Latest news with #LittleRock-based
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Arkansas nonprofit launches campaign to keep food cold and families fed
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A Little Rock-based nonprofit is taking bold steps to fight food waste and hunger at the same time. Potluck Food Rescue, a longtime leader in salvaging surplus food from grocery stores, restaurants, and caterers, is now facing a new challenge: keeping all that food fresh in the upcoming Arkansas heat. Central Arkansas nonprofit combating food insecurity sees rise in demand Now, they're launching a new campaign, Cool-Aid: Breaking Down Barriers to Cold Storage, to call on the community for help. 'A working refrigerator or freezer may not seem like much,' said Chris Wyman, Executive Director of Potluck Food Rescue, 'but for food rescue groups across the state, it can mean the difference between feeding a family and throwing away a meal.' In 2024, Potluck rescued more than one million pounds of edible food, transforming what would have been waste into over 800,000 meals and saving its nonprofit partners more than $2 million in food costs. Arkansas nonprofit launches new app to combat food insecurity in the state But now, demand is higher than ever. And many of the 115 organizations Potluck partners with simply don't have enough cold storage to safely handle the volume of food being rescued. 'We have a lot of agencies that just don't have that capacity,' Wyman said. 'That's a barrier. So the whole idea of Cool-Aid is to break that barrier.' Wyman says more than 20 new nonprofits have reached out for food assistance just in the past month. But without more refrigerators and freezers to store perishable items like produce, dairy, and meat, that food risks spoiling before it reaches the people who need it most. 'We want to help our recipient agencies to get refrigeration, to get freezers, so they can take more stuff from us,' Wyman said. Potluck Food Rescue in North Little Rock receives $90,000 Blue and You Foundation grant to launch rapid food recovery app According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Food prices are up 2.8 percent since this time last year, adding pressure on both struggling families and the organizations trying to support them. Meanwhile, the country continues to throw away billions of pounds of edible food annually. 'We are a country of surplus,' Wyman said. 'It's not waste at that point, but it's being treated as such, and it ends up in a dumpster. Someone pays a dumpster fee, and someone else doesn't get fed.' Through the 'Cool-Aid' campaign, Potluck is seeking donations of working refrigerators and freezers, or financial support to purchase new units, for its partners across Arkansas. For many families facing empty pantries this summer, a cold fridge could mean a hot meal. To learn more or contribute to the campaign, visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
19-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Oldest central Arkansas florist expands to NWA
Little Rock-based florist Tipton & Hurst plans to open its first location in Northwest Arkansas later this year. It will be the fifth in the state. The big picture: Dating back to 1886, T&H is a staple brand in central Arkansas for weddings, events and holidays. It will be a known entity for University of Arkansas students and professionals living in or moving to the region. By the numbers: There are an estimated 11,700 retail florists in the U.S., according to the Society of American Florists. Sales — including potted plants and seeds — have sprouted nearly 27% from an estimated $55.9 billion in 2020 to $71 billion in 2024. Consumers spent $260 per capita in 2024 on flowers and greenery. What they're saying: "Most of the women in Little Rock that I know do register at Tipton & Hurst," Jaclyn Clyburn told Axios. She lives in Bentonville, was married at Dogwood Canyon Nature Park in Missouri last year and used T&H of Little Rock for floral arrangements and for her gift registry. Logistics weren't a problem. "They listen and they care, and they definitely know how to deliver beauty without stress, and definitely all the conversations that I had felt like working with family," Clyburn said. Cindy Pugh, the bride's mother, said its reputation has been stable and consistent.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arkansas prison board chooses contractor to build new 3,000-bed penitentiary
