AGP Executive Report

Energy Costs: A new EIA-based map shows residential electricity prices rising fastest in places like Washington, D.C. (+22.5% year over year), while Arkansas is up 8.3%—a reminder that grid investment and demand pressures are turning power into a bigger household bill. Coal Push: President Trump is using the Defense Production Act to funnel about $425 million to keep 13 coal plants operating, including an Arkansas listing, as well as funding modernization and an export terminal. Walmart & AI: Walmart leaders highlighted the retailer’s history and pressed AI adoption during shareholder week in Bentonville, even as the company faces scrutiny over how automation is affecting workers. Local Governance: Pulaski County judge candidates say residents have lost trust in county government amid budget disputes and the data center debate. Housing for Veterans: Fayetteville’s Patriot Park veteran-focused development is nearing leasing, with buildings expected ready by mid-July and a waiting list of 120. Arkansas Economy Watch: Arkansas reported Q3 2025 individual income tax revenue down 13.7% from the prior quarter, adding to the state’s fiscal pressure points. Medicaid Work Rules: As stricter Medicaid work requirements roll out in other states, advocates warn coverage losses could worsen health access—an issue Arkansas watchers are already tracking.

Freeman Health System Deal: Community Health Systems closed its $110 million sale of four Arkansas hospitals and related outpatient services, transferring Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville, -Springdale, Willow Creek Women’s Hospital, and Siloam Springs Regional Hospital. Healthcare Policy: A public meeting in Hope drew questions on a proposed 3/4-cent hospital sales tax aimed at upgrades for Southwest Arkansas Regional Medical Center. Energy & Cost of Living: AAA says national regular gas is down 18 cents to $4.24, while GasBuddy reports Arkansas diesel and E15 prices easing in the week ending May 30, with several county-by-county “cheapest” listings. Retail & Jobs: Walmart’s Associates Week in Fayetteville culminated with a celebrity-hosted event at Bud Walton Arena, highlighting the company’s ongoing push in Northwest Arkansas. Gaming & Development: Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff opened its 318-room hotel, extending the Quapaw Nation’s investment in Arkansas. Local Governance: Bull Shoals Mayor Bill Stahlman gave conflicting accounts about whether a voter-approved 1% sewer-related sales tax was collected, raising new scrutiny over city finances. Education & Community: Arkansas PBS will remain on air after the TV commission accepted dues funding for another year.

Housing & Development: Northpointe Development and the Arkansas-based Advocates of Lake County are partnering on Alpenglow Commons, a deed-restricted affordable apartment project in Leadville with 44 units planned for 1201 Poplar St., targeting rents from $650/month up to market. Local Economy & Retail: Walmart’s Subway delivery expansion is rolling out through the Walmart app, with Arkansas stores among the first wave where customers can order Subway sandwiches from in-store locations. Energy & Costs: Arkansas fuel prices stayed volatile but generally eased in the latest GasBuddy week: Conway County regular hit $3.85 (lowest), while diesel lows included Lonoke at $4.94 and Hempstead at $4.99. Business Climate: An Arkansas economist says U.S. growth is being propped up by data center and AI investment, with about $50 billion poured into new data centers recently. Public Safety & Community: Jonesboro’s Shooting Sports Complex continues to run large annual losses, with leaders defending the facility’s value as a community partner used by police, security teams, and state agencies. Corporate & Jobs: Arkansas unemployment held steady at 4.3% in the latest state report, with non-farm payrolls rising in April. Fraud & Nonprofit Oversight: A former American Indian Center of Arkansas executive director, Star Rana Jackson, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for wire fraud tied to unauthorized grant withdrawals.

Arkansas PBS funding: Friends of Arkansas PBS says it has secured enough money to keep Arkansas PBS on air statewide through FY2027, after a three-month drive raised $2.15 million for PBS dues and added multi-year commitments for FY28 and FY29. Public safety crackdown: Arkansas DFA agents, with Corning police, seized more than 25 pounds of illegal THC products at Pacific Green and arrested the owner and an employee on multiple felony charges tied to operating outside hemp/medical marijuana rules and alleged underage access. Tech and workforce: Northwest Arkansas Pathology Associates adopted Techcyte Fusion for remote pathology signout to help address staffing shortages and expand access to specialized expertise. Local economy and services: The Hope City Board approved renewal funding for downtown development, postponed signage plans for a park, and moved forward on applying for a federal Assistance to Firefighters grant. Business growth: Glucose Health appointed Gerry David as chairman of a newly formed strategic advisory board to expand its functional beverage and dietary fiber business. Energy prices: GasBuddy reports show Arkansas regular gas averaging $3.98 statewide for the week ending May 30, with the lowest Polk County regular at $3.79 and Union County regular at $4.06. Sports business: Walmart limited usage of its internal AI “Code Puppy” tool after it proved popular, aiming to reduce repetitive work and manage rising AI costs.

