It was a good week for…
SIMMONS FIRST NATIONAL CORP. It purchased Metropolitan National Bank in an auction on Monday. The acquisition is expected to grow Simmons’ assets by nearly 50 percent.
UNPRECEDENTED AGREEMENT. Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton supports President Obama’s military action in Syria, a position he currently holds alone among the Arkansas congressional delegation and contrary to majority public sentiment.
ALICE WALTON. Texas officials dropped DWI charges on the Walmart heiress and Crystal Bridges Museum founder after the trooper who arrested Walton was unable to testify. Twenty-three months ago, Walton was arrested after being stopped driving back to her ranch from a birthday celebration in Fort Worth. She refused a breath test.
ARKANSAS DEMOCRATS. Justice of the Peace Bob Johnson of Jacksonville, who ran as a Republican, has announced he’s changing parties and will run as a Democrat for state representative for the seat currently held by Democrat Mark Perry, who’s term limited.
SALINE COUNTY. After pleading guilty to being drunk and resisting Benton police arrest at a nightclub and saying he would retire, then changing his mind and saying he would seek re-election, Saline County Sheriff Bruce Pennington again said he will retire effective Oct. 1. We’ll see what happens between now and then.
It was a bad week for…
THE LITTLE ROCK ZOO. On Sept. 8, Jewell, the zoo’s 62-year-old Asian elephant, was unable to stand on her own, and the zoo was forced to euthanize her. She was donated to the zoo by the Ringling Brothers Center for Elephant Conservation in 2011.
PINE BLUFF. Police shot and killed Monroe Isadore, a 107-year-old man, after SWAT officers failed to negotiate a surrender following a standoff.
ARKANSAS BAPTIST COLLEGE. Fitz Hill, president of Arkansas Baptist College, confirmed that the Little Rock college has been unable to make payroll — about $300,000 monthly — and has been unable to pay many vendors. Hill blamed the problem on computer problems.