The recent lackluster first quarter financials from Sam’s Club haven’t tarnished the image of CEO Rosalind Brewer who according to Wall Street’s Brian Sozzi, “shined on stage” at the retailer’s annual shareholder meeting.

Sozzi, CEO of Belus Capital Advisors, notes that Brewer’s 22 years at Kimberly Clark and her transition to Wal-Mart in 2006 to oversee 1,000 stores, to now infusing the tech revolution into Sam’s Club were primers for bigger things.

He also said Brewer may be on the short list of candidates to take over as CEO of Target. It’s a move that Sozzi said “would be a great fit given her appreciation of data, technology, supplier relationships, and experience in store operations.” Sozzi made those comments as an analyst for “The Street” while he was in Bentonville last week for Wal-Mart’s shareholder events.

Carol Spieckerman, CEO of NewMarketBuilders, doesn’t agree with Sozzi’s notion that Brewer is a good fit for the next Target CEO. If for no other reason, Spieckerman said Brewer still has an opportunity to make a big mark at Sam’s.

“Mindy Grossman, HSN’s CEO, would be a terrific choice for Target. ... Her complete turnaround of HSN from an old school shopping network and into a full-fledged digital entertainment company is setting a standard for others to follow. Target could use her big picture, digital-first mojo right about now along with her ability to build multi-media brand programs that transcend ‘channel’ strategies. At the same time, her understanding of how to build mutually-beneficial brand partnerships and relationships is in complete alignment with Target’s values, which would make for a smooth start,” Spieckerman said.

Target held its annual shareholder meeting in Dallas on June 11. The Minneapolis-based retailer said it’s board continues to look for a visionary leader to move Target forward. The three goals outlined by the executives at the Target meeting include; Increase U.S. sales and traffic; Improve the Canadian operations; and Accelerate Target’s omnichannel presence.

Jason Smith, CEO of St. Louis-based Shift Marketing Group, said he believes the worst is behind Target and whoever takes the reins will have a great opportunity to be part of an American turnaround story.

CHALLENGES / LEARNING
Brewer spoke to the media June 5 regarding the challenges and opportunities for growth that she and her management team see for Sam’s Club going forward.

“Sam’s Club is in the midst of a merchandise transformation, having the right merchandise is the most important work we can do to drive traffic in our clubs,” Brewer said. “The member experience is also migrating. It is different today than a year ago. We learned in the first quarter that convenience is what customers want today.”

Brewer told the media she wasn’t there to rehash the challenging first quarter results which disappointed Wall Street. For the first quarter ended April 30, Sam’s Club reported comp sales down 0.2%, while the average ticket down 0.3%. Net sales were $13.891 billion at Sam’s Club (including fuel), up just 0.1%.

Noting that the recent quarter was one of the most challenging in recent history, Brewer said the “combination of severe weather and the reduction of public assistance represented an approximate 90 basis point impact to comp sales.” That was enough to have turned comps positive at 1.1%, still well below the normal range for Sam’s Club.

While traffic and average ticket sales declined in the quarter, membership and other income grew 10.5%. This jump was related to the fee increase taken a year ago. Sam’s said new member signups were softer to start fiscal 2015.

Brewer said going forward the goal is build more value in the Sam’s Club membership, which is why the retailer just launched a cash rewards program on top of the coupon savings books that have been popular over the past year.

In fiscal 2014 Sam’s Club grew total sales to $57.2 billion, up $56.4 billion in the prior year. If it were a standalone company, Sam’s Club would be the eighth largest U.S. retailer based on sales revenue. Forbes notes that “Brewer is running a company that in size could stand toe-to-toe with Dow Chemical ($57 billion) and Caterpillar ($55 billion).” 

OMNI-VISION
Much of what Brewer shared during shareholders week highlighted Sam’s push to become an omnichannel – selling products through various methods – retailer.

She said the click-and-pull website program available to Sam’s Plus members is growing in popularity. Click and pull allows members to order their products online and then pick them up at their local Sam’s Club at their own convenience. The member drives up to the door and the goods are loaded into their vehicle. Sam’s highlighted one local member, restaurant owner “Catfish John” who faithfully uses click-and-pull program to save him time each day.

Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon also gave the program a plug when he addressed the media following the June 6 shareholders meeting. He said he used click and pull to stock up on soft drinks and Gatorade ahead of the Memorial Day weekend.

“Sam’s deserves credit for trying new things and experimenting with new member engagement ideas, particularly in the digital space however, it may be approaching a tipping point in which complexity will overtake everyday value perception. Various combinations of promotional programs, membership levels and time-sensitive savings offers require a vigilance on the part of members that can make Amazon seem like a straightforward choice by comparison,” Spieckerman said.

Sam’s Club also recently announced plans to develop more private label brands, something the retailer has avoided. Spieckerman said Costco is the undisputed leader when it comes to developing power brands in the warehouse club space and beyond. 

“For Sam’s to attempt to go up against that strength at this stage wouldn’t make sense as a frontline strategy. Costco is still a store-centric retailer at the end of the day and that’s why any moves that Sam’s makes in the digital space will be resources well spent, particularly tying digital to physical,” she said.

Spieckerman suggested Wal-Mart integrate Sam’s Club into its tethering and anytime/anywhere availability vision. 

“Why not make bulk items from Sam’s available for pick-up at a Walmart Express stores, for example? Wal-Mart is in the early stages of turning its physical scale into a killer omni-channel advantage over pure-play digital competitors. The same could hold true as it competes against smaller-footprint, single-format competitors like Costco,” Spieckerman said.

The West Memphis campus of Mid-South Community College is hyping its musical past with an eye on the jobs of the future.

Dr. Glen Fenter, the long-time leader of the Delta two-year school who grew up in the Fort Smith metro area, has been an outspoken advocate for reforms to the state’s education and workforce training system.

With lawmakers and state business leaders dialed in more than ever, thanks to a renewed overhaul of workforce education, Fenter says to get to the root of the problem, Arkansas must do more.

“The educational model as we know it today has really not morphed with our new global economy,” said Fenter, who appeared on this week’s TV and radio edition of Talk Business & Politics. “Arkansas has a number of leaders who recognize that this is a problem. Unfortunately, none of them have been able to crack the code.”

What Arkansas needs to do is start examining its educational components as “a system” instead of “different silos” says Fenter. He has been preaching for years that workforce education needs to start early in the K-12 process. He calls it “P through J,” or “pre-school through a job” education.

His school has had amazing success in developing star students – and workers – from below average kids in terms of educational attainment, income levels, and socio-economic circumstances. Fenter says it’s a matter of teaching them the basics in a language they understand.

Mid-South recently became a “conversion charter” school, which allows it to partner with the West Memphis Public Schools for educational advancement.

Junior high school students from West Memphis and Mid-South begin a dialogue of career options as early as 8th grade. By 10th grade, students can come to Mid-South’s campus and take limited courses. That accelerates in the last two years of traditional high school. By graduation, they are ready for work if they don’t take a formal course on a college campus.

“In many cases we can have them graduate high school with a nationally recognized certification in a number of areas that can put them straight to work,” Fenter says.

He also says the state must then be prepared to allow students to float in and out of higher education to develop skills for ever-changing workforce needs. Fenter likes the idea of a workforce czar – a potential leader who could cut through bureaucratic red tape and political barriers – to make decisions rooted in common sense and in the best interests of creating jobs.

“I know a number of states and large communities across the nation that are adopting just that model saying we can’t continue what we’re doing and expect different results, and understanding that the bureaucracies can’t just fix themselves,” he said.

Fenter also has an eye on helping Mid-South and West Memphis capitalize on its Delta musical roots. Earlier this year, the school recreated local radio station KWEM, which left the airwaves in the early 1960′s.

The station’s history is rich, with musical legends B.B. King, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley known to have recorded music in its studios like legendary Sun Records across the mighty Mississippi River in Memphis.

“Essentially everything that we say happened in Memphis happened in West Memphis first,” he said. “Memphis, Tennessee has just done a much better job of telling that story.”

Arkansas gubernatorial candidates Asa Hutchinson and Mike Ross spoke in back-to-back appearances to a Delta advocacy group to discuss issues of concern for the region and the state as a whole.

Hutchinson spoke first, reminding the Delta Grassroots Caucus that he had been a co-sponsor of the bill that created the Delta Regional Authority when he represented Arkansas’ Third District in Congress in 2000.

The Republican nominee for Governor discussed education and economic development reforms that he said were vital for advancing the Delta’s well-being.

“There’s no challenge that can’t be met without economic growth,” Hutchinson told the group.

Ross, who previously represented the Fourth Congressional District, said his vision for education and economic development would be a boost for the impoverished Delta region and a high priority for his campaign.

“I’m committed and I will pledge to work with anyone and everyone who will work with me to make this state an even better place to live, work and raise a family,” declared the Democratic nominee.

CHARITY AND CHRISTIANITY
The most obvious distinction between Ross and Hutchinson centered on support of the Private Option, Arkansas’ low-income health insurance alternative that uses Medicaid expansion dollars for private insurance plans.

Ross said he unequivocally supports the Private Option.

“I would have voted it, I would have signed it, and I will protect it,” Ross said to an applauding audience.  He said it was crucial to the survival of rural hospitals and he said it was helping hard-working Arkansans who have been limited in their health care options.  In describing the target groups the plan is predicted to help, Ross said the Private Option also appealed to his sense of righteousness.

“As a Christian, I think it’s the right thing to do,” Ross said. “I’m going to do my best as Governor to make sure we continue to fund it.”

Hutchinson has adopted a more cautious approach to the Private Option, reflecting the nature of the debate that has fractured his Republican base.

“When you look at the Private Option, we’re learning a great deal,” he said. “I’m optimistic that our legislators and our state will do the right thing with the 150,000 that have enrolled in the Private Option. We’ll do the right thing in terms of making the adjustments that are needed to reflect the values of Arkansas and to make sure this program is an incentive for people to work.”

He also stressed that the affordability of the Private Option would also drive the debate under his gubernatorial leadership.

While the federal government pays 100% of the costs of the Private Option in the first three years, in subsequent years, the state of Arkansas must bear a percentage of the expenses.

