Northwest Arkansas

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Masterson Joins D-G staff as Columnist

Mike Masterson, former executive editor of the Northwest Arkansas Times, will begin writing an opinion column three times a week for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in April.

No Hard Feelings, by George

Former Northwest Arkansas Times publisher George Smith was among the 1,000 employees of Alltel Corp. nationwide who recently lost their jobs because of layoffs, attrition or early retirement.

No Sources, Please: Is This a Trend?

On March 4, The Sunday Times of London published an article quoting an unnamed source with Amazon.com saying the troubled e-tailer was in talks with bricks-and-mortar monolith Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and an ?alliance? was to be announced within six weeks.

First Arvest Blows Away Competition

First Arvest Bank of Siloam Springs dominated Small Business Administration lending in 2000. Its 12 SBA loans were double that of any other single bank in the market.

Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies Inc.

Springdale?s Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies Inc. announced that unaudited annual sales for the year ended Dec. 31, increased to $28.3 million, up 38 percent from $20.5 million in 1999.

Lehman Properties Expands Village on the Creeks

Carmen Lehman of C.R. Lehman Properties on Feb. 7 held a ground breaking ceremony for the $4 million expansion of Village on the Creeks Retail Center in west Rogers.

Loophole Defers Company Taxes

Internal Revenue Code Section 419 offers companies a little-known tax strategy.

The Times They Are a Changin?

Bob Dylan was concerned about businessmen drinking his wine. Ray Stevens extolled them to ?get down to business … if you can.?

Pinnacle Makes Point with Alltel

One of the area?s most upscale office parks is now offering off-the-scale wireless, dial-up and dial tone service.

King of Newroads Starts Wireless Firm

EarthLink Inc.?s $308 million buyout of OneMain.com in September spelled the end of the latter?s Fort Smith call center.

Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce

We were a little leery of this site at first glance. The home page is a little helter skelter, and at least one of our reviewers dubbed it ?overwhelming and jumbled.?

Everyday Low Cable Bills II

We whispered in our March 5 issue that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has ? for years ? been paying $30 per month for cable television service, then routing the cable to about 200 TV sets in and around the company?s headquarters building in Bentonville.

Sparking a Charge

Clients of now defunct Charger Inc. are beginning to receive some of Charger?s debts paid through its Chapter 7 bankruptcy filed Dec. 28, 1999.

Jumping Aboard at Arvest

Susan Barrett and Matt Mawby were recently elected to the board of directors at Arvest Bank in Rogers.

Bentonville Lights Up

John Denson, owner of Stogie?s Fine Cigars Tobaccos and Much More in the Old Post Office building on the Fayetteville Square, will be opening a new store soon in Bentonville.

No Mas Dishonorable Discharge

Simmons Foods Inc. has complied with the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality on problems involving discharges into the Arkansas River from one of its Van Buren plants.

Peek-a-boo, Ic-all

Internet video streamer ic-all.com wants to expand into Northwest Arkansas. The St. Louis company is still developing a local sales team, but establishing a base here within the year is a real possibility.

A Pool of Rumors Whirls

Despite a tip that we received, the Whirlpool Fort Smith Division of Whirlpool Corp. denies that it has had any major employee cutbacks.

Franchising the Love: Care Northwest to Top $1 Million

In 1996, Care Northwest Ltd. began developing a system of in-home services for seniors and their families.

Competitors Come Home Instead

Nursing homes have become only one option for elders and their families as assisted living companies gain momentum.

Oklahoma court ruling threatens poultry industry in Arkansas

GDP up 4.3% in the third quarter, consumer confidence declines

St. Bernards to expand Maternal Life360 HOME program into Greene County

Then and Now: Cooperative business model a good fit for Mitchell Johnson