Fort Smith

Ben Fry, longtime general manager of KUAR and KLRE, dies

Ben Fry, a longtime manager of 89.1 KUAR and Classical 90.5 KLRE, died in his sleep early Thursday. He was 54. Fry served as general manager of UALR Public Radio…

The fuel behind the Trump machine

Editor’s note: Jessica DeLoach Sabin is a frequent contributor to Talk Business & Politics. Opinions, commentary and other essays posted in this space are wholly the view of the author(s). They…

Startup Talk: Smartphone growth to slow to single digits in 2016

Editor’s note: Each Thursday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Startup Talk,” a round-up of startup, technology and entrepreneurial news. ––––––––––––––– SMARTPHONE GROWTH TO SLOW TO SINGLE DIGITS IN 2016 According to a…

Arkansas banks post 9.9% annual profit gain, small banks see incomes decline

The 104 banks with operations in Arkansas were responsible for a 9.9% overall gain in profits in 2015, compared to the net income generated by 109 Arkansas banks in 2014….

Fort Smith Parks boss provides more detail on $35 million Riverfront Park plan

Fort Smith Parks and Recreation Department Head Doug Reinert acknowledged that the Riverfront Park could be a 15-year-or-more project and further explained the financials for the estimated $35 million plan…

Commerce, Transportation Secretaries note importance of water ports

Tradepoint Atlantic in Baltimore, Md., welcomed Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, and Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx for a White House-led roundtable on the importance…

Crystal Bridges, Walton Arts Center to participate in arts impact survey

Walton Arts Center and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art will participate in Arts & Economic Prosperity 5, a national study measuring the economic impact of nonprofit arts and culture…

Crystal Bridges, Walton Arts Center to participate in arts impact survey

Walton Arts Center and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art will participate in Arts & Economic Prosperity 5, a national study measuring the economic impact of nonprofit arts and culture…

Scholarship at UA Law School to benefit tribal citizens

John and Jayne Alford of Fort Smith are creating an endowed scholarship at the University of Arkansas School of Law for citizens of federally recognized tribes indigenous to the United…

Scholarship at UA Law School to benefit tribal citizens

John and Jayne Alford of Fort Smith are creating an endowed scholarship at the University of Arkansas School of Law for citizens of federally recognized tribes indigenous to the United…

CHI St. Vincent reports savings in Medicare bundled payment initiative

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary achieved “significant savings” while performing more than 500 knee and hip replacement surgeries for Medicare patients as part of an initiative with the federal government, according…

CHI St. Vincent reports savings in Medicare bundled payment initiative

Legislators accept recommendation for 1% public school funding increase

Total funding for public education would increase by less than 1% in fiscal year 2016-17 under a recommendation accepted by the legislative Joint Budget Committee during a pre-fiscal session meeting…

The Supply Side: Walmart U.S. undergoes more management shifts

Editor’s note: The Supply Side section of Talk Business & Politics focuses on the companies, organizations, issues and individuals engaged in providing products and services to retailers. The Supply Side…

International students have opportunity for high skilled jobs, officials say

Attorney George Ernst said the process of international students getting to work in the United States can be tedious but the students and businesses should plan ahead to make sure…

Fort Smith banking sector shows mixed 2015 profits, bankers see modest 2016 growth

Four of the five banks with the largest market share in the Fort Smith metro saw financial gains in 2015, but the cumulative earnings of the five banks fell almost…

Medicaid expansion requires Medicaid reform

Editor’s note: John Burris is a former member of the Arkansas Legislature. He now provides consulting services, and one of his clients is a managed care company. Opinions, commentary and…

Natural gas to fuel most of U.S. power generation in 2016, first time to eclipse coal

U.S. Department of Energy officials said Tuesday (March 9) that natural gas is expected to fuel the largest share of electricity generation in 2016 just as future prices for the…

John Brummett: Happy hours and high times in Arkansas politics

Editor’s note: The author of this article is a regular columnist for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The New Year’s Day passing of 90-year-old Dale Bumpers set off a flurry of nostalgia…

Former health budget director for New York City to be next Fort Smith city boss (Updated)

Editor’s note: Story updated with comments from Directors Keith Lau and Kevin Settle, and Mayor Sandy Sanders. ––––––––––––––– Carl Geffken has been tapped to be the next Fort Smith city…