For the 2013 holiday season, Wichita-based Cargill Value Added Meats which operates Cargill’s U.S. turkey business, has made a commitment to donate more than 11,000 turkeys to food banks, the Salvation Army and other charitable organizations.

The donated turkeys, which will feed tens of thousands of people, are worth more than $200,000. This is additional to the annual donation of turkeys made by the company.
  
“Each holiday season we provide thousands of turkeys to charities located near our major turkey processing facilities, as well as in the Wichita and Minneapolis areas, where our protein business and corporate headquarters are located, respectively,” said Ruth Kimmelshue, president of Cargill Value Added Meats.
 “This year, we are able to provide additional turkeys in areas where people need them. While there are always more deserving people in America than we could ever accommodate, we are delighted to provide more than 11,000 additional families with a nutritious, flavorful, wholesome turkey for meals during this year’s holiday season.  It’s the time of the year when we should all be doing as much as possible to help others less fortunate."
           
In Arkansas the turkeys will be distributed by food banks in Bethel Heights and Little Rock, as the Natural State is one of the most food insecure states in the nation.

In addition, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma will be receiving turkeys for victims of the spring 2013 tornados that devastated much of Moore, Okla.; the Salvation Army will be distributing turkeys to families in West, Texas, where an April explosion at a fertilizer plant shook the town; and U.S. military families throughout the nation will receive donated turkeys through Operation Homefront and the Thanksgiving Turkey Basket program at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita. 

“When people have enough good food to eat, both they and their communities are better able to thrive. That’s a point of view that we’ve maintained as part of Cargill’s values and guiding principles since the company’s founding 148 years ago, and it’s as relevant today as it was in 1865,” Kimmelshue said.

Cargill operates turkeys processing plants in Springdale and Ozark, Arkansas, as well as in Texas, Missouri and Virginia.

Just two days before Wal-Mart reports its much anticipated earnings, the retail giant announced it will pull out all the stops ahead of Black Friday.

This year Wal-Mart is expanding the number of one-hour guaranteed items by seven times that of last year with more special pricing deals that begin at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. The retail giant is one of many stores to already announce deals ahead of Black Friday, including Target, Best Buy, Macy’s and Toys “R” Us.

With this year's six-day shorter holiday shopping season and low rates of consumer confidence following the government shutdown, Wal-Mart is upping its efforts to draw in more customers: offering what experts said were impressive deals and guaranteeing more products to customers in line during the Thursday sales.

"Black Friday is our day – our Super Bowl – and we're ready to prove once again that no one does it better than Walmart," said Bill Simon, president and CEO, Walmart U.S. "We're excited to give our customers an incredible Black Friday with shopping hours that will allow them to take advantage of great prices on Thanksgiving night and all weekend long."

Compared to last year, Walmart will offer 65% more inventory on televisions and double the number of tablets — some of the most popular Black Friday items.

"Delivering for our customers wouldn't be possible without our associates. They are a critical component of our success throughout the year, and especially during the holiday season," said Simon. “This year, as a special thanks, associates who work on Thanksgiving Day will receive a 25% discount on an entire purchase this holiday season."

Wal-Mart said it will also hold some deals back for Black Friday, with featured “Manager Specials” that begin at 8 a.m. that morning.

Analyst have said Black Friday is becoming more of six-day weekend. Duncan Mac Naughton, chief merchandising officer for Walmart U.S., recently promised huge sales supported by a massive ad campaign started with aggressive price rollbacks in October.

“It’s going to be a competitive market, the short timeframe between Thanksgiving and Christmas is giving more importance toward Black Friday,” he said.

Conaly Bedell of Fort Smith was presented the Diligence to Victory Award, the highest alumni honor bestowed by the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. The award was presented during an alumni reunion dinner Nov. 9.

Recipients of the award are alumni who have distinguished themselves through service to their community, state or nation or whose outstanding leadership in their business or professional lives exemplifies the “through diligence to victory” motto of the first graduating class at Fort Smith Junior College in 1928.

