NEWS IN BRIEF

USA Truck, investor report strategy talks

USA Truck and its largest shareholder, Stone House Capital Management LLC, have been in contact recently regarding the future of the Van Buren-based trucking and transportation company.

Stone House disclosed Thursday in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it has communicated with executives and board members for USA Truck and would be interested in further discussions.

Communication with Stone House, the New York investment firm which owns 14.7 percent of USA Truck’s shares, has centered on the company’s “operations, business, strategies and strategic direction.” Discussions have included, and may continue to include, a focus on “strategic combinations given the accelerating pace of consolidation in the truckload and freight brokerage industries,” the filing said.

Calls to USA Truck and Stone House were not returned.

  • Chris Bahn

Chef at Hive 1 of 20 competing for honor

Matthew McClure, executive chef at The Hive in Bentonville’s 21C Museum Hotel, has been named as a 2014 semifinalist for Best Chef: South by the James Beard Foundation.

McClure, a Little Rock native, is one of 20 semifinalists for the award, which was established in 1990. Award winners in the chef and restaurant categories will be honored May 5 in New York City.

McClure’s work at The Hive is geared to highlight farmers and producers from the state and region. Before becoming executive chef at The Hive, McClure worked under Lee Richardson at the Capital Hotel. McClure also spent time studying with acclaimed chef Barbara Lynch in Boston.

“I’m extremely proud and honored to be named as a semifinalist for the Best Chef: South category, and humbled to be part of such a talented group of nominated chefs,” McClure said through a hotel spokesman. “My goal at The Hive is to bring an authentic taste of Northwest Arkansas to each plate, and it’s great to have the opportunity to share that with my diners! I’m grateful for my team here at The Hive, as well as for the Bentonville community who has supported us since opening.” - Chris Bahn

11 stocks advance as index gains 1.59

The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, rose 1.59 to 318.86 Thursday.

Eleven stocks advanced, five declined and one was unchanged.

Shares of First Federal Bancshares jumped 7.4 percent on double its average volume.

USA Truck gained 2.5 percent in light trading.

Tyson Foods hit a 52-week high of $39.31 before closing at $39.17, up 88 cents.

Volume for the index was 30.8 million shares.

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 28 on 02/21/2014

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