⌚ The Week’s Top Stories In 60 Seconds

Here are the five stories that resonated most with Arkansas Business readers this week.

1. Fed Bars Ex-Arkansas Bank Manager Over Alleged Theft

• Jason Lovell, a former Regions Bank branch manager in Harrison, has reached an agreement with the Federal Reserve that bars him from working in the banking industry.
• He was accused of taking money without customer authorization.

2. Apartments on Historic Former School Campus Sell to Little Rock Developer

• The historic Eastside Loft Apartments in downtown Little Rock have been sold to Downtown Dwellings.
• The building, built in 1912, was the auditorium on the former Little Rock High School/Eastside Junior High School campus.

3. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders Announces Appointments

• The governor’s latest round of appointments includes new positions on the State Board of Health, Oil & Gas Commission and Board of Corrections.

4. Derrick Smith Named Managing Director of Mitchell Williams Law Firm

• Smith, who joined the firm in 2000 and has held leadership roles, will now manage No. 3 on Arkansas Business’ most recent list of the state’s largest law firms.
• Smith follows attorney Jeff Thomas, who has led the firm since 2020.

5. Kinco Wins $9.12M Contract to Build Downtown Office Building

• The $9.12 million contract will allow the company to build a four-story office building for the Association of Arkansas Counties.