Ellie Baker

She previously was the city of Magnolia’s economic development director, and her hiring signals the company’s effort to improve community engagement and work with brine leaseholders in south Arkansas. read more >

The lithium race, like the boom that followed drillers striking oil in the Smackover Formation a century ago, could transform Magnolia, El Dorado and the entire region. read more >

South Arkansas offers advantages beyond its mineral-rich underground water, Standard Lithium Ltd. CEO Robert Mintak says. read more >

The company expects the project to create 250 construction jobs and a result in a 15% increase in total jobs at the two facilities. read more >

When 70-year-old Magnolia defense contractor Amfuel needed rescue from bankruptcy a little over a year ago, turnaround investors in Los Angeles swooped in like one of the military choppers the Arkansas manufacturer equips with bullet-resistant fuel tanks. read more >

Magnolia has bloomed in the last couple of years, but local leaders say the south Arkansas city — despite its lack of interstate access — is on the cusp of even greater growth. read more >