by - May 14, 2020 2:48 pm
Governor: Phase 2 won’t happen May 18
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Thursday (May 14) Arkansas is not prepared to move to phase 2 as new cases – up 130 on Thursday – and hospitalizations have risen this…
Author: Roby Brock
by - May 12, 2020 6:18 pm
40% of first-year medical marijuana sales occurred after March 1
Arkansas’ medical marijuana sales have increased significantly since March 1 and there is a consensus as to why: COVID-19. The state of Arkansas reported Tuesday (May 12) that overall sales…
by - May 11, 2020 8:38 am
Windstream shrinks 1Q net loss to $78.7 million
Little Rock-based Windstream Holdings, Inc. reported a smaller first quarter loss than a year ago as overall revenues declined amidst the telecom and broadband provider’s efforts to exit bankruptcy. Windstream…
by - May 10, 2020 10:09 am
Restaurant industry divided on re-opening, casinos eager to implement new protocols
Stacy Hurst, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, said the plans in motion to re-open casinos, restaurants, parks and large venues are moving cautiously forward. Appearing…
by - May 10, 2020 9:57 am
ASU System President explains abundant scenarios for fall, expectations for future of higher ed
Arkansas State University System President Dr. Chuck Welch is preparing for any and all scenarios that may affect the multiple campuses in his university domain. He says his team is…
by - May 5, 2020 2:44 pm
Governor extends COVID-19 emergency order another 45 days, warns that second prison wave of cases coming
Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Tuesday (May 5) extended a statewide COVID-19 emergency declaration for another 45 days, while warning that a new wave of prison cases was likely to come…
by - May 3, 2020 8:36 pm
Economist: 2Q GDP will be much worse than 1Q; no college football will zap regional economy
Economist Mervin Jebaraj isn’t going to sugar-coat it: the second quarter for the American economy will be much worse than the first quarter. Jebaraj, economist with the University of Arkansas…
by - May 3, 2020 8:11 pm
Health system leader reflects on coronavirus lessons learned; study shows $473 million hit to Arkansas hospitals
Eric Pianalto says as health care returns to more normal routines the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic will last a lifetime. Pianalto, President of Mercy Health Northwest, said from…
by - April 28, 2020 3:41 pm
Governor: State parks to partially re-open Friday with expanded services by mid-May
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Tuesday (April 28) he would eye May 1 as the re-opening date on a limited basis for Arkansas State Parks while expanding services by May 15….
by - April 22, 2020 11:49 am
Q&A: Mainstream Technologies’ John Burgess on cybersecurity in the COVID-19 era
John Burgess, Mainstream Technologies Co-founder and President, is always vigilant in promoting security against cyber threats to his clients and the public at large. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing more…
by - April 19, 2020 1:38 pm
Hill expects more money for small businesses, sees geographic approach to reopening through governors
U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, says he expects more money to support the quickly evaporating COVID-19 subsidy programs for small businesses passed by Congress and he believes that governors…
by - April 12, 2020 10:12 am
State Chamber chief: Hospitality hurting, healthcare next
The most apparent hit to the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic is the quick closures of indoor gatherings for restaurants, hotels and other businesses in the hospitality industry, said Randy…
by - April 12, 2020 10:06 am
Sen. Elliott says Congress needs to address local government, non-traditional unemployment
State Sen. Joyce Elliott (D-Little Rock), the 2nd District Democratic candidate for Congress, says more is needed from the federal government – in terms of programming and speed – to…
by - April 9, 2020 2:59 pm
Proposal to restrict AEDC efforts in China fails at budget hearing
A proposal to curtail Arkansas’ activity in recruiting business into and out of China did not find support from lawmakers at Thursday’s (April 9) Joint Budget Committee hearing. Sen. Trent…
by - April 9, 2020 11:37 am
First proposal to allow ‘no excuse’ absentee voting in November fails
There were two competing measures to allow Arkansas citizens to vote by absentee ballot in the general election should the COVID-19 pandemic still make it dangerous for voters to come…
by - April 8, 2020 1:18 pm
Gov. Hutchinson opens fiscal session: ‘We know how to survive’
Amidst a sea of masked legislators, Gov. Asa Hutchinson addressed the 92nd General Assembly, which opened its biennial fiscal session on Wednesday (April 8) in Little Rock. It was quite…
by - April 5, 2020 9:59 am
Governor defends data assumptions, examines policy agenda, and reflects on a post COVID-19 Arkansas
On Jan. 19, 2020, Gov. Asa Hutchinson began to assume the worst. That was the day a 35-year old Washington state resident was identified as having COVID-19 – the first…
by - April 3, 2020 10:05 pm
Governor to make announcement on Monday on fate of school year amid coronavirus
Gov. Asa Hutchinson plans to reveal Monday (April 6) how he will adjust his April 17 deadline to reopen Arkansas schools that have been physically closed since the outbreak of…
by - April 2, 2020 10:52 am
Arkansas net revenues in March down 12% from year ago, nearly 9% above revised forecast
It’s tricky to read what’s happening in the Arkansas economy from the March revenue summary released on Thursday (April 2). The official state revenue forecast was revised on March 23,…
by - April 1, 2020 5:31 pm
Local banks ready to band-aid small businesses through the coronavirus crisis
Seventy-seven thousand or more filing for unemployment. A near 9% unemployment rate. Retail sector jobs declining by 16%. Employment in the arts, entertainment and recreation tumbling by 20%. Consumer spending…