Arkansas Business articles from October 2008

Arkansas Business archives from October 2008

Chenal Valley experiences glut of lots.(HOSPITALS)
October 6, 2008... IF DELTIC TIMBER CORP. OFFICIALS needed more convincing that the upscale housing market was slowing down in west Little Rock, they got it on Sept. 25. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Deltic's Chenal Properties subsidiary opened lot sales in its...

Baptist grows, other hospitals struggle: rural facilities turn to voters, sales taxes for operating dollars.(HOSPITALS)
October 6, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LAST WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENT that Baptist Health of Little Rock would take over management of Stuttgart Regional Medical Center was just another addition for the growing hospital system. In August, Baptist Health...

UAMS operating loss may top $46 million.(HOSPITALS)(university of Arkansas for Medical Sciences)
October 6, 2008... THE UNIVERSITY OF Arkansas for Medical Sciences, which will unveil its new $150 million hospital in January, is projecting a $46.25 million operating loss for its current fiscal year, a figure that has almost quadrupled in four years. The...

In hot water.(Whispers)
October 6, 2008... In case you haven't noticed, Crew Restaurant & Bar in the Pleasant Ridge Town Center has closed for good. Lou Schickel of Schickel Development hopes to have a new restaurant in soon. The restaurant wasn't open long enough for a...

Traffic accident.(Whispers)
October 6, 2008... We're going to go out on a limb and declare this to be the single most expensive two-vehicle traffic accident in Arkansas' history. In September 2006, a guard for U.S. Security Associates Inc. of Roswell, Ga., was racing to answer an alarm...

A broadband philosophy.(Whispers)
October 6, 2008... Aristotle Inc. of Little Rock has bought the wireless broadband division of Internet provider Futura Inc., including equipment and its customer base of fewer that 50. During the third quarter of this year, Aristotle will be upgrading...

Hullabaloo in the heights.(Whispers)(property acquisition)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... The house cost $799,000. Additions requested by the buyer cost an estimated $100,000 extra, bringing the price roughly to $899,000. The buyer's failure to follow through on the contract could cost the buyer no less than $75,000,...

Baptist buy.(Whispers)(Arkansas Baptist State Convention)(PB Capitol Properties LLC.)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... A 1.4-acre development in downtown Little Rock is under new ownership in a deal valued at $2 million. PB Capitol Properties LLC, led by Leonard Boen, bought the Arkansas Baptist State Convention quarters at 525 W. Capitol Ave. We...

Correction.(Whispers)(Correction notice)
October 6, 2008... Mark Millsap is co-owner of Foundation Resource Management of Little Rock. The money management firm's name was reported incorrectly in the Sept. 29 issue.

In times like these.(Editorial)(tax revenues)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... WITH THE COUNTRY'S CREDIT market in such a mess that the only fix goes against every free market fiber of our being, it helps to take a deep, cleansing breath and look for things for which to be grateful. And to be grateful that, in...

Taking away free choice.(Letter to the editor)
October 6, 2008... For the past 70 years, the National Labor Relations Board has overseen the union-organizing process in the workplace. Workers are entitled to a federally supervised private-ballot election when deciding whether or not to unionize. Neither paid...

[Cartoon].(Editorial)(Cartoon)
October 6, 2008... MY GRANDPA SAID THEY WERE TOO FRIVOLOUS WITH THEIR CREDIT

State fair valuation.(Publisher's Note)
October 6, 2008... IT'S ARKANSAS STATE FAIR TIME, and Little Rock and North Little Rock are battling to be the future home of the annual event. At a cost reportedly ranging from $50 million to remain at the current fairgrounds on Roosevelt Road in Little Rock...

Foundation acquisition.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
October 6, 2008... A 19,800-SF office project in west Little Rock tipped the scales at $2.3 million. Methodist Family Health Foundation Inc., led by William Altom, bought the 1600 Aldersgate Road project from Nabholz Inc. of Conway. The deal is financed...

Church land.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(Steve and Stephanie Deere)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... A Sherwood congregation is the new owner of about 15 acres after a $1.3 million transaction. Sylvan Hills Church of Christ Inc. purchased the land at the southeast corner of Kellogg Acres Road and Miller Road from Steve and Stephanie...