Hutchinson said in his travels on the campaign trail, he has found that the Private Option has been good for rural hospitals, but that the program has shifted some health care from charitable organizations to the government.

“You go across Arkansas and the Christian or the faith-based or the charitable care that doctors provide through health care clinics, free of charge to indigents, they no longer have a mission,” Hutchinson said. “That charitable care has been shifted to the government.”

“I’d like to see those charitable missions brought back together and say, ‘How can we renew a mission?’ and redefine it so we don’t lose that asset in our state of charitable giving for medical care as we continue to evaluate the Private Option,” he added.

COMMON CORE, COMMON CONCERNS
Hutchinson and Ross both expressed concerns about maintaining flexibility around Common Core, an education policy standard that has been at the center of controversy in recent months.

Initiated by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers, the Common Core is a set of educational benchmarks that describe the skills students should have in English language arts and math. They have been adopted in a majority of states, including Arkansas.

Ross and Hutchinson both said they would charge their Education Commissioners to review Common Core. For both men, they expressed concerns that the standards must maintain flexibility in its implementation so that state and local school officials could meet specific needs and concerns.

“I’ve always been one who believes in local control and I believe that we need to have flexibility,” Ross said. He suggested that there is a lot of misinformation about Common Core in circulation.

“There’s people out there that want you to believe this has been pushed down by the federal government, this is something that Pres. Obama is responsible for. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said, noting that governors of both stripes initiated Common Cause as well as business leaders like Bill Gates.

“We need to ensure that the state of Arkansas always has control over its curriculum,” Ross said.

“When it comes to Common Core, I pledge that we’re going to have a review of that,” Hutchinson said, emphasizing that high standards must be maintained, but flexibility would be important. “I’m going to be listening to the teachers, I’m going to be listening to the parents. I think we did have some problems with the implementation of that where we really didn’t bring in all of the stakeholders to have the buy-in on those new standards that we adopted.”

Hutchinson and Ross also shared concerns over diverting general revenue dollars into highway funding. The idea has been discussed in recent years as gas tax revenues have declined due to fuel efficiency straining the state highway budget as construction costs have risen.

The two gubernatorial candidates also expressed reservations on tapping more general revenue for Academic Challenge scholarships, which presently receive some state funding and a large portion of money from the scholarship lottery. Lottery revenues have been declining as the lottery has matured.

PRE-K DEBATE
Ross spent time describing his pre-K program to the Delta group. He has proposed expanding the state’s pre-K access to a larger universe of families saying it is crucial to long-term economic health.

“We’re behind the curve on this. This is not some wild-eyed, radical, liberal idea,” said Ross. “Oklahoma, a pretty conservative state… in Oklahoma today, if parents want their kids in a pre-K classroom, there’s a seat for them. If Oklahoma can do it, we can do it. And we have to do it if we want to remain competitive with our neighbors in attracting the good-paying jobs of today and tomorrow.”

Ross wants to phase in the expansion of pre-K, which would carry a $37 million annual price tag when fully implemented.

“Everything starts with education. I said I want to be the ‘education governor.’ In doing so, that’s how you become the ‘jobs governor.’ Everything we do starts with education,” Ross said.

Although he supports current pre-K efforts, Hutchinson sharply differs from Ross on the issue.

Hutchinson contends that Ross’ plan is unaffordable and that the expansion would benefit families who shouldn’t receive a government handout.

“My position is why would we want to create a new government program when we’re not funding the existing program?” he asked. “I oppose creating a new program and expanding a program and benefitting those that are making up to $59,000 a year to provide free, taxpayer-funded pre-K education.”

Hutchinson said Gov. Mike Beebe has been unable to achieve an expansion of pre-K and he doubted Ross could do it.

“I think it’s the wrong direction for us. There is a lot better way for us to use that money and I think we need to concentrate on our pre-K program right now that is not adequately funded and that is my commitment,” said Hutchinson. “I support pre-K. I just don’t want to offer the voters something that is not the right direction for Arkansas in terms of the use of our taxpayers’ dollars.”

CRIME, MINIMUM WAGE
Hutchinson challenged the Delta Grassroots Caucus to study his positions on the state’s criminal justice system. The Republican candidate has rolled out a public safety plan aimed at reforming the parole system and addressing the state’s drug problems.

“That [crime] should be included in the challenges we face in the Delta,” Hutchinson said, touting drug treatment court funding and more effective re-entry programs for those leaving prison and wanting a job.

“That is economic development in the Delta. Whenever they’ve paid their price, they need assistance to be able to get a job and re-enter society and be taxpaying, productive citizens,” he emphasized.

A former head of the Drug Enforcement Agency and a former federal prosecutor, Hutchinson wants to pump $1.3 million into new efforts and tweak Act 570 of 2011. Act 570 was a comprehensive overhaul of the state’s sentencing and parole system passed by the legislature in the 2011 General Assembly.

Hutchinson said he would move the state’s drug czar back to a cabinet level position.

Ross said he was supported by 65 of the state’s 75 sheriffs and has pledged to roll out his vision for public safety in the near future.

He noted that as much as $80 million may be required to build a new state prison. With a backlog of nearly 3,000 inmates in county jails, a new prison might be able to accommodate up to 1,000 incarcerated.

“If we’re going to build another prison, there’s going to be prison reform,” Ross said of his upcoming proposal.

When asked about returning the state’s drug czar to a cabinet level post, Ross said, “You’re stealing my thunder.”

Ross also reiterated his support of the state minimum wage hike. Supporters say they have the signatures to qualify for the November ballot. Their initiative would raise the minimum wage to $8.50 over the next three years.

“I’ve endorsed that,” said Ross, who noted he had voted for minimum wage increases while in Congress. “I think it’s something I think we should do… At the ballot box, I plan to support it.”

Hutchinson said he wanted to address raising the minimum wage in next year’s legislative session. He said he preferred state lawmakers set the minimum wage versus an initiated act.

Later in the day, Hutchinson’s campaign also responded to a new TV ad that was launched Friday by the Democratic Governor’s Association.

The new DGA ad accuses Hutchinson of voting against a lower-income tax cut and wasting taxpayer money when he worked for the Bush administration. The ad says under Asa’s watch, the Transportation Security Administration spent nearly $461,000 on a banquet for a birthday party for employees.

The Hutchinson campaign said the ad was a sign of “desperation.” It issued a statement that said the ad “falsely claims” Hutchinson authorized wasteful spending.

“In fact, Asa Hutchinson did not authorize the spending and when the Inspector General reported the questionable spending, Hutchinson took action to stop the waste,” the Hutchinson campaign said.

Primaries take place in Oklahoma on June 24 and all eyes appear to be on the Republican primary to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, a Republican from Muskogee.

The two leading candidates are U.S. Rep. James Lankford of Edmond and former Speaker of the Oklahoma House T.W. Shannon. Polling in the race initially showed Lankford with a lead of 36%, but as the election has progressed, the race has narrowed.

The most recent poll by SoonerPoll.com for KWTV in Oklahoma City and KOTV in Tulsa has Lankford polling at 34%, while Shannon is trailing by only two points, making the race a statistical tie. Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, is a distant third at 5%. Bill Shapard, CEO of SoonerPoll.com, said his poll — conducted from May 5 through May 10 — likely caught the men in a tie as Shannon was continuing his surge in the polls.

RURAL VS. URBAN POLITICS
As for why Shannon, a Lawton native who was largely unknown to many Oklahomans before entering the Senate race, is surging, Shapard said it is a mix of urban versus rural and Oklahoma City versus Tulsa.

"If you look at my poll numbers, you'll notice that T.W. Shannon is polling well in the first district, which is Tulsa. You couldn't get any further away from Tulsa than being from Lawton. The question is, he's never been on a ballot there and he's beating a sitting congressman. So why is he doing well? People from Tulsa really don't want to vote for an Oklahoma City congressman. And that's true of rural parts of the state, as well."

He said while Lankford had largely won his seat in Congress on a Tea Party platform when he ran to replace now-Gov. Mary Fallin — herself the longest-serving Oklahoma lieutenant governor before becoming a two-term member of Congress from Oklahoma City — his record over the last three and a half years has not aligned with the Tea Party and has not followed that of the retiring Coburn.

"I think when it comes down to it, what candidate do I want to send to (the Senate)? (Voters are asking) does an Oklahoma City congressman represent my rural values? And what would Tom Coburn do and who votes like Tom Coburn does? I think Tom Coburn, who is well liked — the most well liked Senator that the state has ever had — I think Tom Coburn and how he votes could be the litmus test that Oklahoma voters use to (decide who to) vote for."

Shapard, whose firm bills itself as the only independent polling firm, said urban versus rural will continue dominating this race in the final two weeks and that is why he gives the advantage to Shannon.

"I think T.W. Shannon has the most to gain. If you're a voter in Altus, Enid or Poteau, you're going to ask yourself, 'Am I voting for a representative from rural Lawton or Oklahoma City?' That may be the deciding factor."

GOP ADVANTAGE
Whoever wins June 24 stands a good chance of defeating the Democratic nominee and becoming the next U.S. Senator from Oklahoma, Shapard said, adding that while he was not attempting to disparage Democrats, "I still think they haven't woken up to reality. This is still a conservative state."

The 2010 election swept Republicans into the offices of Governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and state school superintendent. And the GOP majority has only strengthened in the last few years, becoming what Shapard described as a supermajority, making it even more difficult for a Democrat to win statewide.

Patrick Hates, Sen. Constance N. Johnson and Jim Rogers are all vying for the Democratic nomination, though a SoonerPoll.com survey of likely Democratic voters showed 76.3% still undecided, with none of the three candidates polling in the double digits.

SCHOOL RACE
The other race drawing a lot of attention is the Republican primary for state school superintendent, which has incumbent Janet Barresi polling at only 16.4% compared to 17.1% for Joy Hofmeister and 14.3% for Brian Kelly.

"If candidates are below 50%, they are in trouble. Being lower than 40% is unheard of," Shapard said.

Education reforms have become a hot issue in Oklahoma, which recently repealed the Common Core education standards that have been the cause of debate in political and education circles nationwide over much of the last year. The repeal was co-authored by Shannon and signed into law by Gov. Fallin.

