News on the Wire

C. Bean Transport headed for closure? (Updated)

It’s likely the future of C. Bean Transport operations in Fort Smith will be more clear by early next week. Updated info: Bell Receivers, the company charged by the federal…

Bubba has a $5,000 pigeon. It’s a racer

story and photos by Marla Cantrell [email protected] Bubba Wilson needed a hobby when he retired. He golfed, but it wasn’t something he wanted to do every day, so he kept…

Arkansas House, Senate committees to meet in Fort Smith (Updated)

Discussions about and the promotion of Interstate 49 and the Regional Intermodal Transportation Authority are likely to be the top focus of a Mar. 17-18 gathering in Fort Smith of…

The week in state and local politics

Following are some of the key political stories posted in the past week on The City Wire and Talk Business. • Millage rejection More than 58% of those who voted…

Government jobs now 19% of Arkansas workforce

A new report at TalkBusiness.net sheds light on the fact that government jobs are now more than 19% of total nonfarm employment in Arkansas. The January report also shows a…

Regional bankruptcies and incorporations

Following are recent bankruptcy and incorporation filings from Crawford, Franklin, Logan and Sebastian counties. The information is provided by The Daily Record. a Little Rock-based news and legal information publisher….

Archaeologists seek to research, restore the ‘Cavanaugh Mound’

Jessica Crawford traveled from Marks, Miss., to Fort Smith to look at a BIG pile of dirt. It’s an historic piece of ground, in fact, located behind the New Liberty…

UAFS seeks more than $15 million in federal funding

story submitted by the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith has five appropriation requests before federal agencies — seeking funds to expand the…

Area hospitality sector slow in January

There is some hope that the national and local hospitality industry will see improving conditions in 2010. Don’t base that hope on January results. January tax receipts in Van Buren…

HMA to invest $20 million in Sparks Health System

When executives with Health Management Associates said they planned to invest in facility and service improvements at Sparks Health System, they meant it. Sparks CEO Melody Trimble has confirmed that…

UAFS student media growing; new degree program sought

The renewed media program at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith has produced its second Web publication, and UAFS officials are proposing a new degree program that could result…

OG&E seeks $13.3 million line upgrade between Ozark, Clarksville

OG&E is asking the Arkansas Public Service commission to approve the construction of a 161KV transmission line and upgrade certain power facilities between Ozark and Clarksville. The more than $13.334…

Van Buren cemetery part of AETN documentary

story and photos by Marla Cantrell [email protected] The dead are speaking in the AETN documentary “Silent Stories,” which will air 6:30 p.m., Thursday (Mar. 11). The program takes viewers across…

Arkansas’ jobless rate remains stable during January

Arkansas’ January preliminary unemployment rate was 7.6%, the same as revised unemployment rates for December and November 2009. When initially reported by the federal Bureau of Labor, the December rate…

Shale mining, I-49 dominate Chaffee meeting

story and photo by Marla Cantrell [email protected] There’s a hell of a lot of shale at Chaffee Crossing — more than $1 million dollar’s worth. Two companies, C. Watts and…

Greenwood voters reject millage increase

More than 58% of those who voted in the Greenwood special election Tuesday (Mar. 9) voted against a millage increase to fund a new elementary. According to the unofficial (not…

Ozark native seeks District 83 House seat

Leslee Milam Post of Ozark has filed as a Democrat for the House District 83 seat that snakes through Franklin County and up and west through Crawford County. Post, the…

Fundraising, education efforts focus of Marshals Museum meeting

The potentially slow progress of fundraising for the U.S. Marshals Museum and the expansion of school programs coordinated by museum staff were key items discussed Tuesday (Mar. 9) during a…

Tyson Foods receives upbeat debt rating review

Executives with Springdale-based Tyson Foods Inc. who recently predicted financial improvements in 2010 were afforded a favorable second opinion Tuesday (Mar. 9) from Fitch Ratings. Chicago-based Fitch rated Tyson Foods’…

U.S. Marshal historian brings weapon to museum meeting

David Turk pulled out a gun during the quarterly meeting of the U.S. Marshals Museum board of directors held Tuesday (Mar. 9) in Fort Smith. It wasn’t loaded. And it…