AY Magazine

For Maurice D. Gipson, nothing has been so rewarding as the choice to pursue higher education as his life's work. He has relished the opportunity throughout his career to help transform universities, watching institutions evolve while opening doors for countless students to change the trajectory of their lives.

As chief financial officer at the Law Offices of Katherine Blackmon, Jamie Carroll brings decades of executive leadership, operational expertise and strategic vision to one of Arkansas's most respected family law firms. His distinguished career spans the hospitality, gaming and business sectors, including senior leadership roles with major casino properties in Las Vegas, New Orleans and New Zealand.

The FIFA World Cup has been bringing soccer fans together for the last month to enjoy Cinderella moments, shocking upsets and everything else that makes the game of soccer great. Now, all is set to come to a close with one final showdown between Argentina and Spain at 2 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, July 19. However, not all of us were lucky enough to get a seat at MetLife Stadium to experience it in person, so we'll have to settle for the next best thing.

Bill Parkinson founded Parkinson Building Group in 1999 to raise the standard of central Arkansas homebuilding. Fast approaching three decades in business, suffice it to say the company has accomplished just that. Consistent, quality results across scores of high-end neighborhoods and an unbeatable industry reputation have made PBG the go-to for luxury custom homes, and Parkinson now has his sights set on training up the next generation of builders.

Two of central Arkansas' youth theater programs are joining forces for a collaborative production of "The Wedding Singer" at Benton's historic Royal Theatre next year. The Royal Theatre's Young Players and Stage 13 announced they will co-produce the musical from Jan. 7-24, bringing together performers from the Stage 13 Pre-Professional Company and Young Players Second Stage.

The City of Searcy will celebrate the grand opening of its new Dog Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 21, at the Carmichael Community Center. The park was designed to provide a dedicated space where dogs and their owners can gather, exercise and enjoy the outdoors. Planning & Development Director Richard Stafford designed the project in coordination with Davidson Engineering.

Famous content creator Kai Cenat is at Hendrix College in Conway this week, hosting his real-life bootcamp, Streamer University. Cenat, the most-followed streamer on Twitch (as of the publication date), founded the University in 2025 to help aspiring streamers learn the ins and outs of the industry. His first session took place at the University of Akron in Ohio, with more than 200 creators taking classes.

In love with color? Look no further than Norwood Day Floral Co. in Little Rock. In the company's most recent "little bit of happy" social media video, co-owner Chris Norwood assembles an arrangement using a nontraditional color palette of pinks, plums and aubergine. Watch the arrangement come together to see how a pro does it. READ ALSO: WATCH: Summer Lovin' With Norwood Day

Arkansas venues are buzzing with live music this weekend, July 16 - July 19! From local musicians and karaoke nights to big names like Clay Walker and Sawyer Brown, there's plenty of talent and fun to choose from this weekend! Thursday, July 16 JUL 16: Los Rangerz at Stickyz Rock N' Roll Chicken Shack in Little Rock JUL 16: Sexmex, Jupiter's Flytrap, and Prophunter at Vino's Brew Pub in Little Rock JUL 16: Brian Adams at WXYZ Bar at Aloft Hotel in Little Rock JUL 16: Isabella Love at The...

There are always great things to do in the Natural State, and AY About You has compiled some of the biggest events in Arkansas this weekend-from a Chocolate Festival and The Rock City Margarita Festival & Great Arkansas Beer Festival to plenty of car shows and FIFA World Cup celebrations. Don't miss Heather Baker on 103.7 The Buzz's Morning Mayhem Fridays for the latest event scoop.