Author: Roby Brock

Roby Brock

Tax cut bills, Game & Fish appropriation clear House, Senate chambers

Arkansas lawmakers overwhelmingly passed major tax relief and a lingering budget appropriation in the Senate and House chambers on Tuesday (June 18), the second day of a special session at…

Tax relief measures, Game & Fish Commission budget advance in special session

Arkansas lawmakers on Monday (June 17) advanced an appropriation bill for the Game & Fish Commission (G&FC) and complimentary tax cut bills to reduce the top personal and corporate income…

AEDC director: Income tax dip below four percent ‘sending a message’

Arkansas Economic Development Commission Executive Director Clint O’Neal says the push to lower Arkansas’ top personal income tax rate below four percent as well as drop the corporate income tax…

Westrock Coffee opens $315 million Conway manufacturing facility ahead of schedule

Westrock Coffee opened its new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Conway on Thursday (June 13) ahead of schedule. The $315 million, 570,000-square-foot facility will allow Westrock to warehouse, roast and grind,…

Hendrix College, Clinton School announce degree partnership

Hendrix College and the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas announced Wednesday (June 12) a new partnership to prepare Hendrix students for careers as public service…

Windsor Door to add production line with $21 million LR expansion

Little Rock-based Windsor Door announced Wednesday (June 12) it will grow manufacturing capacity with a $21 million production line expansion. The manufacturer and distributor of residential garage and commercial sectional…

Graham Cobb founds new consulting firm, Paceline Strategies

Former Bentonville Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Graham Cobb has launched a new consulting firm, Paceline Strategies. Cobb, who has recently served as Senior Policy Officer at Walton Enterprises,…

Gov. Sanders to call special session next week

It’s no surprise to capitol insiders, but Gov. Sarah Sanders announced Tuesday (June 11) that she will call a special session to start next week on Monday, June 17 for…

Sunstar to merge with First Arkansas Insurance

Sunstar Insurance Group, LLC announced a merger Tuesday (June 11) with First Arkansas Insurance in Pine Bluff. Terms of the private deal were not disclosed. The move adds 14 independent…

Prosecutor: ‘insufficient proof of criminal conduct’ in governor’s lectern controversy

Pulaski County Prosecutor Will Jones declared Friday (June 7) that he would not prosecute any charges related to a legislative audit of Gov. Sarah Sanders’ purchase of a $19,000 lectern…

Gov. Sanders asks agency leaders for budget savings recommendations

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders asked cabinet secretaries and department leaders to provide cost savings ideas in a letter sent Thursday (June 6). The governor also said personnel changes would continue…

Cherokee Nation submits casino license application for Pope County operation

Cherokee Nation Entertainment (CNE) on Wednesday (June 5) submitted an application to the Arkansas Racing Commission for the Pope County casino gaming license, along with plans for its project —…

Hino Motors closing Marion facility, 1,300 to lose jobs

Japanese auto parts manufacturer Hino Motors will close its Marion, Ark., facility by 2027 shedding 1,300 jobs in eastern Arkansas. Citing heavy losses, Hino outlined the action in a May…

Tractor Supply Co. ups investment, dedicates new Maumelle facility with a chainsaw cutting

They don’t do ribbon cuttings at Tractor Supply Co. – they do chainsaw cuttings. Maumelle, Ark., became the 10th location for a Tractor Supply Co. distribution center on Tuesday (May…

Budget chair says Game & Fish fate in Governor’s hands for special session call; tax cut prospects look positive

State Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Beebe, co-chair of the Joint Budget Committee, says the governor is the only person who can help the legislature resolve its impasse over the Game &…

Arkansas Travelers baseball team selling ownership to Diamond Baseball Holdings

The Arkansas Travelers Baseball Club announced Thursday (May 9) it has entered into an agreement to sell to Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), an organization that owns and operates select Minor…

Legislature adjourns sine die without Game and Fish appropriation; Rep. Evans voted Speaker-designate

The Arkansas House adjourned sine die Thursday (May 9) – without approving an appropriation for the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission – while selecting the next Speaker of the House…

Canfor acquires El Dorado lumber facility for $73 million

Canfor Corporation has entered into a purchase agreement with Resolute El Dorado Inc., an affiliate of Domtar Corporation, to acquire its El Dorado lumber manufacturing facility in Union County, Ark….

Windstream, Uniti reunite in $13.4 billion merger

Privately-held Windstream and publicly-traded Uniti Group – two Little Rock-based companies that once were a combined entity – are reuniting in a proposed $13.4 billion merger. Uniti Group, then known…

Fiscal session adjourns until next Thursday, House Speaker race looms

The Arkansas legislature concluded most of its fiscal session business on Thursday (May 2) before adjourning until next Thursday when they will reconvene to sine die, the permanent adjournment of…