Industrial assembly.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(Man USA Inc.)(Jane M. Baugus Ltd.)(Butterfield Investments Inc.)(Nabholz Properties Inc.)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... About 155 acres in east Little Rock were assembled for a pipe plant in deals totaling more than $2.1 million. Man USA Inc., an arm of Man Industries (India) Ltd., acquired the property along Zeuber Road on the south side of the Little Rock...

Foreclosure buy.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
October 6, 2008... About 60 acres in North Little Rock were recovered in a $650,000 foreclosure sale. Star Enterprises LLLP, led by Charles and Marilyn Cummings, took ownership of the property on Campbell Road after foreclosing on an August 2006 mortgage of...

Bright ideas sale.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
October 6, 2008... A Maumelle commercial project changed hands in a $475,000 transaction. Charity Pierce bought the 301 Commerce Drive project from Bright Ideas Enrichment Center Inc., led by James Billings. The deal is funded with a five-year loan of...

Genesis purchase.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... A 7,100-SF office building in southwest Little Rock drew a $289,000 sale. Patricia Pearson purchased the former home of Genesis Environmental Consultants at 11400 Baseline Road from MDK Enterprises, led by Mark Witherspoon, Dan McCullough and...

Prospect home.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... A 4,240-SF home in Little Rock's Prospect Terrace neighborhood tipped the scales at $1.1 million. Joseph and Kelly Eichler acquired the house from Howard and Stacy Hurst. The deal is funded with a 30-year loan of $417,000 from One Bank &...

Country Club abode.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
October 6, 2008... A 4,400-SF home near the Country Club of Little Rock rang up a $770,000 transaction. Benjamin Butler IV and his wife, Katherine, bought the house from D&R Real Estate LLC, led by Robert Richardson Jr. The deal is backed with a 30-year loan...

Courts residence.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
October 6, 2008... A 5,400-SF home in The Courts neighborhood of west Little Rock's Chenal Valley development sold for $628,000. Jonathan and Paula Funk purchased the house from Carl Gray Henson Inc. The transaction is financed with a 30-year loan of $417,000...

Foxcroft house.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... A 4,644-SF home in the Foxcroft neighborhood of Little Rock changed hands in a $540,000 sale. Timothy and Alice McClure acquired the house from Jonathan Shively. The deal is funded with a 30-year loan of $417,000 from One Bank & Trust. ...

Industrial funding.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(Simmons First National Bank)(Rubber and Gasket Company Of America Inc.)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... An industrial project in North Little Rock was refinanced with a $3.34 million funding agreement. Rubber & Gasket Co. of America Inc., led by James McGhee, obtained the five-year loan from Simmons First National Bank of Pine Bluff. ...

Office construction.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
October 6, 2008... Construction of a west Little Rock office project is in motion with a $1.9 million mortgage. The Arkansas Realtors Association, led by Jim Furr, received the five-year loan from Summit Bank. The 4.5-acre site, on the north side of...

Inviting mortgage.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(Inviting Properties LLC)(Arvest Bank of Fayetteville)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... The owner of a North Little Rock industrial project picked up a $1.77 million financial package. Inviting Properties LLC, led by Sarah and Robert Mitchell and Pamela Purvis, got the three-year loan from Arvest Bank of Fayetteville. The...

Traditional financing.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)(Traditional Development LLC)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Development of about 30 acres in Jacksonville is backed with a $1.72 million funding agreement. Traditional Development LLC, led by Brian Boroughs, obtained the one-year loan from First Arkansas Bank & Trust of Jacksonville. The land,...

Preschool loan.(Real Deals: A Look at Important Real Estate Transactions)
October 6, 2008... A preschool project in Maumelle was refinanced with a $575,000 note. Hayden & Co. LLC, led by Charles Watson, received the three-year loan from Centennial Bank of Little Rock. The nearly one-acre Learning Tree Pre-school development at...

Shale pipeline project estimated at $1.3 billion.(CONSTRUCTION)
October 6, 2008... A natural gas pipeline estimated at $1.3 billion is in the works for the Fayetteville Shale Play, and two of the play's largest producers have signed on to the deal. Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP of Houston and Energy Transfer Partners...