Higher Ed Finance: The Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees approved a $402.6 million FY2027 operating budget and tuition/fees for most campuses, including a 4% A-State increase to $10,850 for fall 2026, plus a 2% merit raise and funding tied to the new College of Veterinary Medicine. Local Economy & Jobs: New BLS metro data shows Northwest Arkansas led job growth in April, with the region’s nonfarm jobs up 2.4% year over year and the lowest jobless rate among Arkansas metros at 2.7%. Local Governance & Industry: Little Rock unanimously passed data center regulations after a long public meeting, setting noise, landscaping and utility requirements as Google’s planned Port of Little Rock project draws scrutiny. Business Expansion: Central Moloney moved its corporate headquarters to North Little Rock while keeping Pine Bluff as its manufacturing hub and planning an $8 million to $10 million capital investment there. Public Services & Community: Friends of Arkansas PBS says it raised enough PBS dues funding to keep the network on the air next year, after a March scramble following federal funding cuts. National Policy Watch: A new analysis warns Social Security benefits could drop about 24% if the trust fund runs out in 2032, with Arkansas among the states facing smaller-but-still-significant average losses.

Real Estate & MLS: MARIS is waiving application fees through June 30, 2026 and subscription fees through Nov. 30, 2026 for Realtors nationwide, with a plan to add Paragon in Q3 2026. Broadband Expansion: Kinetic says it has passed 2 million fiber premises across its 18-state footprint, citing scale construction and partnerships since joining Uniti. Higher Education & Research: UA Little Rock chemistry professor Noureen Siraj won a statewide Emerging Research Leaders grant to boost federal funding competitiveness. Workforce & Economy: A national jobs roundup flags Fayetteville, Ark., as one of the fastest-growing metros, with 2.4% employment growth over the past year. State Policy & Taxes: Lawmakers are still hitting brakes on gas tax suspension efforts, with concerns about highway funding. Business & Tech: First Orion expanded INFORM branded calling via a self-service portal aimed at faster onboarding for businesses. Health Care: CMS ownership/rating updates highlight a mix of Arkansas nursing homes, from 1-star facilities with fines to multiple 5-star operators with no penalties.

Education Policy: Arkansas Department of Education says applications for Educational Freedom Accounts for 2026-27 totaled 54,442, a slight uptick from last year, as the program’s application window closed Monday. Aviation Finance: XNA in Benton County reported continued enplanement growth and promoted Ashton Collier to chief financial officer, with outgoing CFO Tim O’Donnell moving to an emeritus role. Rail & Economic Development: A Union Pacific official told the Little Rock Rotary Club the proposed merger with Norfolk Southern would strengthen supply chains and give Arkansas a bigger role via key intermodal facilities. Healthcare Workforce: Baptist Health confirmed another 70 job cuts at its Fort Smith hospital, citing decreased service volumes and duplicated roles. Local Business & Growth: Logistic Services (Carrix) bought Five Rivers Distribution’s Arkansas River Navigation assets, expanding inland waterways operations. Public Safety/Policy: Arkansas State Police Commission set its next meeting for June 11 in Little Rock. Health & Consumer Safety: FDA and CDC reopened a salmonella supplement investigation after additional illnesses, warning consumers to check recalled products.

Medicaid Work Requirements: A new federal rule puts Medicaid work requirements into effect nationwide in 2027, with Arkansas residents likely to feel the same churn and coverage loss seen in earlier state pilots. Rural Health & Telehealth: Johnson Regional Medical Center is seeking rural health grant funding to expand telehealth and add cybersecurity and monitoring, aiming to strengthen access in cardiology, nephrology, psychiatry and infant care. Hot Springs Village Water: Hot Springs Village POA approved an urgent $195,000 raw gravity-flow line to stabilize critically low Lake Lago levels and reduce reliance on pumping. Local Business Expansion: Clean Pro Gutter Cleaning expanded North Central Arkansas coverage, adding gutter cleaning and guard installation support in Mountain Home, Mountain View, Heber Springs and Batesville. Retail/Jobs: Slim Chickens is taking over a Wendy’s location in Chelmsford, creating up to 30 jobs, after rapid UK expansion that traces back to Fayetteville. Tech & Healthcare Startup Week: UA Little Rock will host an AI Hackathon and HealthTech Startup Week, culminating in a public demo-and-pitch showcase June 12. Energy Costs: A new map shows electricity prices jumped sharply in parts of the U.S., with grid investment and demand pressures cited. Education Pay Watch: Arkansas teacher pay is still lagging when adjusted for cost of living, complicating claims tied to the LEARNS Act.

