Arkansas Business articles from January 2002

Arkansas Business archives from January 2002

Electric deregulation stalls, maybe forever.
January 7, 2002... THE MOVE TO A RETAIL open-access electricity market in Arkansas stalled, maybe permanently, last month, leaving companies in the energy business to perform some fancy footwork. The original start date for the deregulated market came and...

Russellville company fights fraud charges: Taber Denies issuing false invoices.
January 7, 2002... THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS trying to collect $5.2 million from a Russellville metal manufacturer that did business with a Florida company that defrauded the government for millions in the early 1990s. In a federal lawsuit scheduled for trial in...

Hispanic growth, shift to northwest will impact state.(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... THE MOST ATTENTION-getting news from the Arkansas census during the 1990s was the phenomenal growth in the Hispanic population. And the continued growth of the Hispanic community will impact many communities throughout the state because of...

Nagging complaint. (Whispers).(Agentonline.com Realty)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Jeff Fuller is still trying to figure our why he was dragged into the litigious controversy over the business relationships between Stewart Title Co. and several residential real estate firms. Fuller and his Agentonline.com Realty in...

What's England's Beef? (Whispers).
January 7, 2002... England still can't pinpoint how Fuller took advantage of him or what specific laws allegedly were violated. England was drawn into the fray after reading advertisements regarding the possibility of wrongdoing. Those ads led him to the law...

Trailer for sale, not rent. (Whispers).(Snikpoh investments Ltd. buys Southern Pines Mobile Home Park trailer park)
January 7, 2002... A 36-acre trailer park in southwest Little Rock changed hands in a $1 million deal. Snikpoh investments Ltd., led by namesake revocable living trusts of Donald and Sandra Hopkins, bought the Southern Pines Mobile Home Park at 9500 S....

All's not wells. (Whispers).(Wells Group Inc. fired as an Excel Telecommunications Inc. representative)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... The Wells Group Inc. of Arkansas, which is owned by Phillip Wells, said being fired as an Excel Telecommunications Inc. representative will cost it more than $1 million. Wells has filed a lawsuit in Pulaski County Circuit Court to try and...

Home sweet home. (Whispers).(Conseco Finance Servicing Corp. sues Big Mac Mobile Homes Inc.)
January 7, 2002... Conseco Finance Servicing Corp. wants $560,000 from a Maumelle mobile home seller. When Big Mac Mobile Homes Inc. sold homes that needed financing through Conseco, Big Mac listed how much money the customer paid as a down payment on the...

Trading locations. (Whispers).(Southern Trading and Loan moving to old National Home Centers building in Little Rock)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... It's been rumored that Southern Trading and Loan of Little Rock will be moving into the old National Home Centers building at Rodney Parham Road and Markham Street. According to Johnny McKay of McKay Realtors, it's no rumor, but the...

Back burner plans. (Whispers).(Ben E. Keith Foods' renovations on its warehouse are incomplete)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Ben E. Keith Foods began renovations on its 140,000-SF warehouse in March 2000, but as of last week, the remodel job hadn't been finished. Work on the former Rand Grocery Distribution center on Pike Avenue in North Little Rock was supposed...

Fattening Albertson's. (Whispers).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Albertson's grocery store chain is about expand its presence in the state. Albertson's recently purchased a 316,246-SF parcel at the intersection of Rogers and Interstate 540 in Fort Smith. Jeannette Duwe, media relations manager for...

Education failure. (Editorial).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... RAY SIMON, DIRECTOR OF the Arkansas Department of Education, has indicated that the state may soon take over a failing school district -- there are several to choose from -- if it doesn't measure up academically and financially. We...

Optimistic in '02. (Editorial).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... AMERICANS. ARE AN OPTI-mistic people. And rightly so. Few people on earth have accomplished more than the citizens of the United States. We always look with new hope at the coming of a new year, figuring out how to meet the new challenges...

Politics and budgets. (Publisher's Note).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE AND the Arkansas General Assembly have to contend with more than major budget decisions in 2002. They have an election year. Strange as it may sound, Huckabee actually has the most enviable position: high approval...

