News on the Wire

Area building permit values up 40% year-to-date

Building permits in Fort Smith, Greenwood and Van Buren were a combined $5.944 million for the month of November, a drop of 64.82% from the same month last year when…

Funding debate ongoing between Sebastian County officials

The fight between Sebastian County Judge David Hudson and County Treasurer Judith Miller over financial software to be used in her office continues following a vote of the Quorum Court…

The Supply Side: Supplier office space tightens, teams expand

As more Wal-Mart suppliers and third-party service firms are hanging shingles in Northwest Arkansas, real estate experts and retail insiders around Bentonville say the commercial office space market is tightening….

Plane travel up at XNA, down in Fort Smith and Little Rock

Enplanements for the first 10 months of 2013 are up almost 3% at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) but are down almost 5% in Little Rock and down more…

Federal bank ‘bailout’ turns five, bankers await auction

It’s been five years since the U.S. Treasury Department threw out a life line to banks as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program in an effort to stabilize the…

Arkansas tax revenue may decline in FY 2014

Economic uncertainty combined with concerns about income growth have resulted in a lower Arkansas tax revenue estimate for fiscal year 2014 and a small projected increase for fiscal year 2015….

Quorum Court funding vote raises legal question

A vote taken Monday night (Nov. 25) by the Sebastian County Quorum Court could leave one justice of the peace in violation of Arkansas law. Justice of the Peace Jim…

Fort Smith tax collections up in October report

Increases were posted for sales tax collections in Fort Smith and the city’s portion of the countywide sales tax, but the amounts collected year-to-date remain below budget estimates. Each of…

Fort Smith Board favors budget without deep cuts

What could be the final battle over the proposed FY14 budget is to take place Dec. 3 following a decision by the Fort Smith Board of Directors to bring the…

NWA November sales revenue slumps

The economy across Benton and Washington counties slumped in September, after a fairly robust spring and summer. The dip in consumer spending was evident in the 3% decline in sales…

NWA home building slows, commercial pace rises

It’s been a good year for home builders across Northwest Arkansas, but the residential construction pace in the region’s four largest cities continues to taper with a 15% reduction in…

Interstate work could snarl Black Friday traffic

Shoppers venturing out on the evening of Thanksgiving (Nov. 28) and Black Friday (Nov. 29) may want to avoid the intersection of Rogers Avenue and Interstate 540 in Fort Smith….

Consumers to see more Turkey Day bargains this year

That traditional Thanksgiving dinner will cost a little less year thanks to lower turkey and milk prices, according to the Arkansas Farm Bureau. But before the feast can be digested,…

Quorum Court cuts parks board, nixes beer sales

There will be no beer sales in the near future at Ben Geren Regional Park’s golf course. The Sebastian County Quorum Court decided Monday (Nov. 25) to nix the idea…

Battle shaping up over Fort Smith 2014 budget

No one knows exactly what will happen to the city of Fort Smith's general fund budget once the Board of Directors meets for a third budget meeting on Tuesday (Nov….

Markets, analysts not surprised by Wal-Mart CEO pick

Retail analysts lined up Monday morning (Nov. 25) to assess what might be behind Wal-Mart’s decision to appoint Doug McMillon as its CEO and discuss their thoughts on what to…

NWA downtown appeal, development continues

Downtown areas continue to attract investment across Northwest Arkansas. Springdale and Rogers are actively working to boost their downtown exposure as retail growth has moved westward toward to Interstate 540….

First Bank expands its reach in western Arkansas

November is a bittersweet month for fourth generation family banker Jon Harrell, who is the president of First Bank’s Northwest Arkansas region and new chairman of Harrell Bancshares of Hampton,…

McMillon to succeed Duke as Wal-Mart CEO

The world’s largest retailer will have a changing of the guard early next year as CEO Mike Duke announces his retirement to be succeeded by 47-year-old Doug McMillon. The anticipated…

Fort Smith 2014 budget cut proposal presented

Fort Smith City Director Keith Lau asked for scenarios to reduce $2.2 million from the city's 2014 proposed budget at Monday's (Nov. 18) and City Administrator Ray Gosack on Friday…