Shortcuts are hand-picked bits of news, commentary and info from around Northwest Arkansas, the rest of the state and even from places much further away.

Here are today’s Shortcuts:

LOCAL

BBBBQ is filling up
According to The Morning News, hotels across Northwest Arkansas are nearly full for Bikes, Blues & BBQ week. In fact, there’s nothing left at all in Fayetteville or Springdale.

Bad News (for the) Bears
Hog football starts Saturday and RazorBloggers has the Missouri State Preview ready to go. It’s bad news for the Bears, they say.

STATEWIDE

Smaller paper or bigger hands?
Arkansas Times mentions what ADG subscribers may/may not have noticed this morning: Another smaller newspaper.

Pink firetruck in NLR
Argenta News reports that a donated fire truck in North Little Rock will be painted pink in honor of Race for the Cure. Fire trucks good. Football jerseys bad.

ELSEWHERE

Gay weddings official in Vermont
The law created back in April making same-sex weddings legal in the state of Vermont went into effect at midnight last night. Ready, set, marriage! (Associated Press, via Daily Beast)

RIP DJ AM
He skirted death this time last year when he and Travis Barker survived a plane crash but the 36-year-old DJ was found dead in his apartment Friday afternoon. (People.com via CNN.com)