Good morning, Little Rock.

The McIntosh Legacy Foundation will host its 2025 Christmas Toy and Bike Drive next week in Little Rock.

The event will distribute donated toys and bikes to local children in need.

Little Rock Zoo officials said the sloth bear is preparing to give birth to cubs soon, and the new arrivals are expected to excite visitors.

More details will be shared as the birth approaches.

This holiday season, Our Blood Institute in Little Rock invites community members to donate blood to help local patients in need.

On Tuesday, Dec. 19, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission confirmed that three white-tailed deer in Grant and Sevier counties tested positive for chronic wasting disease.

Hunters have been notified and officials are increasing surveillance while keeping deer hunting regulations unchanged for the 2025-26 season.

A commercial poultry farm in Cleveland County was quarantined on Friday, Dec.

19 after a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture advised safety measures (handwashing, restricting visitors, and quarantining new birds) and said poultry and eggs remain safe when cooked.

The FDA approved Abbott's TriClip transcatheter edge-to-edge repair system for tricuspid regurgitation.

Cardiologist Evan Watts said the minimally invasive treatment is now available locally to help patients avoid open-heart surgery.

Arkansas Crisis Center will launch AR Teen Connect in early 2026 to help teens connect with peers for mental health support and crisis prevention, funded by Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas while its 24/7 hotline remains open (988).

The Toast: A Premier New Year’s Eve Celebration

8 PM – 2 AM — Little Rock Marriott — Ticket prices vary — Celebrate 2026 with three levels of music, luxury, and a high-energy midnight countdown.