Washington County

Welcome to the 479 Show, where we recap the week in Northwest Arkansas.

I'm 479 Media News Director Dave Schoen, and coming up on this episode, the government business features the update on the wastewater system project in Greenland, a more successful rezoning request in Bentonville, grant funding for transportation projects in Rogers, the endorsement of a tax-backed program by Springdale to allow Tyson Foods to convert its newly acquired Cargill Turkey Plant on Randlewabi Lane for Chicken and Washington County Judge Patrick Deakins discussing reforms in the purchasing and disposal of county assets to limit fraud which he hoped might be adopted elsewhere in the state.

It was fraud week in the courts as a couple of high-profile swindlers were presented their rewards for their fundraising efforts.

The business news featured third-quarter earnings for J.B. Hunt Transport and the same old same old from America's Car Mart.

The renovations would add 1,600 jobs to the payroll.

The council also approved grants from the Best Friends Animal Society for a new fence for its outdoor dog run and participation in the Spay-Neuter program, a construction contract for the second phase of the Rabbit Foot Trail, a 2D stormwater study to look at potential flooding problems arising from future development, and the purchase of new lounge chairs for the Springdale Public Library.

The other major government business took place October 15th, as Washington County Judge Patrick Deakins would present his concerns over the potential for fraud affecting most governments, particularly regarding sole-source purchasing.

Spurred by this job and me moving on, I have become a certified fraud examiner.

Early voting begins on Monday, October 19th in Arkansas.

And in Washington County, a group of volunteers is offering free rides to the polls for any registered voter all the way through Election Day, November 3rd.

Herschel Hartford is the vice chair of the Washington County Democratic Party.

He says if it weren't for the collective effort he's helping to organize, this sort of service probably wouldn't happen.

I know there are individuals who help neighbors out getting to the polls and that sort of thing, but on a large-scale basis over Washington County, this has not been something that has been a regular project as far as that goes.

Um, and we believe that voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, and that only has meaning if you have a way to get out and vote.

When you think about, um, when you think about a community like this who needs, needs some support, needs some help, needs accessibility in this way, what does it sound like when these possibilities aren't available for people?

It is removed after the ride has taken place.

For some counties in Arkansas, their county courthouse may be the only place they can vote early for the two weeks leading up to Election Day, November 3rd.

In Washington County, there will be 19 different locations open for voters to cast their ballot at some point during that two-week period.

Jennifer Price is the director of elections in Washington County.

She says having this many locations available in early voting makes a big difference on November 3rd.

Really helps us on Election Day to keep those lines shorter.

And so whenever we open up these, uh, limited early vote sites, the goal is to make sure that those voters in areas that wouldn't normally have a two-week early vote site actually have access to early voting, such as Lincoln and Sonora.

Uh, we've even opened up, uh, more sites in Springdale and more sites in Fayetteville during that two week.

But the goal is to make early voting as accessible as we can to all the voters in Washington County, not just those that live in, in Fayetteville and Springdale.

Absolutely, I have.

That is, um, the home of the Washington County Historical Society.

They have their annual ice cream social.

What else should I know about it?

...

in Arkansas.

I had Jennifer Price, the Washington County election commissioner, in the studio this morning to talk about early voting.

We'll hear more of that conversation on tomorrow's show.

I'm also a member of Farm Bureau.

I'm on the board of directors here in Washington County, Arkansas, myself.

I believe in the mission.

I think it, it's really hard to create a unified voice in agriculture.

And in a minute I'm going to have Tim, uh, Shepherd on.

He's the candidate for county judge up here in Washington County.

Uh, so Tim will tell us a little bit about himself, his positions, and why he decided to run, uh, for county judge.

Now, just as a heads-up, uh, ladies and gentlemen, especially to the folks up here, uh, in Northwest Arkansas, listening in on KFAY or over the, uh, app, we have an Ozone Action Day up here.

Yes, sir

... what made you decide to do that?

Well, so my family's been here for four generations in Washington County.

And, you know, without first getting into the specifics of why I ran, you know, I care greatly about Washington County, and you see all the growth up here.

Um, w- the first being the Ozark cavefish.

They live in Northwest Arkansas, um, in Benton and Washington County in the karst, um, underneath the cities up there.

[clicks tongue] And then, um, also the yellow cheek darter that, um, occurs in the Little Red River system upstream of G- Garris Ferry.

So we coordinate with the Fish and Wildlife Service to monitor those species.

Welcome to the 479 Show, where we recap the week in Northwest Arkansas.

I'm 479 Media News Director Dave Schoen, and coming up on this episode, a light week of government action featured the Bella Vista City Council and Washington County Quorum Court County Services Committee holding meetings.

Ground would be broken on a new Walton family-inspired STEM-based university in Bentonville that aims to be more than a bit player in workforce development.

You'll understand the pun in a bit.

That ordinance would move on to second reading.

The other note came with the vote to set the millage rate for the year, which was approved after the council voted 4-2 against adding a couple of tenths to the rate, which was moved forward by Larry Wilms with Shea Newport agreeing.

The Washington County Quorum Courts County Services Committee would debate a moratorium on approvals for data centers after a lengthy discussion, a few proposed amendments, and general confusion all around.

The motion was proposed by Justice of the Peace Evelyn

The feature attraction in the 479 this week would take place September 24th as the Benton County Quorum Court would establish a fund to account for the money used in the 287G program, a partnership with the federal government in enforcing immigration law.

The vote was unanimous following two hours of public hearing where, for practically the first time, supporters of law enforcement in general and immigration enforcement in particular made their voices heard after several meetings where the mob of opponents, several from Fayetteville and Washington County, rehashed the arguments that the county was going on an immigrant roundup to collect bounties from the feds and that the quorum court was governing solely for the benefit of white men.

Justice of the Peace and soon-to-be Arkansas State Representative Brian Armis responded.

My dad was a first generation.