Previous recipients of the Diligence to Victory Award are Randy Wewers (Class of ’58), the first recipient of the award in 2010; Peggy Raynor Weidman (’73) in 2011 and Stacey Jones (’71) in 2012.
 
Bedell, an international technology and political consultant, attended UAFS in the 1950s. As an associate with Jefferson Waterman International, he serves international clients through a consulting company he maintains in Fort Smith.
 
Although Bedell’s history with the institution began when he was a student, his role with the University continued when he served for 18 years on the Board of Trustees for Westark, which was the name of the institution at that time. He is now active on the UAFS Alumni Advisory Council.
 
Warren Rappert, chair of the Alumni Advisory Council’s Awards Committee, introduced Bedell at the reunion dinner, praising what Bedell did and is doing for UAFS.
 
“Conaly never forgot his roots,” said Rappert. “He served on the Westark Community College Board of Trustees from 1975 to 1992 and now serves as a founding member on the Alumni Advisory Council.”
 
Rappert said Bedell has, through the years, been a proponent and advocate for property acquisition because “he could see where the University would grow and what it would need.”
 
During Bedell’s Board tenure, the institution purchased the property now housing the UAFS Fitness Center. That facility, which once had a shared use between the college and the Fort Smith Boys Club, was on the edge of the campus at that time but is now in the center of the school’s property.
 
Bedell also noted the acquisition of the property on the southwest corner of Kinkead and Waldron, which was a convenience store when purchased and has since held various functions of the University. It will soon be torn down to accommodate a new visual arts facility. He also recalls the purchase of other properties, including the Echols Building, a former elementary school.
 
In addition he points with pride to the Board setting aside funds toward what is now Boreham Library and growing programs in the technology area. Bedell, who was an advertising and marketing executive for 25 years and owner of one of the larger agencies in Arkansas, said he was also proud that he handled the advertising campaigns to raise money for Breedlove Building and the science building, as well as several bond issues.
 
He is most proud, however, of how he was able to provide assistance when Westark needed it for a University Center on campus. The University Center concept was one where Westark, as a two-year school, would invite four-year universities to offer the junior- and senior-level years for programs on the Westark campus, allowing students to stay in their hometowns and earn a bachelor’s degree.
 
Appropriate legislation had been passed by the legislature in 1989, but Bedell said Gov. Bill Clinton planned to veto it. Bedell, as Board chair at that time, was asked by former chancellor Joel Stubblefield to contact Clinton. Bedell did that, reaching Clinton’s office and saying he wanted to talk to the governor.
 
“Five minutes later, Bill called me and said, ‘Conaly, I can’t sign it,’” said Bedell. “He knew why I was calling. I asked him for a couple of minutes of his time to listen to our reasons for wanting a University Center, explaining that this was precisely the answer needed for a state short in higher education money. Bill said he never thought of it that way, and he agreed to sign the legislation.”
 
UAFS continued with the University Center operation until the institution became a four-year university.
 
Bedell’s role with Jefferson Waterman is focused in two areas – early-stage technology business and international political strategies.
 
His international experience includes a decade of work as a United States representative for an Australian investment firm. He has consulted for an American corporation on financial systems development for Kurdistan, has filmed in the Caspian Sea region to document opportunity in a former Soviet country and has explored science and technology with Russian scientists.
 
Bedell's career began as a print journalist, which included periods as education editor at the Tulsa Tribune and subsequently staff reporter at Life Magazine. He became an early-stage bio-technology executive and, during the 1990s, served as president and director of one publicly listed bio-technology company and president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of a successor public bio-tech company. The bio companies were early innovators in recombinant yeast products and DNA electrophoresis.
 
Bedell received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Tulsa, where he also did graduate study in history. He also studied in the University of Arkansas graduate program in philosophy. Bedell's wife, Cynthia, teaches religion at Trinity Catholic Junior High School, and they are members of Immaculate Conception Parish in Fort Smith.
 