Marketing for startups. (On Marketing).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... THOSE OF US IN BUSINESS education like to discuss and debate things. One discussion I had recently with a colleague concerned the courses that would-be entrepreneurs and family business owners needed the most. It's a tough call. If you're going...

Woodland sale. (Real Deals).(Woodland Terrace Apartments)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... A 60-unit North Little Rock apartment project rang up a $1.6 million deal. Danny Thomas Properties I Ltd., led by William Daniel Thomas, bought the Woodland Terrace Apartments at 1701 Skyline Drive from Warren and Mae Horn White. The...

Legacy transaction. (Real Deals).(historic Legacy Hotel sold for $975,000)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... A historic hotel in downtown Little Rock changed hands in a $975,000 deal. Southern Comfort Inns Inc., led by Amin Amarshi, purchased the 116- room Legacy Hotel at 625 W. Capitol Ave. The seller was Saini Inc., led by Sarmukh Saini. ...

Equipment acquisition. (Real Deals).(JLH Properties LLC bought Pulaski Equipment Co. facility)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... A dormant equipment dealership in North Little Rock drew an $850,000 purchase price. JLH Properties LLC, led by Michael Harris and Rex Bouldin, bought the Pulaski Equipment Co. facility at 10600 Maybelline Road from Danny Goodman. The...

Chenal abode. (Real Deals).(real estate sold)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... A 3,805-SF home in west Little Rock's prestigious Chenal Circle enclave sold for $650,000. Allan Siebert purchased the house from Linda Schmidt. The deal is financed with a 30-year loan of $500,000 from Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock....

Harbor funding. (Real Deals).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... The owner of a Little Rock distribution project picked up a $12.5 million loan. Harbor Distributing Co., led by Paul Cantrell, obtained the funding agreement from Bank of America. The three-acre development at 1515 E. Fourth St....

Smith building loan. (Real Deals).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... An eight-acre commercial development in North Little Rock is backed with a $1.56 million funding agreement. Smith Building Group Inc., led by Rick Smith, received the one-year loan from Pulaski Bank & Trust of Little Rock. Smith...

Olde Towne Financing. (Real Deals).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... A leasehold interest in a 0.4-acre commercial redevelopment in downtown Little Rock's River Market District is securing an $824,000 financial package. Olde Towne LLC, led by Ben Johnson, picked up the five-year loan from Bank of Mulberry....

Motel mortgage. (Real Deals).(DMV Inc. project in Little Rock)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... A 40-room motel project in southwest Little Rock is refinanced with a $531,528 mortgage. DMV Inc., led by Dolatrai Patel, secured the eight-year loan from Superior Federal Bank of Fort Smith. The Comfort Inn at 8219 Interstate 30...

United funding. (Real Deals).(United Properties' loan from Bank of the Ozarks)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... The owner of a pair of commercial properties in Little Rock received a $500,000 mortgage. United Properties, led by Warren Stephenson, picked up the nine-month loan from Bank of the Ozarks. The United Wholesale Florists warehouse at...

John Tyson, 2 others get $2 million bonuses. (Agricultural Business).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... John Tyson, president, chairman and CEO of Tyson Foods Inc., received a' $2.1 million bonus last year, according to a proxy filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Tyson, whose salary is $650,000, steered the nation's...

Murphy oil narrows 4Q earnings guidance. (Energy).(Murphy Oil Corp.)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Murphy Oil Corp. of El Dorado expects earnings before special items for fourth quarter 2001 to be between 55 cents and 65 cents a share, including a $2.8. million gain from the sale of a petroleum products terminal in the United Kingdom. ...

Arkansas stocks end bumpy year in trading. (Banking & Finance).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Most of Arkansas' publicly traded companies saw gains in 2001, a year in which recession finally set in and the country suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history. Seven Arkansas public companies saw the overall value of their...

Movie-making school set at Hot Springs. (Entertainment).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Sponsors of a two-day film school hope to give Arkansans the knowledge and experience needed to make money in the movie industry and to bring that money back home. The film school, sponsored by the Arkansas Department of Economic...

