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Farm markets get a try in fight against obesity

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Grant money from a federally funded Farmers Market Promotion Program will help two Arkansas-based nonprofits move forward this year with efforts to attract more low-income customers at farmers markets in their communities. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Feb 12, 2012 at 3:53 a.m.

Health records contract awarded

Firm gets nod to design exchange

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — The state of Arkansas awarded a contract this week to establish its State Health Alliance for Records Exchange — a digital infrastructure that would allow a diverse group of healthcare providers in the state, and eventually across the nation, access to a patient’s electronic medical record. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Feb 11, 2012 at 3:21 a.m.

P.A.M. logs gain, hails new strategy

Subscriber onlyP.A.M. Transportation Service Inc., a trucking company historically known for hauling car parts, on Thursday reported a modest fourth-quarter profit and touted an effort to seek out more nonautomotive-related freight as helping its performance. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Feb 10, 2012 at 3:04 a.m.

USA Truck reports loss of $4.4 million in quarter

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — USA Truck Inc. on Monday reported a fourth-quarter net loss that was larger than the one it reported a year ago. The Van Buren based company blamed its performance on challenges related to pricing and load volume. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Feb 7, 2012 at 2:50 a.m.

Drive-By Shooting Reported

Subscriber onlySPRINGDALE — Police are investigating a drive-by shooting reported on Braxton Drive on Friday night. Continue reading...

By STAFF REPORT Posted: Feb 5, 2012 at 5:49 a.m.

Eateries root for takeout orders

Pizzerias say Super Bowl creates year’s 2nd-busiest day

Subscriber onlyToday, people will gather in front of television sets to see the New York Giants or the New England Patriots become the Super Bowl XLVI title holder. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Feb 5, 2012 at 3:45 a.m.

Tyson 1st-quarter profit down 48%

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale saw its first-quarter profit fall, saying a “rough patch” in the beef sector contributed to the weakness in the October-through-December period. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Feb 4, 2012 at 3:33 a.m.

Tyson’s partner hits deal on diesel

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — A producer of renewable diesel backed by Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale said Wednesday that a deal with the Mansfield Oil Co. will increase its fuel sales to businesses with vehicle fleets. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Feb 2, 2012 at 4:29 a.m.

Trane plant to cut 59 jobs

Coil production to move to S.C.

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — A representative with Trane Inc. on Monday said the transfer of coil production to South Carolina will reduce the hourly work force at its Fort Smith plant that makes residential air conditioners. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Jan 31, 2012 at 4:41 a.m.

Arkansas Best in black, trails forecast

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Best Corp. on Friday said higher average freight rates during the October through December period contributed to a profitable fourth quarter, but the company missed earnings estimates and shares plunged Friday. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Jan 28, 2012 at 3:20 a.m.

J.B. Hunt quarterly earnings rise 25%

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. on Thursday said efforts to “drive out cost and create efficiency” in part helped its fourth-quarter earnings performance. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Jan 27, 2012 at 4:31 a.m.

Store beef prices at historic highs, and upward pressures continue

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — During a weak economy the customer count at Richard’s Country Meat Market in Fayetteville is up, and total sales down. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Jan 22, 2012 at 3:55 a.m.

Animal dosing debate restarts

FDA to limit antibiotic use

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this month said it will limit the extralabel use of cephalosporins on food-production animals such as cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Jan 15, 2012 at 3:40 a.m.

Hospital verifies several layoffs

Cutbacks cited at Gravette site

Subscriber onlyOzarks Community Hospital of Gravette on Friday confirmed it laid off a handful of employees as it restructures services at the 25-bed, critical-access hospital and neighboring clinic. Morgan Black, a hospital spokesman, declined to say how many employees were let go, and an Ozarks Community Health hospital official in Springfield, Mo., also declined to provide employment figures for the Arkansas hospital and clinic. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Jan 14, 2012 at 4:24 a.m.

Tyson adding 60 jobs at plant

Fayetteville site newly renovated

Subscriber onlyTyson Foods Inc. is hiring about 60 people to work at a prepared-foods plant in south Fayetteville, the company said Thursday. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Jan 6, 2012 at 3:35 a.m.

Tyson grows by 60 jobs at plant in Fayetteville

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Tyson Foods Inc. is hiring about 60 people to work at a prepared-foods plant in south Fayetteville, the company said Thursday. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Jan 6, 2012 at 3:30 a.m.

Lindsey creditor contests debt deal

Subscriber onlyFAYETTEVILLE — U.S. District Judge Jimm Larry Hendren on Tuesday heard arguments that a bankruptcy court erred when it overlooked fraud and allowed former real estate developer John David Lindsey to pay only part of what he owed to a heavy-equipment leasing company after he filed for bankruptcy protection. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Jan 4, 2012 at 3:42 a.m.