Members of the Arkansas Board of Corrections attend a meeting at the North Little Rock headquarters on Feb. 12, 2025. Left to right: Lona McCastlain, William "Dubs" Byers, Chairman Benny Magness, Lee Watson, Brandon Tollett, Grant Hodges. Board member Alonza Jiles attended remotely. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) The Arkansas Board of Corrections on Thursday chose a partnership between Arkansas and Kansas City-based firms to build a proposed new 3,000-bed prison. In a special-called meeting via videoconference, the seven-member board unanimously accepted the recommendation of its selection committee to negotiate a final contract with the partnership of Nabholz Construction of Conway and J.E. Dunn Construction of Kansas City, Missouri. Board Chairman Benny Magness said he expects to appoint a negotiating team by the board's regular meeting on May 29. The choice of a general contractor for the new prison marks the latest step in getting the prison off the ground since Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced in March 2023 her intent to have the state build the mega-prison. Last October, the prison board hired California-based Vanir Construction Management as project manager for the prison. In April, the board chose Omaha, Neb.-based HDR and Little Rock-based Cromwell Architects Engineers as the design team for the 3,000-bed facility. Nabholz and J.E. Dunn both have extensive experience constructing correctional facilities, their representatives said Thursday. Dunn built a 2,552-bed prison in Tennessee that took 16 months to finish and was completed in 2015, according to its website. Nabholz has a 30-year history of working on Department of Corrections projects, said Jon Pahl, vice president of preconstruction. Board members were careful Thursday not to specify where the prison will be located; the motion to approve the contractor said only that the firms would be hired for 'the new prison build.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The planned prison became controversial last fall when Sanders announced on Oct. 31 that the state was buying 815 acres in rural Franklin County for $2.95 million on which to place the prison. Local officials and some lawmakers cried foul, saying they had been 'blindsided' by the decision. At least two citizen groups formed to voice objections to the site because of its remote location, which they said would make it difficult and expensive to provide adequate infrastructure and staffing. A bill to appropriate $750 million toward the prison project stalled in the last days of the General Assembly last month as lawmakers voiced concerns about the ultimate cost and continued to raise questions about the suitability of the Franklin County location. Administration officials provided an estimated cost of the project of $825 million, but opponents said it could cost upward of $1 billion. In a letter to Sanders the day the legislative session ended this month, Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, asked the governor to use previously appropriated prison funds for their originally intended purpose —expanding the prison at Calico Rock — and taking other steps to increase state prison capacity instead of sticking to the Franklin County proposal. King was accompanied at a press conference that day by about 20 opponents of the west Arkansas prison site as well as members of the Chickamauga, an Indigenous tribe with a presence in Franklin County. Tribal officials called for an archaeological study before construction begins because of potential artifacts and burial sites in the area. The state hasn't committed to a formal study but has said it is conducting an assessment of the site for potential archaeological evidence. The prison board took care of other matters at Thursday's special meeting, including approving the purchase of 23 TruNarc drug-testing devices for $822,000. The corrections department has been using one of the devices and sharing among its facilities. An official said it is more accurate than previous drug-testing methods. The board also approved the purchase of 70 new Arkansas Wireless Information Network two-way radios to replace older ones at a cost of $166,000 and 10 zero-turn mowers for $107,000. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Miami Herald
15-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Chicago residential developer now negotiating to buy the entire Lincoln Yards site, which is still mostly empty
The Chicago developer that was negotiating to buy the northern swath of the stalled Lincoln Yards megadevelopment site is now in talks to purchase the entire 53-acre tract, according to sources familiar with the deal. JDL Development's move to acquire both the northern and southern parts of the site was first reported by The Real Deal. The pair of agreements would end Sterling Bay's decade-long effort to transform the former industrial land, now mostly vacant, into a glittering, $6 billion, 14.5 million square-foot mixed-use community. Early plans by the developer called for residential and office skyscrapers nearly 600 feet tall, thousands of apartments, riverfront parks, retail, entertainment and a high-tech science hub on the southern end near North Avenue and the Chicago River. JDL's potential takeover of the full site could kickstart development on land that was once partly occupied by A. Finkl & Sons Steel, a now-demolished steel plant that moved to the Far South Side in 2014. JDL isn't talking about the potential sales, or any future plans for the site. But the company, founded by CEO Jim Letchinger in 1993, is unlikely to pursue Sterling Bay's costly vision. Sterling Bay began buying up riverfront properties between North Avenue and Webster Avenue around 10 years ago. But to create a mixed-use dense community, it