HIPAA starting date moved to 2003. (Health Care).(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... The Arkansas Hospital Association said it agreed with President Bush's decision to delay by one year the implementation of the Health Insurance. Portability and Accountability Act's transactions standards and codes regulations. The new...

Wal-Mart notches holiday increase. (Retail).(Wal-Mart Stores Inc. 2001 holiday season sales increase)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Wal-Mart Stores Inc. far outpaced the retail industry during the 2001 holiday season, posting a sales increase of about 6 percent, the company said last week. "Our original estimate for the December period was for a comparable sales...

'World-Class' Golf facility planned for Pulaski county. (Inside Business).(Alotian Club LLC )(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... The Alotian Club LLC has bought 875 acres in western Pulaski County for development of what the seller described as "a world-class golf facility." The investment group paid Deltic Timber Corp. $2,500 per acre in the $2.2 million deal,...

Little Rock national airport enplanements. (Inside Business).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... Little Rock national airport enplanements NOV 2001 NOV 2000 2001 2000 American 6,585 6,249 79,206 83,221 Delta 17,615 24,842 223,752 ...

NWACF announces seven new grants. (NW Journal).(Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation )(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Following recent news that the Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation had boosted its endowment total to 22 funds totaling more than $1 million, the foundation awarded seven grants totaling $41,900 to local nonprofit organizations. NWACF,...

PetsMart Plans Fayetteville store. (NW Journal).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... On Dec. 10, the Fayetteville Planning Commission approved plans for four new buildings for the Steele Crossing Shopping Center in CMN Business Park II. At 18,875 SF, the main building will be home to a PetsMart store. The other three...

Administrator resigns from siloam springs hospital. (NW Journal).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital said Roy Wright resigned as hospital administrator effective Jan. 4. According to a news release, Wright will leave the hospital to take a similar job in Lexington, Va., near his hometown. The hospital had...

First Delta Bankshares looking to buy more banks. (NE Journal).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... First Delta Bankshares Inc. of Blytheville recently bought the Bank of Trumann for $14.7 million and has plans to acquire other banks in northeast Arkansas. Jerry Sims, chairman and CEO of First Delta and its holding company, First...

Scheduled air service will continue in Jonesboro. (NE Journal).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... The Jonesboro Municipal Airport will retain its essential air service designation, enabling it to maintain its current EAS funding levels in fiscal year 2002. In August, the U.S. Transportation Department announced it would cut essential...

City of Jonesboro forced to tighten budget. (NE Journal).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... The City of Jonesboro rejected $5 million in budget requests because its revenue is down about $1 million from the fiscal 2001 level. Mayor Hubert Brodell said the city would dip into its reserves for $332,000 to cover its $31 million...

Underground Pub. (Business Lunch).(Arkansas eating place)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Address: 500 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock 72201 Phone: (501) 707-2537 Hours: 11 a.m.- 2 a.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.- 1 a.m. Saturday 2000 Revenue: $263,817 WE MET AT THE UNDERGROUND PUB AT 12:30 p.m. hoping we wouldn't...

Kenneth Pat Wilson, a patriarch of the Jacksonville business community, died wednesday. (Business Briefs).(Brief Article)(Obituary)
January 7, 2002... Kenneth Pat Wilson, a patriarch of the Jacksonville business community, died Wednesday. He was 82. He helped organize the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce before he was 30 and was the driving force behind the formation of Jacksonville State...

Bank of the Ozarks Inc. has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 12 cents a share. (Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Bank of the Ozarks Inc. has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 12 cents a share, payable Jan. 25 to shareholders of record on Jan. 18. Bank of the Ozarks also named John C. Stanton president of the bank's new Conway division. The...

Star Resources Corp. (Business Briefs).(Private placement of securities)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Star Resources Corp. of Houston has made arrangements to raise up to $1.1 million by a private placement of up to 5.6 million units at 20 cents per unit. The proceeds will be used for exploration on the company's diamond exploration properties...

