The 479 Show

The first week of May in the 479 saw the Springdale City Council adopt changes to its downtown form-based code, the Fayetteville City Council adopt increased water and sewer rates, the Washington County Quorum Court County Services Committee deal with a Fayetteville business that had been operating without permits for years, and commencement exercises at the University of Arkansas Fayetteville. Th...

The end of April was busy as Highfill officials proposed the idea of an Industrial Development Authority, while the city councils in Bella Vista, Bentonville and Rogers met. The Washington County Planning Board closed out the month with a conditional use permit for a residential treatment center near Prairie Grove to house sixteen girls, and the Arkansas General Assembly wrapped up its fiscal sess...

School boards took the spotlight during the week with Bentonville and Fayetteville boards hearing about facilities improvements, Fayetteville and Rogers approving salary schedules for the coming year and Gravette considering a real estate offer. On the government side, Fayetteville approved the expansion of its Farmer's Market, Prairie Grove moved forward with its downtown street work, Springdale...

We have another busy week in the region as the Bentonville City Council updated its Plan Bentonville comprehensive plan update, the Springdale School District started work on Westwood Elementary School and the Washington County Quorum Court adopted an ordinance subjecting most resolutions to committee hearings before being introduced in the full body. Our Comment from the Capitol describes the wee...

The first full week of April featured the Fayetteville City Council discussing the expansion of the Farmers Market, while the Arkansas General Assembly convened its fiscal session and the Arkansas Department of Transportation presented its plans for the Western North-South Connector Road. Northwest Arkansas Congressman Steve Womack spoke with the operator of the Oz Bike Trail and Chair Life in Bel...

The week featured a recap of the March 31 runoff elections in Arkansas along with the introduction of a new north-south connector road west of the Northwest Arkansas National Airport and the dedication of the Bella Vista Bypass segment of Interstate 49 in honor of former Governor Asa Hutchinson. Our Benton County Extension report prepares homeowners for the canning season. And our trip off the bea...

The week of Spring Break saw light government action with the Bella Vista State of the City report, the presentation of plans for Ramay Junior High School and the filling of the vacant seat in the U.S. Senate with the confirmation of Markwayne Mullin to head the Department of Homeland Security.

School boards were the focus this week in Bentonville, Rogers and Fayetteville, while Fayetteville welcomed the arrival of a new commercial pilot training program to operate at Drake Field. We hear from Northwest Arkansas Congressman Steve Womack during his Comment from the Capitol. And our trip off the beaten path takes us to Ohio for the latest Trial of the Century.

During the second week of March. the Springdale and Centerton mayors presented their State of the City addresses while the Springdale School Board would explore repurposing Jones Elementary School.

This week includes a report on the March 3 primary elections. Other highlights include the Washington County Quorum Court tabling indefinitely the establishment of a Regional Industrial Development Authority and the Siloam Springs Board of Directors hearing a presentation on a waste-to-energy project.

The final week of February featured State of the City addresses in Bentonville and Rogers along with plans for the current Ramay Junior High School in Fayetteville to convert to a magnet high school. The Champions for Children Give-a-thon took place as the 479 Media Group hoped to raise funds towards the expansion of Arkansas Children's Northwest in Springdale.

The week in the 479 featured school board meetings in Bentonville and Rogers, the Fayetteville and Springdale city council meetings, the earnings report for Wal-Mart and the Washington County Quorum Court, Our extension report focuses on the new nutrition guidelines. And our trip off the beaten path features a canine appearance in an Olympic cross-country ski race.

The week featured an update of the COVID mitigation project that served as a de facto expansion of the Washington County Jail. Fayetteville Mayor Molly Rawn presented her "State of the City" address to highlight her first year in office. Decatur Mayor David Johnson spoke about the first month at the helm.

We recap the news from the first full week of February, which would include numerous planning commission meetings, the 96th Annual Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and a court battle involving a high school basketball player. Our spotlights feature an upcoming Field Day in Benton County this March and a return to Washington for the House of Representatives. Our trip off the beaten...

The major highlight from the week was the first winter storm, which cancelled school and impacted municipal services for almost a week. Our spotlight was on EverHope, which was the rebranding of the Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter. We spoke with CEO Rebecca Mitchell about the mission.

Highlights for the week include the establishment of Fayetteville's first local historic district and the drop-in meeting for the final phase of the Springdale Northern Bypass.

This week in the 479 was busy with city and school meetings, The City of Centerton approved a new logo at its January 13 meeting, while Washington County's Quorum Court would discuss a conditional use permit application. The Springdale School Board honored two of its administrators and the University of Arkansas received comments about its candidate to head its Law School after rescinding its offe...

On this edition of the 479 Show, we recap the news from the first full week of January 2026. The major highlight was the resolution by the Washington County Quorum Court in support of the poultry producers affected by the two-decade-old federal lawsuit about pollution in the Illinois River Watershed. We also hear from Cathy Love at Benton County Extension, who discusses healthy substitutions for e...

In this podcast episode, we engage in a profound discussion regarding the critical work undertaken by the Children's Safety Center, which serves as a vital resource for victims of child abuse in Northwest Arkansas. We are joined by a dedicated representative from the center, who elucidates the multifaceted support provided to children and their families, including forensic interviews, medical assi...

This podcast episode features an insightful discussion centered on the American Heart Association's initiatives, particularly highlighting the remarkable journey of Debbie, the newly appointed executive director. Debbie elucidates her two-decade commitment to combating heart disease, stemming from personal experiences that have profoundly influenced her mission. The dialogue emphasizes the signifi...

The primary focus of this inaugural 479 Media Update show is to underscore the critical necessity for blood donations during the summer months, particularly as the demand for blood surges due to increased activity and accidents. We are privileged to host Meredith Johnson and Greg Womack from the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, who elucidate the profound impact of local blood donations on our...