Data Centers Debate: Two Little Rock directors are backing a temporary moratorium on new data centers as the city weighs an ordinance aimed at buffer zones, industrial zoning limits, and utility capacity—while the mayor argues state law restricts how much cities can regulate. Banking Expansion: Farmers Bank & Trust opened a satellite corporate office in Little Rock to better serve its growing footprint, while keeping its Magnolia headquarters. AI at Work: Walmart is capping employee usage of its in-house “Code Puppy” AI tool after heavy demand, signaling tighter corporate controls as AI costs rise. Local Business & Jobs: CEP USA is launching its first U.S. manufacturing facility in North Little Rock, investing nearly $1 million and targeting about 27 jobs over five years. Retail Crime: Arkansas AG Tim Griffin announced the arrest of a Little Rock woman on felony theft warrants tied to repeated Marshalls shoplifting totaling about $12,000. Community & Food Access: A new central Arkansas nonprofit, The Lunchbox Fund, is tackling student meal debt and food insecurity. Outdoor Economy: Arkansas Game and Fish is declaring June 12-14 Free Fishing Weekend, waiving licenses and featuring catfish derbies.

Arkansas Housing & Credit Stress: Foreclosure activity is climbing, with the national foreclosure inventory rate rising to 0.4% in March 2026 and more than 77% of metro areas seeing higher rates in Q1—an early sign that mortgage distress is spreading beyond isolated pockets. Federal Cannabis Policy: The DOJ’s move to downgrade medical marijuana to Schedule III could unlock some federal tax benefits for state-licensed operators, but the broader federal-state split over adult-use cannabis remains unresolved. Arkansas Health in the Delta: Coverage highlights how rural doctor shortages and maternal health gaps are being tackled through expanded medical education and regional UAMS efforts in the Delta. Local Business Moves: Farmers Bank & Trust is relocating its corporate headquarters to Little Rock, while Centennial Bank promotes leaders at its Mountain Home branch. Infrastructure & Growth Finance: Uniti Group announced a new $1.14B fiber network notes offering tied to assets in multiple states including Arkansas. Risk & Costs: A Verisk study says hail volatility and aging roofs are pushing up residential roof replacement severity even as overall claims volume falls. Workforce & Energy Pipeline: A new advanced energy career pipeline initiative aims to connect employers with job-ready talent for roles tied to solar and energy efficiency.

Energy & Industry: Tetra Technologies cleared a key step toward its Evergreen bromine project near Stamps, approving the final investment decision subject to financing, aiming to lock in low-cost domestic bromine for deepwater fluids and energy storage. Local Business Growth: Fayetteville is rolling out a Business Starter Kit to help entrepreneurs navigate permits and other setup hurdles, after business owners said the city’s process can be tougher than expected. State Tech & Services: Arkansas expanded Mobile ID support, letting residents present driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet at select locations and for eligible purchases at UA venues. Agriculture Finance: Farm bankruptcies jumped in April, with Chapter 12 filings hitting the highest monthly total since early 2020 as higher fuel and fertilizer costs squeeze margins. Natural Resources & Infrastructure: Rep. Bruce Westerman said he’ll hold a Hot Springs field hearing for the Great American Outdoors Act reauthorization, while also touting transportation funding tied to the outdoors and defense economy. Sports & Economy: Arkansas landed punter Declan Hamm, a recruiting win that underscores how college athletics continues to drive local attention and spending.

Mobile ID Expansion: Arkansas says driver’s licenses and state IDs are now available in Apple Wallet, building on last year’s Mobile ID rollout and adding in-person and online use at select organizations. Local Business Support: Fayetteville is rolling out a Business Starter Kit aimed at making permits and setup easier for would-be entrepreneurs, after owners said the city’s process can be more complicated than other places. Healthcare Budget Pressure: States are pushing back on Medicaid work requirements as budgets tighten, with rural providers warning cuts could mean layoffs and clinic closures. Data Center Backlash: A Little Rock-area data center proposal is still drawing calls for a moratorium until questions about power, water and tax impacts are answered. Community & Agriculture: Jonesboro’s Judd Hill Farmers’ Market is set to celebrate 20 years in June, including a new “Little Locals” mini market for vendors 17 and younger. Real Estate & Growth: Pea Ridge residents are raising flooding concerns tied to a subdivision, with the developer pointing to Arkansas Department of Transportation work as a factor.

