Matthew S.L. Cate

Offered Entergy alternative to coal plant, utility tells PSC

A Florida utility with a large but mostly idle gas-fired power plant at El Dorado has offered an alternative to Entergy Arkansas Inc.’s $780 million plan to upgrade one of its coal-fired plants.
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State’s housing sales log 10% rise

It’s accompanied by drop in prices

Arkansas home sales in September jumped 10 percent over the same month a year ago, the Arkansas Realtors Association said Monday.
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Soybean harvest nears record

Arkansas’ crop expected to top 128 million bushels

As they wrap up the year’s harvest, Arkansas soybean farmers are on track to put up near-record numbers this year.
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Peabody now with four stars

LR hotel becomes 1st in state to achieve distinction

The Peabody Little Rock was declared Arkansas’ first four-star hotel on Monday, a distinction that puts the downtown landmark in a well-known luxury class.
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State’s farm losses forecast to worsen

Just too much rain, researchers say

Arkansas farm losses due largely to an abnormally wet year are projected to be well over $225 million, a team of agricultural researchers said Friday.
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River commerce riding a wave

LR port’s tonnage way up, buoyed by business from pipe maker

Despite swollen rivers and an economic downtown, commerce along the Arkansas River is barging ahead, already surpassing last year’s tonnage.
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Steel giant must pay $1.2 million in bias suit

Steel giant Nucor Corp. must pay $1.2 million to a half-dozen former and current black employees for racial discrimination at its northeast Arkansas plants.
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Help turn wood into gas, group asks state

An Illinois-based group is looking at Arkansas and other states to set up a facility to turn timber scraps into a synthetic natural gas to power cars, run factories and generate electricity for homes.
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Suit that links oil to storm revived

Murphy Oil one of dozens sued

A federal appellate court has revived a class-action lawsuit that contends Murphy Oil Corp. and dozens of other petroleum companies, along with coal and chemical firms, are responsible for global warming and should pay for its damage.
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Energy bill seen as jobs creator

Group says state could get 25,000

A group backing federal legislation to cut carbon emissions said Monday that the American Clean Energy Security Act would lead to as many as 25,000 Arkansas jobs over the next decade.
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