LITTLE ROCK — Wal-Mart plans 50,000 Christmas-season hires
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
said Friday that it intends to hire more than 50,000 seasonal workers for the Christmas shopping season, as well as offering more hours to existing employees.
“That means when a customer needs help, a Wal-Mart associate will be there to serve them,” Gisel Ruiz, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Wal-Mart U.S. in Bentonville, said in a news release.
Ruiz noted that the Christmas season is the busiest time of year, and that adequate staffing is necessary to provide service to shoppers during the period.
“We know many customers are continuing to struggle as a result of the economy and high unemployment levels, but they have shown us that they’re resilient,” she said. “They’re committed to giving their families a memorable Christmas.”
A state-by-state breakdown of the planned hirings wasn’t provided.
- Steve Painter Peanut Board role goes to Pocahontas farmer
Kyle Baltz of Pocahontas has been named an alternate member of the National Peanut Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said this week.
Baltz was nominated for the post in April by Arkansas peanut producers in an election held by the Arkansas Agriculture Department. He will serve a three-year term starting Jan. 1. The National Peanut Board represents U.S. peanut farmers by providing information about marketing and farming techniques.
Baltz has farmed since 2001. In 2003, he and his brother Jeremy merged their farming operations and now produce peanuts, rice, soybeans, milo, corn, wheat, hay and cattle. Kyle Baltz is also the owner and manager of Baltz Feed Co.
“Mr. Baltz is familiar with all aspects of the industry and will serve peanut producers well on this important board,” Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Butch Calhoun said in a news release. “The peanut industry is important to Arkansas agriculture, and it’s an honor to have an Arkansan on the board.” - Glen Chase
Bank’s 11.6% surge helps index gain 1.28
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, rose 1.28 to 243.86Friday.
Nine stocks advanced and seven declined.
First Federal Bancshares jumped 11.6 percent, closing at a 52-week high of $10.74.
Arkansas Best slipped 1.9 percent, trading during the day at a 52-week low of $7.32 before closing at $7.42.
For the week, winners and losers were evenly divided.
First Federal climbed 10.3 percent for the week, while Arkansas Best lost 12 percent.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business, Pages 31 on 09/22/2012