Arkansas Business articles from March 2007

Arkansas Business archives from March 2007

A jewel of a baseball diamond: Dickey-Stephens Park gets finishing touches for April 12 opening day.(Tourism)
March 5, 2007... ONE OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS' OLDEST WARM-weather attractions is set to become its newest, as construction crews put the finishing touches on Dickey-Stephens Park. Meanwhile its future tenants, the Double-A Arkansas Travelers ball club, is...

Thousands expected to remember '57.(Little Rock's Central High School's 50 th anniversary )
March 5, 2007... ARKANSAS TOURISM OFFIcials are hoping people not only will remember the past but will be compelled to commemorate it. This September marks the 50th anniversary of the desegregation of Little Rock's Central High School, and several groups...

March Madness '08 already starts: Alltel ticket sales, preparations begin for men's NCAA.(Tourism)
March 5, 2007... THE BRACKETS FOR THE 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament aren't even set, but ticket sales for next year's games at Alltel Arena already are more than a month old. The 18,000-seat venue in North Little Rock will be home in 2008...

Corporate HQ.(Whispers)
March 5, 2007... Heard about a $20 million development going out for bid in west Little Rock? The project in question is the new Bank of the Ozarks headquarters planned for the northwest comer of Chenal Parkway and Rahling Road. We understand the...

Chapter 11 filing.(Whispers)
March 5, 2007... A Springdale homebuilder recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and listed $4.3 million in debt. Ben Caston Construction Inc. listed $4.8 million in assets, according to its bankruptcy reorganization filing. ANB Financial of...

Foam sweet foam.(Drew Foam Company Inc. being acquired by Pine Creek Partners)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... We heard that Drew Foam Cos. of Monticello was about to be acquired by a company out of Atlanta. That's not the case, assures CEO Steve Hudson, who says that would be impossible because the company was sold in December to Pine Creek...

Resurrected.(Whispers)
March 5, 2007... Little Rock businessman Bob Bomar's lawsuit against his former lawyers, Keith Moser and Barry Jewell, was raised from the dead last week in a ruling by the Arkansas Supreme Court. Bomar, you may recall, claimed that Jewell and Moser cheated...

More global title.(Whispers)
March 5, 2007... We thought we'd heard the last of Mary O'Hanlon-Smith in August when she was sentenced to five years and three months in federal prison for swiping $2.3 million of her clients' money while she owned Global Title Co. of Sherwood. But last...

Landers in Jonesboro?(Whispers)
March 5, 2007... We've heard that the Landers auto salesmen are kicking the tires on a dealership in Jonesboro. Steve Landers, who runs Landers Autos Sales Inc., referred questions to his son, Steve Landers Jr. The younger Landers said last week that...

Market this.(Sales & Marketing Executives Association of Arkansas awarding Houston Nutt )(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... No doubt this was a good grab for the Sales & Marketing Executives Association of Arkansas, but the timing and the irony are worth noting. The statewide trade group for marketers has landed a speaking engagement featuring University of...

Always the bridesmaid redux?(Editorial)
March 5, 2007... LIKE SUSAN LUCCI AT THE Daytime Emmy Awards, Arkansas was in the running but once again came away empty-handed. Toyota Motor Corp. last week bypassed a site at Marion for its next vehicle assembly plant, choosing instead a 1,700-acre...

For shame.(Paul Miller, Barbara Horn and Percy Malone were accused for political corruption)(Editorial)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE Senate Commerce & Insurance Committee were neither strong enough to fight the loan sharks nor brave enough to actually vote against a bill to protect Arkansas consumers from the scourge of payday lenders. Instead, they just...

The Toyota tease.(Toyota Motor Corp.'s Crittenden County being moved due to environmental concerns warned by Environmental Protection Agency)
March 5, 2007... TOYOTA MOTOR CORE FLIRted and teased but in the end left Arkansas at the altar again. The news that Toyota would pass on the super project site in Crittenden County for a second time and build a $1.3 billion plant in Tupelo, Miss., was a...

Autumn recovery.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(Marshall Management Inc. acquired apartment complex)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... A 184-unit apartment complex in southwest Little Rock changed hands in a $2.8 million foreclosure sale. Marshall Management Inc., led by Donald Marshall, purchased the 10.3acre Autumn Park development at 43 Warren Drive. The deal is...

