Author: Talk Business & Politics staff

Talk Business & Politics staff

Home sales down 8.5% in Fort Smith metro through October

Home sales in the Fort Smith metro are down more than 8% in the first 10 months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, with home sales in…

Crisp completes $26 million funding round

Crisp, a retail technology company with offices in Bentonville and Springdale, announced Wednesday (Dec. 10) the close of a $26 million Series B1 round led by New York-based private equity…

Suzanne Peyton named executive director of Clinton National Airport

Arkansas’ largest airport has a new leader. The Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission named Suzanne Peyton as the next executive director of Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field (LIT)…

Baptist Health part of new solar farm project

Little Rock-based Baptist Health and North Little Rock-based Seal Solar are in the final stages of construction of a 13.05 megawatt solar array for the hospital system’s campus. The array…

ARBRA Plastic Surgery plans to relocate to Rogers

ARBRA Plastic Surgery recently opened in Springdale and plans to relocate to a medical office building in Rogers. Founder Dr. Kasia Kania is the first and only breast microsurgeon to…

Arvest Bank promotes Bret Jones to Pea Ridge president

Fayetteville-chartered Arvest Bank announced Tuesday (Dec. 9) that Bret Jones, commercial loan officer for Benton County, has been promoted to community bank president in Pea Ridge. Jones replaces Jeff Neil,…

Fuego Tortilla Grill to open in Fayetteville

The first Fuego Tortilla Grill outside of Texas will open Dec. 16 in Fayetteville, according to a news release. A grand opening event is set for Jan. 13. The 3,250-square-foot…

Oaklawn Foundation grant to fund Northwoods Trails expansion, open 2 lakes to more activity

A $350,000 grant from The Oaklawn Foundation will lead to the expansion of Hot Springs’ Northwoods Trails System, open two of the property’s lakes to water activities, and set up…

AEDC awards $2 million to 12 accelerator programs

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) awarded $2 million in funding to 12 Arkansas-based accelerator programs through the Arkansas Business and Technology Accelerator Grant Program. The Arkansas Business and Technology…

State, feds sign MOU for Blanchard Springs Caverns

Gov. Sarah Sanders and Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism Secretary Shea Lewis signed Monday (Dec. 8) a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Forest Service that begins the…

Shopping center, apartments are top third-quarter Sebastian County property deals

A more than $11 million sale of commercial real estate in east Fort Smith was the largest property transaction in Sebastian County during the third quarter of 2025, according to…

Sebastian County ranks better than US average on home affordability

The percentage of income needed to own a median-priced home in Sebastian County during the third quarter of 2025 was 25.4%, well below the national average of 33.3%, according to…

UCA among new members of the Northwest Arkansas Council

The University of Central Arkansas in Conway is one of 12 new members to join Springdale-based nonprofit Northwest Arkansas Council this year. Others include Scott Family Amazeum, Baldwin & Shell,…

UCA board discusses proposed multipurpose arena

The University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees on Friday (Dec. 5) saw conceptual renderings of a proposed multipurpose arena following a recent feasibility study and approved the revised FY…

Fort Smith Metro News Briefs: ‘Oceanscape’ playground work begins, Mercy stroke program renewed

Following are news brief items from the Fort Smith metro. Playground Progress Officials and students with the Fort Smith Public School District recently held a groundbreaking event for a $3.3…

Dan Wright re-elected Arkansas Farm Bureau president

Dan Wright of Waldron was re-elected Friday (Dec. 5) as Arkansas Farm Bureau’s president and Magen Allen of Bismarck was elected as the new vice president for the agriculture advocacy…

Acres.com, ULI NWA establish partnership

Acres.com, a Fayetteville-based land intelligence platform, recently partnered with Urban Land Institute Northwest Arkansas (ULI NWA), aiming to make land and housing data more accessible and help area leaders, developers…

Connections: Yellow Rocket Concepts hosts gift card fundraiser

Arkansas-based restaurant group Yellow Rocket Concepts launched a community-focused fundraiser supporting food banks across its operating regions. Its brands include Big Orange, Local Lime, ZAZA, Taco & Tamale Co. and…

Gov. Sanders makes appointments to address Census

Gov. Sarah Sanders announced the following appointments Friday (Dec. 5): 2030 Arkansas Complete Count Committee Nicholas Ortiz, Little Rock, to the 2030 Arkansas Complete Count Committee. Term to expire Sept….

Coon Supper, pre-event reception scheduled for Jan. 10

The 14th annual Berry Pre-Coon Supper Reception will be held on Jan. 10, 2026, at the Berry Farm Shop in Gillett. The reception is a prelude to the Gillett Coon…