Fort Smith

Housing permits start strong in November

During the first two weeks of November, the city of Fort Smith issued 233 permits valued at $6.14 million. That is slightly off the October pace of 644 permits valued…

Another study seeks economic change in Arkansas (updated)

Many of the points and issues raised by the task force were part of previous state studies and reports. And that’s not to fault the Task Force. It speaks more to the sometimes slow pace at which change happens in Arkansas.

It’s become a $40 Thanksgiving.

It begs the question, "Is the family worth it?"

New director named for regional business support center

R. Nick Remy is the new director of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) located at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. Remy, who will begin…

Cashiers included in Arkansas’ ‘Hot 45’ jobs list. Really.

The Web site of the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services (DWS) contains much information about job numbers, industry sectors, career guidance publications and other labor market related stuff. Included in…

The BIG TV Switch

T.V Recycling Event to be held in Fort Smith and Fayetteville Dec. 6, 2008. Bedford Camera & Video and Channel Five KFSM are sponsoring a TV recycling drive titled “The…

Riverside Furniture confirms news of layoffs (updated)

The Associated Press reported earlier today that Fort Smith-based Riverside Furniture will lay off 250 employees in Fort Smith and Russellville and will combine two of its operations in Fort…

Child Internet Safety Summit

Come learn how to keep your children safe from the dangers of the web at the Child Internet Safety Summit hosted by Congressman John Boozman. Special guests to speak include Hoyt…

Think you’ll never understand the Wall Street mess? Read this, and think again.

Meredith Whitney wasn’t saying that Wall Street bankers were corrupt. She was saying they were stupid.

ESPN boosts bid for all bowl games

The ticket for the five games? $125 million.

The money rolls in for Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported mostly good news this morning with its third-quarter financial earnings release. The Bentonville-based retailer posted third-quarter sales of $97.63 billion, up 7.5 percent over the $90.82…

Federal audit finds problems at Fort Smith Housing Authority

News broke late Wednesday that the federal government is not happy with the financial and development practices at the Fort Smith Housing Authority. More specifically, the Inspector General of the…

The natural gas game changer

T. Boone Pickens is going to love this. If preliminary reports are true, a natural gas field in Alaska’s North Slope could be a game changer in terms of domestic…

First news of Alltel cuts emerges

It’s been known that deep job cuts are coming to Arkansas ever since the $28 billion deal by Verizon Wireless to buy Little Rock-based Alltel Corp. was announced. Alltel employs…

The business of saying, “I do.”

Spoiler alert: It’s a $72 billion a year business.

Files of Fort Smith considering Republican party top spot

Jake Files of Fort Smith will soon decide if he will seek the post of party chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party. Files is a former member of the Arkansas…

What happened to the I-49 push?

The once well-organized and very public grass-roots effort to promote the funding and construction of Interstate 49 through western Arkansas has generated little more than silence in the past few years.

Entrepreneurial development important to regional economic success

Regions with strong entrepreneurial programs have 125 percent more employment growth, 58 percent more wage growth and a 63 percent higher percentage of high-tech businesses. The Fort Smith region is not yet one of these entrepreneurial regions. But a few folks are working on it.

Target clarifies circular promoting University of Central Arkansas

On Friday (Nov. 7), The City Wire reported on a confusing advertising circular mailed by Target Corp. to Fort Smith area residents prior to the opening of its Fort Smith…

Baldor Electric announces quarterly dividend

Fort Smith-based Baldor Electric Co. continues with its history of dividend payments by announcing Tuesday a quarterly cash dividend of 17 cents per share. The payments are scheduled for Jan….