Good morning, Fayetteville.

Fayetteville voters approved a bond for a new animal shelter that will have improved kennels, expanded medical and intake areas, and more volunteer space.

The design phase is ongoing and the project will help more animals find permanent homes.

A new Walmart Depot is under construction at 2964 MLK Jr. Boulevard, a former Walgreens location now part of the Spark project for drivers.

It is being remodeled over 12,325 sqft and sits across from the Supercenter, with details on public access still pending.

Food scientists at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station showed that rice byproducts can make plant-based cheese with a firm texture and meltability, potentially boosting the market for local rice; future tests will refine ingredient quality.

Four U of A music students, including Garrett Cash, Katheryn Cooper, Nathan Edwards, and Christian Mathews, won first place in vocal divisions at the National Association of Teachers of Singing District Conference (Feb.

27-28) in Jonesboro. They earned top honors under instructors Jonathan Stinson, Lenora Green-Turner, and Sarah Cain.

Oaklawn Hot Springs pledged $100,000 to sponsor this year’s SMASH event at U of A, where hospitality students will run a real-world event on March 14 to gain hands-on skills.

The four-year commitment covers venue rental, catering + decorations to support future industry leaders.

Bentonville’s softball team lifted their win with back-to-back home runs in Tuesday’s 6A-West opener against Springdale Har-Ber, highlighted by Violet Nguyen’s moon shot in the third inning.

No. 20 Arkansas beat Texas on Wednesday at Bud Walton Arena with career-high 28 points from Trevon Brazile (on his senior night) and 28 from Darius Acuff Jr., helping the Razorbacks secure a double-bye for the SEC Tournament.

Arkansas senior golfer John Daly II will make his first PGA Tour start as an amateur today at Grand Reserve Golf Club (teeing off at 6:02 a.m.) after earning a sponsored invite following a strong performance at the recent Cabo Collegiate.

Arkansas Razorbacks beat Oral Roberts 10-2 in a midweek baseball game.

The team used six bullpen pitchers and key hits in the second and fourth innings and will face Stetson in a four-game home series starting Friday at 6 p.m.

UA announced a statue honoring former basketball coach Nolan Richardson will soon be built outside Bud Walton Arena where construction will begin shortly.

The statue will stand on the west side to mark his record coaching career plus lasting influence on Arkansas basketball.

Forrest City running back Kevin Young Jr. committed Tuesday to Arkansas as a preferred walk-on and will report to Fayetteville this summer.

He rushed 179 times for 2,022 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior for the Mustangs.

High School Programming Contest

9 AM – 4 PM — J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. Center for Academic Excellence — Free entry — Showcase your coding skills at the annual high school programming challenge.

Run Pig Sooie

8:00 – 11:30 AM — Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium — Various entry fees — Be part of Razorback history with multiple race distances finishing on the 50-yard line!

Songwriters' Open Mic Night

6:30-9 p.m. — Ozark Folkways Fayetteville — Free entry — Enjoy an evening of original solo performances by local songwriters in a welcoming atmosphere.

St. Patrick's Day Bar Crawl - Fayetteville

4-11:59 p.m. — Calle Latin Cuisine — Cost varies — Experience good vibes and green drinks at Fayetteville's ultimate St. Paddy's celebration.

Dungeons and Dragons - The Twenty Sided Tavern

2-6 p.m. — Walton Arts Center — Ticket prices vary — Experience an exciting live performance of Dungeons and Dragons in a fun tavern setting.

Blackberry Smoke Live Concert

7-11 PM — Ozark Music Hall — Ticket prices vary — Rock out with Blackberry Smoke as they celebrate their storied career and release new music.

Time to Paddy 5k/10k & Lucky 13.1

8-11 a.m. — Veterans Memorial Park — Youth pricing at $17 — Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with family-friendly races and fun swag for all ages.

Central Arkansas Sugar Bears vs. Arkansas Lady Razorbacks Softball

11 a.m. – 2 p.m. — Bogle Park — Tickets available — Watch an exciting college softball matchup between local rivals.

Jonah Kagen Live

8-10 p.m. — George's Majestic Lounge — Cost info not provided — Experience the captivating guitar and singalong-worthy lyrics of Savannah's own Jonah Kagen.

Florida Gators vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Softball

1-4 p.m. — Administration Building — Free entry — Catch the exciting softball showdown between the Gators and Razorbacks in Fayetteville.