In this episode, Rex Nelson sits down with Wildwood Parks' Executive Director, Bevan Keating. Bevan talks with Rex about his journey from London, Ontario in Canada to Little Rock.

Rex also discusses Bevan’s struggles with moving to the United States amid the turmoil following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Bevan explains how he came to be the director of Wildwood Parks and his long-term goals for the park, before shifting the conversation to an interesting discussion about opera and hockey.

Podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, or visit arkansasonline.com/podcast23 for an exclusive subscription offer available only to podcast listeners

In this episode, Rex Nelson sits down with Skip Rutherford to discuss the new year and the changes it may bring to Arkansas.

Rex discusses Arkansas politics with Skip, noting the changing landscape amid turmoil between the legislature and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Skip also talks with Rex about economic growth in West Memphis, Mena, and other places throughout Arkansas. They highlight the outdoor recreation spurred by such developments and how they could impact the state's economy in 2026.

Podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, or visit arkansasonline.com/podcast23 for an exclusive subscription offer available only to podcast listeners

• (00:00:12) - Southern Fried Podcast
• (00:00:53) - Prediction: 2017 will be a record year for tourism in Arkansas
• (00:08:03) - Exploring West Memphis's outdoor recreation boom
• (00:10:35) - Predictions for 2026: Oil, Lithium
• (00:16:46) - Arkansas Senator on Higher Ed
• (00:22:46) - Northwest Arkansas continues to grow as a healthcare hub
• (00:28:20) - Arkansas' third largest city, Fort Smith
• (00:32:00) - Arkansas political campaigns in 2026
• (00:34:23) - Southern Fried Podcast

In this episode, Rex Nelson and Skip Rutherford review events and happenings in Arkansas in 2025. Rex also talks with Skip about revitalization in downtown Little Rock and the amount of work to be done in central Arkansas.
Rex and Skip also discuss topics such as the closure of the Amazon facility at the Little Rock port, the University of Arkansas vs. Arkansas State University football game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, the economic impact of such events on central Arkansas and more.

Follow Rex Nelson's Southern Fried Podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, or visit arkansasonline.com/podcast23 for an exclusive subscription offer available only to podcast listeners.

Podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, or visit arkansasonline.com/podcast23 for an exclusive subscription offer available only to podcast listeners