LITTLE ROCK — The votes are in, and a new coolest thing made in Arkansas has been announced. The AirCare pedestal humidifier came out on top in the “Coolest Thing Made in Arkansas” contest. more

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 2024 Ag Innovation Challenge, a competition for state startup businesses developing innovative solutions for farmers, ranchers and rural communities, will accept applications through Nov. 8. Farm Bureau partners with the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas to sponsor the annual statewide contest. more

Wait and save up more

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The USS Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects most US households, on average, will pay about the same to heat their homes as they did last winter. A notable exception is that EIA expects Midwestern homes heated by natural gas will pay about 11% more on average for heat than last winter. more

On Wednesday, Oct. 2, North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) announced it has been awarded a $398,346 Rural EMS Training grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This grant, designated for the next two years, aims to support the recruitment and training of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel with a focus on addressing substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders in Boone and Newton Counties and the surrounding area. more

The statewide gas price average in Arkansas was $2.81 for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel on Thursday, according to the AAA Arkansas Weekend Gas Watch. That price is six cents less compared to that day last week and is 55 cents less per gallon compared to that day last year. more

LOWELL — J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., one of the largest supply chain solutions providers in North America, announced that it has added 20 Nikola Tre fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) to expand sustainability solutions for customers with freight needs along the West Coast. more

Nestled on the north side of the Harrison square, the Town House Cafe is the perfect place to start the day or have a solid lunch. more

DETROIT — Around 45,000 dockworkers at East and Gulf Coast ports have returned to work after the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) suspended its three-day strike. The strike, which could have caused significant disruptions and price increases if prolonged, has been paused until Jan. 15 to allow time for negotiations on a new contract. The ILA and the US Maritime Alliance, representing ports and shipping companies, reached a tentative agreement on wage increases, but the deal is still pending approval by union members. more

Stores recently saw runs on toilet paper as consumers worried that port worker strikes would lead to shortages. The American Forest and Paper Association President (AFPA) and CEO, Heidi Brock, released a statement this week to reassure folks that the product would not see a shortage for reasons like the strike, “The American Forest and Paper Association is aware of reports of toilet paper shortages, which some have attributed to the current port strike. While we continue to urge the ILA and USMX to quickly bring an end to this strike to restore our members’ access to export their products, we would like to stress we are not aware of any expected impact to tissue product delivery in the US.” more

JONESBORO — The US Department of Agriculture said Tuesday that consumers shouldn’t expect food shortages in the near term because of the port strike; however, economists say a long strike could prompt changes on grocery shelves and at the checkout. more

Seeing things in a different way more

CORNING — G&H Decoys has relocated its headquarters and manufacturing operations to Corning, Arkansas with plans to create 77 new jobs in the region. The company is investing more than $2.1 million to relocate and establish its new manufacturing facility in Arkansas. more

NEW YORK — A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children. more

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged DraftKings Inc. with selectively disclosing material, nonpublic information to investors who followed or otherwise viewed the company CEO’s social media accounts without disclosing that same information to all investors, in violation of Regulation Fair Disclosure (FD). DraftKings agreed to pay a $200,000 civil penalty to settle the SEC’s charges. more

LITTLE ROCK — On Friday, Sept. 20, the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, Workforce Policy and Innovation, in conjunction with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, announced Arkansas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 3.3% for a third consecutive month. The United States’ jobless rate declined one-tenth of a percent point, from 4.3% in July to 4.2% in August. more

Dear Dave, more

Visa’s Exclusionary and Anticompetitive Conduct Undermines Choice and Innovation in Payments and Imposes Enormous Costs on Consumers, Merchants, and the American Economy more

HARRISBURG — Increasing funding for land-grant work in Arkansas agriculture may take some persuasion, considering how few legislators have ties to agriculture or understand the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s impact in every Arkansas county. more

BENTONVILLE — This month, Walmart introduced Caroline’s Carts into all its Arkansas stores. The specially designed carts help caregivers of children and adults with disabilities navigate all Walmart stores in Arkansas more easily. The retailer says that this multimillion-dollar investment is part of a larger commitment to champion inclusivity and accessibility in all its stores. more