Dwain A. Newman and the newman family LLC say their offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of common stock. (Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Dwain A. Newman and The Newman Family LLC say their offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of common stock of National Home Centers Inc. not already owned by Newman has expired. According to UMB Bank, the depositary for the tender...

Beverly Enterprises Inc. (Business Briefs).(Exec VP)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Beverly Enterprises Inc. has named Jeffrey P. Freimark executive vice president and chief financial officer. Freimark, 46, most recently was senior executive vice president and chief financial officer of Office Max Inc.

Tyson Foods Inc. is seeking a resolution to a government investigation into alleged violations of the clean water act at its Sedalia. (Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Tyson Foods Inc. is seeking a resolution to a government investigation into alleged violations of the Clean Water Act at its Sedalia, Mo., facility, according to the company's annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

IBP Inc. (Business Briefs).(FBI investigates product tampering)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... An IBP Inc. meat processing plant at Logansport, Ind., is being investigated by the FBI, which is looking into alleged tampering that resulted in the voluntary recall of 266,000 pounds of ham products. Tyson Foods Inc., which owns IBP, said...

Southwestern Energy Co. (Business Briefs).(2002 target income)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Southwestern Energy Co. of Houston, formerly of Fayetteville, is targeting 2002 net income of $16 million, or 65 cents per basic share; cash flow of $85 million, or $3.38 per basic share; and EBITDA of $105 million. The company is planning a...

Regions Financial Corp. of Birmingham, Ala., which has the largest bank market share in Arkansas. (Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Regions Financial Corp. of Birmingham, Ala., which has the largest bank market share in Arkansas, is buying Independence Bank of Houston for approximately $20 million in cash. Independence Bank operates three offices, two in Houston and one in...

Pocahontas Bancorp Inc. of Jonesboro said its net income for the year ended Sept. 30 was down 59 percent from last year. (Business Briefs).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... Pocahontas Bancorp Inc. of Jonesboro said its net income for the year ended Sept. 30 was down 59 percent from last year, thanks to charges related to its purchase of First Community Bank of Jonesboro in May. Net income for the fourth quarter...

Fairfield Resorts Inc. the vacation ownership company that formerly was based in Little Rock. (Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Fairfield Resorts Inc., the vacation ownership company that formerly was based in Little Rock and now is part of the Cendant Corp. based in Orlando, Fla., has surpassed $500 million in annual vacation ownership sales for 2001. Fairfield is the...

Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, the animal rights activist group that protested Stephens Group Inc. (Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, the animal rights activist group that protested Stephens Group Inc.'s investment in a British company, said it will hold another demonstration Jan. 13-14 in Little Rock. More than 20 were arrested while...

Midland Loan Services Inc. of Kansas City, Mo., which operates an office in Little Rock. (Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Midland Loan Services Inc. of Kansas City, Mo., which operates an office in Little Rock, is moving its headquarters to a new office building in Overland Park, Kan. Midland, a member of the PNC Financial Services Group Inc. of Pittsburgh, says...

Don't get frosted: Embezzlers are usually trusted company employees.(Jack Frost ripped off)(Harvey and Bernice Jones Charitable Trust)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE THE company bean counter is eating the beans, John Warren said it's usually hard for the owner to swallow. Warren, associate general counsel for the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, said the more access to...

Arkansas Business List: Selected census data by county.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... ARKANSAS BUSINESS LIST: SELECTED CENSUS DATA BY COUNTY Counties in alphabetical order Race Statistics County 2000 Population White Black %...

Arkansas Business List: Largest Arkansas cities; ranked by 2000 population.(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... ARKANSAS BUSINESS LIST: LARGEST ARKANSAS CITIES Ranked by 2000 population 2000 1990 City Population Population % Change 1 Little Rock 183,133 ...

Arkansas Business List: Fastest growing state population; Ranked by population change between 1990-2000.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... ARKANSAS BUSINESS LIST: FASTEST GROWING STATE POPULATION Ranked by population change between 1990-2000 2000 1999 State Population Population % Change 1 Nevada ...

