Author: Talk Business & Politics

Talk Business & Politics

Cricket’s Kitchen Serves Inexpensive, Yet Unremarkable Dishes

Cricket?s Kitchen gets two-and-a-half stars in our lunch review.

Coughlin Fan Club Still Believes in Big Tom (Commentary)

Tom Coughlin, the former Wal-Mart executive expected to plead guilty to charges of wire fraud and tax evasion, still has supporters in Northwest Arkansas. But how well do we really know people we meet in social situations?

Courser Says Wal-Mart Debate Nothing New

A study released by the conservative, business-backed Competitive Enterprise Institute says Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville is good for American consumers and the U.S. economy.

Tyson CEO, Other Execs See Smaller Bonuses in 2005

John Tyson, the chairman and CEO of Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale, received a smaller bonus in 2005 than in 2004.

Beverly Stockholders To Meet Feb. 14 on Merger Proposal

Beverly Enterprises Inc. of Fort Smith said it will hold a special stockholders meeting on Feb. 14 to allow a vote on its planned merger with Fillmore Capital Partners.

Wal-Mart Warns 4Q Profits Could Disappoint

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville said on Dec. 5 that its fourth-quarter profit would be at the low end of its forecast ? 82 cents to 86 cents per share ? after a disappointing December.

AERT 4Q Unaudited Sales Up 55 Percent

Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies Inc. reported fourth-quarter unaudited gross sales of $24 million, up 55 percent from $15.5 million during the same time last year.

America?s Car-Mart Opens Two Dealerships

America?s Car-Mart Inc. of Bentonville announced on Dec. 29 the opening of two new dealerships ? in West Plains, Mo., and in Claremore, Okla. ? bringing the total number of Car-Mart dealerships to 83.

Wal-Mart?s Coughlin to Plead Guilty

Thomas Coughlin, the former vice chairman of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., has agreed to plead guilty later this month to federal wire-fraud and tax-evasion charges, according to a Jan. 7 story in The Wall Street Journal.

LaBarge Looms Large

LaBarge Inc. of St. Louis looks to small mountain town to build some of its most intricate and high-tech assemblies for defense and commercial purposes.

RFID Can Track Rings, Roosters

IntelliMark Inc. develops RFID technology to track the location of everything from randy roosters to $10,000 rings.

Data-Tronics Focuses On Technology?s Future

Fort Smith?s Data-Tronics develops information technology solutions.

KonaWare Seeks Arkansas IT Cluster

KonaWare Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif., has opened an office in Harrison and is on the IT cluster bandwagon.

Deciphering the Index Illusions (Kerry Watkins-Bradley Commentary)

A quick look at how to decipher Standard & Poor?s 500 index.

2005 Real Estate Review (Market Analysis)

As Real Estate Market Data finalizes end-of-year data on commercial, multi-family, and single-family real estate, it?s time to take a moment to review what has happened in 2005.

Lutheran Lures Perry Land Deal (Real Estate)

Great Northwest Development LLC buys back 20 acres in Rogers for $4.2 million and Edwards Design & Construction Inc. bought a building permit valued at $3.3 million.

Ocean NanoTech Lands Army Grant

Ocean NanoTech LLC of Fayetteville is about to begin a study funded by a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research award from the U.S. Army to develop a coating on goggles to protect soldiers? eyes from lasers.

Fewer Dealers Employ More Pros

There were five fewer companies on the Business Journal?s annual list of largest computer dealers than there were the year prior.

Northwest Arkansas Gets New Real Estate Database

Northwest Arkansas changed to a new multiple listing-service provider on Dec. 1. The database helps agents track property for sale.

Genesis Cluster Clients Take Grants on Same Day

Three UA Genesis Technology Incubator clients received four Phase II Small Business Innovation Research awards worth a total of $2.4 million in one day.

Arkansas to lead National Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship expansion

The Supply Side: Boomer generation concedes spending power to young consumers

2nd cohort of new lithium accelerator shows innovations in Bentonville

Weekly wages up 4.2% in Arkansas, Benton County leads with 13.4% wage gain