Church acquisition.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(Second Baptist Church)(Little Rock church)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... A west Little Rock church expanded its holdings in a $675,000 transaction. Second Baptist Church Barrow Road acquired the five-acre property at 1618 Barrow Road from Carol and Marvin Thaxton Sr., Margaret and Marvin Thaxton Jr. and...

Downtown deal.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(River Market South LLC acquired the property from Catherine Howell Long, Elizabeth H. Patterson and Mary H. Pauley )(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... A nearly half-acre parking lot in downtown Little Rock sold for $485,000. River Market South LLC, led by Jimmy Moses and Rett Tucker, purchased the northeast corner of Cumberland and East Fourth streets. The sellers are Catherine...

Chenal home.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
March 5, 2007... A 4,000-SF home in west Little Rock's Chenal Valley neighborhood rang up a $550,000 deal. Daniel and GaB Lien bought the house from Robb Boyles Construction Co., led by Robb Boyles. The deal is financed with a pair of 30year loans...

VEP funding.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
March 5, 2007... Development of a 3.4-acre site in west Little Rock is in motion with a $3.5 million construction loan. VEP LLC, led by Carla Spainhour, picked up the one-year loan from First Security Bank of Searcy. The View at Emerald Pointe site on the...

Commercial financing.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
March 5, 2007... The owners of a North Little Rock commercial project landed a $1.04 million funding agreement. Rod-Chuck LLC, led by Keith and Charles Harper and Rodney Thomason, got the 33-month loan from Metropolitan National Bank. The 5.1-acre...

Richards note.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
March 5, 2007... A pair of commercial projects in southwest Little Rock was used to secure a $1 million financial package. Richards Finance Co. LLC, led by Betty Richards, received the six-month loan from Simmons First National Bank of Pine Bluff. The...

Office mortgage.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(Standard Properties LLC acquired office buiding)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... The owner of a 13,800-SF office building in west Little Rock obtained a $745,000 mortgage. Standard Properties LLC, led by David Gulley and James Gulley, got the three-year loan from Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock. The 1.09-acre...

Coburn funding.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(Coburn Land and Leasing LLC acquired real estate property)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... Two acres of downtown North Little Rock are backing a $700,000 funding agreement. Coburn Land & Leasing LLC, led by Rogers Coburn Jr., landed the one-year loan from Twin City Bank of North Little Rock. The property, which includes an...

Packaging note.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(acquisition of Capitol City Packaging location)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... A commercial project in southwest Little Rock is securing a $700,000 mortgage. M.P. and Jana Ardoin picked up the 33-month loan from Simmons First Bank. The 4.5-acre Capitol City Packaging location at 10 Clearwater Drive previously was...

Serenity refinance.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
March 5, 2007... A nonprofit property in south Little Rock was refinanced with a $600,000 note. Serenity House Inc., led by Joseph McQuary, received the 27-month loan from Bank of Little Rock. The 10-acre 2801 W. Roosevelt Road development previously...

Suites loans.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(DJ Hospitality Inc. got finance from First Louisiana Bank of Bossier City )(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... The owner of a 54-unit motel project near Maumelle picked up a $900,000 financial package. DJ Hospitality Inc., led by Daljeet Mann and Jagtar Otal, obtained a one-year loan of $500,000 from First Louisiana Bank of Bossier City and a...

Beebe: air quality bumped state from Toyota's list.(MANUFACTURING)
March 5, 2007... Gov. Mike Beebe said last week that Toyota Motor Corp.'s concerns over air quality issues eliminated Marion from consideration for the company's new $1.3 billion Highlander SUV manufacturing plant. Toyota selected a site at Blue Springs,...

EADS North America opens Russellville site.(MANUFACTURING)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... EADS North America has officially opened its newest facility at Russellville. The facility specializes in integrated shelters for military, homeland security and disaster recovery applications. The 8,500-SF installation will be the...

Wal-Mart buys share of Chinese hypermarkets.(RETAIL)
March 5, 2007... Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has announced an agreement to pay $1 billion for a share of a Chinese retail chain. The Bentonville-based retailer will buy into 35 percent of Bounteous Co. Ltd. of Taiwan. While terms and cost were not disclosed,...

