The group pushing for the legalization of alcohol sales in three Arkansas counties commissioned an economic impact study that estimated those counties would have seen a combined $87.2 million in retail alcohol sales in 2013. read more >

Six Arkansans and those with Arkansas ties find themselves on the Forbes list of the world's 500 richest people, released this week. read more >

The world's largest retailer is known for putting on an extravaganza that blends news about the company's finances with performances by celebrity entertainers. read more >

A man who lost his job at Wal-Mart after interrupting an assault of a woman in the parking lot says he's rejecting the company's offer to return to work. read more >

A Muslim advocacy group is asking Wal-Mart to rehire a worker who posted derogatory comments about Muslim customers on Facebook and was fired last week. read more >

An eastern Nebraska man has sued Wal-Mart, saying the failure of an overfilled plastic shopping bag led to the death of his wife. read more >

The nation's largest private employer said Tuesday that the changes were made so it could have one uniform policy for all 50 states at a time when some states have their own definitions of what constitutes domestic partnerships and civil unions. read more >

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville would like to build a 42,000-SF Neighborhood Market at West Main and South Vancouver streets in Russellville. But a group is challenging the retailer's plans. read more >

The D.C. Council approves a bill that would require the Wal-Mart and other big-box chain retailers operating in the nation's capital to pay their employees a "living wage" of at least $12.50 an hour. read more >

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced a $15 billion share buyback program at its annual meeting on Friday, as the world's largest retailer faces increasing scrutiny from investors. read more >

Wal-Mart continues to grow its efforts in e-commerce, but the retailer has no current plans to expand its domestic online operations for grocery. Also: Within the first 10 days of Wal-Mart’s initiative to hire veterans, about 13,000 applications were submitted. read more >

Michael T. Duke saw his total compensation increase 14.1 percent to $20.7 million for the fiscal year that ended Jan. 31, plus he exercised options worth $7.1 million. read more >

Amazon's sales in the fourth quarter of last year were more than it made in all of 2008. Wired suggests Amazon's current growth curve resembles that of Wal-Mart in the '90s. read more >

Labor groups say they will end their picketing at Wal-Mart stores for at least 60 days as part of a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board. But they vowed they will continue to press the world's largest retailer to better overall working conditions, including wages. The agreement, announced by the labor board Thursday, comes after the discounter filed a complaint on Nov. 20 with the board against the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. read more >

Frank Fletcher Jr. has built a still-growing string of 20 ultra-successful enterprises in a variety of industries by recognizing the potential in a wide range of situations and anticipating trends to pioneer new businesses. read more >

Vice President Joe Biden is conducting a series of gatherings this week aimed at building a consensus around proposals to curb gun violence following the deadly shooting at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school last month. read more >

Development of a 100,000-SF distribution facility is planned to follow a $1.3 million land deal in Maumelle. read more >

Wal-Mart, as anyone with even a passing interest in business news may remember, is in a little hot water for alleged money laundering and tax evasion out of its Mexico subsidiary, Walmex. read more >

The lessons Sam Walton learned during those early, successful years of Wal-Mart allowed him to build the most successful retail chain in history. And just like the times that he took his planes up to search for potential Wal-Mart sites, it was Mr. Sam himself who was behind the stick, deciding which direction to go. read more >

In preparation for the IPO, a hodge-podge of ownership interests in different stores was consolidated under one corporate banner: Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The corporation represented the merger of 78 partners that owned pieces of 32 stores, with the Walton family owning a majority stake in each. The stores also were a mixed bag of Wal-Mart Discount City, Ben Franklin, Walton’s Family Center and Ben Franklin Family Center. read more >