Food safety plan said on horizon for small farms

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — James Meeks said creating a paper trail of the farm management practices on his tomato farm in southeastern Arkansas is a time-consuming and paperwork-intensive endeavor. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Dec 25, 2011 at 1:06 a.m.

Poultry changes reaction mixed

Some say they come up short

Subscriber onlyContract poultry farmers have mixed reactions a week after the U.S. Department of Agriculture published new rules governing their relationships with poultry dealers such as Tyson Foods Inc., the nation’s largest poultry processor. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Dec 18, 2011 at 3:55 a.m.

Chicken supply falls, prices rise

U.S. data cite industry cutbacks

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Poultry production data released this week from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show cutbacks made by the commercial chicken industry are helping boost average prices in the grocery store. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Dec 17, 2011 at 3:41 a.m.

Bill tries to speed trucker tracking

Devices to boost safety, firms say

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — A group of trucking companies, including J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. of Lowell, hopes to sidestep the federal agency regulatory process to hasten adoption of electronic devices intended to track the amount of time a driver can spend behind the wheel. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Dec 13, 2011 at 4:34 a.m.

Savings shine for poultry houses with LED lights

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Salesmen at NextGen Illumination Inc. of Fayetteville are pounding the pavement to increase demand for a lighting product promising big savings for chicken farms. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Dec 11, 2011 at 4:08 a.m.

Bentonville 21c hotel breaks ground today

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — The folks who show up at today’s groundbreaking ceremony for Bentonville’s 21c Museum Hotel will have a chance to see an architect’s rendering of what the luxury hotel will look like when it opens in 2013. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Dec 6, 2011 at 5:25 a.m.

Condominium glut, loan snags depress market

Slump sees owners trim prices, convert buildings

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — This year is shaping up to be one of the worst for condominium sales in Benton and Washington counties. Real estate experts say difficulty acquiring loans and an oversupply of units account for most of the drop-off. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Dec 4, 2011 at 3:54 a.m.

Truckers’ medical certification to go in state database

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Beginning today, people who have Arkansas commercial driver’s licenses are being notified that they must provide medical-certification information for a database overseen by the Department of Finance and Administration, which maintains the license records. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Nov 30, 2011 at 4:26 a.m.

Airline in need of state riders

SeaPort subsidy hinges on fliers

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — SeaPort Airlines wants passengers from Harrison, Hot Springs and El Dorado to fill its nine-seat aircraft so it can continue to qualify for a U.S. Department of Transportation subsidy dating back to 1978. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Nov 29, 2011 at 4:43 a.m.

Tyson profit tumbles 54%

Firm reports gains in most segments, but not chicken

Subscriber onlySPRINGDALE — Tyson Foods Inc. on Monday reported fourth-quarter gains in beef, pork and prepared foods segments helped counter a $82 million loss in its chicken segment. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Nov 22, 2011 at 4:58 a.m.

U.S. officials reach out to state’s Asian farmers

Subscriber onlyAbout a dozen Hmong farmers gathered earlier this week as part of a community roundtable discussion to help promote the use of government programs. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Nov 19, 2011 at 3:30 a.m.

Vineyard mechanization toasted

Workshop traces technological leaps in grape-growing

Subscriber onlyFAYETTEVILLE — Owners of Midwestern vineyards employing some form of mechanization have heard of Justin R. Morris — a distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Arkansas Department of Food Science. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Nov 17, 2011 at 3:37 a.m.

Testing starts on biodiesel jet fuel

Blend to be used on 2 U.S. flights

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Dynamic Fuels begins testing its 20 percent biodiesel jet fuel blend in a limited number of commercial flights in the United States, months after a similar experiment was announced in Europe, the company said Monday in a news release. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Nov 8, 2011 at 4:56 a.m.

New cemetery soon to open, with array of designer touches

Subscriber onlyROGERS — Johnelle Hunt never imagined she’d design a cemetery, but since December 2006 — when her husband, J.B. Hunt, unexpectedly died — that’s exactly what she has done. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Nov 6, 2011 at 3:29 a.m.

Trucker steers in a boost in profit

Arkansas Best cites its pricing

Subscriber onlyOfficials from Arkansas Best Corp. on Friday said the pricing strength of its trucking business had recovered during the Julythrough-September period as the Fort Smith holding company reported a thirdquarter profit. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Oct 29, 2011 at 3:28 a.m.

U.S. rules proposed for poultry industry hatch clashing views

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Tommy Choate of El Dorado said he didn’t know a thing about the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration when he borrowed more than $1 million to get into poultry farming in 2005. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Oct 23, 2011 at 4:04 a.m.