Advantage Communications Inc. (New Business).(new ad agency formed)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Owner: Michael Steele Address: 500 Broadway Phone: (501) 374-2220 Little Rock 72201 Startup: April 15 Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday Web site: www.advantagecommunicationsinc.com Advantage Communications...

Two for tea design studio. (New Business).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Owner: Lyuba Bogan Address: P.O. Box 2676 Little Rock 72203 Phone: (501) 376-3707 Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday Startup: Jan. 1, 2001 Web site: www.twoforteastudio.com In Russia, where Lyuba Bogan spent...

Frame by frame productions. (New Business).(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Owner: Matthew Lee Address: 517 Chester St. Little Rock 72201 Phone: (501) 349-6891 Hours: By appointment Startup: Oct. 29. E-mail: framebyframe@sbcglobal.net When it comes to filming, Matthew Lee of Frame By...

Movers & Shakers.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... ARCHITECTURE J. Christian Martin has joined Fennell Purifoy Architects in Little Rock as an intern architect. Martin worked as staff architect for Eisenberg Architects Inc. in St. Louis before joining Fennell. BUSINESS SERVICES ...

Stock summary.(Arkansas-area stock price movements)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 7, 2002... STOCK SUMMARY 01/03/02 Weekly YTD Arkansas Public Company Stocks Close Change Change Acxiom Corp. (ACXM) 17.99 0.11% -50.37% A.E.R.T. (AERTA)...

Correction.(Manufacturing job losses)(Brief Article)(Correction Notice)
January 7, 2002... Arkansas lost 13,000 manufacturing jobs between October 2000 and October 2001, according to Jeff Collins, director of the Center for Business and Economic Development at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. An article in the Dec. 24...

Sweet November. (Outtakes).(TV ratings)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Do not adjust your sets. The picture you're seeing for the November 2001 ratings survey is different than in November 2000, though they appear similar. Longtime No. 1 KATV-TV, Channel 7, eked our a one-rating-point victory at 10 p.m. over...

Looking 4 change. (Outtakes).(TV stations)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... KARK's marketing director, Martha Hendrix, doesn't like the term "languish" when talking about the station's thirdplace status and said there's a lot of good news for KARK in the November book -- and ahead. Hendrix said the station is...

At the top. (Outtakes).(TV ratings)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... As for KATV and KTHV, both stations are spinning their respective ratings victories. KATV News Director Randy Dixon points out that his newscasts overcame dismal performance by its network, ABC, which finished in third place or below in...

From the editor.(Life after Islamic terrorist attacks)(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... SEPT. 11 MAY HAVE PUT a damper on travel, but it hasn't stopped people from conducting business. And when there's business to be conducted, there are meetings and events to be held. This year's Special Events and Meeting Planner features a...

Meeting facilities market closer to home after Sep . 11.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... SINCE THE SEPT. 11 TERRORIST attacks, many convention and meeting centers are looking for business close to home, even though national travel has improved. "It's more than flying; I think people have shown less interest in traveling in...

Metro area is state's cultural capital.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... Central Arkansas is the population and geographic center of the state, and offers many spots suitable for meetings and conventions. The Little Rack area is metropolitan but just moments away from the wilds of the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains....

Diverse terrain offers endless beauty.(northeast Arkansas tourist attractions, facilities and services)(Directory)
January 7, 2002... The terrain of northeast Arkansas is as diverse as its attractions. The Ozark Mountains creep in from the northwest, the Mississippi River creates a boundary on the east, and the White River and Crowley's Ridge National Scenic Parkway Mountains...

Scenic beauty adds to region's hip culture.(Arkansas' Ozarks and the northern tier of the Ouachita Mountains region's tourist attractions, facilities and services)(Directory)
January 7, 2002... The Ozarks and the northern tier of the Ouachita Mountains give this part of the state its flavor. The wide, hilly terrain of the Arkansas River Valley divides the region. Fort Smith, Fayetteville and Russellville are the centers of population,...

