Gov. Mike Beebe

Zilkha Biomass Energy plans to build a $90 million facility in Monticello that will create 52 jobs. Zilkha says it will make its Zilkha Black Pellet, the first commercially available pellet in the industry, at the Monticello factory. read more >

Gov. Mike Beebe has appointed Andrew Parker to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Parker, the director of governmental affairs for the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, will serve a seven-year term. read more >

Baptist Health of Little Rock broke ground Monday on a 216,000-SF, 96-bed hospital in Conway. The facility is expected to open in 2016. The entire project is estimated to cost about $130 million. The hospital is expected to open in 2016 and employ about 425 workers. read more >

The president of the Teamsters local in North Little Rock says he will meet with Gov. Mike Beebe next week as the union tries to keep ABF Freight Systems from moving its distribution center — and most of its 300-plus jobs — to Memphis. read more >

Food service products distributor Ben E. Keith said Tuesday that it will spend $60 million on a North Little Rock plant, adding 74 new jobs at an average wage of $33.75 per hour. read more >

Communities across the state will be recognizing the travel and tourism industry, beginning Saturday. The industry welcomed more than 23 million visitors to Arkansas in 2013. The visitors spent about $5.9 billion last year. read more >

Guns and abortions were featured items on the legislative agenda again last week at the 89th General Assembly, but Arkansas lawmakers ventured into other areas as well. read more >

Arkansas State University’s athletic department has a new name and new leader for its fundraising arm. Carter Ford has been named executive director of the Red Wolf Foundation. Formerly the organization was named the Red Wolf Club. read more >

We all share the challenge of achieving balance in various aspects of our lives. We want to be productive, efficient, valuable employees, but we also want to have available quality time in our personal lives to spend with our families and friends, to pursue interests of our own, and to participate in community and civic activities. read more >