Baldor electric sells center for $30 million.(MANUFACTURING)
October 6, 2008... Baldor Electric Co. of Fort Smith announced last week that it had recently completed the sale of a distribution center in Tennessee, a transaction valued at $30 million. A portion of the proceeds from the building sale were used to reduce...

Hawker marks opening of $17 million expansion in Little Rock.(In Full View)(Hawker Beechcraft Corp.)
October 6, 2008... HAWKER BEECHCRAFT CORE OF WICHITA, Kan., announced last week that it recently delivered the first Hawker 4000 super-midsized business jet completed at its Little Rock facility. The announcement came at the opening of Hawker's Little Rock...

H.S. call center obtains client layoffs prevented.(EMPLOYMENT)
October 6, 2008... A call center in Hot Springs that announced it would lay off almost all its workers said last week that it has been selected to handle business for a new client and employ more than 500 people. Accent Marketing Services said it has been...

UA researchers awarded $7m grant from NSF.(EDUCATION)
October 6, 2008... The National Science Foundation announced last week that it has awarded University of Arkansas researchers a five-year, $7 million grant to create alliances between K-12 teachers and university faculty in the science, technology, engineering...

Arkansas native's TV show, 'Open Season,' succeeding.(NW Journal: A Look at News From Northwest Arkansas)
October 6, 2008... Joe Norman, a Kingston native whose day job is at Landers McLarty Ford-Jeep in Bentonville, has found a growing television audience for his hunting skills. Norman is a member of the pro staff for "Open Season," a family-oriented hunting...

Past-due loan values skyrocket 121 percent.(NW Journal: A Look at News From Northwest Arkansas)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Twenty-one banks doing business in Benton and Washington counties had a combined $313.8 million worth of loans on their books that were not accruing interest as of June 30. According to uniform bank performance reports filed with the...

The Arkansas Committee on Foreign Relations will host an event Wednesday during which Jeremy Martin will discuss the United States-Mexico relationship with a particular focus on security, the Merida initiative and energy.(Business Briefs)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... The Arkansas Committee on Foreign Relations will host an event Wednesday during which Jeremy Martin will discuss the United States-Mexico relationship with a particular focus on security, the Merida initiative and energy. The event will be held...

The Small Business Development Center at Arkansas State University at Jonesboro will host a pair of seminars called "Growing Your Business in Difficult Economic Times" on Monday and Tuesday.(Business Briefs)
October 6, 2008... The Small Business Development Center at Arkansas State University at Jonesboro will host a pair of seminars called "Growing Your Business in Difficult Economic Times" on Monday and Tuesday. The events will be held at the ASU Technical Center...

ClientFirst Wealth Management LLC of Little Rock was selected as one of the most dependable wealth managers of the southeast United States for 2008 by Goldline Research.(Business Briefs)
October 6, 2008... ClientFirst Wealth Management LLC of Little Rock was selected as one of the most dependable wealth managers of the southeast United States for 2008 by Goldline Research. The list was published in the Sept. 29 issue of Forbes magazine.

University of Arkansas.(Business Briefs)
October 6, 2008... The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville removed the trays from three dining halls to reduce food waste and energy consumption and to save water. The university estimates it will save 200,000 gallons of water per year from not having to wash...

Don Tyson, former chairman and chief executive officer of Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale, is the subject of a new book titled "I Refuse to Have a Bad Day" by former Tyson Vice President Paul Whitley.(Business Briefs)
October 6, 2008... Don Tyson, former chairman and chief executive officer of Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale, is the subject of a new book titled "I Refuse to Have a Bad Day" by former Tyson Vice President Paul Whitley. The book is a collection of stories and...

The College of Agriculture & Technology at Arkansas State University at Jonesboro will open the Bill & Alice Nix Petting Zoo on Thursday.(Business Briefs)
October 6, 2008... The College of Agriculture & Technology at Arkansas State University at Jonesboro will open the Bill & Alice Nix Petting Zoo on Thursday. The zoo will be open to schools only from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and to the public from 10...

Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival.(Business Briefs)
October 6, 2008... The 23rd Annual Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival will be held Thursday through Saturday on Cherry Street in Helena. The three-day festival will feature 78 performers on four stages. Admission to the event is free. For more information, call...

