FEATURES
Profile: Becky Shaffer
Building Hope Through Saving Grace
More than 23,000 children age out of the United States foster care system every year, according to the National Foster Youth Institute, and with that statistic comes the sad truth that 20% will become homeless almost instantly. Nationwide, 50% of the homeless population spent time in foster care. With a lack of options, many of these young people find themselves in the perpetual wheel of poverty that they experienced as children.
Arts & Culture: Get Ready to Jam with Arkansas’ Favorite Vocal Festival
The annual VoiceJam A Cappella Festival returns this year with concerts and workshops for all a cappella enthusiasts. From the headliner concert, The Edge Effect, on April 4 at 7:30 p.m. to the VoiceJam Competition on April 5 at 7:30 p.m. and all of the workshop opportunities, don’t miss this celebration of all things a cappella.
Arts & Culture: Iconic KAWS: FAMILY Exhibition Opens at Crystal Bridges This March
Since the late 1990s, artist KAWS has been creating a cast of iconic characters steeped in the American zeitgeist. Each with their own distinct personality pulled in part from their creator, these characters have been a constant throughline in the artist’s career and our nation’s popular culture.
​
Community: Walmart’s New Home Office Stands Out for Design and Amenities
​​
Walmart Inc. has called Bentonville home for more than 60 years. And while the company has grown and changed exponentially, along with the city, company leaders knew when they started the process of planning a new home office that the headquarters would stay in their hometown.
Education: Amazement in the Works: The Scott Family Amazeum Kicks Off Capital Campaign for Expansion Project
​
The Scott Family Amazeum in Bentonville, already one of the cultural highlights of Northwest Arkansas, is about to get even more exciting. On Jan. 14, the interactive children’s museum launched a public capital campaign for a new expansion, set to begin later this year.
​
Health | From the Expert: The GLP-1 Craze: What Practitioners Want You to Know
The popularity of GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide — Ozempic and Wegovy — and tirzepatide — Mounjaro and Zepbound — has skyrocketed in the last couple of years, with many patients seeking these medications as a quick solution for weight loss.
​
​
Nonprofit: Dancing with Our Stars Raises Funds and Hope for Children’s Tumor Foundation
​
​On March 8, the Northwest Arkansas community will gather for an unforgettable evening at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville for the Dancing with Our Stars Northwest Arkansas Gala.
Eats & Drinks: Junto
229 S. Main St., Ste. 100, Bentonville | (479) 345-5005 | www.juntosushi.com
​
The Indigo Road Hospitality Group of Charleston, South Carolina, opened its sushi-based concept Junto last August in downtown Bentonville, and the restaurant has since been overwhelmingly greeted with high praise. Junto’s menu is steeped in classic preparation first and foremost, set against the occasional anomaly of Americana-Japanese fusion when least expected.
​
Living Spaces: Retirement Retreat
Local builder helps translate dream into reality
​
Glenn Galton and Noel McDoniel lived in the Dallas area for more than 40 years but decided to build their retirement home in Northwest Arkansas. McDoniel is originally from Newark, Arkansas. He graduated from the University of Arkansas and has close family in the area, so settling in the state seemed logical. Because they wanted to live on the water, some friends suggested looking in Benton County. They found a lot on Loch Lomond in Bella Vista and enlisted Oliver Kiesel with O.A.K. Homes & Landscape to build their custom home.
​
