Business

Officials discuss COVID-19 response, urge patience and responsible actions

Sebastian County and Fort Smith officials joined together Friday (March 20) in an effort to reassure and inform the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fort Smith Mayor George McGill also…

NWACC extends online classes for duration of spring semester; commencement postponed

Officials at NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) in Bentonville said Friday (March 20) the school has extended online courses for the duration of the spring 2020 semester due to the…

COVID-19 cases up 55%; positive tests found in three nursing homes

The number of COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Arkansas rose 55% between Thursday and Friday (March 20) with nursing homes in Northwest and Central Arkansas being locations for some of the…

Arkansas Community Foundation starts COVID-19 relief fund

Nonprofit groups are expected to be hit hard as the COVID-19 crisis deepens, but one foundation in Arkansas hopes to provide aid to those community organizations in the coming weeks….

Harps has deal in place to buy 20 stores in Arkansas, Missouri

Springdale-based grocery retailer Harps Food Stores Inc. has entered into a purchase agreement to acquire 20 stores across northeastern Arkansas and southeastern Missouri from Town and Country Grocers of Fredericktown,…

Walmart plans $550 million in bonuses to hourly employees; hire additional 150,000 workers

Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer, said Thursday (March 19) it plans to hire 150,000 hourly associates in the U.S. and announced $550 million in cash bonuses to reward workers…

Car-Mart forms task force to respond to COVID-19; stock price hits 52-week low

Bentonville-based America’s Car-Mart has established a task force to respond to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak as the buy here, pay here used car dealer’s stock price hit a 52-week low….

Access limited to state tourism facilities, heritage museums closed

In an effort to control the spread of COVID-19, the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism (ADHT) is closing or limiting access to some parks and museums. Stacy Hurst,…

Tyson Foods expands hunger relief efforts with donation of 16 million meals

Tyson Foods said Thursday (March 19) it will expand its hunger relief efforts by donating 16 million meals to food banks and beneficiaries around the country to help feed anyone…

First confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Northeast Arkansas

COVID-19 has officially arrived in Northeast Arkansas’ largest city as the number of reported cases in the state has doubled in just one day’s time. The Arkansas Department of Health…

Retailers struggle to keep shelves stocked; seasonal sales could take a big hit

A buying frenzy has been underway across the country the past 10 days leaving retailer shelves picked clean each day for consumer staples like toilet paper, canned soup and dairy…

COVID-19 cases almost double in Arkansas; school closures extended

The number of COVID-19 cases in Arkansas rose from 33 on Wednesday to 62 on Thursday (March 19), with Gov. Asa Hutchinson issuing five new directives – including extending the…

Pernod Ricard gearing up to produce hand sanitizer

The Pernod Ricard plant in Fort Smith is one of four company plants gearing up to produce and donate hand sanitizer to help in the national fight against the COVID-19…

Milestone noted in expansion of Aerojet Rocketdyne plant in Camden

A large steel casting bell used to help build large solid rocket motors for the Atlas V rocket has been installed in Aerojet Rocketdyne’s plant in Camden. The bell, relocated…

Arkansas Blue Cross and Health Advantage boost remotely delivered care, including mental health

Health insurance provider Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its affiliate Health Advantage announced a plan Thursday (March 19) to give fully insured members expanded health insurance benefits to…

Arkansas restaurants allowed to sell beer and wine for off-site consumption; no mixed drinks

The Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control on Thursday (March 19) issued a rule allowing restaurants and microbrewery restaurants to sell beer and wine for off-site consumption with the purchase of food….

Tyson Foods makes processing shift amid coronavirus demands

Dean Banks, president of Springdale-based Tyson Foods, is getting baptized by fire in his new role. He first faced supply chain hitches as the coronavirus unfolded in China. Banks was…

Central Research acquires technology company Global Emergency Response

Lowell-based Central Research Inc., a provider of management and financial services for government and commercial sectors, announced Thursday (March 19) the purchase of Global Emergency Response Inc., a software and…

Northwest Arkansas healthcare providers issue collective update on COVID-19 measures, testing policies

Northwest Arkansas’ regional healthcare providers issued a joint news release Wednesday (March 17) following the disclosure of the region’s first COVID-19 (coronavirus) case. “Our regional healthcare providers and state agencies…

Walmart to again reduce stores hours, will temporarily close auto services

Walmart announced late Wednesday (March 18) it will begin reducing store hours from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily in order to allow employees more time to clean and restock…