Previous recipients of the Diligence to Victory Award are Randy Wewers (Class of ’58), the first recipient of the award in 2010; Peggy Raynor Weidman (’73) in 2011 and Stacey Jones (’71) in 2012.

Tyson Foods in conjunction with its joint venture partner, Godrej recently announced a new chicken product inside its India operations.

The partnership introduced its “Real Good Chicken” brand priced at 76 cents (US) for a 400 gram package, according to a press release out of India earlier this week.

White-meat products such as this have been a rarity for many Indian households as inflationary pressures forced homemakers to reduce the quantity of protein in their diets, according to
Arabind Das, chief operating officer of Godrej Tyson Food Ltd.

“The range of products under the brand will not just provide consumers affordable and safe quality chicken but enable them to make protein an integral part of the diet, he said.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation announced that its board of directors has authorized management to pursue a potential tax-free spin-off of the company's health care business.

A spin-off would create a stand-alone, publicly traded health care company with approximately $1.6 billion in annual net sales and leading market positions in both surgical and infection prevention products and medical devices. 

"While K-C Health Care has been part of our company since the 1970's, its strategic fit and growth priorities have changed over time and we now think that pursuing a spin-off makes sense for our shareholders. This move would allow K-C Health Care to optimize its performance and flexibility to pursue its own value-creation opportunities,” said CEO   Thomas J. Falk.

“A spin-off would also allow us to further sharpen our focus on our consumer and K-C Professional brands.  This announcement is further evidence of our focus on creating shareholder value and how we use portfolio management to run our company," he added.

Robert E. Abernathy, president of the company’s European division, has been tagged as the CEO of the new health care company if the spin-off ultimately occurs. 

Joanne B. Bauer will continue as Kimberly-Clark President Global Health Care and work closely with Abernathy on separation planning and retire when the spin-off is completed.

"Robert is a seasoned executive with a long track record of success and I'm confident he will be a terrific leader of the new company," said Falk. "He is excited about working with the many talented individuals on the health care team to create shareholder value as a stand-alone company."

Company management will continue to analyze a potential spin-off and expects to make a final recommendation to the board of directors in the next several months. If the board approves a spin-off, a transaction would likely be completed by the end of the third quarter of 2014, subject to market, regulatory and other conditions. 

The company expects that the spin-off would be in the form of a tax-free distribution of 100% of the new company's common stock to Kimberly-Clark shareholders. 

K-C Health Care net sales in 2012 were $1.6 billion, with about 70% in North America and most of the rest in Europe and Asia. Total net sales are split approximately 70% surgical and infection prevention products and 30% medical devices. 

The business had more than 16,000 employees at the end of 2012, with a large majority located in low-cost manufacturing operations in Latin America and Asia. The business unit headquarters are in Roswell, Ga. Kimberly-Clark is a supplier to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and operates a large sales office in Northwest Arkansas.

Arvest Bank, with the help of customers and communities, the bank announced today it exceeded the campaign goal by raising a total of 1.8 million meals in the fight against hunger with its 1 Million Meals effort.

The campaign total of 1,813,384.95 million meals was made possible with donations from the bank, Arvest associates, customers and local residents through fundraisers, events and nonperishable food drives in all Arvest branches from Sept. 4 through Nov. 2. The success of the campaign comes just in time to help local food banks and hunger organizations meet their increased needs during the holiday season.

“We are thrilled that, through the efforts of our customers and associates, Arvest was able to provide meals to our neighbors in need,” said Lisa Ray, Arvest Bank president in Springdale. “We hope the increased awareness about hunger in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley will continue to help feed our neighbors long after we’ve completed this year’s campaign. One Million Meals is a great example of the impact that can be made when many people come together.”

In Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley, Arvest partnered with 18 food partners for the campaign. The organizations will receive all donations from their local area, and this year 706,623 total meals were provided in overall in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley.