Dillard's sees increase in 4th-quarter profit.(Public Company Reports)(Financial report)
March 5, 2007... Dillard's Inc. reported a 4 percent same-store sales decrease for its fourth quarter, even as its quarterly profit increased with the help of an income tax benefit. The department store chain said fourth-quarter net income reached $155...

AERT receives $834,000 from warrant exercise.(Public Company Reports)
March 5, 2007... Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies Inc. of Springdale said it has received approximately $834,000, which represents the exercise of the remaining 1,771,792 Class H warrants originally issued to Marjorie S. Brooks, one of the company...

Baldor sets dividend, shareholder meeting.(Public Company Reports)
March 5, 2007... Baldor Electric Co. of Fort Smith declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 17 cents a share, payable on March 30 to shareholders of record on March 9. The board also set April 2 as the record date for voting at the annual...

Don Tyson unloads Tyson Foods stock.(Public Company Reports)
March 5, 2007... Don Tyson, a member of the board of directors and the former board chairman of Tyson Foods Inc., recently sold more than $11 million in company stock. Tyson converted 211,311 shares of Class B stock to Class A and sold them to earn $3.99...

Simmons First National Corp.(Public Company Reports)
March 5, 2007... Simmons First National Corp. of Pine Bluff declared an 18-cents-a-share quarterly cash dividend payable April 2 to shareholders of record March 15.

First Federal Bancshares of Arkansas Inc.(Public Company Reports)
March 5, 2007... First Federal Bancshares of Arkansas Inc. of Harrison declared a 16 cents cash dividend payable March 26 to stockholders on March 12.

Agriculture makes up 1/5 of Arkansas economy.(AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS)
March 5, 2007... The impact of agriculture on the state's economy continues to be great. According to a research report from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, it accounts for 20 cents of every dollar generated in Arkansas' economy. The...

Accent Marketing opens Hot Springs call center.(COMMUNICATIONS)
March 5, 2007... Accent Marketing Services of Jeffersonville, Ind., officially opened its 39,656-SF Boost Mobile call center last week at Hot Springs. The center is Accent's first facility in Arkansas and eighth call center in the United States. "This...

Verizon launches EVDO in Arkansas.(COMMUNICATIONS)
March 5, 2007... Verizon Wireless has launched its third-generation wireless broadband service in central Arkansas, making it the fourth wireless carrier to offer high-speed data service in the state. Though it's a late start, the roll-out of Basking Ridge,...

Fort Smith lawyer drives Honda suit.(NW Journal: A Look at News From Northwest Arkansas)
March 5, 2007... Jay Kutchka, a lawyer for Jones Jackson & Moll PLC of Fort Smith, is behind a class-action lawsuit that's expected to cost American Honda Motor Co. at least $6.1 million in cash and may ultimately be worth $80 million or more. Kutchka...

Johnson elected to EquityNet board.(NW Journal: A Look at News From Northwest Arkansas)
March 5, 2007... EquityNet LLC announced that Terry Johnson has been elected to the company's board of managers. The board is elected by member to oversee management and to assure the long-term interest of the members, stakeholders, employees and clients...

Lodge changes business plan.(NW Journal: A Look at News From Northwest Arkansas)
March 5, 2007... The Lodge on Whitney Mountain in Garfield is changing its focus to become a banquet facility instead of a resort hotel. Scott Hicks, general manager and executive chef, said that as of April 1, the facility will be available for bookings by...

The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce will spend 59 minutes with Gov. Mike Beebe at 7:30 a.m. March 6 at the Hilton Little Rock on University Avenue.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce will spend 59 minutes with Gov. Mike Beebe at 7:30 a.m. March 6 at the Hilton Little Rock on University Avenue. The breakfast, a quarterly event of the chamber, is presented by Stanford Group Co....

The Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas' 48th annual Salute to the Arkansas Congressional Delegation will be April 28 through May 1 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Va.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... The Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas' 48th annual Salute to the Arkansas Congressional Delegation will be April 28 through May 1 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Va. To register, go to...

