2000
The federal census shows Fayetteville’s population to be 58,047, an increase of 38 percent from the 1990 census. Washington County’s total population was 157,715.
May — A proposed development of retail stores including a Kohl's department store throws the city government into chaos because the proposal doesn't preserve a grove of oak trees, violating the city's tree-preservation ordinance. A tree-sit protest by Mary Lightheart, other acts of civil disobedience and court actions fail to stop development from occurring, although a small portion of the grove was preserved.
August — The Morning News began publishing zoned editions of its paper, including a Fayetteville edition. In response, the Northwest Arkansas Times and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette announced a business partnership in which the two newspapers were packaged together, and all business functions were transferred to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
August 15 — Fayetteville residents approve a 1 percent sales tax, limited to 18 months, to pay for construction of a new public library.
2002
February 27 — Jim Blair announces a $3 million gift to the Fayetteville Public Library and its campaign to raise money for a new library building. The new library building would be named Blair Library in honor of Blair's late wife, Diane Devers Blair, his grandmother and aunt.
April 11 — The University of Arkansas announces that the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation had donated $300 million to endow an honors college, attract new faculty and graduate students, and support the research mission of the university. The gift was the largest ever to a public university and the fifth largest to any public or private university.
May — Reconstruction of Dickson Street begins this month, paid for in part by a $1.5 million federal grant. The new design was completed in the latter part of 2003.
August 27 — The new Washington Regional Medical Center opens at North Hills Medical Park.
2004
Thousands of residents line up at the Wal-Mart on Joyce Street to get President Clinton’s new book, My Life, and an autograph from the former president.
October 8 — Blair Library, built to house an expanded Fayetteville Public Library, opens its doors at the southwest corner of Mountain Street and School Avenue.
Veronica Campbell, a University of Arkansas student from Jamaica, wins gold medals at the Summer Olympics in Athens. Deena Drossin Kastor, a former UA track runner, wins the bronze medal in the Olympic marathon. Chuck Hemingway, another former UA high jumper, wins the silver medal in the Olympic high jump.
2005
June 15 — The Library Journal names the Fayetteville Public Library as the its national "Library of the Year," citing its top-flight staff, volunteer program and the newly opened Blair Library building.
June 30 — The University of Arkansas successfully concludes its Campaign for the Twenty-First Century by raising more than $1 billion for scholarships, capital projects and its endowment.
2008
The Fayetteville Public Library checks out more than 1 million items during this year, everything from books to videos to fishing rods.
2009
November 1 — The Northwest Arkansas Times, The Morning News, the Benton County Daily Record and the northwest edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette enter into a business partnership in which the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is packaged with the other papers for distribution in their respective local markets. The new publishing company is called Northwest Arkansas Newspapers.