The organizations in Northwest Arkansas and the Fort Smith area are:
• Helping Hands, Bentonville
• Oasis Food Pantry at Free Will Evangelical Church, Bella Vista
• Farmington Senior Center, Farmington
• 7Hills Homeless Center, Fayetteville
• Life Source International, Fayetteville
• Arkansas Rice Depot Food for Kids Backpack Program, Fort Smith
• Community Services Clearinghouse Meals for Kids Backpack Program, Fort Smith
• Gravette Gardens, Gravette
• Madison County Senior Activity Center Meals On Wheels, Huntsville
• The Grace Place, Lincoln
• First Baptist Church of Lowell Food Pantry, Lowell
• NWA Food Bank, Lowell
• West Fork Elementary Backpack Program, West Fork
• Life Ministries, Prairie Grove
• Pea Ridge Ministerial Alliance, Pea Ridge
• Samaritan Community Center, Rogers
• Manna Center, Siloam Springs
• Springdale Public Schools Health Services, Springdale

All money and nonperishable food items raised through this campaign directly benefitted 53 different organizations feeding local communities in four states – Arkansas, Kansas Missouri and Oklahoma.

The bank decided to provide one million meals because hunger is an issue in every community it serves. In 2012, one in six American households reported food hardship, or not having adequate funds to provide enough food for their family.

For more information about 1 Million Meals, visit arvest.com/millionmeals.

Wal-Mart and the Wal-Mart Foundation are committing $1 million to the Red Cross and Save the Children for emergency relief efforts in response to needs created by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. 

The donation includes funds given by the Wal-Mart Foundation and Wal-Mart's international operations.

In addition to the $1 million donation, Wal-Mart is making it easy for U.S. customers and associates to make personal contributions to relief efforts by setting up online sites for donations to the Philippines through the Red Cross at the following website link.
 Wal-Mart

"Giving back to our communities, especially in a time of need, is part of our culture at Wal-Mart," said Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart International. "A crisis only reinforces that commitment, and our thoughts are with the people affected by this disaster. We're proud to help the Red Cross and Save the Children get vital assistance to the Philippines as quickly as possible."

Funds donated will focus on addressing immediate needs. Both organizations are providing relief for immediate needs such as nutritious food, medical supplies and health care. Additionally, Save the Children will set up child friendly spaces to help children cope with trauma and fear in the wake of this devastating storm.

"Thanks to the generosity of Wal-Mart, the Red Cross is able to provide critical support to Typhoon Haiyan survivors in the Philippines now and as they rebuild and recover," said Neal Litvack, chief development officer at the American Red Cross.

The Fort Smith Board of Directors approved an ordinance Tuesday (Nov. 19) authorizing the issuance of taxable industrial development bonds for Gerber Products in the amount of $150 million.

According to Deputy City Administrator Jeff Dingman, the bonds will be re-paid in full by Gerber with no liability to the city. Dingman said the bond issuance will result in jobs at the north Fort Smith manufacturer.

"This bond ordinance represents assisting Gerber invest up to $150 million in their plant expansion resulting in 90 additional jobs through increased production at their plant," he said.

Vice Mayor Kevin Settle was quick to praise Gerber's growth in the Fort Smith area.

"Thank you to Gerber for your great investment into the city," he said. "And I'm glad you're doing this."

Mayor Sandy Sanders echoed Settle's comments, pointing to the confidence shown by the investment Gerber is making in its well established Fort Smith facility.

In other business, the Board:
• Approved an ordinance certifying to the Sebastian County Tax Collector delinquent property cleanup liens;
• Approved an ordinance establishing June 30 as the annual cutoff date for consideration of appeal for delinquent property cleanup liens;
• Approved an ordinance establishing dates, time and location for regular meetings of the Board of Directors for the year 2014;
• Approved a resolution authorizing partial payment to Archer Western Construction for the construction of the Zero Street Pump Station;
• Appointed April Byrd to the Fort Smith Municipal Employees Benevolent Fund Board of Advisors; and
• Re-appointed Pam Weiler, Joseph Irwin and Joel Scott Stubblefield to the Oak Cemetery Commission.

A t-shirt with a design by Danielle Kling of Muldrow, a University of Arkansas at Fort Smith graphic design student, is on sale at more than 100 GAP retail stores across the U.S.