Barresi has attempted other education reforms, but without much luck and he said while Barresi should benefit from the power of incumbency, her lagging poll numbers could spell victory for any of the four Democrats vying to challenge the GOP state school superintendent nominee in the fall.

"Democrats would love to get education back. The entire education establishment is still engrained in the Democratic Party. They have tried their best and in many cases, won in many of (the challenges to) reforms she tried to bring in."

He said whether it was fair or not, Barresi’s attempts at reform and the backlash over Common Core could haunt her in the June 24 primary and in November.

"Common Core has been one of the defining issues of this election. … It is one of those interesting issues that divides both parties. She's just been on the tip of the spear with regard to education reform in the state."

In a state that has more school districts than the state of California, education reforms — including school consolidation — have proven to be unpopular and as a result, June 24 and possibly November could prove to be defining moments for Barresi.

"Whether her doing or not, she may be held responsible for it and elections have consequences," Shapard said.

Should a candidate in any of the primaries held across the state fail to win 50% of the vote, a runoff will be held August 26.

Patricia Brown has been handed her fair share of hard knocks. Not only a recurrence of breast cancer that has spread to her lungs and other parts of her body, but also a stage four diagnosis.

But instead of letting cancer get the best of her, Brown worked hard to take control of it and her story of inspiration through blog posts on The City Wire and speaking engagements in the Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas areas. Brown recently stepped down from her job as chief operating officer of The City Wire to focus on her cancer fight and helping others learn more about how to fight cancer. She remains a partial owner of The City Wire.

Brown is now taking her motivational speeches to a national audience through a deal with the Novartis Oncology Patient Network, which has seen her speaking to doctors and patients at conferences across the country. The work with Novartis is through the Advanced Breast Cancer Community, which was established to “bring much-needed awareness to advanced breast cancer and more attention to its community.”

"As long as I have a story and breath and can talk, I will tell. I will show and tell until I'm tired and that will be like… I will be in heaven by the time (that happens)."

One of the first results of the work with Novartis was a June 9 article on the SheKnows website about Brown’s cancer battle. The story focused on Brown’s goal of living to see her daughter, Amanda, get married. Amanda and Scott Whittenberg were married on March 8.

“Cancer can't steal joy,” Brown said in the SheKnows article. “My daughter and I don't do meltdowns well, so we focus on the blessings in life. I've been so blessed with family and experiences, and watching my daughter get married was icing on the cake.

TELLING THE STORY
The talks also have put a patient face with the work doctors and scientists are doing in their research and efforts toward finding a cure for cancer, Brown said, adding that her talks to pharmaceutical sales representatives about how to have "hard conversations" with doctors were just as important.

"Because so many of the drugs they have are new and progressive and you have a lot of the doctors who just want to do the same old traditional stuff and not take the chance. Because it is new and cutting edge and there's a lot of money at stake because you're talking pharmaceuticals."

She said there is also a lot of competition among the different pharmaceutical companies, making the work of the sales representatives to get doctors to prescribe potentially life-saving drugs even more vital than ever before.

Brown has experienced breakthrough pharmaceuticals herself, having initially had good success with a new cancer medication, which was shrinking many of her tumors until a recent set back when an MRI revealed tumors had spread to her brain, requiring her to have 15 radiation treatments.  Once she gets past the brain set back, she looks forward to starting on a clinical trial treatment that will allow her to continue her work to battle breast cancer and who knows, even make history in the war against cancer.

But she said the setback is just that, a setback. Trying newer medications, hopefully having successes and sharing her story — both the joys and struggles — is what her life's mission has become and that is why she is taking her story to a national audience, including external audiences.

"I (am) paired with an oncologist who (does) the medical side and I (will) do the lifestyle, nutrition, exercise, emotions, spirituality, how to get a support team, how to tell people, who you tell, who you don't tell, when you tell when you're first newly diagnosed in stage four, and coping."

‘WE’RE ALL TERMINAL’
The story Brown tells is filled with humor, tears, truth and hope. She often gives the speeches wearing a camouflage dress because her goal is not just to tell her story, but to let people know that she is in the fight of her life.

But as she tells audiences of doctors, patients and sales reps, "We're all terminal." And she knows that is more true now than ever before following her April brain MRI. Her doctors were frank.  Her future is uncertain so she lives for today.

While doctors are starting to feel more hopeful about her prognosis following the chemo treatments, Brown said she has lived her life even before the last several weeks with purpose. She said she only has lifted up four prayers before dying — see her daughter get married to a Christian man that truly loved her, become an internationally known motivational speaker, write a book, be loved and know love.

Brown has been in a relationship with a widower of a breast cancer victim, someone she said truly understands the battle she faces. She has also taken her blog posts from The City Wire and turned them into a series of short stories for her first book, which is in the works. And of course, Brown is living life in her own way and charting a course that is unique and all her own.

While others fighting cancer may not have the emotional will to keep moving, Brown is looking forward to landing more motivational speaking events, as well as speaking at a national bloggers conference about her blogging since her second breast cancer diagnosis in 2012. And even though she's traveled a tough road and has more rough road ahead, her goal is to live life like no one else.  

"Novartis is utilizing me because I want to be utilized," she said. "To throw it out there, to help as many people understand what this means. You know, we're all terminal. I worked for Make A Wish for 12 years, granted 2,000 wishes, raised (a lot) of money. I get it. I was at St. Jude frequently. So I know what cancer's all about and I also know that you can live life with cancer and live life abundantly. And we're all terminal and we just have to remember we have a purpose and we need to live life large and get to the point (where) you don't have too many regrets. I don't care if you have cancer or your just driving down the road (and get in an accident), you have to make your life count. Have purpose. So I have no regrets. I'm good here, Heaven, wherever."

There’s a major shift at work in the packaged foods segment with snack items leading the charge. The shift is fueled by Millennials and Gen X consumers who aren’t in line with previous generations who heeded mom’s advice about snacking between meals.

The global snack food market is expected to exceed $300 billion in 2015, and IRI Worldwide reports that U.S. snack sales rose 2.8% last year, led by better-for-you products. Sally Lyons Watt, an executive at IRI Worldwide, recently described the snack category as a “competitive shark tank,” adding that snacking habits have evolved and other categories are benefiting.

Research by NPD Group also indicates that the more consumers snack, the healthier are their eating behaviors – an indication contrary to conventional wisdom. NPD found that that more consumers view snacking as one way to improve healthy eating habits.  Consumers following the healthiest diets snack twice as often as those with less healthy diets, noted the November 2012 report. Consumers with the healthiest diets consume 36% more snack meals a year than the average consumer, according to Snacking in America.

The report by NPD identified and examined the consumers who drive current and future snack consumption. Researched found those following a “most healthy” diet eat a wider variety of healthy snacks such as fruit, yogurt, and bars. 

“We are no longer as averse to snacking as we used to be – instead, snacking may be viewed as one way to improve healthy eating habits,” said Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry analyst. “This way of thinking about snacking provides an opportunity for manufacturers to make health and wellness innovation part of their product development and marketing strategy.”

Seifer noted that in the 1980s the vast majority of Americans said they avoid snacking, but that sentiment has shifted. He said this doesn’t mean that snacking is still an indulgent activity but it’s become an opportunity to provide functional benefits or a way to get desired nutrients. He said protein bars have become popular because consumers understand that eating more protein helps stave off hunger and curbs appetites for sweets.

“And while the vast majority of our snack meals happen between main meals, the movement toward consuming snack foods during main meals should not go unnoticed. This time frame for snack foods currently represents about 22% of snack food eatings, which is up from 20% in 2010. While two percentage points might sound small at first, consider that there are more than 300 million people in this country and this increase represents more than 3.6 billion additional eatings,” Seifer noted in his NPD blog post.

The better-for-you health trend was evident in the new snacks recently unveiled at the Sweets & Snacks Expo held in Chicago on May 20. Quinoa, Greek-yogurt cakes and gluten-free pretzels were among the new products showcased in this year’s expo. It’s clear from the ingredients lists that product developers are being more health conscience as they formulate snacks with chia seeds, kale, sea salt and pomegranate. 

Following were some of the new products unveiled.

• Hostess Greek Yogurt Cakes
Hostess Brands is set to launch a line of snack cakes made with Greek yogurt, fruit and honey in apple cinnamon swirl and strawberry swirl varieties. The snack cakes capitalize on the popularity of Greek yogurt made with 25% less sugar, sweetened with honey and real fruit.

• Mary's Gone Crackers Everything Pretzels
Mary’s Gone Crackers expanded its vegan and gluten-free offerings to include a new variety of pretzels. Made with brown rice, quinoa, amaranth and millet, as well as flax, sesame, chia and poppy seeds, the Everything Pretzels include flavors from onion, garlic, sea salt and herbs. The product will be available beginning this summer.

• Snack Factory Greek Yogurt Crunch Pretzel Crisps
Synder’s Lance, debuted Greek Yogurt Crunch Pretzel Crisps from its Snack Factory division. The pretzels are coated in tangy Greek yogurt, and the product extends the brand’s line of thin, crunchy pretzel snacks, which also includes peanut butter and dark chocolate dipped varieties.

• The Popcorn Factory Lite Works Popcorn
Wasabi soy, dill pickle and sriracha are among the flavored pop corn products unveiled by the Popcorn Factory at this year’s expo. The new reduced-calorie ready-to-eat popcorn line contains half the fat of the brand’s traditional varieties.

• Oberto Chicken Strips
For jerky lovers seeking a lighter protein alternative, there is a new chicken variety from Oberto Brands. Flavored with smoky sweet barbecue or spicy buffalo Oberto Chicken Strips are made from cage-free chicken breast that is slow-cooked for nine hours in a patent-pending process. The company said it spent three years developing this product line that has score high consumer testing.

Crawford County posted its second consecutive month of declining home sales, while Sebastian County continues posting double digit improvements.

For the month of May, Crawford County posted $5.893 million in sales on 54 homes, a 1.03% drop from the previous May's total of 48 homes at $5.955 million. Sebastian County, on the other hand, saw 140 homes sold at a value of $17.003 million, a 10.26% increase from May 2013 when 108 homes were sold at a value of $15.421 million.

