Good morning, Jonesboro.

Jonesboro residents are invited to a community conversation titled 'Can We Disagree Better? – Respectfully Navigating Differences' hosted by Braver Angels Arkansas on Sept.

14 at 5:30 p.m. at Fellowship Hall of First United Methodist Church, where participants will learn practical skills for respectful dialogue.

The Arkansas Imagination Library mourns Dolly Parton, who died yesterday at 80 after a brief battle with cancer, and it pledged to honor her legacy by delivering monthly books to local children.

The program — in partnership with over 55 community groups — will keep her spirit alive.

After summer repairs, the Dean B.

Ellis Library clock tower now rings its bells hourly (and plays factory-programmed music on the quarter hour) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and plans to add familiar songs by request to renew campus tradition.

ARDOT launched Phase Two of Street Smart for grades 9-12; it will offer 12 lessons, one trivia game, and nine videos to help new drivers learn work zone and speed safety.

The program meets state education standards with ADE approval and is free for educators.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library delivers free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to five in Northeast Arkansas.

The program partners with Nettleton Public Schools (Craighead County) to boost early literacy while the Dolly Parton Foundation helps cover costs.

City Water and Light approved a two-phase rate increase so customers will see a 4.6% rise on Jan.

1, 2027 and 5% on Jan. 1, 2028 to support a $350 million natural gas plant upgrade. Residential users of about 1,250 kWh will pay about $5.56 and $3.63 more per month.

Meta agreed to pay $17 billion plus add child-safety features to Facebook and Instagram to settle claims over teen social media addiction, with Arkansas set to receive about $172.5 million, the state Attorney General said on Wednesday.

A survey finds that 37% of Arkansans in 2025 did not have enough food, compared to 27% nationwide, affecting over 1.14 million people.

The Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and state food banks released the first Hunger Continuum report on Wednesday to guide future food support efforts (details pending).

Bill Gates owns nearly 48,000 acres of farmland in Arkansas, making him the largest private owner in the state, Localize reported.

Farm expert Jeffery Highnight (real estate broker and farm manager) said such large holdings are common for commercial crops, but his name draws extra attention.

Jonesboro’s iconic office building at 2400 E.

Highland Drive was sold to local developer Clay Young’s Young Investment Company LLC for $5.8 million, closing on July 20, having been built as the region’s first bank headquarters in the mid-1990s, and remains a key landmark + legacy investment.