Newport Economic Development Commission

The Newport Economic Development Commission finishes a nearly $4.3 million workforce and technology complex. read more >

The legal dispute started in November 2020 when marijuana cultivator Natural State Wellness received approval to move to Jefferson County. read more >

The RightFiber Wi-Fi Park, named after Ritter's broadband service, aims to expand access to high-speed internet in the area. read more >

For the past 20 years, a half-cent for every buck spent in Newport has pumped millions of dollars into local economic development, helping to stem an exodus and turn Jackson County into a commuter destination for 3,000 incoming workers per day. read more >

Scott Foushee of Newport and Rusty Pendergraft of Texarkana join the board of directors Today’s Power Inc. of North Little Rock, a renewable energy company specializing in small utility scale solar power plants. read more >

Turnabout is fair play in Jefferson County, which gained a medical marijuana cultivation center from Newport this month after losing it to the Jackson County seat more than two years ago. read more >

Newport’s Iron Mountain Train Depot still has its century-old ticket window, but instead of sending railroad passengers on their way, the refurbished station will soon put Arkansans on a track to better careers. read more >

The U.S. Economic Development Administration awards a $2.5 million grant to Newport's Tech Depot IT Apprenticeship Academy. read more >

The Newport Economic Development Commission and Arkansas State University-Newport are partnering with the Arkansas Center for Data Sciences to bring a regional information technology training center to downtown Newport. read more >

Don Parker can tell you chapter and verse about how he’ll grow medicinal marijuana at a $9 million, 35,000-SF cultivation facility his company is building in Newport. But ask where he’ll get his first plant or seed, and he goes quiet for a beat. read more >

Pinpointing legally permissible real estate for the state’s first medical cannabis enterprises after a 2016 legalization vote was like plunging into the haystack to find the perfect spot for a needle, those involved in the process say. read more >

Gränges of Sweden announced Thursday that it will invest $26 million to expand its Newport operations and create 100 full-time jobs. read more >

Starting next month, a resurgent downtown Newport will host events on 22 of 26 weekends, culminating in late September with Depot Days, the city’s signature music festival. read more >

Shearer's Snacks, Newport's top manufacturing company, announced it is in the process of hiring 85 employees to meet increased product demand. read more >