Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Which new AP classes are coming to Bentonville students next year?

Happening soon: Winter Formal on the Bentonville Patch calendar

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Saturday December 20th Patch AM
Saturday December 20th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Good morning Bentonville! We're back again in your inbox, keeping you updated with what's happening in and around town. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Which new AP classes are coming to Bentonville students next year?
  • Why have two Benton County Jail inmates died after hospital transfers?
  • How crowded is Bentonville’s Salvation Army shelter this winter?

Also on today's calendar: Carol Sing-A-Longs & Good Cheer at The Compton and 2 more events.

Find out what's happening in Bentonvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: Last night I had a dream. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Bentonvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Saturday: Windy in the morning; sunny, with a high of 60 and low of 34 degrees.
  • Sunday: Times of sun and clouds, temps: high: 54, low: 40.
  • Monday: Low clouds, with a high of 57 and low of 50 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Northwest Arkansas schools adding new courses for next school year (nwahomepage.com) — Bentonville Public Schools are adding new AP cybersecurity and business/finance classes for the 2026–27 year, giving local students more career-focused options. Alongside similar expansions in Fayetteville and Rogers, the changes aim to better prepare Northwest Arkansas teens for college, careers, or military service with more specialized, real-world coursework.
   

2. Authorities: Benton County Jail inmate pronounced dead at local hospital after being found unresponsive in cell (arkansasonline.com) — An inmate arrested by Bentonville police was found unresponsive at the Benton County Jail and later died at a local hospital, marking the second such death this year. Another inmate previously died after being taken from the jail to a Bentonville hospital, and authorities say the latest case remains under active investigation.
   

3. Arkansas homeless shelters over capacity as winter begins (4029tv.com) — Bentonville’s Salvation Army shelter is running 16 beds over capacity as cold weather sets in, forcing staff to place people on floors to keep them indoors. Along with an overfull Fayetteville shelter, local providers are asking for more volunteers and donations to help neighbors stay safe, fed, and warm through the winter.
   

4. US Postal Service, NASA decide to drop Canoo vehicles (nwahomepage.com) — Federal agencies NASA and the U.S. Postal Service have stopped using vehicles from Canoo, the bankrupt EV company that once planned a major headquarters and production facility in Bentonville. The story traces Canoo’s collapse, from its unrealized Bentonville site and local layoffs to its shift to Oklahoma and eventual Chapter 7 liquidation, underscoring how those ambitious local promises never materialized.
   

5. Northwest Arkansas mayors ring in the season of giving for the Salvation Army (4029tv.com) — Bentonville Mayor Stephanie Orman helped lead a friendly “Mayoral Ring Off” competition that pits Northwest Arkansas cities against each other to raise Salvation Army donations, all of which stay local. With red kettles and new QR code options out through Christmas Eve, Bentonville residents are encouraged to give as part of this regional holiday challenge.
   

📸 Around Bentonville

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Bentonville

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

    Saturday December 20
  • Winter Formal
    The Momentary, 507 SE E St, Bentonville
    6:30 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Bentonville Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Found cat!
    In Centerton behind the Maverik on Regional Airport. Looks like a brown/black striped tabby with white patches and is pretty small. Has been around… (Nextdoor Riverwalk Farms Estates)
  • With all the good reviews I hired Katy to clean our home.
    Absolutely stellar- we have 4 furry children and Katy and her team went above and beyond! Cleaned under every couch, etc. Not a speck of fur to be… (Nextdoor Hidden Springs)
  • Community Health Systems, Inc. posted a job opening for Sterile Svcs Lead - BV- (S.N) in Bentonville. Apply here.
  • Walmart posted a job opening for Floor Clerical in Bentonville. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Bentonville here.

Ok Bentonville! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I dreamed I was swimming in a pool of orange soda, but it was just a Fanta-sea.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Bentonville