Arkansas

Fayetteville calls for lessening water use as hot, dry weather expected in Northwest Arkansas and River Valley this week | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Published

2 years ago

July 1, 2024

Fayetteville calls for lessening water use as hot, dry weather expected in Northwest Arkansas and River Valley this week | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Dry conditions and extreme heat have led at least one municipal utility to request customers use less water this week.

The Fayetteville Utilities Department has advised residential and commercial customers in east Fayetteville and Goshen to adjust their water usage, according to a news release from the city.

The city’s water system is experiencing increased demand, resulting in reduced water pressure for some customers, the release states.

The affected area is east of North Crossover Road, particularly in areas off East Mission Boulevard and East Huntsville Road, according to the release. Officials have placed restrictions on yard and landscaping irrigation to certain days and times of day:

Even-numbered addresses may irrigate between the hours of 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Odd numbered addresses may irrigate between the hours of 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

With hot summer temperatures and heavy demand for irrigation, usage in east Fayetteville and Goshen is high, and parts of the water system are being pushed to the limit, the release states. City officials believe adjusting morning irrigation schedules to nighttime and restricting irrigation to specific days will assist in allowing the water system to recover.

The city is also encouraging voluntary water conservation efforts by all water customers.

The National Weather Service forecast for Northwest Arkansas calls for mostly sunny week through Wednesday afternoon, when there will be a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. The forecast for Thursday, which is Independence Day, shows a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. rising to a 50% chance in the evening. High temperatures throughout the week are expected to be in the mid- to upper 90s with lows in the mid-70s.

Meanwhile, in the River Valley, temperatures are expected to be in the upper 90s this week with the possibility of reaching 100 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday. The forecast mostly calls for sunny skies with slight chances of showers or thunderstorms Thursday night through Saturday.

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Arkansas

Arkansas Governor joins national A.I. workforce initiative

Published

55 minutes ago

June 25, 2026

Press Room

Arkansas Governor joins national A.I. workforce initiative

LITTLE ROCK, AR (KATV) — Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has joined a new national artificial intelligence initiative that launched Thursday, June 25.

RAISE US, started by former Governor Eric Holcomb of Indiana and Gina Raimondo, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce is a nonpartisan national organization that will partner with governors, employers, workers and training organizations to help the workforce transition to an AI economy.

“As artificial intelligence transforms America’s economy, we have one clear message: technology should empower people, not replace them. By leveraging our Arkansas LAUNCH initiative, and with the resources and expertise provided by RAISE US, Arkansas will turn that mission into reality. We want the Natural State to be a leader on education, workforce training, and up-skilling, and this new partnership gives us the tools we need to build a model for the entire nation.”

The organization will design and pilot incentives to retrain workers, new approaches to support job transitions, and training models tied to employer demand.

RAISE US launches with more than two dozen American companies and philanthropies and initial state partnerships in Connecticut, Maryland and Utah.

“America has a technology strategy for leading the global AI competition. It does not yet have a people strategy — and we cannot lead without one,” Raimondo, who will serve as CEO of RAISE US, said.

“If we build the best AI systems in the world and leave millions of Americans behind, we won’t have won anything; we’ll have automated our own decline. I believe AI will create new jobs and industries over time, but the transition could be disruptive, and it’s already underway. We shouldn’t fearmonger, but we can’t pretend our training and worker support systems are ready either. It’s time for innovative and practical solutions. This moment demands ambition, urgency, and creativity. We’ve assembled the country’s top companies, best economists, and bipartisan governors at a scale rarely seen — all to advance new ideas and incentives, pilot them with governors and business, and scale what works.”

Governor Sanders is partnering with RAISE US to support Arkansas LAUNCH, an AI-powered career navigation platform that connects students and jobseekers to personalized learning and employer-linked career pathways.

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