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has instructed its global supply base to stop sourcing cotton and cotton materials from Uzbekistan in an effort to persuade the Uzbek government to stop forced child labor in cotton harvesting.(Business Briefs)
October 6, 2008... Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has instructed its global supply base to stop sourcing cotton and cotton materials from Uzbekistan in an effort to persuade the Uzbek government to stop forced child labor in cotton harvesting. The embargo comes after...

Sam's Club of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced a joint initiative with Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence to champion women entrepreneurs nationwide.(Business Briefs)
October 6, 2008... Sam's Club of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced a joint initiative with Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence to champion women entrepreneurs nationwide. The Wal-Mart Foundation will donate $580,000 to Count Me In, a nonprofit that...

Arkansas State University at Jonesboro will host "Monument & Memory," an art exhibit featuring recent works by Chicago painter and alumnus Dan Addington.(Business Briefs)
October 6, 2008... Arkansas State University at Jonesboro will host "Monument & Memory," an art exhibit featuring recent works by Chicago painter and alumnus Dan Addington. An opening reception will be held Tuesday, Oct. 7 from 5-6:30 p.m. The exhibition will run...

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. revealed Sept. 26 that it entered into a consent order with Parkway Bank of Rogers on Aug. 5.(Business Briefs)
October 6, 2008... The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. revealed Sept. 26 that it entered into a consent order with Parkway Bank of Rogers on Aug. 5. Parkway officials voluntarily agreed to the order without admitting or denying allegations. Jerry Sadler, chairman...

Blast from the past.
October 6, 2008... "DELTIC TIMBER CORP. ANNOUNCED today that the latest offering of residential lots in its Chenal Valley real estate development located in Little Rock was successful." The familiar proclamation was once trumpeted with the latest rollout of...

Care foundation gives $500,000 for NWA campus.(Notes)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... The northwest satellite campus of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is now half-way toward its fundraising goal of $3 million with a $500,000 donation from the Care Foundation Inc. of Springdale last week. The challenge grant...

AHA completes new 11,500-SF headquarters.(Notes)(Arkansas Hospital Association )(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... The Arkansas Hospital Association has completed a 4,500-SF expansion of its Little Rock headquarters at 419 Natural Resources Drive, which brings the building to 11,500 SF. The expansion adds a classroom that can house 60 people, a new...

Jonesboro telecom comes to Galveston hospital's rescue.(HOSPITALS)
October 6, 2008... WHILE FEROCIOUS WINDS and rain from Hurricane Ike tore through Galveston Island, Texas, on Sept. 12 and 13, wreaking havoc on power and telephone lines, one hospital remained online with the help of an Arkansas telecommunications firm. ...

Largest hospitals & medical centers.(HOSPITALS)
October 6, 2008... Largest Hospitals & Medical Centers Ranked by revenue according to most recent Medicare cost report available to Arkansas Business Patient Hospital ...

Taziki's Greek Fare.(New Businesses: A Listing of Business Start-Ups in Arkansas)
October 6, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Owners: Jim Keet, Tommy Keet and Jake Keet Address: 8200 Cantrell Road, Little Rock 72227 Phone: (501) 227-8291 Fax: (501) 227-8293 Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-9 p.m.;...

Swank Hair Studio.(New Businesses: A Listing of Business Start-Ups in Arkansas)(Mandy Ferguson)
October 6, 2008... Owner: Mandy Ferguson Address: 400 N. Bowman, Suite 18, Little Rock 72211 Phone: (501) 221-1755 Fax: (501) 221-1917 Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Monday and evening appointments available Start-up: Sept. 2, 2008 ...

Calendar.(Calendar)
October 6, 2008... OCTOBER * 6--Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment, Course 2274 Time: 9 am.-4 p.m. Location: NorthWest Arkansas Community College, 4004 N. College Ave., Suite L, Fayetteville Fee: $2,250 For more...

National Technical Advisory Council.(EDUCATION)
October 6, 2008... Robert Costrell, a professor at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, has been appointed to the National Technical Advisory Council. This 16-member council advises the U.S. Department of Education on issues regarding the design and...

