The city of Arkadelphia has two reasons to celebrate. For one, it’s the site of the state’s first 24-hour daycare center, and secondly because the future facility is bringing dozens of jobs to town. Gov. Mike Beebe was the special guest at today’s grand opening of Clark County Child Care Inc., which was built by Southern Bancorp Community Development Corporation (SBCDC) on land leased from the Clark County Industrial Park.

Visitors from throughout the country, and even some foreign countries, are raving about the amenities at the new B.B. King Museum in Indianola. A big part of what made that possible was a $250,000 grant from Southern Bancorp (Southern).

The grand opening of the Clark County Child Care Inc., took place Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. in the Clark County Industrial Park. The 24-hour-a-day, 7,560-square-foot facility, constructed by Southern Bancorp Community Development Corp. held its formal ribbon cutting with Gov. Mike Beebe as the guest speaker.

Southern Bancorp, a rural community development bank, has agreed to buy a small El Dorado bank and use it as an anchor to reach disadvantaged areas in south Arkansas, Southern Bancorp’s chief executive officer said Thursday.

Troubled Timberland Bank of El Dorado announced Thursday that it will be acquired by Southern Bancorp of Arkadelphia in a deal that is expected to close within 90 days. Southern Bancorp is paying between $5 million and $6 million in cash for the bank – about half its book value, according to Southern CEO Phil Baldwin. But it is also allowing Timberland Bank’s holding company, Timberland Bancshares Inc., to retain in the form of a dividend some $5.8 million worth of nonperforming assets.

Webmaster Note: Southern Good Faith Fund has been leading the Arkansans Against Abusive Payday Lending coalition to protect Arkansans from abusive rapid refund anticipation loans.

LITTLE ROCK — A state lawmaker says he wants more protections for consumers who apply for so-called “instant refunds” or “cash advances” on their income tax refunds.Rep. Darrin Williams, D-Little Rock, said he plans to present Friday in the House Insurance and Commerce Committee a bill that would require any business offering short-term loans based on anticipated tax refunds to disclose to consumers any fees they may have to pay.

HELENA-WEST HELENA — Orlando Jones of the Boys and Girls Club of Phillips County has been named the Youth of the Year for the state of Arkansas by Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Jones, a 17-year-old senior at Central High School in Helena-West Helena, will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Reader’s Digest Foundation. He is among hundreds of Youth of the Year winners across the country recognized by Boys and Girls Clubs of America for sound character, leadership skills and willingness to give back to the community.

Orlando Jones, a 3-year member of the Boys and Girls Club of Phillips County, has been named the Youth of the Year for the state of Arkansas by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). In addition to winning this prestigious title, Jones will also receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Reader’s Digest Foundation. He is among hundreds of Youth of the Year winners across the country recognized by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) for his sound character, leadership skills and willingness to give back to the community.

Actions are being taken to bring high-speed Internet service to everyone in Clark County, from Arkadelphia to all rural areas.

Members of the Economic Development Sub-committee of the Clark County Strategic Plan met at noon Monday to hear a presentation from Kim Tran of Connect-Arkansas, a private, non-profit organization designed to “link all Arkansans, especially in rural areas, to the Internet.”

Paul Harvel, chief executive officer of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance, gave the Clark County Quorum Court an annual report Monday on the Economic Development Corp. of Clark County.