The Holler, a local hangout spot and shuffleboard bar in Bentonville, has announced in a statement on social media that it is closing its doors after two and a half years, starting Dec. 31, 2020.

• The beloved restaurant opened at the 8th Street Market in 2018 and was operated by the Ropeswing Hospitality Group.
• Originally intended to be used as a fully-functional shuffleboard court, complications from the ongoing pandemic ultimately led to its closure.
• “The service and hospitality industry has been hit hard across the board due to the uncertain times we live in with COVID-19,” Kalene Griffith, President of Visit Bentonville said. “However, support from our local residents and visitors of Bentonville restaurants and local businesses continues to have a positive impact as we all work through these difficult and challenging times.” -KNWA/Fox24

Trahan Architects And Spackman Mossop Michaels revealed their design for the renewal of Springdale's Luther George Park as a part of a project commissioned by the Downtown Springdale Alliance, which received a grant from the Walton Family Foundation.

• The park is part of the city’s larger plan to create vibrant public spaces and plazas, with the flexibility to support public art, performing arts and seasonal outdoor markets. -Forbes
• The design of the park will draw inspiration from the native landscapes of Arkansas and the cultural vibrancy of the city.
• Trahan Architects is ranked the number one design firm by Architect 50, the annual ranking by Architect magazine, the official publication of American Institute of Architects which topped the list by building “dramatic, sumptuous and well-detailed projects.” -Forbes

New Year's Eve Events Happening in NWA:

• VIRTUAL - Music Moves & Smoothman Music are collaborating with local restaurants to provide easy meal & drink kits for takeout as part of their 'Home for the Holidays' Virtual New Year's Eve celebration.
• MUSIC - The Juice will be bringing the house down at George's Majestic Lounge on Thursday night starting at 7:30pm. More info HERE.

New Year's Day:

• RESTORATIVE - Cocoon's New Year Kickoff includes free classes, a sidewalk sale, studio tours & giveaways from 9am - 4pm. Get your ticket!
• ACTIVE - Put those resolutions to the test at the New Year's Day Ride at Blowing Springs Park.

A full list of specialty dine-in and pickup options can be found HERE.

The University of Arkansas' news site announced it's most-read stories of the year, which drew more than 1.2 million viewers worldwide in 2020. Coverage included groundbreaking research, pandemic-related plans, a myriad of student honors, and the initial work to make the university a more diverse, equitable and inclusive campus. -UA

• The Top Three Most-Read Stories:

• "Physicists Build Circuit That Generates Clean, Limitless Power From Graphene" - reported the discovery of a new, limitless source of alternating current, and drew more than 160,000 readers from around the world.

• "University Mourns Loss of Chase Reel" - Chase Reel was a student at the Sam M. Walton College of Business and member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He was killed during an apartment disturbance in October.

• "CARES Act Emergency Grants and Reduced Fees for Summer Announced" - After Congress announced the approval of emergency funding for college students, the UA established a process for distributing $7.7 million among those in need.

• The Arkansas women's golf team announced the team will play five regular season events this spring, after completing three events in the fall.
• Arkansas will play in Florida twice, South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana to close out the 2021 regular season. The SEC Championship will take place in mid-April in Birmingham, Alabama, while the NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championships will be in May. -KNWA/Fox24

• FULL SCHEDULE:

• UCF Challenge in 2021 in Orlando, Florida from January 31 to February 2.

• Moon Golf Invitational in Melbourne, Florida from February 14 to February 16.

• Gamecock Intercollegiate in Columbia, South Carolina from March 1 to March 3.

• Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic in Athens, Georgia from March 19 to March 21.

• LSU Tiger Golf Classic in Baton Rouge from April 6 to April 7.