Life is happening down in the delta.(southeast Arkansas tourist attractions, facilities and services)(Directory)
January 7, 2002... When there's talk of southeast Arkansas, there's talk of duck hunting, Bradley tomatoes, the cultural heritage of Helena and bass fishing along the Arkansas River. Don't forget the contributions of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and...

National forest adds to region's rich heritage.(Ouachita National Forest and environs tourist attractions, facilities and services)(Directory)
January 7, 2002... The Ouachita Mountains, one of the oldest ranges in North America, run east to west across the region, giving rise to numerous creeks and rivers that provide recreation and bountiful fishing. Hot Springs is perched east of the Ouachita National...

That's Entertainment!: Choosing the right entertainment is key to event success.
January 7, 2002... AS ANYONE WHO HAS DONE IT knows, planning special events is a challenge. Successful events don't just happen; they take months of organization and painstaking attention to detail. But even if all the plans come off without a hitch, there's...

Room arrangement.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... SETUPS The setups and equipment in the conference room should maximize the impact of your program. In the initial planning of your program, select the setting that will be most conducive to your message. Consult with the site personnel...

Audiovisuals.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... PROFESSIONAL SPEAKERS HAVE A world full of toys at their fingertips. Audiovisual equipment can add impact to a presentation and enhance an audience's understanding of a message. Choose from old faithfuls, such as flip charts, slides and...

Calendar.(Brief Article)
January 7, 2002... JANUARY * 10 -- 2002 Arkansas Distance Education Conference Sponsor: University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business Time: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Location: Donald Reynolds Center for Enterprise Development, Fayetteville ...

'Tunica Miracle' turns 10.(casinos and gambling in Tunica, Mississippi)(Statistical Data Included)
January 14, 2002... NO ONE WAS MORE surprised than Mississippi legislators that people were willing to wait in a tent up to three and a half hours and then pay a $10. cover charge to gamble in Tunica County in 1992. In didn't take long for other casino...

Workforce education partners with business.
January 14, 2002... IN 1991, 35-YEAR-OLD RANDY P. GOLDSMITH couldn't read. And when the equipment he used to form shaft and rotor assemblies at Baldor Electric Co. in Fort Smith became more technologically complex, he was tempted to quit the job he had held for 17...

Gambling gets renewed look as tax source: But opposition remains strong.
January 14, 2002... GAMBLING PROPOSALS OF various sorts have cropped up in nearly every election during the past decade. The proposals all crapped out at the polls or the courts, but the odds are great that Arkansans will face more gambling measures in the...

Not dashing. (Whispers).(Alltel Corp. acquires Dash)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2002... Okay, so Little Rock telecom company Alltel Corp. proudly announced its acquisition of Dash, the Little Rock-based electronics funds transfer network that operates 531 automated teller machines in 35 states and Guam, from Euronet Worldwide Inc....

Charitable math. (Whispers).($1.45 mn home sold for Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2002... The sale of a 5,990-SF home near the Country Club of Little Rock added up to a $1.45 million sale. But the acquisition by Pamela Skokos wasn't a run-of-the-mill residential deal. Hardin Design & Construction Inc., led by Keith Hardin,...

Free and clear. (Whispers).(Little Rock Airport Commission buys land)(Government Activity)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2002... The Little Rock Airport Commission is winding down work to acquire 95 parcels of land bordering a runway at Adams Field. The commission is purchasing the remaining portions of the 18 acres through imminent domain. The holdouts are a...

Bennigan's be gone? (Whispers).(Bennigan's Grill & Tavern not closing)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2002... There's been talk that Bennigan's Grill & Tavern in Little Rock is closing. But a corporate spokesman says that simply isn't true. Judging by the lack of a "real live voice" on the other end of our phone calls, the corporation is...

Bring your surf board. (Whispers).(New mortgage origination office in Little Rock, AK)(Brief Article)
January 14, 2002... Chase Manhattan Mortgage has rethought its decision to abandon the Arkansas market a few years ago. To that end, Claude Cousins has been hired away from Bank of America to open a mortgage origination office in west Little Rock, with more...