COVID-19
![Arvest Bank again led the state with $930 million in loans originating in Arkansas, a 15% increase from 2023. [Google Maps]](https://arkansasbusiness.wppcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot_2025-01-21_at_2.10.11_PM_opt-300x194.jpg)
Arkansas Mortgage Market Rebounds in 2024, With Arvest Leading the Way
Of the 12 mortgage lenders that have shared information with Arkansas Business for the past two years, eight of them saw an increase in overall value of mortgages that originated in Arkansas. Five of those institutions saw gains of 10% or more. read more >
by Marty Cook -
Outdoor Gear Sales Slip in ’23 As Boom Retreats
After a pandemic-driven boom, Arkansas outdoor retailers face slow sales in kayaks, canoes, and big-ticket gear, due to inflation and shifting consumer habits. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
Through The Years: The 2020s (40 Years of Arkansas Business)
See highlights from Arkansas Business from 2020 until now. read more >
US Sues West Memphis School District for Denying COVID Accommodations to Asthmatic Teacher
When the district returned to in-person instruction in August 2020, it allegedly told the teacher that she couldn't work remotely. read more >
A New Kind of Hospital is Coming to Rural America. To Qualify, Facilities Must Close Their Beds
The government, which classifies hospitals by type, rolled out the rural emergency option in January 2023. Only 19 hospitals across the U.S. received rural emergency hospital status last year. read more >
by Associated Press -
US Leisure & Hospitality Employment Near Pre-Pandemic High
The number of employees in the leisure and hospitality sectors in the United States stood at 16.8 million in January, just short of the pre-pandemic high of 16.9 million in […] read more >
Ruling Favors Surgery Centers in Reimbursement Fight With Arkansas Blue Cross
More: A deeper look at what led to the lawsuit is available here. A Pulaski County Circuit Court judge Thursday ruled mostly in favor of two Little Rock surgery centers […] read more >
by Mark Friedman -
Baptist Health Could Be Out of Insurer’s Network If Rate Impasse Continues
The state's largest health provider is the latest to battle UnitedHealthcare over reimbursement rates, which it says are among the lowest in the nation. read more >
by Mark Friedman -
Damgoode Pies Closing Last Little Rock Location
Founder Jeff Trine said the pizza chain took on "enormous debt" to survive after the COVID-19 pandemic. read more >
2 Arkansans Charged With Defrauding COVID Loan Programs
Authorities said they knowingly submitted applications that contained false information on revenue, monthly payroll and number of employees. read more >
Bentonville Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Pandemic Loan Programs
Tyler Keith Penix, 37, fraudulently obtained a total of $16.5 million in federal stimulus funds for himself and more than a dozen other purported business owners. read more >
Hank’s Furniture Illegally Fired Worker Over COVID Shot Refusal, Lawsuit Says
The company allegedly denied an employee's request to be exempt from its vaccine requirement based on her Christian beliefs. read more >
by Scott Carroll -
US Will Regulate Nursing Home Staffing for First Time
While such regulation has been sought for decades by allies of older adults and those with disabilities, the proposed threshold is far lower than many advocates had hoped. read more >
Restaurant Wages Up 21%
Arkansas Division of Workforce Services shows wages have grown almost 21% since the pandemic. read more >
Four R Marketing Finds Success in Smackover
The addition of wax to the company's offerings boosts its revenue, placing it on Arkansas Business' list of top 75 private companies for the second consecutive year. read more >
by Will Newton -
A Transformed America’s Car-Mart Rides Out the Squeeze
Despite challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company's decision to upgrade their online loan origination system has given them a leg up over their competitors. read more >
by Marty Cook -
Lab Owner Gets 15-Year Prison Sentence for $134M Medicare Scheme
Authorities say Billy Joe Taylor of Lavaca used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle, purchasing luxury automobiles including a Rolls Royce. read more >
by Mark Friedman -
Big Cities See Rare Decrease In Population in 2020-21
In 2020-21, large cities in the United States, those with populations of 250,000 and above, experienced a population loss of 1%, the first year in the 21st century in which large cities saw a decline. read more >
Dillard’s Highlights COVID Recovery at Annual Shareholders Meeting
CEO William Dillard II touted a $1.8 billion return for shareholders over the past three years. read more >
by Mark Friedman -
Walmart Hit With $19.3M Jury Verdict in Hand Sanitizer Case
The Bentonville retailer abruptly canceled a supplier’s contract in the early stages of the pandemic. read more >
by Mark Friedman -
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![Arkansas Tech University seniors Mandy Hughes and Cogan Hester have navigated college without student loans. [Daniel Moody]](https://arkansasbusiness.wppcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/DHM_1421_opt-150x150.jpg)