Carrier reports loss for quarter

USA Truck snubs merger meeting

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — USA Truck Inc. on Friday reported a net loss for the quarter ended Sept. 30, and said its board of directors unanimously declined meeting with Celadon Group of Indianapolis to discuss a possible merger. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Oct 22, 2011 at 3:44 a.m.

Sales of ‘choice’ quality beef fall

Both demand, supply are low

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Consumers are buying less beef of a higher quality, according to data in the monthly Livestock, Dairy & Poultry Outlook released Tuesday. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Oct 19, 2011 at 4:57 a.m.

USA Truck to discuss possible merger

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — USA Truck on Tuesday said it would consider but not comment on a trucking competitor’s proposal to discuss a merger. Investors, however, spoke, pushing up the carrier’s stock price by nearly 20 percent. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Oct 12, 2011 at 4:09 a.m.

Business incubator sets sister company

State firm has eye on Boston region

Subscriber onlyFAYETTEVILLE — Virtual Incubation Co, a for-profit technology incubator in Fayetteville, said this week that it’s starting a sister business near Boston. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Oct 6, 2011 at 4:53 a.m.

Pilgrim’s Pride to appeal decision

Judge: Tried to rig poultry market

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., the poultry giant in Greeley, Colo., “will appeal accordingly” a $25.8 million court decision that favors a group of poultry growers mostly from south central Arkansas, the chief executive officer said Monday. “We’re disappointed in the court’s findings,” Bill Lovette, Pilgrim’s CEO, wrote in an emailed statement referring to Friday’s decision from the U.S. District Court of Eastern Texas. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Oct 4, 2011 at 4:17 a.m.

PEOPLE & PLACES

Subscriber onlyWilliams Marks 98th Birthday Continue reading...

By - STAFF REPORT Posted: Oct 2, 2011 at 4:45 a.m.

UA team takes on hog waste

Focus is on methods to lessen environmental impact

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — A small team of researchers at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville are experimenting with techniques to lessen the environmental impact of swine manure. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Oct 2, 2011 at 4:05 a.m.

YRC Worldwide fights to recover after restructuring

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — A bankruptcy filing for truck holding company YRC Worldwide Inc. hasn’t been ruled out by some transportation analysts. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Sep 25, 2011 at 4:51 a.m.

ABF Freight president to retire at end of year

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Wesley Kemp, president and chief executive officer of the trucking company owned by Arkansas Best Corp., will retire at the end of the year as part of a corporate policy limiting the age of executives to under 65 years old. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Sep 22, 2011 at 4 a.m.

Tyson to pay workers for time putting on gear

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale joins a short list of U.S. poultry producers that have agreed to pay hourly workers for the time it takes to put on protective gear and clothing such as aprons, gloves and hairnets. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Sep 21, 2011 at 4:10 a.m.

Blazing summer hard on farmers

’12 decline seen for dairy herds

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas dairy industry is coming off a hot, dry summer that’s stressed hay crops while profits from strong milk prices are being eaten up by the higher production costs. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Sep 17, 2011 at 4:09 a.m.

Colorado turkey plant to close

Butterball keeps 3 Arkansas units

Subscriber onlyButterball LLC of Garner, N.C., said it will shutter a Colorado plant employing about 350 people on Dec. 31 to streamline operations and to counter high feed costs. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Sep 16, 2011 at 3:23 a.m.

Retailer focus on helping women

Wal-Mart sets 5-year initiative

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Wednesday added to its list of far-reaching initiatives when it announced a fiveyear effort to improve the economic plight of women across the world. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Sep 15, 2011 at 3:54 a.m.

Cargill officials assessing restart

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — It remained unclear Monday when operation will resume at the Cargill plant in Springdale after the company halted ground turkey production Friday after meat samplings by the U.S. Department of Agriculture revealed more salmonella Heidelberg-tainted meat, officials said. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Sep 13, 2011 at 5:43 a.m.

Health group plans projects

Subscriber onlyROGERS — Mercy of Northwest Arkansas said it will shell out nearly $90 million on capital projects and equipment through 2018 as part of a community master plan to meet the region’s changing needs. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Sep 13, 2011 at 3:45 a.m.

Calves head off to market early

Drought over past 2 years taking toll on state’s herds

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Arkansas cattle producers in a normal year sell their spring-born calves in September, October or November as part of a “fall run.” The timing is linked to the cost of feeding lactating cows. Having them eat grass is cheaper than feeding them hay or grain. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Sep 11, 2011 at 5:09 a.m.

Poultry spat raises fear of export fee

U.S. producers working to resolve Mexico’s complaint of leg ‘dumping’

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — The poultry industry in the United States fears a trade dispute with Mexico will reapply duties on exported chicken leg quarters if an accord is not met, officials with the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council said Tuesday. Continue reading...

By Laurie Whalen Posted: Sep 7, 2011 at 4:06 a.m.

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