Randy Miller, executive broker at J.E. Jones Real Estate in Van Buren, said the biggest driver of numbers in both counties is jobs and what has hurt Van Buren is the loss of Allen Canning Company, which shut its Van Buren facility and transferred the jobs to Siloam Springs shortly before the company filed for bankruptcy protection.

"Unemployment hurts from the lowest level all the up to the top," Miller said.

With Crawford County's figures improving from April's 9.98% drop in sales and Sebastian County's 10% improvement instead of last month's nearly 26% improvement, he said the market is leveling itself out, meaning neither market should continue to see the highest of highs or the lowest of lows through the rest of the year.

"I don't think that you'll see a continued 10% (improvement in Sebastian County) each month. There's always a leveling we see in this market. We don't have big dips. It's always been gradual for us in this part of the country," Miller said. "I don't anticipate that it will be 10% for the next few months, but it would be exciting if that would happen."

That said, both markets are up so far in year-to-date totals, with Crawford County posting a 24.26% increase in sales over the same January to May period last year, while Sebastian County is up 8.22% during the same period.

He added that the primary driver of Sebastian County's numbers were residential developments at Chaffee Crossing, while Crawford County has continued seeing an influx of investors diving into the rental market. And Miller said it's starting to spread to the entire Fort Smith area.

"What I have seen in both counties are individuals who are downsizing and moving to a duplex, triplex or quadplex instead of a smaller house. It will be something that produces income plus provides them a nice place to live."

Miller said he is also seeing an increase in the number of single family homes that are being used as rental units, but he said the region's unemployment figures do not improve in the coming months, it could stunt growth in residential sales.

That said, he said the market is still a good one for someone looking to get into the market if they are able to secure financing.

"There are still good purchases for buyers if they can get financing for a house that is a repossession. There's still quite a few HUD and bank repos that are good buys in good neighborhoods. And lenders want to lend money, but it's just can individuals qualify?"

Home Sales Data (January - May)
• Crawford County
Unit Sales
2014: 230
2013: 184

Total Sales Volume
2014: $24.890 million
2013: $20.031 million

Median Sales Price
2014: $98,300
2013: $109,900

• Sebastian County
Unit Sales
2014: 517
2013: 451

Total Sales Volume
2014: $65.729 million
2013: $60.734 million

Median Sales Price
2014: $110,500
2013: $111,750

May was a milestone month in Northwest Arkansas as the growing region reached 500,000 in population, helped by those moving to Benton and Washington counties.
The population growth combined with steady home values and low interest rates has kept real estate broker Nicky Dou busy this year.

“Today is the middle of the year. I’ve officially got more in closed and pending sales than in all of last year with two more transactions,” said Dou, CEO of Real Estate in Northwest Arkansas and broker for Keller Williams.

Agents across the two-county area sold 648 homes in May with a cumulative value of $124.432 million, according to MountData.com analyst Paul Bynum. While the total number of May transactions were down 8.9% from the year-ago period and total values slid 3.5% year-over-year, agents report staying plenty busy.

The May decline comes from a tough comparison with May 2013. Bynum said last year was one of the best on record in Northwest Arkansas and anything remotely close to those levels is good.

George Faucette, CEO of the local Coldwell Banker franchise, said his agents were active writing deals in May. He said the firm’s unit final sales were up 10% in May, compared to the prior month, and average sales price was down about 4%. In pending May business that will close this month or next, Faucette said units sales were down slightly, but sales volume rose 2% thanks to a 4% rebound in average prices.

He said the foreclosed property sales continue to diminish which is reflected in the average sales price being slightly higher, but it’s also the reason that closed and pending new business for the region has slowed somewhat from a year ago.

Dou said in all of 2013 she had 66 closed sales totaling $18.6 million. At this point in 2014, her sales pending and finalized total 69 with $19.5 million in production values. She said the overall market is strong, especially for new construction. She and husband Jerry Dou represent three subdivisions in Benton County — Hyde Park, Kerelaw Castle and Rolling Acres where she said homes are selling well.

Bynum said there were 2,660 homes sold in the first five months of this year by agents in the two counties. He said it took an average of 60 days to obtain a contract. Total sales through May equaled approximately $484 million, down about 3% from last year.  Units sales are down 4% year-over-year, but the median sales price is up slightly at $147,460 this year, which is about $84.5 per square foot.

Jim Long, an agent with Crye-Leike in Bentonville, said he is having a good year as there is adequate buyer demand in this market. He said the lower levels of existing home inventory is helping to keep prices moving upward. He said sellers are getting about 97.8% of their listing price, which is slightly higher than a year ago.

Housing is a largely a local metric linked to job growth and other factors and the Northwest Arkansas housing sector appears to be moving ahead faster than the nation. Economists with Wells Fargo, one of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders, recently scaled back its housing forecast reflecting the impact from the harsh winter weather earlier this year and slower underlying economic growth.

“After incorporating the effect from a 1% decline in the first quarter, real GDP is now expected to rise just 2% in 2014. New home sales and single-family housing starts are also expected to rise much more slowly, with new home sales climbing 8.4% to 465,000 units, while single-family housing starts climb 10.9% .

Wells Fargo notes that new home prices are expected to moderate further in coming months, with the median price rising just 2.6% to $276,000 in 2014. With more modest sales, new single-family home construction will also rise slightly less than previously projected. Wells Fargo also warns that many markets are finding themselves out of balance with home prices having been pulled higher by an influx of investor purchases and exceptionally tight inventories well ahead of any fundamental improvement in demand. 

Local real estate experts believe sales in Northwest Arkansas will continue to pick up through the summer months and they expect the back half of 2014 to be as good as last year, which started out strong and tapered somewhat toward the year’s end.

Bynum reports there is 6.7 months of home inventory in the two-county area, which he classifies a balanced market.

Home Sales Data (January-May)
• Benton County
Unit Sales
2014: 1,723
2013: 1,736

Volume Sales
2014: $316.563 million
2013: $317.923 million

Median Sales Price
2014: $146,650
2013: $149,900

• Washington County
Unit Sales
2014: 935
2013:1,048

Volume Sales
2014: $165.514
2013: $178.877

Median Sales Price
2014: $148,813
2013: $145,000

Wal-Mart has 400 million reasons to aggressively test company-owned heath care clinics in its retail stores, which it recently began piloting in Texas.

With more than 1.1 million Americans working at Wal-Mart, the retailer said it is facing $100 million in added insurance costs each fiscal quarter as more workers have signed up for coverage in compliance with the Affordable Health Care Act.

When recently asked about the health clinic test Walmart U.S. CEO Bill Simon said, “Wal-Mart is not that hard to figure out when you look at it from a pure math perspective.”

Last year the national average total health care cost per employee topped $12,000, rising 5% from the year before, according the National Business Group on Health. Employers typically cover 75% or more of that total cost as a benefit to their workers. That number was based on surveys off several hundred employers across the country.
www.businessgrouphealth.org/

“When an employee goes to see a doctor they pay a co-payment. As a self-insured employer, we end up writing a check for the cost of that visit, through a third party administrator like Blue Cross Blue Shield. By controlling the clinics ourselves we can offer a nominal fee for our insured employees because we don't have to pay for the outside doctor's visits,” Simon recently told reporters during the retailer’s shareholder week.

He added that if enough employees use the service then Wal-Mart can fund it through the savings not being paid to third party providers. 

“At this point you can really get the price down for the general public,” Simon said.

Sound familiar?

It was Simon and Wal-Mart who pushed for the $4 generic prescriptions that radically changed the pharma industry in 2006. Analysts have wondered when Wal-Mart would try another major move with respect to health care, and they largely approve of this pilot clinic project as a way for the retailer to shave expenses, increase efficiencies and further build their brand.

CLINIC PLANNED FOR ROGERS WALMART?
Simon said the test is small. Only three clinics are open in Texas and the company has earmarked about 12 openings by the end of this year.

The health clinics are not to be confused with other clinical projects operating in about 100 stores. Wal-Mart said those are lease arrangements in their stores and this new project is the company’s first effort to own and control its own primary care clinics.

For now the three pilot clinics in Texas consist of two in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and one is outside of Waco. Wal-Mart declined to confirm that there is a clinic planned locally in the Walmart Supercenter at Pleasant Grove Road in Rogers, Ark. However, there is a sign in that Rogers Walmart that says “Another Wal-Mart Concept Coming Soon.” The banner is health care related with eight photos depicting health and wellness which is located at the former clinic site in that store which was operated by Northwest Health System.

Wal-Mart said its Care Clinics offer primary care services at affordable prices for its own insured workers ($4) and the general public ($40). Insured Wal-Mart employees and store customers can also expect to pay lower prices on additional services beyond the office visit, such as vaccines, and lab tests for which separate charges apply, the company said.

Wal-Mart partnered with QuadMed to staff the clinics with licensed nurse practitioners. The clinics are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
 
THE SIMMONS FOODS EXPERIENCE
The Walmart Care Clinics aim to foster wellness and preventive care, such as screenings, vaccinations and lab testing as well as basic acute care, including diagnosis and treatment for flu and other seasonal illnesses. In addition, the clinic will also help manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure, Wal-Mart noted in its release.

The move to control health care costs by bringing primary care in-house is not a new phenomenon. Many of Wal-Mart’s suppliers are already doing it. HanesBrands said for every $1 it spends providing employees an in-house clinic in Winston-Salem, N.C., it reaps $1.40 in savings.

Locally, Simmons Foods began in-house clinics in 2007 in three of its manufacturing facilities — Siloam Springs, Van Buren and Southwest City, Okla.

Christy Pianalto, director for the Simmon’s health clinics, said the program has been a huge success. The poultry company provides access to the clinics for its employees and their family members free of charge. This eliminates the need for a co-pay plan and has allowed the company to require deductibles be met for coverage outside the clinic. Simmons works with Dr. Stephen Johnson, a family physician in Siloam Springs to staff the three clinics.

“Dr. Johnson works hard to help meet the schedules of workers. He has another physician and five nurse practioners who help staff our three clinics. The clinics offer a wide range of preventive and acute care. They perform lab work, x-rays and do simple outpatient procedures like mole removals,” Pianalto said.

