Spooky Sights

Together With

Join Onyx Coffee Lab on their pilgrimage - seeking, quality, truth and accountability in coffee. Onyx strives to find the finest and most unique coffees in the world. Order for yourself or as a perfect gift for a friend HERE.

Community

Governor Sanders Issues Executive Order to Make Improvements to Arkansas Foster Care System

Gov. Sarah Sanders, created a working group to improve Arkansas's foster care system. The group created 11 recommendations to ensure every child in Arkansas has a safe and loving home.

• Private placement: One of the main recommendations from the group's report was expanding the use of private placement agencies to help foster families better care for the kids and provide relatives with the necessary support.

• Numbers: Almost 4,200 foster children currently reside in the state as of March, with the state seeing a decrease of 325 children in foster care in the last year.

Read more on the story HERE.

Small Business

Experience the Thrills and Chills of Haunted Arkansas Tours with Ghost Tours and Pub Hopping Tour

Haunted Arkansas Tours offers family-friendly tours throughout the state, exploring its history, myths, and legends.

• Boo! From the standard tours that distinguish fact from fiction, to the more daring “Boos and Brews” pub hopping tour, you may just bump into one of Arkansas' many ghosts.

• Restrictions apply: The “Boos and Brews” tour has a 21+ age limit due to the salacious stories and bar visits.

Check out the full line of tours HERE.

🚀 Take off: Share your message with our growing community of 13,000+ readers and counting! Email us HERE to learn about our advertising opportunities.

Transportation

ARDOT to Receive $785 Million in Grant Funding for Arkansas Highway Improvements

The Arkansas Department of Transportation is set to receive $785 million in funds from the Federal Highway Administration

• Paving the way: Repaving projects like Benton's Alcoa, Military and East Streets will be completed thanks to this grant, opening up more commerce across the state.

• Source of success: ARDOT's Statewide Transportation Improvement Program was responsible for the grant, which also includes money for workforce development and safety improvements.

Read more on ARDOT's efforts HERE.

Community

Blue & You Foundation Invests Over $5.9 Million To Address Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Suicide and Substance Abuse Issues

The Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas is investing in young people's mental health, suicide awareness, and substance abuse prevention with a whopping $5.9 million donation to five Arkansas organizations.

• Split up: Of the five selected organizations, two grants are to be given to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, one grant is for the Wolfe Street Foundation, another for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and a final grant for Immerse Arkansas.

• No problem children: Justin Buck, Executive Director of Wolfe Street Foundation recognizes that these issues are too big for kids and their families to handle alone, and that resources are needed in order for them to properly cope and move forward.

Read more on the story HERE.

Little Rock Daily Picks

In other news…

• Firing on all cylinders: Sig Sauer plans a $150 million expansion of its Jacksonville facility, creating 625 jobs over the next five years, with investments in component hybrid case manufacturing, primer manufacturing, and load/pack operations to support contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense​.

• Peace: Arkansas Peace Week 2023 saw students engaging in an essay contest discussing serious topics, with winners' essays published and representing a wide range of grades across the state.

• Star marshal: Emmitt Smith, a celebrated NFL veteran, has been unveiled as the celebrity grand marshal for the 21st Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade, scheduled for March 17 in downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas. He's joined by Yellowstone star Forrie J. Smith as the parade starter.