As a top 10 preseason ranked team, the Arkansas Razorbacks begin their anticipated season this Friday as they host a 3 game series against Illinois State.

• Recap: The Hogs went 50-13 in their 2021 season after being eliminated by NC State in the Super Regional round. Coming into this year as a favorite, they are being picked to win the SEC West with 3 players selected as preseason All SEC.
• Across campus: The Razorback's softball team has already begun their season and they currently are 3-2 after most recently taking a L from No.7 Washington. They have a busy weekend coming up as they host the Razorback Invitational here at Bogle Park in Fayetteville.

Read more about both teams HERE.

Local filmmaker, Michael Day, was chosen as one of AT&T's Future Makers for his work with his media business, Dayvision Films.

• The maker: Micahael Day directs, produces, and writes films centering around the black community in an effort to bring both issues it faces and things the community can celebrate to the forefront.
• Recognize: AT&T is recognizing Future Makers all year long in its Black Future Maker contest. They are aiming to celebrate individuals that are inspiring culture-shapers dedicated to pursuing the greater good.

Listen to the interview with Michael Day to hear more about him and the Future Makers award here, and mark your calendars for Feb 25 to see Dayvision Film screening at Walton Arts Center.

The Arkansas Highway Commission approved a proposal for the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) to partner in a study with Oklahoma to examine US Highway 412.

• To and fro: Most of the 170 miles of the highway in Oklahoma is already built to interstate standards. Of the 20 miles in Arkansas, the only portion built to interstate standards is the completed section of the U.S. 412 Springdale Bypass.
• Examined: The study will consider factors like safety and the environment when determining the best path for new roads, including the route between Tontitown and Siloam Springs. This whole project is expected to cost Arkansas $500-700m.

Read more about the NWA improvements HERE.

Since its inception in 2000, the Hispanic Women's Organization of Arkansas (HWOA), located in Springdale has provided 527 scholarships to Latino women in Arkansas to continue their education.

• Continue on: HWOA's goal is to increase the graduation rates of Latino women in Arkansas by reducing financial barriers. HWOA strives to enhance participation by Latinos in the community by opening channels for a better understanding across divergent cultures.
• More giving: Over recent years HWOA has distributed up to $40k worth of scholarships annually to Latino women seeking higher education by returning to school. They have two events in the year that support this effort: Cinco de Mayo and their Annual Conference.

You can listen to the full interview by KUAF HERE.

Last week, Bentonville Mayor Stephanie Orman addressed Bentonville in the 2022 State of the City Address. Here are some takeaways from her speech:

• Into the woods: Pedestrian and bike trail usage for 2021 was impressive with +3.5m users on the trail system. Crystal Bridges Museum announced expansion plans to add 100k sqft by 2024 basically doubling in size.
• Growing: According to the US Census, Bentonville’s population was at 54,126 for 2020, up 53.4% from 2010. The city provided more than 450 hours to its Bentonville Together DEI initiative. And interesting fact, there are over 541 full-time employees and 114 part-time employees who work for the city.

You can read the full State of the City Address HERE.