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Forbes urges financial overhaul

In Fort Smith, publisher predicts return to gold standard

Subscriber onlyFORT SMITH — Steve Forbes, chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, called on the nation’s elected officials and policymakers Wednesday to establish a consistent monetary policy, simplify the federal tax code and reduce regulations that limit economic growth. “There’s no reason we can’t get back to a vigorous economy,” Forbes said, addressing a large crowd at the annual meeting of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce at the city’s convention center. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Feb 9, 2012 at 4:40 a.m.

Wal-Mart icon to note healthy foods

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Tuesday introduced a new “Great for You” icon for food products to help shoppers identify nutritious foods that also are low in fat, salt and sugar. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Feb 8, 2012 at 4:36 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.

Greeters see shifting role at Wal-Mart

New duties tough on old, infirm, some workers say

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — The role of the Wal-Mart greeter, a fixture at the retailer’s stores for three decades, is, in a word, evolving. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Feb 5, 2012 at 3:08 a.m.

Firm’s move raises profile

Grocer’s items multiplied by 6

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — A 66-year-old Fort Smith wholesale distributing company appears poised for growth after gaining membership in one of the nation’s largest wholesale grocery suppliers. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Jan 29, 2012 at 2:44 a.m.

State jobs uptick forecast for ’12

Concern remains but panic time is past, economist says

Subscriber onlyROGERS — Northwest Arkansas and the rest of the state are likely to see only modest business and job growth in the near term, according to economists and business experts who gathered at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center on Wednesday. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Jan 26, 2012 at 4:50 a.m.

Lawsuit obstructs Fort Smith plant, freezes new jobs

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — The Fort Smith region, battered by layoffs in its manufacturing sector, is hoping for a breakthrough this year with the opening of a completed but so far unoccupied wind turbine plant. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Jan 22, 2012 at 4:17 a.m.

Wal-Mart shuffling some executive jobs

Sam’s Club, other areas get new leaders

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Friday that it is making several executive-level changes, including the top spot at Sam’s Club, effective with the beginning of its next fiscal year Feb. 1. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Jan 21, 2012 at 3:30 a.m.

Retailer seeking drop of lawsuit

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Attorneys for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. are seeking dismissal of a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, that claims the retailer discriminated against women in hiring, pay and promotion decisions. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Jan 18, 2012 at 4:32 a.m.

5 years marked at call center

Experian boosts Van Buren area

Subscriber onlyVAN BUREN — Experian, a key employer for the city, marked the fifth anniversary of its call center Wednesday, as the region and the state see more better-paying manufacturing jobs move to other countries. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Jan 12, 2012 at 4:29 a.m.

Bargains cut into retail profits

Christmas sales up 3.4%, report says, but deals drove traffic

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Retailers on Thursday reported a mostly positive end to the Christmas shopping season, although some of the gain in sales came at the expense of profit margins. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Jan 6, 2012 at 3:50 a.m.

Christmas sales pick up at end

Trackers report surges at retailers in closing week

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Shoppers recovered from their post-Thanksgiving lull to provide U.S. retailers with a strong finish to the Christmas shopping season, according early tallies for the period. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Dec 29, 2011 at 3:43 a.m.

77% still shopping, survey says

Those Christmas buyers intend to spend average of $278

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — The nation’s retailers are wrapping up a heavily promotional Christmas shopping season featuring deep discounts, after a lull in shopping activity that came after the post-Thanksgiving Black Friday sales. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Dec 21, 2011 at 3:27 a.m.

Bentonville firm finds its market niche

Collective Bias using social media to boost consumers, retailers online

Subscriber onlyBENTONVILLE — The rapid growth and popularity of social media is proving to be a boon for a Bentonville company approaching its third year of operations. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Dec 18, 2011 at 4:04 a.m.

Hub’s goal is to shelter businesses

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — If all goes as planned, downtown Fayetteville will soon be home to budding entrepreneurs seeking to turn their business ideas into viable companies that will contribute to the growth of the Northwest Arkansas economy. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Dec 11, 2011 at 4:09 a.m.

Wal-Mart agrees to transfer family stock

Subscriber onlyWal-Mart Stores Inc. said in a regulatory filing Thursday that it has agreed to transfer 70.6 million shares of its stock held by Walton Enterprises LLC, which consists of members of the Walton family. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Dec 9, 2011 at 4:14 a.m.

Exec expecting season at Wal-Mart to be jolly

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is well-positioned for a strong finish to the Christmas shopping season, despite economic conditions that are challenging its customers, the retailer’s top merchandising officer said Thursday. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Dec 9, 2011 at 3:40 a.m.

In Eureka Springs, Christmas takes on more personal touch

Subscriber onlyEUREKA SPRINGS — Christmas is fast approaching, and shoppers are working their way down their gift lists. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Dec 4, 2011 at 3:50 a.m.