would have needed to spend nearly $500 million upfront reconstructing neighborhood bridges, roads and the riverfront. According to a 2019 redevelopment agreement the developer forged with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, it would then get reimbursed through a city tax increment financing district. But potential tenants for the site, wedged between Lincoln Park and Bucktown, were scarce after the pandemic, and most of the work never got underway. Company officials also complained that the administration of former Mayor Lori Lightfoot slowed down financing approval, a charge Lightfoot vehemently denies. Sterling Bay did complete one building, an eight-story structure dedicated to life sciences that stands alone at 1229 W. Concord Place, but its 300,000 square feet of lab space has been empty since construction wrapped up in 2023. It's not clear what changes JDL may need from Lincoln Yards' original redevelopment agreement, in addition to new zoning approvals. But the crash of the office market means it's probable the company will put more focus on residential development. The company developed the Gold Coast's No. 9 Walton luxury condominium building and more recently completed the 2.2 million square-foot One Chicago in River North. Its work continues nearby on the North Union development, which will have up to 12 buildings and 3.5 million square feet of space. Sterling Bay gave up control of Lincoln Yards' northern half earlier this year to its lender Bank OZK. The Little Rock-based bank confirmed in a statement that it entered into a contract to sell the land earlier this month, but did not confirm the buyer. JP Morgan Chase is the majority equity investor for Lincoln Yards southern half, according to a Sterling Bay spokesperson, and would handle any potential sale of that portion. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chicago residential developer now negotiating to buy the entire Lincoln Yards site, which is still mostly empty
The Chicago developer that was negotiating to buy the northern swath of the stalled Lincoln Yards megadevelopment site is now in talks to purchase the entire 53-acre tract, according to sources familiar with the deal. JDL Development's move to acquire both the northern and southern parts of the site was first reported by The Real Deal. The pair of agreements would end Sterling Bay's decade-long effort to transform the former industrial land, now mostly vacant, into a glittering, $6 billion, 14.5 million square-foot mixed-use community. Early plans by the developer called for residential and office skyscrapers nearly 600 feet tall, thousands of apartments, riverfront parks, retail, entertainment and a high-tech science hub on the southern end near North Avenue and the Chicago River. JDL's potential takeover of the full site could kickstart development on land that was once partly occupied by A. Finkl & Sons Steel, a now-demolished steel plant that moved to the Far South Side in 2014. JDL isn't talking about the potential sales, or any future plans for the site. But the company, founded by CEO Jim Letchinger in 1993, is unlikely to pursue Sterling Bay's costly vision. Sterling Bay began buying up riverfront properties between North Avenue and Webster Avenue around 10 years ago. But to create a mixed-use dense community, it would have needed to spend nearly $500 million upfront reconstructing neighborhood bridges, roads and the riverfront. According to a 2019 redevelopment agreement the developer forged with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, it would then get reimbursed through a city tax increment financing district. But potential tenants for the site, wedged between Lincoln Park and Bucktown, were scarce after the pandemic, and most of the work never got underway. Company officials also complained that the administration of former Mayor Lori Lightfoot slowed down financing approval, a charge Lightfoot vehemently denies. Sterling Bay did complete one building, an eight-story structure dedicated to life sciences that stands alone at 1229 W. Concord Place, but its 300,000 square feet of lab space has been empty since construction wrapped up in 2023. It's not clear what changes JDL may need from Lincoln Yards' original redevelopment agreement, in addition to new zoning approvals. But the crash of the office market means it's probable the company will put more focus on residential development. The company developed the Gold Coast's No. 9 Walton luxury condominium building and more recently completed the 2.2 million square-foot One Chicago in River North. Its work continues nearby on the North Union development, which will have up to 12 buildings and 3.5 million square feet of space. Sterling Bay gave up control of Lincoln Yards' northern half earlier this year to its lender Bank OZK. The Little Rock-based bank confirmed in a statement that it entered into a contract to sell the land earlier this month, but did not confirm the buyer. JP Morgan Chase is the majority equity investor for Lincoln Yards southern half, according to a Sterling Bay spokesperson, and would handle any potential sale of that portion.