J. B. Hunt Transport Services Inc.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... J. B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. has been awarded the right to use the SmartWay logo by the Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay Transport Partnership. The EPA program is a voluntary effort between the government and the...

The third annual Arkansas Women in Agriculture Conference will be held March 8-9 at the Hot Springs Convention Center.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... The third annual Arkansas Women in Agriculture Conference will be held March 8-9 at the Hot Springs Convention Center. Rodney Baker of the Arkansas Farm Bureau will lead a panel discussion focusing on legislative issues of concern to Arkansas...

Dan Sontag, a senior vice president and head of Global Private Clients Americas Advisory Division at Merrill Lynch, will address Little Rock business professionals at Junior Achievement's 17th annual business luncheon at the Statehouse Convention Center on March 8.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... Dan Sontag, a senior vice president and head of Global Private Clients Americas Advisory Division at Merrill Lynch, will address Little Rock business professionals at Junior Achievement's 17th annual business luncheon at the Statehouse...

Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco, Gov. Mike Beebe and Rep. Marion Berry, D-Ark., presented two grants for more than $6 million last week to Mid-South Community College at West Memphis to train Delta-area workers.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco, Gov. Mike Beebe and Rep. Marion Berry, D-Ark., presented two grants for more than $6 million last week to Mid-South Community College at West Memphis to tram...

RiverCity Print & Imaging Inc.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... RiverCity Print & Imaging Inc. of 9816 Rodney Parham, Little Rock, owned by Scott and Jane Levine, received the top management award from Certified Printers International during its bi-annual mentor board meeting at Nashville, Tenn. The company...

Murphy Oil Corp. said two of its wholly owned subsidiaries, together with partner Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd., have signed two separate gas sales agreements, one to supply the existing Petronas Bintulu LNG facility and one to supply a Petronas-owned methanol plant, onshore Labuan.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... Murphy Oil Corp. said two of its wholly owned subsidiaries, together with partner Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd., have signed two separate gas sales agreements, one to supply the existing Petronas Bintulu LNG facility and one to supply a...

Windstream Corp.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... Windstream Corp. has completed its offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of its 7 percent senior notes due 2019. The proceeds were used to prepay approximately $500 million under the term loan portion of its senior secured credit...

Convergys Corp. said it renewed a billing services contract with Alltel Corp. to manage Alltel's wireless data rating operations for four years.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... Convergys Corp. said it renewed a billing services contract with Alltel Corp. to manage Alltel's wireless data rating operations for four years. Convergys, which runs call centers and handles billing for other companies, did not disclose...

University of Arkansas at Little Rock.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... University of Arkansas at Little Rock deans and key administrators joined Chancellor Joel E. Anderson in making gifts and pledges totaling $943,560 to support university programs and scholarships. The donations came from 20 campus executives to...

U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... The U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission has recommended raising the cost of mailing a first-class letter by two cents and creating a "forever" stamp that would remain valid regardless of future rate increases. The board of governors will decide...

Delta Dental of Arkansas hired Edgewater Technology Inc. of Wakefield, Mass., a technology management consulting firm, to update its existing group rating system.(Business Briefs)
March 5, 2007... Delta Dental of Arkansas hired Edgewater Technology Inc. of Wakefield, Mass., a technology management consulting firm, to update its existing group rating system, which is used by Delta Dental for the plan design and proposal generation for...

Choate named Exec of Year, Hunt projects recognized.(Ed Choate)
March 5, 2007... ED CHOATE, CEO OF SHERwood's Delta Dental of Arkansas since 2000, was named Arkansas Business Executive of the Year at the 2006 Arkansas Business of the Year awards banquet on Feb. 22. Choate, who had been a finalist for the award last...

Fort Smith seeks funds for Marshals museum.(Tourism)
March 5, 2007... NOW THAT FORT SMITH HAS locked in the future U.S. Marshals Service National Museum, local officials have begun the search for funding, turning to the state and national governments as well as private sources. Claude Legris, executive...

In-state rivals arrive in 2008.(new baseball stadium in Arkansas, location, government finance)
March 5, 2007... Next year at this time, the Arkansas Travelers will welcome their first in-state rival into the Texas League as play begins in Springdale's new stadium. The team celebrated the ground-breaking last Wednesday for its new baseball stadium,...