Survey: Black Friday rings up record

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — The Black Friday numbers are coming in, and they point to record sales for the day-after-Thanksgiving, unofficial launch of the Christmas shopping season. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Nov 29, 2011 at 4:39 a.m.

Fayetteville hotel getting redo

New name just tip of iceberg for downtown building

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Renovation began Monday on the newly renamed Chancellor Hotel, formerly the Cosmopolitan Hotel, in downtown Fayetteville after a nearly two-month delay in closing the deal to change the building’s ownership. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Nov 27, 2011 at 3:51 a.m.

Early shopping called good sign for retail

Thursday sales termed success

Subscriber onlyAs Black Friday officially arrived at midnight Thursday, a group of four shoppers had been patiently waiting at the Best Buy in Rogers since 8 a.m. Sunday. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter, Paul Quinn Posted: Nov 26, 2011 at 4:58 a.m.

Black Friday door-busters starting early

Some retailers move sales to start Thanksgiving Day

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Retailers eager to launch the Christmas shopping season have pushed Black Friday opening times into Thanksgiving Day in a few cases. Others are starting their door-buster deals at midnight. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Nov 20, 2011 at 3:05 a.m.

Dealer’s revenue rises 20 percent

Very pleased, Car-Mart says

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — America’s Car-Mart Inc. of Bentonville said Friday that its second-quarter revenue rose to $110.8 million, up 20.7 percent from the same period a year ago. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Nov 19, 2011 at 4:22 a.m.

Wal-Mart: Sales skid halted in quarter

Subscriber onlyNORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Tuesday that it has turned the corner on declining sales in stores open at least a year and reported earnings that fell just short of analysts’ estimates. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Nov 16, 2011 at 4:18 a.m.

Retailers pin sales hopes on kids’ toys

Stores mixing new items, classics in battle for bucks

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Retailers are banking on a combination of new-technology pizazz and proven standards as they position themselves to gain their share of toy and game sales during the Christmas shopping season. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Nov 13, 2011 at 3:28 a.m.

Retailer backs off clinic-data request

Subscriber onlyBENTONVILLE — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. sought to distance itself Wednesday from a “Strategic Partner Request for Information” document sent to potential vendors who could help the retailer expand its role in the health-care business. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Nov 10, 2011 at 4:58 a.m.

Retailer testing smaller format

Wal-Mart opens 2 Christmas sites

Subscriber onlyBENTONVILLE — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has opened one small-format store each in downtown Los Angeles and in San Diego for the Christmas shopping season to showcase some of the merchandise available online at walmart.com. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Nov 9, 2011 at 4:38 a.m.

Retailers set Black Friday game plans

With patrons short of cash, stores hone sales strategies

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — A 32-inch flat-panel TV for less than $200: check. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Nov 6, 2011 at 3:17 a.m.

Mexican firm set to buy OK Foods

Subscriber onlyMexico’s largest poultry producer and processor said Friday it has reached an agreement to buy OK Foods, Inc., of Fort Smith, a privately held poultry company. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Oct 29, 2011 at 3:30 a.m.

Whirlpool pulls plug: Fort Smith plant to close; 1,000 to lose jobs

Subscriber onlyFORT SMITH — Whirlpool Corp. said Thursday that it will close its Fort Smith manufacturing plant by the middle of next year, putting about 1,000 people out of work. Continue reading...

By Lisa Hammersly, Steve Painter Posted: Oct 28, 2011 at 5:16 a.m.

Wal-Mart redirecting fashion focus

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Wednesday that it will close its New York City apparel office as it refocuses on everyday clothing needs at low prices. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Oct 27, 2011 at 3:53 a.m.

Wal-Mart to expand price matching

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Monday it is temporarily expanding its ad-match guarantee for the Christmas shopping season to include covering the price difference if shoppers find certain items priced lower than Wal-Mart in the same market. If a customer presents a competitor’s printed advertisement with a lower price than what he paid at Wal-Mart for an identical item, the customer will receive the difference on a Wal-Mart gift card. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Oct 25, 2011 at 5:15 a.m.

Mixed bag of Christmas sales expected

Signs point to bit of gain, though belts are tighter

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — The nation’s retailers are heading into the biggest shopping season of the year with a wary eye on consumers struggling because of stagnant wages and high unemployment and underemployment. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Oct 23, 2011 at 4:12 a.m.

Retailer names head of charity

Burwell to lead Wal-Mart arm

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Friday that Sylvia Mathews Burwell has been named president of its charitable arm, the Wal-Mart Foundation. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Oct 15, 2011 at 4:28 a.m.