POSITIVE OUTCOMES
One of the major reasons Simmons, Wal-Mart and other employers are bringing health care in-house is because it also reduces absenteeism and keeps operations running efficiently.

A December 2010 research paper by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Studying Health System Change noted several positive outcomes of a well-managed in-house clinic.

“By far the strongest motivation for implementing workplace clinics is to contain direct medical costs. In the short term, exerting greater control over direct costs, such as specialist visits, non-generic prescriptions, emergency department (ED) visits and avoidable hospitalizations, is a key employer objective. In the long run, improving population health by preventing and managing chronic conditions is a major objective,” the report noted.

Other factors included:
• Employers also view onsite clinics as a way to boost productivity, reduce absenteeism, and prevent disability claims and work-related injuries.

• Some employers implementing primary care clinics also see opportunities to improve access to and quality of care.

• Some employers view workplace clinics as an important benefit that helps to attract and retain competitive workforces, while enhancing their own reputations as “employers of choice” in their industries and communities.

The study also said a return on investment for such clinics could take up to five years, depending on the scope of services offered, turnover among employees and the level of employee participation in wellness plans.

The Crawford County Quorum Court got their first look at when it will be able to start spending bond monies tied to the voter-approved sales tax to fund construction of a new county jail, along with law enforcement operations.

The election on May 20 was the fourth time the county had attempted to get a sales tax passed for construction of a jail, with the measure passing by just a few hundred votes and providing about $20 million for the project, which will bring the county into compliance with the state regarding jail overcrowding.

Kevin Faught, vice president of public finance at Stephens Inc, told the court that the bonds would be put to market Aug. 18, with the county able to begin spending money toward the project on that date. Money raised from the bond sale in August will be available to the county Sept. 24, Faught said.

Any purchases or contracts made by the county before that date will be reimbursable from the proceeds of the bonds, he added. That said, bond attorney Ryan Bowman of the Friday, Eldridge, and Clark Law Firm reminded the Quorum Court that it would have to go through a trustee to have access to the bond money for the project, a way of assuring the jail bonds are kept separate from other county monies.

Bowman also made clear that IRS regulations stipulate that the county must spend or have contracts that equal 5% of the total bonds issued by March 2015, meaning the project is set to begin quickly now that the election is complete and work on issuing the bonds has begun.

County Judge John Hall told the court that work was being completed by Hawkins-Weir Engineers in Van Buren to make sure the site under preliminary contract with the county along U.S. Highway 64 just outside of Van Buren city limits was suitable for the facility to be constructed. If testing comes back affirming the decision to construct east of town, Hall said the court would likely vote to approve the contract for the land in August.

Bowman also gave the court and the public the first timeline of when the project could be completed, again based on IRS regulations stipulating spending of bond monies.

"And then you have to spend the money within a three year period. So, roughly September 2017, your project needs to be completed and your money spent. And again, those are just IRS rules because you're issuing these bonds as tax exempt, there are a number of rules the IRS puts into place with respect to your bond issue."

As for the cost to the public, Faught said the sales tax would begin Oct. 1, with December being the date collected sales tax revenues would be remitted to the trustee of the bonds.

The distribution of the sales tax by the trustee to the county will only include the quarter-cent law enforcement operations portion, while the trustee will hold the half-cent of revenues for construction of the jail. He or she will use that money to pay out contracts associated with the project, Faught said, which includes reimbursements to the county should it pay any contracts or costs out of the county's general fund.

Once the bonds are purchased by investors, which Faught expects to largely be institutional investors, he said maturities on the bonds are likely to range from eight to 10 years with the county repaying the principal of the bonds plus twice-yearly interest payments.

Hall, speaking publicly for the first time since the election, thanked the court and Sheriff Ron Brown for their work in getting the sales taxes passed.

"This was a well-handled (campaign)," he said, adding: "All together, it's a team effort and it was a lot of fun. The sheriff and I had a lot of fun. There toward the end, it was called the Ron and John dog and pony show when we'd give our talks. … Anyway, we really appreciate your all's support (Bowman and Faught) in helping us walk through this and also the Quorum Court's."

Although the first quarter U.S. GDP hit negative territory for the first time in almost three years, two trucking and shipping reports suggest the U.S. economy is growing and may improve during the second half of 2014.

The American Trucking Associations’ Truck Tonnage Index was up 1% in May after a revised 0.9% gain in April. For the first five months of 2014, tonnage is up 2.9% compared to the same period in 2013, according to the ATA index. The index is off just 1% from the all-time high in November 2013 (131.0).

The not-seasonally adjusted index, which represents the real change in tonnage hauled by the fleets, was 1.8% above the previous month.

Shipments were up 1% and spending on shipments were up 1.1%, according to the most recent Cass Freight Index.

“North American freight shipments and expenditures continued to buck the historic trend and increased again in May. The first five months of 2014 were the strongest since the end of the great recession,” noted the Cass report. “While this seems counter to the dismal GDP reading for the first quarter, which shows a one percent drop or a contraction in the economy, much of the decrease in GDP can be attributed to declining inventories, slowing exports and weather‐related issues. Many other economic signs, especially growth in the manufacturing sector, point to an uptick in the five‐year recovery and a continued increase in freight movements.”

Cass uses data from $22 billion in annual freight transactions processed by its information processing division to create the index. The data comes from a Cass client base of 350 large shippers.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said the gains aren’t as healthy as in 2013, but they are more broad. (Costello’s video report on the May index is at the end of this story.)

“While the year-to-date improvement is running behind last year’s robust 6.3% increase, gains this year are more broad-based,” Costello said in the ATA report. “It isn’t just heavy freight for sectors like tank truck and flatbed from energy and housing that are improving this year. Now, generic dry van trailer freight is doing better as well, which wasn’t the case in 2013. This is a good sign for the economy."

Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing 68.5% of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods, according to the ATA. Trucks hauled 9.4 billion tons of freight in 2012. Motor carriers collected $642.1 billion, or 80.7% of total revenue earned by all transport modes.

Rosalyn Wilson, a supply chain expert and senior business analyst with Vienna, Va.-based Delcan Corp., said May shipments were 3.6% higher than a year ago and 26.4% higher than shipment levels at the end of the 2009 recession.

“The health of the freight market is a very good indicator of the direction in which the economy is moving. All indications point to moderate growth in freight over the next couple of months, which will bode well for the economy in general,” Wilson wrote.

Wilson, who authors the Cass report, said increased activity is creating problems in the shipping industry, which are not helped by new federal hours-of-service rules that reduce the time a driver can be in a truck.

Broadly, the Department of Transportation rules reduce a driver’s average maximum allowable hours of work per week from 82 hours to 70 hours, a 15% reduction. A controversial part of the new rules, which went into effect in July 2013, is the 34-hour restart rule. Officials in the trucking industry have said the rules do nothing to promote safety and instead drive up costs for the industry which are then passed on to consumers.

“Capacity problems are being experienced in both the trucking and the rail industries as volumes grow. The impact of productivity‐reducing truck regulations has exacerbated the driver shortage, further limiting capacity despite the strong growth in the size of the truck fleet in 2014.”

Brad Delco, a transportation industry analyst with Little Rock-based Stephens Inc., also sees positive activity in the sector.

“My sense is freight activity is up 3%, plus or minus 1%,” Costello said in an e-mail interview. He added that industry capacity – number of trucks, trailers, rail cars, etc. – is down between 1.5% and 2%.

Delco estimates that the hours-of-service rules have a negative 2%-3% capacity impact “for those carriers that actually follow the rules.”

The Cass index included the following details about overall economic health.
• Although the performance of the economy was very weak overall, freight continued to gain momentum and accelerated in the second quarter.

• The downward revision in first quarter GDP is not a harbinger of things to come. The bad weather contributed to a substantial drop in business inventories, which is a negative factor for GDP but an overall positive for the economy.

• Retail sales slowed in April, but picked up again in May. Home construction is picking up again now that the weather is better, despite rising mortgage rates.

• The employment picture looks better with a steady increase in jobs creation and a decline in claims for unemployment benefits. In its latest weekly unemployment report, the Labor Department reported that claims for unemployment fell to the lowest level since 2007.

Arkansas lawmakers heard Tuesday (June 17) about the next wave of Private Option concepts that will be debated as the program moves forward. The ideas include a version of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), new cost-sharing measures, and a plan for non-emergency transportation needs for Private Option beneficiaries.

Arkansas’ Private Option takes federal Medicaid expansion dollars and uses it in private health insurance exchanges to subsidize low income workers’ health care coverage. The General Assembly passed the program in 2013 and renewed funding in 2014.

Last week, state officials said that over 187,000 Arkansans — roughly 75% of estimated users — have been determined eligible for the Private Option and just over 172,000 have completed enrollment.

Speaking to the Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace Legislative Oversight Committee, state officials laid out their blueprints for implementing the three new components of the Private Option program. The concepts were part of the 2013 legislation passed to establish the Private Option, but the changes may not come online until 2015. Federal waiver requests and potential regulatory and legislative clearance will be required to start new aspects of the program.

Independence accounts are basically Health Savings Accounts, which will require Private Option enrollees to financially manage their health care participation. Lawmakers have been pushing for a “consumerism” approach to state-supported health care.

A second component discussed Tuesday centered on cost sharing, which would provide for Medicaid-eligible and Private Option enrollees to make small payments for health care services. The cost sharing mechanism, which will require a waiver from federal Medicaid officials, is expected to allow for an easier transition for Medicaid and Private Option participants to help pay for premiums as they become upwardly mobile with income.

Officials said that the cost sharing effort is also for participants to gain experience paying for health care at a point of service, understand personal responsibility, and accrue funds to help smooth their transition to private market plans when enrollees move out of the Private Option.

The third concept involved non-emergency transportation. When drafting the Private Option and in an effort to contain costs, lawmakers wanted a different rate of reimbursement for transportation for non-threatening medical conditions.

Legislators also heard from Cheryl Smith, the new executive director of the Health Insurance Marketplace (HIM), which oversees the state’s health insurance exchange. Smith said an exchange “at its core is a tool,” like a hammer.

“You can either smash a windshield with it or build something with it,” she said. “It’s neither good nor bad — it’s what you decide to do with it.”

