Business

Arkansas jobless rate rises in August, number of unemployed up 6.9% over July

The number of employed Arkansans grew by more than 31,000 in August over July, but a larger labor force and rise in the number of unemployed pushed the state’s jobless…

New COVID-19 cases top 1,100, with almost 10,000 test results reported

The Arkansas Department of Health on Thursday (Sept. 17) reported more than 1,100 new COVID-19 cases, with 223 of those coming from antigen testing. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the increased…

Building permit values up almost 39% in the Fort Smith metro

Fort Smith area building activity in 2020 continues to surpass 2019. Through August, permitted building activity in the region is up 38.5% over the first eight months of 2019. Building…

Walmart raising pay for 165,000 hourly workers

Walmart Inc. announced Thursday (Sept. 17) significant changes to employment in its U.S. stores that will mean pay raises for some of its workers. In a blog post from Walmart…

Delta Regional Authority invests more than $5 million in Arkansas projects

The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) announced Thursday (Sept. 17) a $5,325,649 investment that will boost economic development for Arkansas communities and residents. The investment will be matched by $23.6 million…

Medical cannabis trade association elects 9 new members

The Arkansas Cannabis Industry Association (ACIA) elected nine new members to serve on its board of directors. ACIA is a statewide medical cannabis industry association representing cultivators, dispensary operators, and…

UA Little Rock gets $2.1 million grant for three college student groups

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded the University of Arkansas at Little Rock a $2.1 million, five-year grant that will help undergraduate students who are low-income, first-generation, and/or have…

Challenge to eye doctor law knocked off ballot by Arkansas Supreme Court

The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled Thursday (Sept. 17) that a proposed initiated act to overturn a state law expanding optometric procedures does not qualify for the November ballot. The measure…

Women-owned company in Johnson is at the forefront of state’s emerging cannabis industry

Marijuana has gotten plenty of attention in Arkansas since November 2016 when the state’s voters passed Amendment 98, which legalized medical marijuana. But marijuana’s more sober cousin, cannabidiol (CBD), derived…

Former PSC Chair Colette Honorable named to Southern Company board

Former Arkansas Public Service Commission Chair Colette Honorable, who has also served as a Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner, was named to the board of directors for energy firm Southern Company…

Mangan Holcomb, Team SI marry brands, Sharon Vogelpohl to lead as CEO

Mangan Holcomb Partners (MHP) and sister company, Team SI, announced a more integrated, co-branded operating structure and website on Thursday (Sept. 17) and it has added the title of CEO…

Riceland Foods to reduce water usage by 250 billion gallons by 2025

Riceland Foods announced Thursday (Sept. 17) that it would work with its farmer members to reduce water usage in rice production by 250 billion gallons by 2025 across its grower…

ASBTDC launches ‘Build Your Own Business’ series for entrepreneurial college students

The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC), based at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, is offering a new webinar series and free business consulting for college…

China suspends chicken imports from Fort Smith-based OK Foods

Chinese officials have suspended chicken imports from Fort Smith-based OK Foods. The ban, which started Sept. 13, was imposed after 234 workers in a Fort Smith plant tested positive for…

Fayetteville startup awarded $1M to further develop medical device

The National Science Foundation has awarded a grant to medical device startup Lapovations LLC of Fayetteville. The funding of $999,429 is a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II grant….

Gov. Hutchinson: UAMS COVID-19 modeling shows success and need to do more

Updated COVID-19 modeling from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) shows success in containing the virus in the state, but provides a reminder as to the deadly nature…

Delta Digital News Service receives grant to produce more news content regionally

Delta Digital News Service (DDNS) at Arkansas State University has received a $20,000 grant from the Fred Darragh Foundation to help expand the capacity of DDNS to better serve the…

The holiday sales season to begin Oct. 10, earlier than normal

The Christmas creep of the past few years will move even earlier in 2020 as retailers work to pull sales forward amid a sluggish supply chain and ongoing consumer fears…

Kenny Tomlin, who started Rockfish, has eyes on NWA to expand latest tech venture

With deep connections to Northwest Arkansas, software and technology entrepreneur and angel investor Kenny Tomlin of Texas has his eyes on the region to expand one of his newest ventures….

The Venture Center, two ThinkTECH alums win global Fintech awards

The Venture Center, based in Little Rock, recently took home the top prize in the Best Fintech Accelerator/Incubator category at the second annual Finovate Awards. The Venture Center bested four…