The retailer ordered 15,000 units of a T-shirt design Kling made in her UAFS digital Illustration class, as part of a project where students submitted designs into a weekly contest on Threadless, an online clothing retailer that sells designs created by users.

Her design, a blueprint diagramming a spiderweb titled “Web Construction,” did not win the contest. But GAP, which had partnered with Threadless to sell the website’s clothing merchandise at select GAP locations across North America, sent her an email “out of the blue” expressing interest in purchasing it.

Kling, who is a junior at the University, was eager to hear what they had decided, but it took several agonizing months to hear back.

“I checked my email every single day after I signed the contract, hoping to hear back with good news,” she said. “I hadn’t heard anything back and started to assume that mine hadn’t passed through.”
 
Then, about seven months after receiving the first email, she received a $1,500 check in the mail with a royalty payment.
 
“I’m not ashamed to admit I screamed,” she joked.

The idea for the shirt came to Kling one day at her house when she was sketching concepts for a design. While brainstorming, she noticed a spider outside her window that had been there for nearly a week.

“As I thought about him building that web, the idea for a web blueprint came to mind,” she said.

Travis Brown of Fort Smith, assistant graphic design professor at UAFS, said Kling is “a valuable student in our art department.”

“She had the concept for the shirt immediately after I gave the assignment and produced the artwork well before the deadline,” he said. “But that’s not unusual for Dani. She invariably comes to class with work prepared early enough for critical feedback. She’s an excellent communicator during critiques, and her classmates appreciate her in class.”

The shirts are for sale at locations in three countries across North America – the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada – and in approximately 30 states in the U.S. The nearest GAP + Threadless retail stores carrying Kling’s shirt are in Tulsa, Okla., and Dallas, Texas.

Wal-Mart on Wednesday (Nov. 20) announced a new Neighborhood Market for Farmington. The new Neighborhood Market will be located on Main Street, will add about 95 jobs and is scheduled to open in the fall of 2014.
 
“We are excited to have Wal-Mart choose Farmington for this new Neighborhood Market, and thankful for the jobs and development it will bring to our community,” Farmington Mayor Ernie Penn said. “This is important to growing our tax base, and providing more convenient options to our citizens.”

Farmington is one of three new Neighborhood Markets slated to open in Northwest Arkansas, following Siloam Springs and Pea Ridge. Bentonville recently opened its second Neighborhood Market, after voters in Bella Vista declined to approve the retailer’s large scale development plans last year.
 
“Walmart is excited for another opportunity to continue to expand our service to the people of Farmington and Northwest Arkansas,” Walmart Vice President for Real Estate Brian Hooper said in a statement.
 
Wal-Mart said it employs more than 49,000 people at its 105 Arkansas locations and the average wage for regular, full-time hourly associates in Arkansas is $12.25 per hour.

Additionally, the retail giant spent more than $11.5 billion for merchandise and services with suppliers in Arkansas last year alone. As a result of those relationships, the company supports an additional 52,107 supplier jobs in the state.

Gov. Mike Beebe on Wednesday (Nov. 20) presented grants totaling $3.3 million to 16 Arkansas cities and counties at a ceremony held today at the State Capitol. The funds originate from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

The grants will be administered by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s Grants Division.

To be eligible for CDBG funds, communities must have a population of less than 50,000 and a majority of households earning low to moderate incomes.

The projects include the following cities:
Alma, senior center, $203,000
Cave City, childcare center, $325,000
Cove, street improvement/drainage, $150,382
Crawfordsville, library, $99,000
Dewitt, neighborhood facility, $213,220
Harrison, community center, $78,000
Jericho, road/street improvements, $216,000
Marianna, road/street improvements, $212,000
Morrilton, senior center, $203,000

And the following counties:
Columbia County, childcare center, $165,000
Dallas County, senior center, $203,000
Dallas County, neighborhood facility, $216,000
Hempstead County, public health facility, $325,000
Lonoke County, neighborhood facility, $216,000
Saline County, neighborhood facility, $216,000
Stone County, food pantry, $60,000
Woodruff County, senior center, $203,000

“CDBG funds go a long way to help improve quality of life for many of Arkansas’s most economically challenged citizens,” said Basil Julian, director of AEDC’s Grants Division. “We are fortunate that we are able to make these improvements for basic infrastructure and community needs.”

