About Us

Rock City Wire is an independent, reader-funded newsroom covering Little Rock, Arkansas. We report on the city we live in — its neighborhoods, its schools, its courts, its teams — and on the decisions made in Washington that land on Central Arkansas doorsteps.

Why “Rock City”

Little Rock takes its name from La Petite Roche, the small rock outcropping on the south bank of the Arkansas River that French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de La Harpe recorded in 1722. Travelers used it as a landmark where the flat Delta gave way to the foothills of the Ouachitas. Locals have called Little Rock “the Rock” and “Rock City” ever since — and it is the city this newsroom is named for and built to serve.

Our mission

We believe the people of Little Rock deserve reporting that is accurate, fair, useful and free of outside influence. Our job is to:

Explain what is happening in Little Rock and why it matters to the people who live here.
Hold power to account — at City Hall, in the Little Rock School District, in Pulaski County government and courts, and in the Arkansas delegation in Washington.
Show our work, so readers can see what we know, how we know it and what we are still reporting.
Serve every part of the city, from Hillcrest and the Heights to SoMa, downtown and the River Market, Southwest Little Rock and west of I-430.

What we cover

Section	What you will find there
Latest News	The newest stories from across Little Rock and Central Arkansas, as they are filed — weather, traffic, services, events and breaking news.
Local News	The Little Rock Board of Directors, the city budget, the Little Rock School District, housing, parks and neighborhood issues.
Crime	The Little Rock Police Department, the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, the courts, public safety data and the justice system.
Sports	The Arkansas Razorbacks, the UA Little Rock Trojans, the Arkansas Travelers and high school sports across Pulaski County.
National	Federal decisions and national trends, and what they mean for Little Rock and Arkansas.

The Top News block on our home page shows the five stories Little Rock readers opened most in the last 48 hours, from any section. It is ranked by reader views, not chosen by editors.

Our team

Rock City Wire is a small newsroom. Every one of us lives in Little Rock.

Danielle Okoro — News Editor, Latest & National. Runs the breaking-news desk and tracks how Washington’s decisions reach Little Rock.
Kendra Hollis — Senior Reporter, Local News. Covers City Hall, the Board of Directors and the Little Rock School District.
Marcus Whitfield — Public Safety Reporter. Covers the Little Rock Police Department, the Pulaski County courts and the county jail.
Tyler Beaumont — Sports Editor. Follows the Razorbacks, the Trojans, the Travelers and Friday nights at War Memorial Stadium.

How we are funded

Rock City Wire is funded by its readers. We carry no advertising and publish no sponsored content, so no advertiser can influence what we cover or how. No donor, official or business has any say over our editorial decisions.

Our standards

We verify before we publish, and we say plainly what we have not been able to confirm.
We name our sources whenever we can. When we grant anonymity, we explain why in the story.
We seek comment from the people and institutions we report on before publication.
We keep news and opinion separate, and label opinion clearly.
We follow a written ethics policy that anyone can read.

Corrections

When we get something wrong, we fix it quickly and say so at the bottom of the story, noting what changed and when. We do not quietly edit mistakes out. If you spot an error, email [email protected] with “Correction” in the subject line and a link to the story.