Smith said that going forward the HIM would be “thoughtful, deliberative, methodical” in how to structure the insurance exchange of the future. The group is now looking at different state models and is about to embark on a major study of Arkansas’ needs. She said that a consulting group would be working with HIM to conduct focus groups, interviews, and a statewide survey.

The fate of the Private Option still remains in question, although supporters say there is plenty of data still to be received and additional policy changes to consider before next year’s legislative session.

During the 2015 session, lawmakers can make policy changes to the Private Option, and they will have to reconsider funding to the plan, which requires a 75% vote of support from both chambers of the legislature.

So far this year, the outcome of elections has boosted opponents and caused concern for supporters.

In the Arkansas State Senate, funding for the Private Option passed in this year’s fiscal session with no votes to spare. Two State Senate candidates who supported the Private Option were defeated in their primaries. Their opponents face no general election candidates causing many to predict that the Private Option is two votes shy of passage in the 35-member Senate chamber.

A taste of Oklahoma City's Bricktown is coming to downtown Fort Smith with the news Tuesday (June 17) that Varsity Sports Bar and Grill has been sold to the company behind Oklahoma City-based Bricktown Brewery, according to the new owner who spoke at Tuesday's Central Business Improvement District meeting.

According to Managing Partner Buck Warfield of BT Concepts, Varsity will change names with the change in ownership and will temporarily close later this year was the new owner spends between $500,000 and $750,000 in renovations on the property along Garrison Avenue.

The Fort Smith location will be the first outside of Oklahoma for the company, which also has locations at the Remington Park Casino in Oklahoma City, as well as locations in Edmond, Shawnee and a location opening in mid-July in Owasso.

As part of the renovations scheduled to begin sometime in August — set to coincide with the closure of Varsity — the company will make several changes to the building on the corner of 4th Street and Garrison Avenue. Changes include adding an entrance on Garrison, as well as adding a concept similar to beer gardens on the west side of what is currently the pool room.

"As I stared at the footprint of the building, it became apparent to me that what is now an existing … west side pool room … it seems natural to me to punch through that wall to create that indoor, outdoor dining experience," Warfield told the CBID commissioners during the groups Tuesday morning meeting.

That outdoor space will include an area Warfield billed as a "music space," which is said has become an important part of the Bricktown Brewery developments.

"We'd like to relocate the planters (trees, bushes, etc.) and pour that and create a natural stage. It's just a perfect place for it," he added.

The expansion of the building to the west would include matching brick on the building addition, as well as replanting all landscaping currently in place. New landscaping would be added, as well as garage-like doors to allow the addition to have open air.

The changes also include the iconic neon Varsity sign that has been a fixture of Garrison since the 1990s coming down and being replaced with a similar sign for Bricktown Brewery. The company will also add, though a timeline was not necessarily presented, a mural to the side of the building advertising either Bricktown Brewery or Adelaide Hall, or possibly both, Warfield said.

Adelaide Hall will continue to operate on the second floor of the building at 318 Garrison Avenue, though Warfield said it would be advertised separately from the restaurant, adding that an exterior entrance will be added.

In all, he said staff at the restaurant would increase by about 125%, from its current 30 employees to more than 70 once renovations are complete and the restaurant re-opens sometime in October.

Warfield would not disclose a sale price from current owner Stacy Beal. BT Concepts is operating the facility, he added, and noted that staff would be retained even through renovations.

STREET CLOSURE PLANS
In other business, the CBID heard from City Administrator Ray Gosack about concerns regarding the closure of A Street in the downtown area. The commissioners had proposed closing the street in order to create a more pedestrian-friendly corridor to enhance development already in place in the area, as well as spur further development along the riverfront.

In a memo to the Board, the city administration presented a study from Oklahoma City-based Traffic Engineering Consultants that showed potential problems with traffic flow should A be closed, as well as turning B Street into a two-way street, versus the one-way flow currently present on A and B Streets.

Among the concerns by the engineering firm is a bottleneck that would be created along Riverfront Drive as a result of the street closure.

"Closure of North 'A' Street eliminates or reduces the capacity from a four lane street to a two lane street," wrote Steven Hofener, a principal at TEC. "Although the existing traffic is within acceptable limits for a two lane two-way street, the ultimate widening and traffic increase along Riverfront Drive will create a bottleneck at the proposed two lane, two way North 'B' Street section."

He also notes the head-to-head truck traffic in an urban environment that would be created by the closure, creating more "conflict points," as well as eliminating B Street's current parallel parking.

Gosack told the CBID there was also concern from prospective developers along the river that there was not enough vehicular access for employees and visitors, which would only be exasperated by the closure of A Street, largely driving decisions to locate elsewhere in town. Gosack specifically mentioned the proposed Fort Smith Public Schools Events Complex, which is slated to be built on airport property should a millage pass by a vote of residents next year.

CBID Chairman Richard Griffin was not pleased with the presentation made by Gosack and made his opinion known.

"There's a whole lot of things that can be done (to improve access)," he said. "You've got H Street, you got E Street, you got the Spradling possibilities. And all at once you guys are in here pushing us saying, 'This is a bad idea.'… Why the push back?"

Gosack said it was presenting possibilities to the CBID based on feedback from developers who have chosen to not develop along the river, adding that access has to be available for development to occur.

"If we don't provide adequate vehicle access, we're not going to realize the dream of riverfront development and the community is telling us they want to see riverfront development. So we are here to support development of the riverfront and having development along the riverfront is going to require having vehicle access so that employees, residents, customers, anyone who wants to get in and out of the riverfront can do so conveniently."

Gosack added as part of the discussion that a Kelley Highway extension is being evaluated since a developer mentioned it as a way to bring it to downtown, though there are no plans to do the extension at this time.

At this point, the CBID is moving forward with its original plans for pushing for closure of A Street near the river, though the plan could change depending on options presented to it by the administration and the direction the Board of Directors takes. The Board has ultimate say so with regards to the street closure.

It’s been three years in the making but the Springdale Chamber of Commerce made public an economic development plan aimed at creating 3,700 jobs by 2017. The $2.6 million economic growth plan was unveiled to the media and general public on Tuesday (June 17) in downtown Springdale.

The “Ignite Springdale” campaign has already gained corporate investment support to the tune of $1.4 million pledged by 30 companies such as Arvest, Northwest Health, Harp’s, AT&T and Tyson Foods. (The complete list of supporting companies is at the end of this report.)

Chamber officials plan to recruit six new Springdale-based technology businesses to our tech park for about 250 new tech jobs with average salaries between $57,000 and $92,000. 

Lisa Ray, president for Arvest Bank Springdale, said professional job growth is one of the four initiatives of “Ignite Springdale.” The job growth will come from the business recruitment in the technology sector, in addition to helping existing companies expand and add more jobs to their payrolls.

“We have 19 projects on the table between retention expansions and new recruitments and we continue to work with the state economic development team to put attractive deals together,” said Perry Webb, Springdale Chamber CEO.

He said they are waiting to hear back on nine deals out to corporate offices for local expansions. Webb adds that the “Ignite Springdale” campaign results should increase local payrolls by $200 million, helping to generate $1.4 million in additional tax revenue for the city.

He said the economic plan was fashioned from information, ideas and concerns gleaned from community leaders in 2010. The business professionals cited a need for more tech jobs, better retention and expansion incentives for businesses already located in Springdale, a new workforce training model that will ensure high school students are ready for the open jobs in manufacturing, retail and other professional services. Lastly, Webb said the plan aims to instill a new sense of pride in Springdale among its residents as it advocates for improvements that enhance quality of life.

“We need to elevate Springdale as a hometown choice for the professional moving here. We need more professionals living here and we know that quality of life is a must,” Webb said.

Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse applauded the chamber efforts and said the initiatives are in line with where the city is putting its attention.

DOWNTOWN ENERGY
Sprouse said the excitement and investments that have recently been flowing into downtown Springdale are a sign that there is enough energy at work this time to keep the flame burning.

Ray, also a director for the Downtown Springdale Association, seconded that sentiment noting that the recent $100,000 gift from Tyson Foods to downtown improvements was given because the corporation recognized that a better downtown Springdale is key to improving the quality of life for the city residents and all of Northwest Arkansas. She said the support from the Care Foundation ($493,000) to construct Turnbow Plaza was another huge vote of confidence.

The Walton family recently invested $1.22 million in two downtown properties along Emma Avenue and all eyes are waiting to see what becomes of this retail space located just two blocks from the Shiloh Square trailhead and Turnbow Plaza, which expected to be completed later this year.

“We are starting to see a sense of pride build up in downtown Springdale again, thanks to these projects and outside investments,” Webb said.

“Ignite Springdale” Investor List
Centennial Bank
Farris Insurance
Innovative Business Furniture
Miller Bokus Lack Architects
Northwest Arkansas Naturals
NWA Regional Airport
One Clean Sweep
Jeff Williams
Cross Church
Frez-N-Stor
Ozark Film & Video
Around the World Travel
Kinco Constructors
Lewis & Clark Outfitters
Bank of America
Whittle Truck Sales
Brenda Green
Keaton Smith
Arvest Bank
Tyson Foods
Engineering Services Inc.
First Security Bank
Harps Food Stores
Northwest Medical System
Ozarks Electric Cooperative
AT&T
J.V. Manufacturing
Mathias Properites
SourceGas
City Title & Closing

Republican gubernatorial candidate Asa Hutchinson addressed the onshoring of jobs to the United States and what he said was a burdensome regulatory environment during a speech to the Fort Smith Manufacturing Executives Association.

The event, which was closed to the press by the MEA, was attended by business leaders and manufacturing executives from across the region. Hutchinson, speaking after the event concluded, said his speech focused on Arkansas' opportunities in the manufacturing sector.

"Well, I outlined today the great opportunity Arkansas has to bring manufacturing back to this state and to increase manufacturing in Arkansas. It's returning nationally, and when that happens, Arkansas is in a very good, competitive position to reap the benefits of manufacturing coming back to the United States."

He pointed to the recent efforts of Walmart U.S. to encourage its vendors and suppliers to bring jobs back to the U.S. and said his economic development plan for the state of Arkansas would encourage those efforts in the state.

