Heartland Forward

Gov. Sarah Sanders is promoting a program designed to help high school students in Arkansas develop plans for their futures. The governor says the rootEd Arkansas program is an example of the state’s education investment.

Heartland Forward, a Bentonville-based think tank, is launching a maternal and child health care center to reduce disparities and improve accessible care across the state. The announcement was made this morning at the Heartland Summit in Bentonville. The center’s official name is the Maternal and Child Health Center for Policy and Practice.

A new report from Heartland Forward shows that outdoor recreation in Arkansas is an increasingly important part of the state’s economy. The study shows outdoor recreation directly accounts for 2.5% percent of Arkansas GDP.

Recent shifts in immigration policy are creating some concern for parents of adopted children. On today's show, Ozarks at Large’s Daniel Caruth talks with parents and an adoption attorney. Also, we learn the growing importance of outdoor recreation for Arkansas’ economy. Plus, a rare bird is generating excitement in Carroll County.

Heartland Forward, a Bentonville-based think tank, is releasing its Most Dynamic Metros 2025 report today. It evaluates nearly 400 Metropolitan areas across the country, considering employment, average annual pay, real GDP growth, per capita income and entrepreneurial activity.

A new presidential administration means changes for Canopy NWA, a non-profit refugee settlement organization. On today's show, we hear how they're reassessing resettlement. Also, our host, Kyle Kellams, discusses a new report about dynamic metro areas with Heartland Forward. Plus, merging the natural world with music, a beloved bird-watching spot will rise from the ashes and more.

Many of the state’s fastest-growing industries depend on a sustainable number of engineers and professionals in the STEM field. The challenge is that Arkansas doesn’t have enough engineers.

On today's show, more engineers in Arkansas may contribute to a more robust economy. Plus, reporter Daniel Caruth speaks with an economic policy expert about an increase in child labor violations in Arkansas. We also get ready for a polar plunge, holiday markets and more.

Yesterday, Oct. 2, Heartland Forward – a policy think-and-do tank dedicated to serving communities in the middle of the country – announced an initiative to expand telehealth access in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Ozarks at Large’s Jack Travis attended their press conference at the Fayetteville Public Library and brought us this report.

In this week's edition of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal report, Roby Brock talks with Heartland Forward executive vice president, Angie Cooper, about the policy think-and-do tank's increased commitment to its student-centered program "rootEd Arkansas."