quality, and use of resources. Its mission is to trigger leaps in U.S. healthcare by providing transparency that people can use to make better, informed decisions about healthcare. 

Learn more HERE. 

Tyson Foods recently reported raises in the second quarter beating expectations in earnings and revenue.

• Numbers: The company’s net income is up 74% from a year ago with a reported $829M in the second quarter. The amount is 22% more than the consensus estimate, and at $1.95B, Tyson Food’s net income for the first half of 2022 was more than double the $928M earned a year ago. 
• Adapting to times: The Tyson Foods CEO said the company’s performance “reflects our improving operational execution and strong customer and consumer demand for our brands and products.” He also said with inflation and needing to mitigate price increases, the company is working to improve production capacity and efficiency. 

Read the full Talk Business & Politics story HERE. 

One of the South’s premier wine tasting events is happening right here in Northwest Arkansas and will feature hundreds of wines, food from dozens of local restaurants, and live entertainment. 

• Happening here: The Walton Arts Center’s Art of Wine Festival has been enjoyed by Arkansans and visitors across the country since 2000, quickly growing into one of the largest wine festivals in the region. 
• Events: The “Winemaker’s Dinner” will be on July 19 featuring six courses paired with highly rated wines.“Uncorked!,” an evening of wine and food sampling, will be on July 22. Proceeds from the Art of Wine Festival support Walton Arts Center.

Get your tickets HERE. 

Northwest Arkansas is continually proving its worth with its growing collection of successful large companies, as well as its reputation for being one of the best outdoor recreation areas in the country. Ever thought about combining those two areas?

• Resource: On a recent episode of I Am Northwest Arkansas, the host talks to the director of the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP) at the University of Arkansas, which is a business incubation program focused on the development of entrepreneurs in the outdoor recreation industry. 
• Network: The episode’s discussion covers the mission of GORP more in-depth and expands on the plans for the program. If you or someone you know has a business idea connected to the outdoors, listen to this podcast episode and utilize these new contacts! 

Learn more and listen HERE. 

The next OZ Kids(TM) Fat Tire Crit event is coming up in Fayetteville on May 21, and you won’t want to miss it.

• Kid racers: Crit is short for criterium, which is a bike race where riders ride laps on a closed course. The Fayetteville race is the second in a series of four, the third and fourth being in Springdale and Bentonville, and is $20 to participate.
• To the finish: The number of laps for the OZ Kids(TM) Fat Tire Criterium is determined by the age of the riders. There are seven categories for different age groups from 2-11 years old, and costumes are encouraged for all riders and volunteers! The best costume will get a prize. 

Learn more and register for a Fayetteville race HERE, and get ready to have a blast!