Beef Prices: USDA data shows retail beef hit record highs in April, with economists pointing to a shrinking U.S. cattle herd driven by drought and tight supply—not just general inflation. Oil & Gas Watch: Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission filings include a new Stephens Field drilling permit for Betsy Production Company and a plugging report in the Ouachita County Pace City Field. Data Center Backlash: A national look at the data center boom finds states are moving from incentives to guardrails, with lawmakers weighing power-grid and utility-bill impacts. Consumer Protection: State AGs are stepping up scrutiny of algorithmic pricing and online age verification, raising enforcement risk for companies targeting minors. Retirement Policy: Philadelphia is moving toward an automatic, city-sponsored retirement plan for workers whose employers don’t offer benefits, joining a broader push for automatic enrollment. Agribusiness & Security: A new survey finds growing public concern about agricultural disease threats and strong support for regulations to reduce spread. Local Grants: RRCU Gives opens grant applications June 1 for nonprofits focused on hunger, housing and financial education across five states.

Water & Utilities: Conway Corp. says mandatory water curtailments could move into the next phase by June 1 if Lake Brewer doesn’t rebound, with potential lawn watering limits and business cutbacks. Public Safety & Justice: The Arkansas State Crime Laboratory earned an international Foresight Maximus Award for top operational efficiency and performance. Healthcare & Finance: UAMS terminated service agreements with the owner of the state’s only proton therapy center after unpaid invoices totaling about $916,000, while saying it will keep treating current patients. Business Growth: Dog Haus signed a 50-unit franchising deal and added new executives to speed expansion. Retail & Logistics: Walmart bought a Riverside, Calif., cold-storage distribution facility for $223 million, signaling continued demand for temperature-controlled logistics. Agriculture: USDA’s Great American Cotton Plan aims to boost domestic cotton consumption and trade, while Arkansas rice growers weigh prevented planting insurance decisions amid weather delays. Community & Economy: Arkansas Folklife Festival returns June 26-28 at Riverfront Park, highlighting statewide culture and food.

Health Care & Regulation: Arkansas abruptly shut down Murfreesboro Rehab & Nursing Home after state findings of mismanagement and fund issues, revoking the facility and administrator licenses and relocating residents. Business & Industry: North Little Rock environmental firm CTEH rebranded to Onterris, unifying its Montrose Group companies under one global environmental-solutions brand. Real Estate & Development: Arkansas awarded $13.3 million in tax credits to create 698 affordable housing units statewide, with ADFA also approving additional low-income housing credits. Public Safety & Consumer Watch: Arkansas AG Jay Jones warned residents about forged tax notice scams targeting Arkansans. Energy & Costs: Gas prices in Arkansas remain elevated even as the national average falls, with EIA data pointing to shifting demand and crude prices. Local Economy: Arkansas casinos reported record sports bets in April as FanDuel and DraftKings reshape the market. Community & Growth: A statewide effort aims to connect Arkansas film and music industries, building on the state’s Film in Arkansas push. Sports & Business Crossover: Arkansas’ Pine Bluff school board offered a contract to football coach Micheal Williams while he remains on paid leave amid an ongoing state process.

Housing & Infrastructure: HUD has installed a two-person federal board to oversee the Little Rock housing authority after its takeover, replacing the prior five-member local board. Affordable Housing Finance: The Arkansas Development Finance Authority awarded $13.3 million in 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits to 12 projects creating 698 units statewide. Local Development: ARDOT broke ground on the Highway 5–Interstate 57 interchange in Cabot, upgrading it to a single-point urban interchange expected to finish in 2028. Community & Business Growth: Miracle Kids Success Academy in Paragould cut the ribbon on a 6,000-square-foot expansion that doubles capacity to more than 100 children. Public Safety & Weather: Flash flooding and high water hit Central Arkansas, with Russellville seeing rapid downtown flooding after heavy rain. Policy & Politics: Support and opposition are ramping up around two Arkansas amendment petition drives aimed at the November 2026 ballot. Health Care Costs: Perryville Medicaid “Surgery” billing jumped to $2,929 in 2024, up sharply from 2023. Tech & Governance: Pulaski County retracted a 12-month data center moratorium after a vote miscount, while Little Rock is set to consider data center regulations. Business Briefs: Dillard’s declared a $0.30 cash dividend; Tyson Foods named Jeff Schomburger to succeed Donnie King as CEO.