Tyson Foods Inc. was recently cited for “repeat and serious violations of workplace standards” following a federal inspection of its prepared food plant in Buffalo, N.Y.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Labor reported that Tyson faces a total of $121,720 in proposed fines related to high-hazard workplace violations.

The plant was inspected in May, but the violations were not release by OSHA until Nov. 19.

"These new and recurring hazards exposed the plant's workers to falls, electrocution, burns, being caught in unexpectedly activated machinery and ammonia," said Art Dube, OSHA's area director in Buffalo. "Tyson Foods needs to address these hazards quickly, effectively and completely, so they do not occur again."


Tyson Foods said it is reviewing the citations, and given the nature and extent of the alleged violations, the company will likely contest OSHA’s findings.

“Workplace safety is a cultural value at our company. At all times, we expect the highest standards for the safety and health of our team members across all of Tyson Foods’ operations. Our efforts include safety policies and training, and the involvement of workers in our safety committees,” said Tyson spokesman Worth Sparkman.

OSHA said it found a cross section of mechanical, electrical and fall hazards, as well as several deficiencies in the plant's process safety management program for its refrigeration system that uses large amounts of ammonia.

The hazards include failing to guard skylights and roof hatchway, guard a press, provide safety-related work practices to prevent electric shock and arc flash burns, and provide workers with protective equipment when using energized equipment.

These conditions resulted in the issuance of 11 serious citations with $61,000 in fines.

The inspection also identified three hazards similar to those cited in Hutchinson, Kan.; Concordia, Mo.; and Dakota City, Neb. These recurring hazards involve failing to document that refrigeration equipment complied with generally accepted good engineering practices, guard floor holes and maintain a sufficient work space in front of electrical equipment.

Three repeat citations were issued with $60,720 in fines. A repeat violation exists when an employer has been cited previously for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any of its facilities in federal enforcement states within the last five years.

Tommy Coughlin IV, has been hired by Grand Savings Bank as a loan officer. Coughlin will manage business and consumer lending as part of Grand Savings Bank’s growth in Northwest Arkansas.

A graduate of John Brown University, Coughlin has a bachelor’s degree in organizational management. He has 10 years of experience in the banking industry, most recently as manager of the Bentonville and Roger locations for Regions Bank.

Tyler Steele, vice president of Grand Savings Bank, has known Coughlin for many years as both of them are Bentonville natives.

“Tommy and I go way back so I can attest to his strong character as a banker but more importantly, as a friend,” said Steele. “He will be crucial part of the team as we expand into Bentonville, Rogers and other parts of this region.”

Coughlin volunteers with the Boys & Girls Club of Benton County, Sharing and Caring of Benton County and The Miller McNeil Woodruff Foundation. He is a member of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Bella Vista. He and his wife are parents to their six-week-old son, Tommy V.

Grand Savings Bank is a community bank that has served Northeast Oklahoma since 1980 and is expanding into Northwest Arkansas with a new location in Bentonville.

Cheryl Partain is the new billing and collections manager for the city of Fayetteville.

She has been the city’s financial analyst since 2005 and has worked in the accounting field for the past 18 years.

“I am very pleased to be selected as the city’s billing and collections manager. I look forward to continued service to the public in the billing and collections division, and I am pleased to be managing a department loaded with such talented employees,”  Partain said in the release.

She received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Arkansas in 1997. While working as the city’s financial analyst for the past eight years, Partain was cross-trained in all of the positions within the department,

A high attendance and requests from visitors to access the museum earlier has prompted Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art to expand its hours beginning Nov. 23.

