Author: Roby Brock

The incumbent and the newbie

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., knew he’d draw a Democratic opponent in his 2026 reelection bid. He might not have been counting on a farmer from Newport. Hallie Shoffner, a…

Westrock Coffee opens new manufacturing facility in Conway to accommodate rapid growth

Westrock Coffee officially opened its new Conway manufacturing facility Thursday (July 24) to serve its fast-growing single-serve coffee cup business, but the plant has the capability to grow nearly nine-fold…

Womack sees potential for government shutdown

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, thinks the odds for a government shutdown in early October are pretty high based on the contentiousness in Congress and the fractures within the GOP….

Game and Fish leaders dedicate $16 million renovated hatchery, launch new trophy bass program

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission on Wednesday (July 16) dedicated its $16 million renovation of the nearly 100-year old Joe Hogan State Fish Hatchery in Lonoke. It is the…

Shoffner officially announces US Senate bid at England Democratic club

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Hallie Shoffner spoke Monday evening (July 14) to the England Area Democrats and declared her official candidacy to challenge incumbent GOP U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton. Shoffner,…

AM Group’s co-founders carve out niche in NWA, beyond

Business partners. Neighbors. Sisters. Well, maybe not sisters, but Mary Mickel and Andrea Ritchie could pass as sisters. The partners of the fast-growing Fayetteville communications agency, AM Group, act like…

NWA Council’s Serafina Lalany sees startup scene on uphill trajectory

If Arkansas wants to take entrepreneurship to new heights, the best bet is to put its startup companies on rocket fuel. As fate would have it, a one-time Houston resident…

Arkansas Congressional GOP delegation helps pass Senate reconciliation package 218-214

All four of Arkansas’ GOP Congressmen joined their Senate Republican counterparts in supporting a reconciliation bill that reflects President Donald Trump’s legislative priorities. The measure, touted as “one big, beautiful…

Senate passes Trump’s ‘one big, beautiful’ bill 51-50

Arkansas’ two U.S. Senators voted for the Republican-sponsored Senate version of President Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” on Tuesday (July 1), although details of the measure are still not…

Dr. Lowry Barnes named interim chancellor at UAMS

University of Arkansas System President Jay Silveria said Monday (June 30) that Dr. C. Lowry Barnes, professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Arkansas…

Are we good with this?

After months of limbo, Northeast Arkansas got presumably good news in late June. The $15 billion deal to allow Japanese-based Nippon Steel to acquire U.S. Steel was approved with several…

Love to take his campaign for Governor ‘to the people’

State Sen. Fred Love, D-Little Rock, the newest entrant in the race for Arkansas Governor, said Sunday (June 29) that he would bring his campaign to towns and cities of…

Arkansas Food Hall of Fame finalists unveiled

The 2025 Arkansas Food Hall of Fame finalists were announced on Thursday (June 26). Launched in 2016 by the Division of Arkansas Heritage, the program celebrates Arkansas’ unique culinary heritage…

Democratic State Sen. Fred Love announces for Arkansas governor

State Sen. Fred Love, D-Little Rock, announced Monday (June 23) that he will launch a campaign for Arkansas governor. Love is term-limited and cannot run for legislative reelection. “We can…

Rep. Crawford supports taking out Iran nuclear capabilities, doesn’t see long engagement

U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, sees a role for America in the current Israel-Iran fight, but he doesn’t see a prolonged engagement and is…

Arkansas Health Care Association opening 3 schools of nursing

The Arkansas Health Care Association (AHCA) cut the ribbon in Little Rock Wednesday (June 18) on one of its three new schools designated to develop a deeper workforce pool for…

Talk Business & Politics 2026 Candidate List now online

The 2026 election cycle has already begun. For weeks, candidates for political office in Arkansas have been declaring their bids for seats at the federal, state and local levels. All…

Meet the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s 2025 Women in Business honorees

The Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s 11th annual Women in Business Awards highlights outstanding women who are driving commerce and the community in the Northwest Arkansas region. Nominated by readers and…

Levi Hospital to transition into community health foundation

After more than 110 years of providing healthcare in Hot Springs, Levi Hospital will transition into a foundation for community health. The hospital will cease patient care services after Aug….

Janet Mann to lead Arkansas DHS

Gov. Sarah Sanders on Wednesday (June 11) announced that Arkansas Department of Human Services Deputy Secretary of Programs and State Medicaid Director Janet Mann will be the next Secretary of…