In the News
Southern Bancorp chosen state’s business of the year
By Donna Hilton
Southern Bancorp of Arkadelphia was chosen Arkansas’ Business of the Year Thursday evening by Arkansas Business magazine.
The business won in category 3 of the competition, which is for businesses with 75 to 300 employees, Bill Wright, president of Elk Horn Bank and Trust, an affiliate of Southern Bancorp, said.
“People from every major business in Arkansas were there,” Wright said. “Over 900 business executives from all over the state attended.”
Maya Angelou captivates audience at HSU
By Steve Fellers
Dr. Maya Angelou, considered one of the great voices of contemporary literature, shared her wit and wisdom with a capacity crowd Thursday at Henderson State University’s Arkansas Hall.
“I’m happy to be in Arkansas,” Angelou said. “You can never leave home. I found my great rainbows in the sky in Arkansas.”
Angelou often mentioned “rainbows in the clouds,” referring to the positive influences in her life.
Twin Cities to become one
By JOSH TROY
The people have spoken. History was made just before 10 p.m. Tuesday when the final results came in. On January 1, 2006, the cities of Helena and West Helena will become one.
Approximately 3,500 voters turned out and voted in favor of consolidation, making the unified community the 25th largest city in Arkansas with a population of approximately 15,000. The merged city’s name will be Helena-West Helena.
Helena’s first job after merger vote: Redistrict wards
Still riding high after Tuesday’s vote of Helena and West Helena, consolidation supporters say they’re not worried about the next step in the process – redistricting – even through the responsibility falls on the fractious West Helena City Council.
Bush Budget Proposal Could Hurt Arkansas Bank
A large rural community development bank in Arkadelphia fears it could lose a million dollars a year if some of President Bush’s budget proposals are carried out.
Officials at Southern Bancorp of Arkadelphia said the elimination of new appropriations through the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund and the Bank Enterprise Award would damage the bank’s plans.
Arkadelphia Bank to Receive $1.8 Million Grant
Southern Development Bancorporation of Arkadelphia will receive a $1.8 million equity grant to help the bank acquire additional branches to provide housing, business and consumer lending in the Mississippi Delta region, the state’s Democratic Congressional delegation announced Thursday.
U.S. Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and U.S. Reps. Mike Ross and Marion Berry announced more than $1.8 million in grants provided by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. The money is aimed at providing assistance to low-income, rural areas of the state.
Rural Health Care Providers and Patients Benefit from Loan Fund
Press Release – June 17, 2002
Physicians, hospitals and other health care providers in Arkansas have received more than $8.8 million in loans to improve access to health care in rural, medically underserved areas of Arkansas through the Arkansas Rural Health Revolving Loan Fund (RLF).
Because of the success and significant impact of the RLF, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has committed another $500,000 grant to the loan fund.
Southern Financial Partners Receives Grant From USDA
Press Release – March 13, 2002
Southern Financial Partners (SFP) has received a $160,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development.
The grant will be used to capitalize a loan fund that will help finance businesses in thirteen counties in eastern Arkansas creating new jobs and providing access to over $1 million in capital to the economically distressed region.
Southern Financial Partners Receives Funding From Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
Press Release – February 6, 2002
Southern Financial Partners received a $200,000 grant and a $1 million loan from the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. Southern Financial Partners (“SFP”) is a non-profit affiliate of Southern Development Bancorporation.
Southern Financial Partners provides lending services, financial training and technical assistance to small businesses in rural Arkansas and Mississippi to stimulate economic growth.
Arkansas Enterprise Group is Now Southern Financial Partners
Arkansas Enterprise Group announced today that it will change its name to Southern Financial Partners, effective immediately. Southern Financial Partners is a non-profit affiliate of Southern Development Bancorporation, an Arkansas-based community development bank holding company.