Trail of Tears plans could mean tourist dollars for Arkansas.(Tourism)
March 5, 2007... "Hinaushi pisali, Boa Chito onali, yayali." ("I saw a trail to the big river and then I cried.") --Song sung by the Choctaws in Mississippi, in memory of the people forced west. ALMOST 170 YEARS AGO, THE forced removal of Native...

Hotel sales rise as tourism thrives in Arkansas.(List Overview)(Financial report)
March 5, 2007... HOTEL SALES CONTINUED to rise in Arkansas for 2006 as one of the state's biggest industries, tourism, continued to get bigger. Richard Davies, executive director of the state Department of Parks & Tourism, said total travel expenditures in...

Highest-grossing hotels.(Tourism)
March 5, 2007... HIGHEST-GROSSING HOTELS Ranked by total revenue for 2006 Hotel Web Site Address Phone, Fax 1 The Peabody Little Rock www.peabodylittlerock.com 3...

Advertising & promotion commissions.(Tourism)
March 5, 2007... ADVERTISING & PROMOTION COMMISSIONS Total 2006 Hotel Entity Phone Collections Tax Rate Alma Advertising & (479) 632-4110 ...

Gina's Sushi & Grill.(New Businesses: A Listing of Business Start-Ups in Arkansas)
March 5, 2007... Owner: Gina Wu Address: 9108 N. Rodney Parham, No. 304, Little Rock 72205 Phone: (501) 223-0808 Hours: Mon.-Thu.: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat.: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun.: 12-8 p.m. Start-up: August 18, 2006 E-mail:...

M3 Motivations Mini Mall.(New Businesses: A Listing of Business Start-Ups in Arkansas)
March 5, 2007... Owner: Venita Ross Franklin Address: 1307 John Barrow Road, Suite D, Little Rock 72205 Phone: (501) 221-0215 Fax: (501) 562-2101 Hours: Mon.-Sat: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Start-up: Feb. 1, 2007 E-mail:...

Calendar.(Brief article)(Calendar)
March 5, 2007... MARCH * 6--Small Business Marketing Seminar Time: 9 a.m.-noon Location: Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce, 202 E. Central, Bentonville Fee: $30 For more information, call (479) 575-5148 * 7--UA...

Heartbreak Hotel.(Whispers)
March 5, 2007... The owner of a Little Rock Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites is furious with the way a contractor handled a $3.4 million construction project and is suing to get some of his money back. Swami Hotel Properties LLC of North Little Rock said...

Order up.(Whispers)
March 5, 2007... Ownership of a restaurant property in southwest Little Rock changed in a $l.2 million transaction. Cricdom II Elch LLC of Boston bought the El Chico at 8409 Interstate 30 from USRP Funding 2001 A Ltd. of Orlando, Fla.

Weekly update.(Arkansas Times publisher Alan Leveritt and editor Max Brantley)(Interview)(Column)
March 5, 2007... We let Arkansas Times Publisher Alan Leveritt and Editor Max Brantley vent in last week's column about their perception of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's strategy behind its forthcoming launch of a weekly the Times says is aimed at putting...

New kid in town.(Outtakes: An Inside Look Into Arkansas Media)(appointment of Ed Trauschke and resignation of Michael Fabac at KLRT-TV)(Brief article)
March 5, 2007... When KLRT-TV, Channel 16, News Director Michael Fabac announced he was leaving at the end of last year, it looked like he might have been jumping ship, given the other timely announcement that Fox 16 would be among a number of Clear Channel...

Fair-weather fans.(Outtakes: An Inside Look Into Arkansas Media)
March 5, 2007... A side note suitable for this space that relates to this issue's cover story on the new Dickey-Stephens Park is that KTHV-TV, Channel 11, has signed a deal with the Arkansas Travelers to become the "official weather station" of the new park....

Dormant WLR site awakens: Shackleford crossing project rolls out retail.(Commercial Real Estate)
March 12, 2007... FOR NIGH ON 20 YEARS, a wooded, hilly tract covering 97 acres was known as the future home of Little Rock's largest retail center. The development potential of the southwest corner of Interstate 430 and Shackleford Road finally is becoming...

