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Sen. Gary Stubblefield has died

Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, who has represented parts of the Fort Smith metro in the Arkansas Legislature since 2011, has died. His passing was made public on Tuesday (Sept. 2)….

AEDC leader planning trade trip to Asia

Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) Executive Director Clint O’Neal may soon add a new title to his resume: globetrotter. The AEDC leader is fresh off a successful trade trip to…

A-State chancellor focused on workforce, med school, vet school

Arkansas State University Chancellor Dr. Todd Shields has a full plate this fall as he moves his campus in several new directions. Shields, who was a guest on this week’s…

Toad Thumper Lure strives for perfection, sees triple-digit growth

Toad Thumper Lure Co., with Arkansas offices in Bentonville and Dierks as well as a location in Palestine, Texas, has experienced triple-digit growth since its founding and is expected to…

The Supply Side: Walmart keeps online grocery lead, Amazon challenges

Walmart continues to grow its share of online grocery to almost 26% of the total $9.8 billion spent in June. Total online grocery spending in July exceeded $10 billion, up…

Womack wants White House to provide tariff exemptions

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, is ready to head back to Washington, D.C., where he knows he’s in for a grueling fall session after a lengthy August recess. Looming over…

Car-Mart completes $172 million securities transaction

Rogers-based America’s Car-Mart Inc. has completed an asset-backed securities (ABS) transaction that involved issuing $172 million in asset-backed notes with an average coupon of 5.46%, according to a Friday (Aug….

Cherokee Nation loses legal attempt to keep its Pope County casino license

The Cherokee Nation Businesses (CNB) on Thursday (Aug. 28) lost yet another bid to open a casino in Pope County with U.S. District Judge D.P. Marshall, Jr., upholding a voter-approved…

Analysts: Car-Mart Q1 earnings, revenue to rise

Rogers-based America’s Car-Mart Inc. is expected to post higher earnings and revenue in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 as vehicle sales and margins increase, analysts said. Before the markets…

Arkansas Tourism Ticker: 2% tourism tax revenue declines in early 2025

Arkansas’ 2% tourism tax revenue declined almost 5% in the first four months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. It is the first significant decline since 2020,…

July job numbers up in most Arkansas metro areas

Year-over-year job gains continue in most of the seven metro areas in or connected to Arkansas, but the metros also are seeing a rise in the number of unemployed, which…

Arkansas on the verge of agricultural disaster

One in three or more farms in Arkansas could be shuttered by next spring if the federal government doesn’t provide some type of supplemental assistance to farmers this fall, Agriculture…

Walmart expands next-day delivery for marketplace sellers

Walmart Fulfillment Services, which stores and ships products for the retailer’s third-party marketplace sellers, is now offering expanded next-day shipping in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta and other…

Schmieding Foundation donates $500,000 to Arkansas Children’s Northwest

The Schmieding Foundation Inc. will give $500,000 to the expansion project at Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW) in Springdale, according to a Wednesday (Aug. 27) news release. The hospital’s pharmacy will…

New Game and Fish initiative angles to grow Arkansas fishing tourism

When the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) dedicated its $16 million renovation of the nearly 100-year-old Joe Hogan State Fish Hatchery in Lonoke in mid-July, officials launched a program…

Labor Day spending expected to be similar to 2024

As summer winds down, the Labor Day weekend holiday is often celebrated by families with barbecue grilling and plenty of beverages. Marketing firm Numerator reports 64% of U.S. consumers plan…

Transportation leaders discuss industry metrics, tariffs, demand planning

Amid a freight recession that’s lasted more than three years, transportation executives shared insights into planning for freight transportation needs for the remainder of this year and into 2026. On…

Corn, rice harvests underway

The harvest is underway in Arkansas and corn producers are outpacing collections this year as compared to last, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The…

A-State, NYITCOM partner to create ‘Freshman to Physician’ pathway

Arkansas State University and the NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) at A-State announced Tuesday (Aug. 26) the launch of the Freshman to Physician Pathway, a new opportunity for Arkansas…