On Saturdays and Sundays, the museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., which is one hour earlier. On weekdays, the lobby, library and coffee bar will open at 10 a.m., with the remainder of the museum opening at 11 a.m. as usual.

“We opted to expand our weekend hours due to the number of guests arriving early on Saturdays and Sundays and waiting for the galleries to open,” explained Crystal Bridges Executive Director Rod Bigelow. “Clearly there was an interest in earlier weekend hours, and we are happy to accommodate. Similarly, guests arriving early during the week can now visit the library or enjoy a cup of coffee before venturing into the galleries.”

New Museum Hours:
Monday, Thursday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Lobby, library, coffee bar open at 10 a.m.)
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday, Friday: 11 a.m. to  9 p.m. (Lobby, library, coffee bar open at 10 a.m.)
Saturday, Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Trails and Grounds are open from sunrise to sunset daily.
 
Holiday Programs
In November, Crystal Bridges is offering extended Drop-in Studio programming on Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, offering visitors of all ages an opportunity to create their own artwork between noon and 3 p.m. 

Guided tours of the museum’s permanent collection are available daily at 2:30 p.m., with an additional tour especially for families at 1 p.m. on Saturdays, and an architecture-focused tour at 4:30 p.m. on Sundays.

In addition, a Fall Forage Trail Tour is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 29 at 11:30 a.m. There is no fee for these programs.

The museum’s restaurant, Eleven, will also accommodate additional visitors with a satellite site for sandwiches and lunch offerings set up in the museum’s Great Hall from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Friday, Nov. 29 through Sunday, Dec. 1. 

In December, more holiday programming is set for the week when children are out of school. From Dec. 21 through Jan. 5, the museum will offer Winter Break Wonders with daily drop-in activities for visitors, ranging from family-friendly performances by the StoneLion Puppet Theatre, Mr. Stinky Feet, and Storybook Strings, to artmaking activities, tours, and pop-up playgrounds hosted by Marie Vukin of Project Play Every Day. 

For adults, Crystal Bridges is hosting  its first-ever New Year’s Eve celebration, New 365, featuring music, dancing, food and drink, and more. Paired with a special package at 21c Museum Hotel, the evening offers a fun and festive way to ring in the new year.

Vinh Long, a Vietnamese furniture manufacturer, will invest $5 million to locate an operation in an existing building in Morrilton that will employ 75 people.

The company, which produces home furnishing products made from natural fiber mixed with industrial materials, will locate in the former Bosch building in Morrilton.
www.vinhlong.com.vn/

Vietnam’s Ambassador to the U.S. Nguyen Quoc Cuong joined Madam Phan Thi My Hanh, Chairman of the Board and General Director for Vinh Long at during the Thursday (Nov. 21) announcement that included Gov. Mike Beebe.
 
“We see great potential for wood-based products manufactured in Arkansas for several reasons, including the fact that Arkansas’s sustainable supply of raw materials fits into our global vision of creating a better life for all people,” Madam Hanh said in the statement. “Strong support from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and city officials has allowed us to speed up our timeline to get our product to market quickly and efficiently.”
 
“Vinh Long’s investment in the State of Arkansas shows the growing business relations between Vietnam and the United States,” Ambassador Cuong said. “As our two countries are embarking on common endeavors, especially the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiation, more jobs and economic growth will be created, here in the United States as well as in Vietnam. I wish Vinh Long – Arkansas Ltd. great successes.”

Vinh Long-Arkansas Ltd. plans to begin production in summer 2014. The company will begin hiring this spring. Vinh Long Import-Export Manufacturing Joint Stock Company was founded in 1976, since starting operations from a small weaving group representing for local women. The company has grown to become one of Vietnam’s largest natural fiber manufacturers. With 850 of in-house employees and nearly 10,000 home weavers, the company is a key player in the natural fiber manufacturing industry.

“Arkansas remains a popular choice for international investment, and we appreciate Vinh Long's decision to bring this operation to Morrilton,” Beebe said in a statement. “Companies around the world continue to recognize that our location and workforce make Arkansas an ideal site for expansion.”

