In the Winning Business

Business

Entrepreneur Support Organizations Gather to Strengthen Arkansas's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

ESO groups across Arkansas will convene this February to build a bigger, better small business ecosystem. 

• Leaders in the field: The summit will feature keynote speakers Julie Heath, Executive Director at IU Innovates, and Andy Stoll of the Kauffman Foundation, who will provide their perspectives on developing complex systems and distributed leadership. 

• Goals in mind: Attendees can explore how ESO can better collaborate across regions and sectors, delve into the entrepreneurial landscape of the state, and gain insight into the resources it provides. 

Sign up HERE for the ESO Summit. 

Sports

Harding University Bisons Claim National Championship in Historic Win

The Harding University Bisons took home the Division II National Championship on Saturday, making history by becoming the first Harding team ever to compete for the title and the first team to ever rush for 6,000 yards in a season. 

• Ground(ed) and pounded: Leading the charge for the Bisons in the championship was Blake Delacruz with 208 yards, Braden Jay with 161 yards and three touchdowns, and QB Cole Keylon with a short scoring run. 

• Unstoppable force: The Bisons flexbone offense churned out 502 yards of total offense, shutting out Colorado School of Mines both on fourth-down attempts and on the scoreboard. 

Read more about the Bisons' historic win HERE. 

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Community

PCSSD Schools Make a Strong Showing in U.S. News & World Report Rankings

U.S. News & World Report's April 2024 Best Elementary, Middle, and High School rankings include five schools within the Pulaski County Special School District in the top 150 nationwide! 

• Total excellence: Schools are ranked based on student performance in math and reading/language arts, taking student backgrounds and achievement in core subjects into account. 

• Accessible Data: U.S. News also provides data on student-teacher ratios, district spending, and the number of counselors a school makes available to its students. 

Click HERE to read more. 

Business

Elopak Announces $70 Million Investment in State-of-the-Art Production Plant in Little Rock

Elopak announced plans to build its first U.S. production plant in Little Rock with an investment of $70 million USD. 

• Growing presence: Elopak's first U.S. plant serves as a landmark investment for their global presence and is expected to create more than 100 permanent jobs in the region. 

• Green energy: Being located in Little Rock, the plant will benefit from an abundance of green energy, access to suppliers, and a great transportation network. 

Learn more about Elopak's new investment HERE. 

Little Rock Daily Picks

In other news…

• Temporarily closed: David's Burgers in the River Market is temporarily closed, but the reason for this closure is still unknown.

• Got milk? Milk bank depots are increasingly appearing across Arkansas, providing a critical resource for infants and parents by accepting, processing, and distributing donated breast milk.

• Top shelf: An Arkansas librarian won the I Love My Librarian Award for transforming newspaper racks into Little Free Libraries, as part of a group recognized for their impactful community contributions.