🌱 2 Bentonville Chefs James Beard Semifinalists + Winter Storm

Good morning, neighbors! Sean Peek here with your Friday edition of the Bentonville Daily.

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First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and quite cold. High: 35 Low: 20.

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Here are the top 3 stories today in Bentonville:

1. The James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists were announced this week ahead of the James Beard Awards ceremony. The foundation has not announced award winners for the last two years due to COVID-19. Chef Matthew McClure of The Hive and Chef Rafael Rios of Yeyo's in Bentonville both made the list of semifinalists for best chef of the south, according to the published list. (WGN-TV)
2. Roads across parts of Arkansas were covered in snow and slick with ice on Wednesday into Thursday this week. The storm closed many restaurants, school districts, and government buildings throughout Benton County. One driver said he made it as far as Bentonville and had to stop for the night because of the unsafe conditions. (4029tv)
3. More winter weather is on the way here in Bentonville this weekend. According to the local forecast, we can expect an 83 percent chance of mixed precipitation tomorrow, with ice turning to rain later in the day. Sunday will be sunnier, but still cold, with low temperatures in the mid-20s. (Bentonville Patch)

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Today in Bentonville:

• Cub Scout STEAM Night At Scott Family Amazeum (6:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• Ever wonder what it's like to be the owner of a world-class recording studio? Visit Bentonville asked Neil Greenhaw, owner of Haxton Road Studios, to lend some insight. Learn more about his background in the music industry, why he and his family came to Bentonville, and what to expect from Haxton Road Studios this year. (Facebook)
• Mew Cat Rescue in Bentonville designates the last week of February each year as "Community Cats Week." Their goal for this week is to educate about and advocate for their community cats. February is National Spay/Neuter Awareness month. The most important way to care for community cats is to get them spayed and neutered. This will improve their health, reduce unwanted behavior and help control the cat population. (Facebook)
• Arkansas Storm Tracker Zachary Hall posted a video taken by Nicole Davis of an impressive lightning bolt right off of 1-49 near Bentonville. (Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you soon!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.