News in brief

Oil, gas lease sale

includes state tracts

The Eastern States Division of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's quarterly online oil and gas lease sale on June 21 will include 24 parcels totaling 2,202.87 acres in Cleburne and Van Buren counties, the agency said in a news release.

The auction will begin at 7 a.m. on the website, EnergyNet, at https://www.energynet.com/index.pl. Each parcel will have its own three-hour open-bidding period.

Those wishing to bid must register on the EnergyNet site before the sale.

The public may protest any of the parcels being offered until April 20 by mail, postmarked by April 20 and sent to the BLM Eastern States Office, Attention: State Director, 20 M St. SE, Suite 950, Washington, D.C. 20003; or by fax to: (202) 912-7798.

The sale notice, environmental assessments, maps of the parcels and other information can be found online at https://on.doi.gov/2jBNieS

Oil and gas leases are awarded for a 10-year term and as long thereafter as the lease produces oil and gas in marketable quantities.

-- Noel Oman

Conagra frozen steak

recalled over bones

Conagra Brands Inc. in Russellville has recalled 135,159 pounds of Salisbury steak products that may be contaminated with pieces of bone, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday evening.

The USDA said the 27-ounce "family-style" packages are under Conagra's Banquet brand. They were produced on March 10 and have a 'best by' date of Sept. 1, 2019, a lot code of 5006 8069 10 05, and a USDA mark of inspection of 'P-115.' They were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

The USDA said the problem "was discovered after the firm received several consumer complaints and three reports of minor oral injury associated with consumption of this product." Consumers who have purchased these products are urged to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

-- Stephen Steed

State index climbs

0.42, ends at 401.16

The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, gained 0.42 to 401.16 Thursday.

"The S&P Index rallied led by the financials sector despite a late sell-off as support for equities remains strong as the broader market grinds higher in the absence of negative headlines," said Leon Lants, managing director at Stephens Inc. in Little Rock.

Total volume for the index was 20.2 million shares.

The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.

Business on 04/13/2018

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