Arkansas native son Kevin Cole was the featured speaker for the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame Distinguished Laureate Lecture Series Thursday night, which also kicked off the 2024 Artist Talk season at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. Dr. Danyell Crutchfield Cummings, chair of the Distinguished Laureate Lecture Series, introduced Cole, a Pine Bluff native, to the audience to discuss his 40-year career as an award-winning artist and professor. Symbols in Cole’s Work Currently based in Atlanta, much of Cole’s work is characterized by a necktie or scarf motif, which symbolizes a tree near his gran ..read more

We love celebrating the story of firsts, women and men who pioneered their fields and paved the way for those who came after them. Pine Bluff native Dr. Granville Coggs holds many “firsts” titles in the story and legacy he built. Many knew him as a cutting-edge breast cancer radiologist. But the title he used later in life was Tuskegee Airman, an elite group of men who broke the racial barrier in the United States Air Force. Following his military service, he became the first African American to serve as a staff physician at Kaiser Hospital in San Francisco, California. And the first African A ..read more

There is something truly special about buying directly from local producers, farmers, artisans and craftsmen. For several years I sold eggs and herbs at our local farmers market, and it really opened my eyes to the dedication and hard work that goes into making a living by one’s own handiwork. It’s not just about the product itself; it’s about the love and passion poured into every aspect of it. When you purchase from these individuals, you’re not just getting a product; you’re getting a piece of their heart and soul. Moreover, the quality of the goods is incomparable to mass-produced items. W ..read more

Do you remember an imaginary friend or wonderland you created in your mind as a child? I loved visiting my Papa because he lived in the country and had land we could explore. Whether tiptoeing through the perfect lines in the garden and checking on squash vines or tomato plants, we knew if we were out there, the playdates we could dream up were endless. Sometimes, we could tag along with older cousins to the true woods and find cattle skulls, railroad tracks, and traces of wildlife among old wagon trails and campsites. Some days, our school games of the Oregon Trail came to life. Some days, we ..read more

Winter isn’t over yet, but winter in Arkansas is strange. We can have mornings in the 30s and afternoons in the 70s. It’s not uncommon to have a snowstorm and a thunderstorm in the same week. The peeper frogs have already started singing, and birds, especially waterfowl, are definitely on the move. We’ve probably got a handful of cold days ahead, but the longer daylight and increase in bird activity may have you wondering if it’s still a good time to be feeding birds. Bird feeding is an opportunity to connect with nature and contribute to the well-being of our feathered friends. Whether you’re ..read more

Almost five years ago, Governor Asa Hutchinson signed into law Act 581, calling for replacing the two statues in Statuary Hall in Washington, DC. He charged an appointment committee with asking hard questions of who and what stories most represent Arkansas today. Daisy Bates was a quick and easy decision for her commitment to civil rights, equality and her family’s historical role in Arkansas’s history. Johnny Cash was selected as the second subject. Little Rock-based sculptor Kevin Kresse was chosen for Johnny Cash. Benjamin Victor, an Idaho-based artist already known in Statuary Hall, was se ..read more

With warmer weather approaching, cyclists in Arkansas can start marking their calendars for the upcoming riding and racing season. Dates and registration details have been emerging almost weekly since the middle of December, whether on social media or any of the popular registration websites. Below is a look at the upcoming season (so far), including some old and new cycling events for those looking for some fun miles in 2024. If you’d like to add an event to this list, just let us know. March 3 – Redemption Enduro / Eureka Springs / MTB The Southern Enduro Tour continues its 3-state run with ..read more

Arkansas’s restaurant scene offers patrons delectable dining options that are often rich in local history, and Yesterday’s Bar and Grill in Morrilton is no exception. Whether you are in the mood for a juicy burger or filet mignon cooked perfectly with all the trimmings, Yesterday’s will warmly welcome you inside with a double dose of charm and nostalgia. Walking in the front door, a popcorn machine greets hungry customers with self-serve complimentary popcorn that can help keep those hunger pains at bay while you painstakingly scour the menu trying to narrow down the choices. Yesterday’s check ..read more

While sometimes controversial with their storytelling, Disney is often a go-to for tackling some of the tough topics kids face today. That’s probably one of the pieces that drew the Disney team to Arkansas-based author Ashley Franklin for the written version of the 2023 live-action retelling of The Little Mermaid. To understand the journey of a Bentonville, Arkansas, author writing a Disney book, we probably need to back up a few years and meet a book-loving, young black girl from the northeast. OIA: Did you grow up wanting to be an author? Franklin: Are you kidding? As a little girl, I just l ..read more

Many high school students are starting to sweat their spring semester. And no one feels it more than high school seniors and their parents. It doesn’t help that everyone around them asks, “What are your plans?” “Where are you going to college?” “What do you want to do with your life?” “What’s your next step?” Let’s all just stop and take a deep breath.  The pressure of the moment feels unreal. When do we have to have it all figured out, and why does it matter?  Well, the weight of having it all figured out may not, but at least having a plan for their next step might. And, with 55% o ..read more