New tenants fill Pleasant Ridge roster.(Commercial Real Estate)
March 12, 2007... A BLEND OF LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES and first-ever Arkansas locations for national chains and franchises is filling out Lou Schickel's Pleasant Ridge Town Center on Highway 10. The next big ribbon-cutting will come in mid-May, when the...

More Wal-Mart stores destined for supercenters.(Commercial Real Estate)
March 12, 2007... THE TRADITIONAL STORE THAT MADE Wal-Mart a retail giant is fading away. For the past decade, Wal-Mart has either closed its discount stores and opened a Supercenter in the shadow of the shuttered store or renovated them into Supercenters,...

Worth a look.(Whispers)
March 12, 2007... The Dallas Morning News was planning a major Sunday story on those pillars of the northwest Arkansas business community, Jim Bolt and John Dodge, in advance of their fraud trial that was to begin Monday morning in U.S. District Court in...

High-dollar home.(Whispers)
March 12, 2007... A 4,400-SF home near the Country Club of Little Rock rang up a $1.3 million transaction. Richard and Sandra Evans acquired the house from William and Patricia Coker.

Super sale.(Whispers)
March 12, 2007... Remember the Wal-Mart Supercenter project we told you about months ago in North Little Rock? For those keeping score, the nation's largest retail chain acquired the 26.3-acre site near the northwest corner of Maumelle Boulevard and Crystal...

Multifamily deal.(Whispers)
March 12, 2007... The sale of a 52-unit apartment project in midtown Little Rock tipped the scales at $1.5 million. Fair Park Gardens LLC, led by Oscar Holland, bought its namesake project at 1100 Fair Park Blvd. The seller: FPG Inc., led by Jeff...

More mimis.(Whispers)(expansion of Mimi's Cafe)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Mimis Cafe, a chain of restaurants new to the Arkansas market, is already looking to expand. The first Mimis opened on Chenal Parkway in Little Rock a year ago, and another opened two weeks ago in the Pinnacle Hills Promenade at Rogers. ...

Bach to the future.(Whispers)(Bach Foundation)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... The Bach Foundation--that stands for Building Affordable Communities & Housing--is bringing it mission to Little Rock, thanks to Internet education. The Camden, N.J., nonprofit organization has leased a 3,800-SF renovated house at 1302...

Moser update.(Keith Moser accused by Geraldine Reshel for not paying her tax returns)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... Former Little Rock lawyer Keith Moser was recently hit with a $456,000 judgment. The case was brought by a former client, Geraldine Reshel of Jacksonville, who said she lost more than $700,000 dealing with Moser and his law firm. In...

That $456 million.(Editorial)
March 12, 2007... THE ACADEMIC FACILITIES Oversight Committee, a joint committee with members from the House and the Senate, after studying projects sent in by school districts all over the state, says the Legislature should devote more than half the projected...

Legislative wasteland.(Editorial)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... THE ARKANSAS HOUSE OF Representatives last week approved a resolution that makes Arkansas's (with the final s) the official spelling of the possessive form of Arkansas. Goodness, we've been a state for more than 170 years and we're just...

Greenspan power.(Alan Greenspan )(Editorial)(Brief article)
March 12, 2007... IT'S TRULY AMAZING THAT Alan Greenspan still carries the clout that he does. After the 81-year-old former chairman of the Federal Reserve, in a video conference with Hong Kong investors, said the United States might slip into a recession...

Do the right thing.(payday lending)
March 12, 2007... IT IS SO SIMPLE. I HAVE A HARD time understanding how anyone could question the need for House Bill 1036. It establishes a small fine of $300 each time the constitutional limit on interest of 17 percent APR is exceeded. That seems so...

Trucking transaction.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
March 12, 2007... A 7.2-acre trucking development in North Little Rock changed hands in a $1.5 million deal. CalEast Nat LLC of Annapolis, Md., bought the former Watkins Motor Lines project at 7700 Industry Drive from Main Street Associates, led by Robert...

El chico sale.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
March 12, 2007... A restaurant project in southwest Little Rock is under new ownership after a $1.2 million deal. Cricdom II Elch LLC of Boston purchased the El Chico at 8409 Interstate 30 from USRP Funding 2001-A Ltd. of Orlando, Fla. The 0.68-acre...