Chuy’s, the Austin-based restaurant opening in Rogers in January, announced its Northwest Arkansas charity partnership with the Sunshine School and Development Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and enriching lives of individuals with disabilities.
 
In line with its long tradition of community involvement, additional fundraisers for Northwest Arkansas Sunshine School and Development Center will be held at Chuy’s preopening events offering invited guests an exclusive taste of Chuy’s before the restaurant’s official opening.
 
“We’re honored to be named as the charity partner for Chuy’s Rogers,” said Greg Parker, board president of the Sunshine School and Development Center. “We’re thankful for this new partnership and impressed by Chuy’s commitment to our community. Their support will be vital to helping us continue to offer year-round programs for families and children with developmental disabilities.”
 
The Sunshine School and Development Center provides developmentally appropriate learning and therapeutic opportunities to young children who have been identified with developmental delays. Through outside funding and support, the school is able to offer tuition replacement to a limited number of students 18 months of age and older.
 
“Chuy's was built on the foundation of giving back to our communities,” said Jason Crane, local owner/operator of Chuy’s Rogers. “We’re excited to begin a life-long partnership with Sunshine School and Development Center that helps so many northwest Arkansas children and families.”
 
Chuy’s Rogers will open at 4889 W. Pauline Whitaker Parkway on Tuesday, Jan. 14.
 

Members of NorthWest Arkansas Community College’s public relations and marketing team received six awards in the District 4 Medallion Awards competition conducted by the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations.
 
District 4 includes Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. The National Council for Marketing & Public Relations is the only organization of its kind that represents marketing and PR professionals at community and technical colleges. Awards were presented earlier this fall at the District 4 conference in Lubbock, Texas.
 
The local community college staff earned three gold awards – in government relations or community relations, communication success story and promotion of a special event, one silver award in fundraising campaign, and two bronze awards in social marketing and in feature writing.
 
The team includes:

Steven R. Hinds, executive director of public relations and marketing;
Rob Hanlon, director of marketing;
Chris Holtman, public relations and social media specialist;
Debbie Miller, communications specialist;
Justin Froning, graphic designer;
Brian Clark, graphic artist; and
Daniel Yeager, social media coordinator.

Tara Berry and Micah Milligan, former graphic designers at NWACC, also contributed to the projects that earned district honors.

NorthWest Arkansas Community College has opened registration for its spring 2014 semester that begins Jan. 13 and concludes May 2.
 
The schedule for the spring semester includes day, evening and Saturday classes with courses scheduled on the Bentonville campus, at The Jones Center and Washington County Center sites in Springdale and at the Farmington High School campus. Culinary and Hospitality Management courses, General Education Development classes and Adult Education classes are offered in the Center for Nonprofits at St. Mary’s in Rogers. 



NWACC also provides a variety of courses online, including a structured degree track tailored to fit the needs and schedules of working adults. Students progress through the online degree program as a group (or cohort), and by following the track, they can obtain an associate’s degree in two years.

New courses offered in the spring include:
Sociology - Caribbean Societies; 

iOS app development, iPod Touch and iPad;
Philosophy - Critical Thinking;
Information Literacy Skills;
Genetics;
Mechanical engineering dynamics;
Competitive soccer;
Health Information: disease pathology and coding; and
Fundamentals of sustainability.

Kathryn Birkhead, director for diversity and inclusion at NorthWest Arkansas Community College, recently completed a certificate program in diversity management at Cornell University.
 
Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations conducted the training which provided participants the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge in an area that is complex and important to organizations in creating a competitive workforce.

The program required the completion of six workshops for a total of 72 units.

Topics covered include:
Law of Equal Employment Opportunities;
Fundamentals of Diversity Initiatives;
Strategic Diversity Recruiting and Retention;
Difficult Issues in Diversity;
Effective Affinity Groups; and
Effective Diversity Councils.  
 
Birkhead joined NWACC in 2012. She previously was director of diversity and inclusion for The Jones Center in Springdale.