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Ronald Hollis uses customer service in real estate venture
If you’ve shopped at Kroger in southwest Little Rock in the past two decades, Ronald Hollis’ smiling face might seem familiar. Before joining Century 21 Daniel and Associates Realty, Inc. in 2008, he was employed by the grocery chain for 20 years. “A lot of people know me from Kroger. I worked in customer service. I did everything in the store, but customer service was my main focus,” Hollis said. He said he enjoyed working there, but switched careers because, “it was time to move to another level in life.”
NanoMech awarded contract to continue product
US military personnel and law enforcement officers providing security in the post-9/11 era have a heightened need for body armor that is high strength yet flexible. NanoMech, located in Springdale, Ark., was recently awarded a contract for $350,000 to continue development of new, nano-engineered materials for body armor.
The power of the kilt
A Highland games competitor makes a throw during competition at the Arkansas Scottish Festival on the Lyon College campus in Batesville. The 31st Arkansas Scottish Festival is set for April 23-25. For three decades, the festival has provided a glimpse of traditional Scotland to visitors from Arkansas and all over the country.
Kay's Cooking Corner
Low Country Cooking
Low Country Cooking
Not too many summers back, my husband and I decided the Carolinas would be our vacation destination. That decision was easy as compared to where in the Carolinas we wanted to spend our time. North and South Carolina are marvelous places, and I guess, are a few of the places in our great United States that offer majestic mountains and beautiful blue seacoast all in one day’s driving time.
The Miracle League is a diamond in the city
“You can teach a lot about life out on a baseball field, if you coach it right,” said Peggy McCall, executive director of the Miracle League. Referring to an organization she started in the fall of 2006 that allows kids and adults with disabilities to play baseball at a modified ballpark. The idea actually came about two years prior to when the first game was held. McCall approached the mayor of Little Rock and asked for Ray Winder field, but was told the local rotary club would be a better place to go to get plans moving. She told Club 99, “I’m going to do this, why don’t we team up and we will make this thing happen together.”
Capital City Chatter
My husband, Parish, doesn’t hunt. It’s not that he doesn’t like to hunt; I just don’t think he’s ever really given it a fair shot (pun intended). Speaking of, I also know he’s not a huge fan of guns and I guess guns play a big part in the whole hunting scene. Well, a week before Christmas he got his first deer. He didn’t use any bullets; he used the headlight and grill of his F-250 truck. Poor deer.
The Critic's Corner
Some great movies hit theaters in 2009. I wrote about several of those releases last week in an attempt to guide your rental choices in the days ahead. But for every beautiful and polished gem, there was a lump of coal so misshapen and soiled, it made going to see a film last year something of a crapshoot.
It must be true
Foreign substance. When I was young, very young probably, I used to have Play-Doh. I don’t remember much about what it was actually used for, but, strange as it may sound, I wouldn’t mind a big glob of it right now, just to squeeze. If this inspires you to do the same, make sure you leave yours at home before traveling through one of the nation’s many airports. Down in the Big Easy officials nabbed the Doh of 3-year-old Josh Pitney, who was trying to smuggle several cans of the stuff he’d recently received for Christmas. Although Play-Doh is not on the security list of banned substances, screeners were apparently concerned that it might be plastic explosive.
Financial Focus
New Year means new opportunities for Roth IRA conversion
If you already have a Roth IRA, you’re aware of its biggest benefit: Your earnings grow tax free, provided you meet certain conditions. If you don’t have a Roth IRA, you may want to consider one — and it may be easier for you to do just that in 2010.
Natural State Snapshots
The Governors Conference Room inside the Arkansas State Capitol was adorned for the holidays. The stately room is used often by Gov. Mike Beebe for press conferences and other public events.
Find that small town atmosphere
Special to the Daily Record ecnobles@att.net
Mary Draper grew up in Little Rock but moved to Sheridan in 1973.
She described the move as a “nice change” and her children, apparently, agree. One daughter, Stacy Stockton, has a master’s degree and is a librarian at Sheridan High School. Another daughter, Teresa Lemons, also holds a master’s degree and is the counselor at Sheridan High School. The youngest daughter, Paige Draper, is in her second year of college – whether she’ll return to Sheridan or not remains to be seen.
House to House
Impossible foreclosures, equity insurance and a bankruptcy – home real estate news of note
By Ethan C. Nobles
Arkansas Realtors Association Ethan@ArkansasRealtors.com
Every now and again, I realize just how much real estate news is out there.
That’s really no surprise – the economy doesn’t do well if real estate markets are struggling. Still, there have been some stories lately that are worth mentioning and here are but a few of them:
Inventory levels drop at first of year, follow trend
Special to the Daily Record ecnobles@att.net
According to reports from the Arkansas Realtors Association (ARA), inventory – the number of homes for sale – declined sharply at the first of 2010.
Kathy Deck, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, said that inventory levels are critical when assessing the health of the housing market. Increasing inventory levels, she said, indicate that more homes are on the market than there are people to buy them – an imbalance in supply and demand.
Gas prices projected to keep rising
By Ethan C. Nobles
Special to the Daily Record ecnobles@att.net
Homeowners see it in their energy costs, Realtors see it in their gas bills and generally everyone has noticed that the price of gas has been on the rise.
According to AAA, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded in central Arkansas was $2.62 on Jan. 12 – up 58.28 percent over $1.65 a year ago. Nationally, the average price on Jan. 12 was $2.75 per gallon – up 53.69 percent from $1.79 a year ago.
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