"And so I talked about that opportunity and of course my economic development plan for the state fits right in with that in terms of having a more competitive tax rate in Arkansas so we can recruit industry into the state, a more favorable regulatory environment so we're not being punitive toward business, ad then thirdly, having an emphasis on job skill education that will give us the skills we need in the manufacturing workplace. So those are some of the points I emphasized today."

On the regulation front, Hutchinson said new Environmental Protection Administration guidelines seeking to reduce coal in power production was misguided and would negatively impact Arkansas on both a national and international level.

"… if we over regulate our industry here and the prices go up and all of a sudden, we're back where we were before (with jobs potentially going overseas). So it is a national issue, but it's a specific Arkansas issue because the most burdensome regulations are directed at coal and Arkansas is more dependent upon coal than some other states."

Hutchinson also took the opportunity to respond to the jobs plan announced last week by his Democratic opponent, former U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, saying the plan looked an awful lot like his own.

"Well, it's interesting that he's got a tax reduction plan, I've got a tax reduction plan. He's got a plan for regulatory relief, I've got a plan for regulatory relief. He's got a plan for job skill training, I've got a plan for job skill training. So there's many of the same themes through there, so the differences are in the objectives and how they're implemented and the specificity of the plans."

According to the former 3rd District congressman, his tax plan is more fair to middle class workers in Arkansas than Ross's plan and would provide more relief, making Arkansas more competitive with surrounding states in terms of recruitment of jobs.

"Well, (Ross) can say what he wants to say (about the fairness of his plan), but there's a difference. I'm explaining the difference. And my income tax relief goes to the middle income. We're starting with the middle income, reducing their rates. So mine is immediate relief to the middle income folks but our object in the end is different, and mine is important if we're going to grow jobs in Arkansas. So there's a difference there and he can defend his, but there's a difference. … I think my plan is more fair and will create jobs."

Part of Ross's plan calls for the elimination of sales tax on replacement parts for manufacturers as a way to encourage re-investment in Arkansas-based facilities. But after speaking to the manufacturing executives in Fort Smith Tuesday, Hutchinson said he didn't agree with that proposal in Ross' jobs plan.

"My view is — and I'm speaking to the manufacturers here — sure, they want something that helps manufacturers, but how about the retail market in Arkansas? And how about the farmers? And how about the tourism industry? How about the small business owner? Under my plan, they all get tax relief. But if you enact simply the relief for the manufacturer's replacement parts, that's not across the board and it's not allowing people to make decisions on how they want to invest their money and how they can grow their business."

As part of his speaking engagement Tuesday, Hutchinson also answered questions from the crowd, which he said again touched on regulations. One of the questions, he said, dealt with increased regulation resulting in higher utility costs for manufacturers and how that impacted companies' bottom lines.

"… there's a challenge with logistics here in Arkansas with less highway infrastructure and fewer intermodal facilities that if we can't have some advantage in the utility side, or incentives from the state government, then we can't expand our businesses here and the expansions might go elsewhere. So that was one of the points that was raised that I learned from and I thought was informative."

Hutchinson said there was a gentleman in the crowd from Richmond, Va., the hometown of outgoing Majority Leader Eric Cantor, who recently lost his congressional primary. Asked what could be learned and applied in Arkansas from Cantor's surprise loss, he uttered a phrase repeated many times by politicos.

"Pay attention to your base and all politics is local," he said, adding: "Make sure you understand the frustration with big government and big government solutions."

The House and Senate leaders of a task force charged with addressing soaring school employee health insurance rates said Tuesday (June 17) they believe they will have the votes they need this week for Gov. Mike Beebe to call a special session.

“Assuming we have the votes, (a special session) will happen in the next couple of weeks,” said Sen. Jim Hendren, R-Gravette, the chair of the task force.

Talk Business & Politics first reported on the potential special session and accompanying legislation one week ago.

Two bills have been written and were circulated to the House today. One would remove part-time school employees who work less than 30 hours from eligibility. An earlier draft included part-time state employees, but Hendren said there aren’t enough part-time state employees to generate savings.

In the other bill, employee spouses who have health coverage through another group health plan would not be eligible for school and state benefits. The bill also would require verification of dependent eligibility. It would require employees with high-deductible plans to be enrolled in a health savings account. It also would provide more flexibility in covering gastric bypass and other bariatric surgeries.

“The governor is satisfied with them. Now it’s about the vote count,” said Gov. Mike Beebe’s communications director, Matt DeCample.

Legislative leaders believe they already have that count. Hendren said he hoped to have enough Senate votes by Wednesday to justify calling a session. Rep. Harold Copenhaver, D-Jonesboro, said, “I am confident the House will have enough confirmed members in support of the legislation by the end of the week to move forward with a special session in the near future.”

The task force was created after the Legislature met in a special session in October to address soaring public school employee health insurance rates. Legislators poured $43 million in one-time money into the plan and added another $36 million annually from other sources as a quick fix.

The provision affecting part-time employees is controversial, as it will affect cafeteria workers, school bus drivers and others. Hendren said options are limited. While the Employee Benefits Division has made some changes administratively, they won’t be sufficient to ward off rate increases for teachers without changes in the law.

“I think when people understand that the alternative to a hard decision is a whole lot worse outcome for our teachers, people are going to see that we need to do this,” he said.

Sebastian County is on the hunt for an election coordinator for the third time since November 2013 after the latest hire tendered his resignation Monday (June 16).

In a memo Tuesday (June 17) that gave the media about a two hour notice of a special meeting of the Election Commission meeting, Sebastian County Judge David Hudson said Robert Cowan — who was hired as election coordinator May 23 — had resigned. A memo to the Election Commission and County Clerk Sharon Brooks sent Monday notifying them of the resignation, the judge cited personal reasons for the departure.

"In consideration of family and business interests, the time required for elections coordination is not compatible with Mr. Cowan's schedule and available time," Hudson wrote.

Cowan previously served as vice president of finance at Rheem Manufacturing Company's air conditioning division in Fort Smith, as well as director of finance for United Technologies of Indianapolis and as a regional controller for Procter & Gamble in Greensboro, N.C.

Tuesday's special meeting was an executive session for the commission to interview Suzanne Morgan, who had been a finalist during the last round of interviews when Cowan had been hired. Morgan's resume said she previously served as a business manager for Fort Operating Company of Fort Smith, as well as a special education aid at Van Buren Public Schools and as a legal assistant for a Dallas-based law firm.

Hudson told The City Wire he would not be posting the position again since it was only filled weeks ago, instead depending on the applications and resumes that were submitted during the interview process that led to Cowan's hiring. He added that he would like to quickly fill the position since three elections are upcoming.

"We know at this time that we have two elections scheduled on the same day on August 12, the Fort Smith Library and the Barling city directors. There's three individuals running for city director in Barling. Both of those elections are August 12. Then there's a school election that's in September. … And then you have the November general election. So the meeting today is to consider another individual that we had interviewed and had considered a top candidate for this position so we can move on."

Hudson said he was unaware of any state statute that would require the county to again post the position before it could be filled.

Before the special meeting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday (June 17), Hudson said he and Brooks had interviewed Morgan and Sebastian County Human Resources Director Steve Hotz confirmed that Morgan had previously been interviewed in May.

Election Commission Chairman Lee Webb told The City Wire he would like to see the Hudson wait before moving to hire a new coordinator, adding that he wanted to make sure the right person was in place instead of having high turnover continue.

One area of contention between Webb and Hudson is Hudson's desire to keep Cowan on temporarily to assist in the transition from himself to another candidate, which could possibly include Morgan. Webb said Cowan has not been on staff long enough to be able to assist in a transition and would instead like to see former Election Coordinator Jerry Huff return in a consulting capacity to assist the election commission in the short term. Huff's retirement set in motion the first attempt to hire now former Election Coordinator David Mansell, who resigned after a series of ballot mistakes. Mansell was subsequently replaced by Cowan.

"I would prefer getting Jerry back. I don't think Bob's up to speed enough on where we need to be at. He hasn't actually completed a complete election by himself other than the runoff, which we had a lot of help with."

During a Tuesday meeting of the Quorum Court, Hudson secured more than $2,900 in funding to pay out accrued leave time and other items from Huff's term. Hudson also stated during the earlier election commission meeting that if Huff were to return, it would have to be in a consultant's role since the state does not allow someone receiving retirement pension benefits from the state to be placed back on the salary.

As for how to solve the problem of the revolving door, Webb did not have a solution, but noted that the job may need to bumped from a part-time, $27,000 per year position to a full-time role with higher pay in order to find a quality candidate should Hudson choose to move to another candidate besides Morgan.

"I believe it's a bigger job than what it's posted as. I think there's a whole lot more to it once someone gets ingrained in it. They say it's not really worth what it's getting paid and takes a lot more time than what Jerry probably ever put down on his time log."

No further action has yet been taken on whether to retain Cowan for the transition, hire Morgan or call Huff back for consulting services. Hotz said more information could be available as soon as next week on what next steps could be taken by the county.

Fort Smith City Director Philip Merry's third attempt to get a review of the city's legal billings and the formation of a committee to review whether the city would be better served by in-house legal counsel or the current arrangement with paying the Daily and Woods Law Firm to provide legal services went nowhere at Tuesday's (June 17) meeting of the Fort Smith Board of Directors.

Merry had previously made an attempt during a regular Board meeting to have the item placed on the agenda, but was sidelined by Mayor Sandy Sanders who said it was not a proper motion since Merry was attempting to add the item at the end of a June 3 meeting.

A study session on June 10 resulted in the item being placed on Tuesday's agenda with a motion by Merry and a second by City Director Pam Weber, though a procedural move later in the week by City Director Mike Lorenz and backed by City Directors George Catsavis, Andre Good, Keith Lau, Mike Lorenz and Vice Mayor Kevin Settle removed the item from Tuesday's agenda.

The only two to vote in favor of adding the item to Tuesday's meeting agenda were Merry and Weber, with all directors with the exception of Good voting against the motion. Good arrived late to the meeting. Settle, who ran Tuesday's meeting in the absence of Sanders, stated all seven directors would have to approve the addition of the item for it to be an agenda item Tuesday. Since the item failed to receive seven votes, Settle said it would instead be placed on the July 1 meeting agenda, though it conceivably could be removed again should four directors contact the city clerk requesting its removal.

