Hospitals in Northwest Arkansas are top notch and have straight A’s to show for it according to the healthcare watchdog organization, The Leapfrog Group.

• They studied: Based on records of patient safety, Bentonville Northwest Medical Center, Siloam Springs Regional Hospital, Mercy Hospital NWA, and Springdale-based Northwest Health received ‘A’ Safety Grades . This was Mercy Hospital NWA’s 5th consecutive year to receive an 'A' grade. 
• They noticed: The Leapfrog Group is a nonprofit that collects, analyzes, and publishes healthcare data on safety, quality, and resource use. Its mission is to trigger leaps in U.S. healthcare by providing transparency that people can use to make better, informed decisions about healthcare. 

Read the full Talk Business & Politics story HERE. 

In an effort to enrich understanding and continue to build an inclusive community through cinema, the Walton Arts Center is hosting the 2022 Fayetteville Film Festival (FFF) over the course of a few months. 

• Cultural windows: January 7 will kick off the FFF with Indie Films of South Asia, highlighting art that reflects the rich cultural diversity in our region. 6 jurors reviewed 25 submissions from around the world for this segment and selected 7 titles to present. 
• Picture stories: Showing in two blocks on Jan. 7, the first half of the films will focus on the immigrant experience and the second on grief. The other days of FFF will continue on Feb. 25, March 12, and May 26. 

You can read more about the festival HERE.

Downtown Bentonville Inc. and its digital storytelling project DWTN Now recently wrapped up their final installment of a three-part interview with Steuart Walton of Bentonville.

• One-on-one: Filmed in the middle of the Bentonville Square, the hour-long conversation will give you insight into the investments happening in Northwest Arkansas and Steuart's vision for the future of the region he calls home.
• The church potluck: The three-parts interview, past, present, and future of Bentonville, showcases the history of the town's traditions with a positive outlook of the region's direction with an invite for all to be involved.

You can catch DWTN Now every Saturday morning at 8:30am on KNWA.

Northwest Arkansas made it in the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) top 10 undervalued housing market list. 

• A treasure: NWA joined the ‘Hidden Gems’ list for 2022, meaning relative to other housing markets, it is expected to experience stronger price appreciation. The 379 metros analyzed all had populations with at least 200k.
• Method: The NAR analyzed markets’ median home price to median family income ratio and 7 other indicators that reflect the strength of housing demand. NWA experienced the highest cumulative job growth from 2018-2021 and the second highest increase in population from 2017-2020. Home prices rose 19.1% alongside wages, which rose 21%. 

Read more about what makes NWA a ‘Hidden Gem’ HERE. 

Looking for some holiday activities with the family this week - Crystal Bridges is offering a diverse schedule of events.

• Time to play: Starting today until Jan. 2 Crystal Bridges is hosting afternoon activities for anyone looking to make memories over the winter break. From art sessions to Zumba performances, there’s something every day to bring entertainment and joy to all who participate. 
• Can’t go wrong: Some specific activities are making paper icicles, beaded snowflakes, and winter wind chimes. Nature and art experts are coming to guide explorations, the Sugar Creek Astronomical Society will be around, and there will even be hip-hop dance lessons.

See the full activity schedule HERE.