Philander Smith College.(EDUCATION)
October 6, 2008... Rodney O. Parks has been hired by Philander Smith College at Little Rock as director of development. Parks previously worked 20 years in the financial services industry, most recently at Merrill Lynch.

Terracon Consultants Inc.(ENGINEERING)
October 6, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Quin Baber of Terracon Consultants Inc. in Little Rock was recently promoted to environmental department manager. Baber has been in the industry for 27 years and has been with Terracon for 15.

Twin City Bank.(FINANCIAL SERVICES)
October 6, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Marsha Davis and Laurice Taylor have been made vice presidents at Twin City Bank of North Little Rock. Davis, who serves as a regional manager in the Little Rock and Bryant markets, began...

Arkansas Highway & Transportation Department.(GOVERNMENT)
October 6, 2008... Emanuel Banks has been promoted to assistant chief engineer for operations for the Arkansas Highway & Transportation Department in Little Rock. Other promotions include Michael Benson, division head of materials; Scott Mullis, District 8...

Arkansas Educational Television Network Commission.(GOVERNMENT)
October 6, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Don Hale was elected to a second term as chairman of the Arkansas Educational Television Network Commission in Conway. Other officers re-elected are Sammie...

Arkansas Children's Hospital.(HEALTH CARE)
October 6, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Val Segalla has been promoted to director of board relations at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. She has worked at the hospital since 1992.

Dr. Rhonald M. Searcy has joined the medical staff of Northwest Health System at Bingham-Bledsoe Diagnostic Center in Springdale.(HEALTH CARE)
October 6, 2008... Dr. Rhonald M. Searcy has joined the medical staff of Northwest Health System at Bingham-Bledsoe Diagnostic Center in Springdale. He is board-eligible in family medicine.

Dr. Steve Mangan of Little Rock received the prestigious Fellowship Award during the Academy of General Dentistry's convocation ceremony in Orlando, Fla.(HEALTH CARE)
October 6, 2008... Dr. Steve Mangan of Little Rock received the prestigious Fellowship Award during the Academy of General Dentistry's convocation ceremony in Orlando, Fla. This award is presented to dentists who strive to remain current in their profession and...

Todd Wooten and Jon Robinson, who formerly practiced in Little Rock at Robinson Wooten PLC, have joined the Laser Law Firm PA as partners, and Chris Walsh and Allen Mazzanti have joined the firm as associates.(LEGAL)
October 6, 2008... Todd Wooten and Jon Robinson, who formerly practiced in Little Rock at Robinson Wooten PLC, have joined the Laser Law Firm PA as partners, and Chris Walsh and Allen Mazzanti have joined the firm as associates. The Laser Law Firm was founded in...

Colson Caster Corp.(MANUFACTURING)
October 6, 2008... Kevin Osborn has been made director of operations at Colson Caster Corp. in Jonesboro. Also, Vince Caligiuri has been made the lead quality engineer.

Junior League of Little Rock.(NONPROFITS)(JoBeth McElhanon has been appointed)(Courtney McLarty has been named)(Tisha Gribble has also been appointed)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... JoBeth McElhanon has been elevated to president of the Junior League of Little Rock for the 200809 term. Other board members include Courtney McLarty, president-elect; Ashley Olinghouse, community vice president; Tisha Gribble, marketing vice...

Arkansas Community Foundation.(NONPROFITS)
October 6, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cynthia Pugh of Little Rock has been elected chair of the Arkansas Community Foundation state board of directors. Ted Gammill, also of Little Rock, is vice chair.

Little Rock Zoo.(NONPROFITS)
October 6, 2008... Joseph Darcangelo has been hired by the Little Rock Zoo as the new curator of hoof stock. Darcangelo has 12 years of experience.

Arkansas Repertory Theatre.(NONPROFITS)
October 6, 2008... Dr. Janet Cathey has been made a member of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre board in Little Rock. Other new members include Melissa Myers Hendricks, Stuart Mackey, Laura Martin, Annamary Dougherty Thompson and Paul Strack.

Stock summary.(Movers and Shakers)
October 6, 2008... Stock Summary 10/2/2008 Weekly YTD Arkansas Public Company Stocks Close Change Change Acxiom Corp. (ACXM) 11.81 -7.45% 0.85%...