In other business, the Board approved a contract worth $1.176 million for Beshears Construction to build a fire training tower facility for the Fort Smith Fire Department at the Fort Smith landfill. According to Fort Smith Fire Chief Mike Richards, the department will use Act 833 funds, which are generated from an insurance premium tax, to build and operate the facility for the department instead of going out of town for training.

The facility would also be made available for a fee to other area fire departments, he added. Other city departments would also likely make use of the building, including the Fort Smith Police Department's SWAT Team, Richards said.

In addition to the initial construction cost, Richards said he was aware that the building would require yearly maintenance and operations expenditures, in some cases having operational costs as a result of outside groups using the facility.

"We're very aware of the fact that there will be some costs involved and we'll have to recover those costs for the wear and tear, but we're willing to work with anyone to do that. One of the important things about this facility is we intend to run it without using any additional general fund money. Once we get the facility built, it's our intention to take our Act 833 money that we receive each year and that's between $80,000 and $90,000, and put that back into the operation of the facility so we don't put an additional hardship on the general fund."

Page 54 of the 2014 Budget Supplement shows that the fire department already budgets $50,770 annually for operations related to training, which Richards said would no longer be spent on outside training once the training tower construction is complete. He again made the point that the operations costs would be completely covered by the Act 833 funding, though salaries for trainers would not come from Act 833. The budget supplement shows a total training personnel budget of $173,150, which includes $137,570 in salaries.

Based on the cost of the structure and the budget for training operations, the fire department would be able to recoup the cost of construction in approximately 24 years.

When Melissa Terry and her husband Flint Richter were children, they grew up on a farm, him near Springfield, Mo. and her in central Arkansas. Their background in farming is one reason they chose to purchase a nine-acre farm in August 2012 that sits in southeast Fayetteville.

Their land is zoned for residential but they are hoping to have it rezoned to agriculture to expand their ability to use the land for agricultural purposes.

“Our goal for our girls (age 6 and 8) is that they grow up knowing how to cultivate, preserve, and prepare fresh, healthy food; how to care for animals; and to find joy in their own powers of observation (such as noticing) sunrises and cool clouds; learning the names of birds, identifying different types of native grasses, plants, trees;  knowing what an heirloom seed is and why that's important, etc.” she said.

Melissa Terry’s family is not alone. Across the United States, including in Northwest Arkansas, the idea of urban agriculture is increasingly popular.

URBAN AGRI LEGALITIES
Laws vary in each Northwest Arkansas town for farm animals on land zoned for residential uses but the two extremes are Springdale and Fayetteville. Springdale does not allow any kind of farm animal (such as chickens) and Fayetteville recently changed its ordinances to allow an increasing number of chickens/ducks and bees, and now goats.

The number of animals from each species that is allowed is based on the plot size. The City of Fayetteville offers a detailed PDF that explains what is allowed under the ordinance, which passed in March 2014.

Bentonville and Rogers allow for bees and four hens. The city requires a permit and an inspection of the property, which must have the necessary housing for the animals and an appropriate sized lot. None of the major towns in Northwest Arkansas allow for roosters (male chickens) because of noise ordinances.

Increased interest has driven the evolving city ordinances, officials from Bentonville and Fayetteville agree.

“I anticipate that (the ordinances) will be under constant review based on what the citizens are telling us they need,” said Troy Galloway, city of Bentonville community and economic development director.

Peter Nierengarten, Fayetteville’s sustainability and resilience department director, said Fayetteville’s recent change in ordinances stems from the desire to help solve the local food distribution issues and allow people to supplement their income and have better access to healthier food. The ordinance changes also include more allowances for people to sell fresh produce they grow themselves from their home.

A grass-roots group in Springdale is working to get ordinances changed to allow chickens in the city limits (on land zoned for residential). They’ve met with resistance from the City Council, which as of this writing had not placed the issue on its agenda.

Tiffany Selvey lives in Springdale and works a 4,000-square-foot garden in her backyard. She’s part of the efforts to get chickens allowed in residential areas.

“In the last several years different people have approached the city council to ask for the ordinance to be changed to allow backyard hens in areas zoned residential. We are the hometown of Tyson and George’s, so it seems given that we could have backyard hens for eggs and pest control. Sadly, that's not the case. In the last few years, when all of our surrounding towns have made ordinances to allow backyard hens, Springdale will not change,” she said. “There are many reasons chickens could be beneficial in residential areas. Food security is an issue in our town, with some of our elementary schools at 90% or more free and reduced lunch rates.”

Continuing, Selvey said: “Those 2-4 eggs a day could make a real difference in the health of our children. Food insecurity aside, chickens provide excellent pest control, feasting on disease-carrying pests such as ticks. They also provide nutrient-rich free fertilizer, which appeals to me for obvious reasons. For those of us buying free-range, organic fed eggs at farmer's markets, we can save a lot of money. The average cost of organic, non-GMO fed chicken eggs, when you raise them at home is around $2 a dozen. And you get free fertilizer.”

Selvey added that there are efforts in town to ask for chickens to be allowed in educational gardens.

In regards to her own garden, Selvey gives credit for that interest to her grandfather.

“He is 80 years old and still maintains a huge garden in my town,” she said. “When I have questions, he's better than the Internet for information. As a child, I remember walking through the garden with him. The magic of growing food started way back then. ... After becoming a mom, I decided that I wanted to make a significant improvement in the health of my family, as well as a dent in the grocery budget.”

The desire to have healthy food is what led Dr. Malcolm Hayworth, an oncologist from Fayetteville, to start raising sheep in the 1980s. His father did the same when Hayworth was growing up in the northeastern United States. Hayworth is technically not in an urban area as his property is just outside city lines. However, he’s one of the area’s original “hobby” farmers and he has wisdom that would help others interested in starting their own urban agriculture program.

For one, make sure to provide veterinarian care for the animals (yes, chickens need to be vaccinated) and also make sure to purchase animals for the purpose they are intended. For example, some sheep are used mostly for meat, which is Hayworth’s purpose, and others are more for wool growth. The same is true for chickens. Some are better for laying eggs while others are better for harvesting.

LOCAL BUSINESS IMPACT
As the interest in urban agriculture grows, so does business for companies that offers supplies and expertise in the field. Farmers Co-op has 14 locations from Mena to Bentonville including Fort Smith, Bentonville and Fayetteville.

CEO Jay Carter said they are seeing a lot of urban agriculture business.

“It’s not just in Arkansas,” he said. “We’re seeing growth (in urban agriculture) across the nation.”

Farmers Co-op offers everything from high quality animal food to plants and raised garden beds. Customers can order chicks through the co-op but goats are not available, Carter said.

Two main reasons are contributing to the rise in urban agriculture, he said. One, more people want non-contaminated food that they know where it comes from. There’s also an increased interest in organic/natural food.

FARMING ORGANIZATIONS
Besides individuals showing more interest in urban agriculture, there’s also a growing number of organizations in Northwest Arkansas dedicated to local, community grown food. Terry is Programs Coordinator for Feed Communities in Fayetteville.

“Our two program priorities are increasing healthy food access and improving healthy food choices,” she said.

Terry emphasizes that the programs are designed to support sustainable food security because if the focus is on the insecurity, the needs will never end.

“In Northwest Arkansas we don’t have a food shortage, we have a distribution shortage,” she said.

Feed Communities works to create networks of service providers to make sure that healthy food is readily available throughout the community.

Tri Cycle Farms is located roughly at Sycamore and Garland in Fayetteville and has operated since 2011. The organization works with volunteers to raise chickens, food and bees. They hope to soon have goats, said Don Bennett, founder/director. They also offer education classes about growing food and how to prepare it.

“We need to address the food insecurity issues with awareness, education and empowerment,” he said. “We’re able to impact the neighborhood and community from the middle of town.”

Candidates for Fayetteville municipal races cannot start filing to run for office until July 25, but that has not stopped several incumbents and challengers from announcing their intents to run for a term on the council.

Fayetteville Vice Mayor Mark Kinion announced earlier this month he would seek re-election to his Ward 2 post on the council, as has Ward 1 Councilor Adella Gray.

In a press release, Kinion said he would seek his third term on the council in order to continue pushing economic development in the city, the largest in the Northwest Arkansas region.

“We have a unique heritage in Fayetteville that is irreplaceable and must be protected," he said, adding that the council "must look forward to more economic growth opportunities in every sector including business, industry, medical, technology and creative economy.”

Kinion, 57, is so far the only announced candidate for the Ward 2 seat.

Gray, 74, is also seeking her third term on the Board after a failed bid for the Arkansas House of Representatives in 2012.

In an interview with the Fayetteville Flyer, Gray said her age and experience was an asset and brought diversity to the council. She added that she was a supporter of "cutting-edge" legislation, which the Flyer noted includes a streamside protection ordinance and Arkansas's first energy improvement district.

She will face Sonia Davis Gutierrez in the non-partisan election on Nov. 4. Gutierrez, 40, first announced for the position and runs 3c21 Design.

Ward 3 Councilor Justin Tennant has announced his intent to run for a second term on the council, as well.

According to Fayetteville Deputy City Clerk Lisa Branson, the only member of the council to forgo re-election is Ward 4 Councilor Rhonda Adams, who is moving because of  her husband's acceptance of a new job. She represents Ward 4 on the council. Mike Emery has announced he would run to replace Adams. No other candidates have yet announced for the position.

Other municipal races up for re-election this year include city attorney and district judge. Williams is running for re-election, though Stewart has not made such a declaration.

Branson said candidates can begin filing with the Washington County Clerk to run for city council on July 25 and have until noon on August 15 to submit 30 signatures from registered voters within their respective ward to qualify for the ballot. Candidates for city attorney and district judge can obtain signatures from any registered voter living in Fayetteville city limits.

Each member of the city council receives an annual salary of $12,504, the city's codebook states. The city of Fayetteville's human resources department said the city attorney's annual salary is $112,507, while the salary for the district judge is $123,988.

Terms for all incumbents will end Dec. 31, 2014, with new 4-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2015, Branson said.