Business

Have a heart? Keep it healthy

Arkansas has the highest death rates for heart attack and stroke in the nation – 64% higher than the national average, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…

Advertising icon Wayne Cranford dies at 87

Advertising legend Wayne Cranford has died at the age of 87, Talk Business & Politics has confirmed. The Little Rock businessman built a nationally-renowned advertising agency in the capital city…

Governor creates new licensing ‘working group’

Gov. Asa Hutchinson has created a new “working group” to further study the state’s occupational licensing rules and regulations that began with a working group he created in February 2018….

The Supply Side: Artificial intelligence is slowly shaping the future of retail

Artificial intelligence (AI), otherwise known as machine learning, is slowly reshaping retail from optimizing back-end supply chain operations to in-store execution. It is also impacting marketing, customer service engagement and…

Arkansas Works work rule shot down; Senators say funding still likely

A three-judge U.S. Court of Appeals panel on Friday (Feb. 14) unanimously ruled against Arkansas Works’ work requirement, but two legislators – one supportive and one opposed to the program…

Arvest Bank says 2019 was a record year for its mortgage division

Arvest Bank announced Friday (Feb. 14) that its mortgage division originated record volume in 2019. The bank’s total mortgage loan volume of more than $2.8 billion was up 39.3% over…

Natural gas prices fall, warmer winter affects demand

Natural gas prices have been at their lowest levels in decades, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). On Feb. 10, the near-month natural gas futures price at the…

State issues grants to help install public art

Downtown Fort Smith and Siloam Springs are two of five areas to receive a combined $40,000 in state grant to help with public art. The Division of Arkansas Heritage has…

Attorney, author leads inclusion workshops at UAFS, seeks ‘cultural competence’

Attorney, author and independent consultant Hannibal B. Johnson lectured on “From ‘Us and Them’ to ‘We’ – Examining Explicit and Implicit Biases” Wednesday (Feb. 12) at the University of Arkansas…

Walmart shelves Jet black shopping service, cuts nearly 300 jobs

It’s been two and a half years since Walmart began testing its white-glove concierge shopping service dubbed Jet black. After much speculation that Walmart would spin-off the venture given its…

Sivakumaran Named Interim Vice Rector at Campus Queretaro

Arkansas State University announced a change of leadership for Campus Queretaro as Dr. David Ray stepped down as vice rector and Dr. Thilla Sivakumaran has taken over in an interim…

Analysts expect a 2.1% net income gain for Walmart’s fourth-quarter

This world’s largest retailer is expected to post a fourth-quarter net income of $1.44 per share in its Feb. 18 report, which represents a year-over-year increase of 2.1%. Net income…

Arkansas Urology opens Fayetteville clinic

Little Rock-based healthcare provider Arkansas Urology announced Thursday (Feb. 13) a new clinic at 2630 E. Citizens Drive, Suite 3, in Fayetteville. The 2,750-square-foot clinic opened Jan. 23 and will…

Car-Mart profit, revenue to rise in third quarter; stock price hits 2nd straight record high

America’s Car-Mart earnings and revenue are expected to increase in the third quarter of fiscal 2020 as its stock price jumped to a record high for two consecutive days. After…

Fort Smith metro home sales, total value rise in 2019

Home sales in the Fort Smith metro were up almost 3% in 2019, and the value of those homes were up 8%, with one area Realtor seeing increased interest from…

Dick Latta, owner of Latco Truss in Lincoln, dies at 73

Fayetteville businessman Dick Latta, the owner and founder of poultry equipment and construction supplier Latco Truss Co. of Lincoln, died Tuesday (Feb. 11) at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale….

Recovery, restoration & reinvention – a conversation with three Arkansas executives

The decade of the 2010s started off with the recovery from the Great Recession as Arkansas’ economy was stung by banking, manufacturing, and housing turmoil. Halfway through the decade, economic…

Create Bridges to conduct additional surveys in six Arkansas counties

A pilot program focusing on rural economic development in six rural Arkansas counties is surveying employees to learn more about job training and experiences that can bolster businesses in the…

Jonesboro Unlimited surpasses five year job growth plan in just three years

Jonesboro Unlimited set a target goal more than three years ago to add at least 2,500 good paying jobs in the Jonesboro area. The private-partnership, economic development organization decided to…

Arkansas Tourism named tourism office of the year

Arkansas Tourism received the State Tourism Office of the Year by the Southeast Tourism Society. The 2020 Shining Example Award winners were announced during the Southeast Tourism Society’s annual Connections…