Loco.(Outtakes: An Inside Look Into Arkansas Media)
October 6, 2008... The Allison Agency of Little Rock has added a regional account to its client list. Locos Grill & Pub of Athens, Ga., signed with the agency in September, and the Allison Agency will develop advertising for the restaurant's 23 locations. As...

Early bird.(Outtakes: An Inside Look Into Arkansas Media)
October 6, 2008... You can now wake up to the sound of a former Little Rock television personality's voice. Andy Pearson, who left KTHV-TV, Channel 11, in 2006, has joined KARN-FM, 102.9, as a morning newscaster. "First News With Bob Steel" now employs Pearson to...

Back from the dead.(Outtakes: An Inside Look Into Arkansas Media)(Exquisite Corpse )(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... The Exquisite Corpse Annual will publish through the department of writing at the "The Center of Learning." The first issue will weigh in at 150 pages and complement the Web site, www.corpse.org. The Corpse is returning to print after...

Bond ... Michele Bond.(Outtakes: An Inside Look Into Arkansas Media)
October 6, 2008... A CJRW staffer recently jumped over to a client of the full-service advertising and marketing firm. Michele Bond, formerly the senior officer and manager of CJRW's Springdale office, left Arkansas' largest homegrown agency to join Tyson...

Thanks for reading.(Outtakes: An Inside Look Into Arkansas Media)(subscriptions rising)(Brief article)
October 6, 2008... Much has been made of declining subscription numbers for news publications. Outtakes is especially happy to note that not all publications are losing paying readers. Arkansas Business saw paid subscriptions rise 1.6 percent year-over-year,...

Indicators suggest end of 'soft market' for insurance rates.(INSURANCE)
October 13, 2008... THE "SOFT MARKET" THAT HAS BROUGHT -sale pricing to some lines of commercial insure will likely end in 2009, according to insurance executives in Arkansas. That's good news for insurance agents whose commissions have been depressed with...

Insurance scams rising in state; tough economy prompts increase in fraud, investigators say.(INSURANCE)
October 13, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ELESHA MARTIN WANTED INVESTIGATORS to believe that she didn't know what started a fire that burned the Maumelle house she was renting. The 36-year-old, who had been making a living sewing children's clothes, had...

Arkansas insurers mostly insulated from U.S. woes.(INSURANCE)
October 13, 2008... WHILE THE UPROAR OF the financial markets and the shakeup of financial services firms continue, the chief regulator of insurance companies in Arkansas is feeling pretty good about the state of the local industry. "This whole situation is a...

Moving the enclave.(Whispers)
October 13, 2008... Did you know a signature real estate development in downtown North Little Rock is going up for sale? Bomasada Group Inc. of Houston has cast about for candidates to market The Enclave at the Riverfront. It will be interesting to see if...

Slowdown leads to cuts.(Whispers)
October 13, 2008... Perhaps you've heard that Little Rock's CDI Contractors LLC was laying off some staffers. We have too. Dillard's Inc., sole owner of the general contracting firm, has no comment. The same goes for CDI execs. "No comments"...

Power play.(Whispers)
October 13, 2008... An appeal out of White County Circuit Court is expected to establish the strength of Arkansas' eminent domain laws, particularly when it comes to a natural gas pipeline. In December, Arkansas Midstream Gas Services Corp. of Searcy sent a...

Pending ruling.(Whispers)
October 13, 2008... The second exodus from bankruptcy court by Winrock Grass Farm Inc. a few weeks ago had an interesting consequence for a federal lawsuit. U.S. District Court Judge James Moody asked for briefs on why he should or shouldn't dismiss the case...

New rider.(Brief article)
October 13, 2008... The shell of the mysteriously vanished Velo Rouge was finally being peddled publicly by Moses Tucker Real Estate--that is, it was until late last week, when the firm struck a deal with a new tenant. The languishing space on the southwest...

Conservatism still fashionable.(Editorial)(Editorial)
October 13, 2008... WHEN THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE for president suggests the government buy up bad mortgages, it's easy to believe all those pre-written obituaries for the conservative movement in America. And the polls showing Barack Obama gaining momentum and...