J.B. Hunt hits record profit

Intermodal-shipping growth fuels quarter’s $68.7 million

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. of Lowell reported record third-quarter net income Thursday, driven by increases in intermodal shipments and the company’s integrated capacity solutions services. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Oct 14, 2011 at 3:43 a.m.

Out of sales-drop rut, Wal-Mart says

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Executives of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., hosting retail analysts at its annual investor conference Wednesday, said the company has turned the corner on declining U.S. store sales, and they outlined plans for continued but scaled-back domestic growth. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Oct 13, 2011 at 3:48 a.m.

Wal-Mart critics share grievances before conference

Subscriber onlyROGERS — As Wal-Mart Stores Inc. executives prepared Tuesday to host retail analysts at its annual investors conference today, some current and former company employees told some of those analysts that Wal-Mart has only itself to blame for a string of disappointing sales reports. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Oct 12, 2011 at 4:14 a.m.

Halloween forecast scary good

The usual favorites expected to reign as costume trends

Subscriber onlyHalloween specialty retailers and those who dabble in it seasonally are looking for a continued rebound in spending this year after recessionbattered sales bottomed out in 2009. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Oct 9, 2011 at 3:05 a.m.

Cargill lays off 130 in Springdale

Subscriber onlySPRINGDALE — Cargill Meat Solutions Corp. of Wichita said Monday that it has laid off 130 people at its Springdale plant as it awaits federal approval to reopen its ground turkey production line in the wake of a salmonella outbreak. The company recalled 36 million pounds in early August as a result of the strain of salmonella known as Heidelberg that is resistant to many antibiotics. The recall was among the largest in U.S. history. One person died and more than 70 others became ill. The ground turkey line was halted again in September after a much smaller recall and has remained idle. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Oct 4, 2011 at 4:13 a.m.

PEOPLE & PLACES

Subscriber onlyWilliams Marks 98th Birthday Continue reading...

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

NWA Media introduces NWAonline for the iPad

Northwest Arkansas’ largest news media website, nwaonline.com, has introduced an application for Apple iPads, available now from iTunes store or at http://www.nwaonline.com/ipad. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Sep 30, 2011 at 6 a.m.

Home prices drop for quarter

Supply in Benton,Washington counties closer to demand

Subscriber onlyHome prices in Northwest Arkansas’ two most populous counties continued to edge downward, according to the quarterly Skyline Report released Thursday, but the report also showed a drop in completed but unoccupied homes from the previous quarter. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Sep 30, 2011 at 3:08 a.m.

Retailer creates regional overseer

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Wednesday that it has created a new regional management team to oversee operations in Canada, the United Kingdom and Sub-Saharan Africa as well as business development in those areas and in Europe and the Middle East. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Sep 29, 2011 at 3:29 a.m.

Officer retiring from retailer

Wal-Mart exec to leave July 1

Subscriber onlyBENTONVILLE — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Tuesday that Eduardo Castro-Wright, vice chairman and chief executive officer of global e-commerce and global sourcing, will retire July 1. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Sep 28, 2011 at 4:42 a.m.

Lawsuit on bias returns to court

Wal-Mart case move common

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — The federal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has returned the landmark Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. sex discrimination case to the federal court in which it originated. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Sep 27, 2011 at 4:58 a.m.

Wal-Mart ranks 3rd in online movie market

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world leader in bricks-and-mortar retailing, is establishing a foothold in the digital entertainment world with a growing share of the streaming movie market. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Sep 25, 2011 at 4:52 a.m.

Funds to spur growth in jobs

NW Arkansas to get $3 million

Subscriber onlyThe Northwest Arkansas region is to receive about $3 million in federal funding as part of an Obama administration effort to foster job growth in 20 regions across the nation, the U.S. Small Business Administration said Thursday. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Sep 23, 2011 at 4:41 a.m.

Report touts NW Arkansas growth

Region given high marks for jobs, but study notes lag in education

Subscriber onlyFAYETTEVILLE — Northwest Arkansas economic development officials unveiled a benchmark study Tuesday aimed at focusing the region on efforts to raise education levels of the work force and expand business and employment opportunities. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Sep 21, 2011 at 4:05 a.m.

Wal-Mart to offer limited layaway

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Thursday that it is bringing back a limited-time, limited scope version of the pay-overtime layaway plan it terminated five years ago. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Sep 9, 2011 at 4:16 a.m.

Kum & Go aims to stick around

Store chain plans state expansion, focusing on LR area

Subscriber onlyLITTLE ROCK — Through recession and rebound, Kum & Go LC, the 52-year-old convenience-store chain based in West Des Moines, Iowa, continues its steady expansion through the nation’s midsection, including big plans for Little Rock and the surrounding area. Continue reading...

By Steve Painter Posted: Sep 4, 2011 at 4:19 a.m.

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