Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

In this week’s Know the News, Becca Martin-Brown, Arts and Entertainment editor, chats with the “old guard” of the arts in Northwest Arkansas about the changes over the past 35 years.

Don't forget to check out Becca's farewell column that came out today at: nwaonline.com/news/2024/jul/12/the-other-way-becca-martin-brown-says-farewell

In this week’s Know the News, host Chris Swindle sits down with Fort Smith Film Festival Executive Director and Founder Brandon Chase Goldsmith to discuss the festival, which is entering its fourth year.

With the festival expanding from two days to three and from one location to two, there’s a lot to discuss about what’s new this year and what organizers have learned since starting the festival.

The Rogers Historical Museum is seeking stories and photos from the May 26 storm as it works to preserve a record of the event. On this week’s edition of the Know the News podcast, we talk to museum Director Serena Barnett about what the project entails, what types of material have been received and why making this kind of record is important.

Read more Sunday at nwaonline.com.

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. has led the efforts to make descendants of Cherokee Freedmen full and welcomed citizens of the Cherokee Nation.

He talks about those efforts and “We Are Cherokee: Cherokee Freedmen and the Right to Citizenship,” on exhibit through Jan. 19, 2025, at the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith with Becca Martin-Brown, Arts and Entertainment editor.

In this week’s Know the News podcast, host Chris Swindle and reporter Lydia Fletcher talk about trends in the local brewery scene in Northwest Arkansas.

In addition, Chris takes a tour of Orthodox Farmhouse Brewery in Elkins, talk to owner Ashlyn Gagnon and gives his honest reactions to some samples of their current beer selections.

The Bentonville Film Festival is back for its 10th year. It runs June 10-16. Wendy Guerrero, president of the film festival, joins us on this week's edition of the Know the News podcast to talk about all that the festival offers this year, as well as the work that takes place behind the scenes to make it all happen.

In this week’s Know the News podcast, we look at the impact of the May 26 storms in Northwest Arkansas.

Podcast host Chris Swindle speaks with National Weather Service meteorologist Craig Sullivan, Bentonville Mayor Stephanie Orman, Benton County Judge Barry Moehring and NWA Democrat-Gazette reporter Tracy Neal.

Two Benton County residents who are working to assess and clean up damage to property also speak about what they experienced and what comes next.

In this week’s Know the News segment, host Greg Harton is joined by Tom Jenkins, who retired as fire chief in Rogers last year after 15 years in the role. We discuss risks and the firefighting challenges involved in the increasing use of lithium-ion batteries for everything from cell phones and yard tools to the small but growing segment of electric vehicles. Emergency responders in Northwest Arkansas are modifying how they fight vehicle fires, for example, because of the reaction batteries can have to heat.

The podcast also features previews of stories coming up during the Memorial Day weekend in the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette and in the River Valley.

The Arkansas Legislature just wrapped up its 2024 fiscal session.

On this week’s edition of the Know the News podcast, we talk to a few Northwest Arkansas legislators — Sen. Joshua Bryant, R-Rogers; and state Reps. Denise Garner, D-Fayetteville; and Robin Lundstrum, R-Elm Springs — for their takes on what happened during the session.

Elizabeth Forester was not expected to live past her first day when she was born 22 weeks into her mother’s pregnancy. The now 20-year-old Forester — a nonverbal quadriplegic — will be among this year’s class of special education students graduating from Bentonville High School next week.

Pam MacDade, Forester’s mother, tells us about how Forester made it to this point on this week’s edition of the Know the News podcast.