LITTLE ROCK — Dillard’s to close 2 stores in Florida
Little Rock-based Dillard’s Inc. will close two stores in Florida, the company told authorities in that state.
The stores are in Coral Springs, which has 61 employees, and Miami, which has 67 workers, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Tuesday.
Dillard’s spokesman Julie Bull said Tuesday evening that the company is working to find workers positions in nearby stores.
The closings will be the third so far for Dillard’s in the fiscal year that began in February, Bull said. Dillard’s also closed a store in Helena, Mont.
The Florida stores will be closed sometime between Nov. 17 and Dec. 16, the Sun-Sentinel said.
According to its website, Dillard’s currently operates 44 stores in Florida.
Shares of Dillard’s on Tuesday closed at $23.81 on the New York Stock Exchange, down 1.4 percent, or 33 cents.
Oil refinery cited for safety lapses
SMACKOVER - An oil refinery owned by a Texas company has been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for lapses in safety measures at the plant, with proposed fines totaling $165,600.
A news release from OSHA on Tuesday said the Martin Operating Partnership LP plant, owned by Martin Midstream Partners LP based at Kilgore, Texas, employs about 65 workers in producing naphthenic crude oil.
According to the release, the Martin plant at Smackover is accused of one willful and 21 serious violations of health and safety regulations. The release said the purported willful violation was failure to maintain safety information on various pressure vessels used at the plant. The other violations cite purported failures to keep and maintain certain documents relating to safety, develop an emergency rescue process, and provide personal protective equipment, including respiratory gear.
A message left at Martin Midstream’s headquarters seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Arkansas Index dips 2.18 to 179.37
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, dropped 2.18 to 179.37 Tuesday.
“Stocks finished flat on Tuesday, following an afternoon rally as the Federal Reserve said it is prepared to ‘provide additional accommodation’ to help stimulate the economy,” said Chris Harkins, senior vice president and managing director of Delta Trust Investments Inc. in Little Rock. “The Arkansas Index slipped lower, as only three stocks moved higher and 14 declined.”
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business, Pages 25 on 09/22/2010