Officials with Parrot Island Waterpark announced Tuesday (March 17) the start of hiring 100-150 part-time employees for the aquatics facility now under construction at Ben Geren Regional Park.

The almost $12 million facility is set to open on or before Memorial Day weekend. Jobs will include lifeguards, concessions, attendants and maintenance crew. Parrot Island Waterpark will conduct training and certification for lifeguards. Applicants must be 16 years of age or older.

Applications are available for download on this page of the Parrot Island website. Applications may be mailed to (3301 S. M St., Fort Smith  AR, 72903) or delivered to The Creekmore Center in Fort Smith, where hard copies of the application will also be available.

Interviews are scheduled to begin over spring break.

“Come and be part of the inaugural staff as we open this amazing one of a kind water park. Make this your opportunity to serve the community of Sebastian County and the City of Fort Smith,” said Parrot Island General Manager William Miller.

Northwest Health System will soon begin construction on a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit within its Bentonville hospital campus as part of a $3 million investment in local hospital updates, according to a release by the healthcare provider on Wednesday (March 18).

The new 2,000-square-foot NICU center in the Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville will help to serve the needs of babies who are not able to thrive without specialized interim care. The NICU will include space for six licensed specialty beds as well as additional cosmetic upgrades. It will be staffed by registered nurses and respiratory therapists as well as neonatal nurse practitioners and neonatologists. 

“The new unit will be located on the second floor of the hospital and include the equipment and technology necessary to care for the more acute newborn,” said Northwest Health System CEO Sharif Omar. “We are not stopping there."

Northwest Health also announced a makeover of its Willow Creek Women’s Hospital in Johnson that will be done concurrently with the expansion into Bentonville.

“In the next few weeks, we will begin a complete facility makeover that will change the look and feel of Willow Creek Women’s Hospital to a serene and relaxing spa-like environment for the comfort of our patients and guests,” Omar said.

The new NICU center in Bentonville is slated to open this fall. This NICU expansion into the Benton County market will allow newborns that require additional care after delivery to remain in the local area closer to their family during the hospitalization and recovery process. 

Omar said patient care in both facilities will not be interrupted by the construction and remodeling this summer.
 

Dr. Carla Swearingen has been named the dean of faculty development and director of the Teaching and Learning Center at John Brown University in Siloam Springs.

She will assume her new role on July 1. In this newly-created position, Swearingen will oversee faculty learning opportunities and research initiatives and establish and direct the new Teaching and Learning Center.

“As JBU enrollment has nearly tripled in the last 25 years, the increased demands for the recruitment, training and development of faculty has prompted us to consolidate our various faculty development efforts under a single dean,” said Dr. Edward Ericson, vice president for academic affairs. “The search committee unanimously and enthusiastically chose Swearingen to step into this role, and we are very much looking forward to what she can help our institution accomplish in the coming years.”

In addition to her role as associate professor of chemistry, Swearingen served as the director of the SUCCESS grant from the National Science Foundation since 2010. She has also served as the assistant director of faculty development, offering support for JBU faculty through mentoring and peer classroom observation initiatives. Despite the additional responsibilities and roles since coming to JBU in 2005, Swearingen has continued to teach.

“I have always considered teaching to be my primary role,” Swearingen said. “It is important for someone in the field of teaching and learning to stay active in the classroom.”

Swearingen will continue teach one or two classes per year while serving JBU in this new capacity.

“I hope that faculty see this as an investment in them not only as teachers, but as individuals,” she added.

Retailer Target, following Wal-Mart’s lead, announced Wednesday (March 18)  it would raise its minimum wage to $9 per hour in April. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour but at least a dozen states have set higher minimum pay rates being ushered in the in the next couple of years.

UltraViolet, a woman’s advocacy group, along with other union interest groups have been pressuring retailers and fast food companies to raise wages and are claiming victory since Wal-Mart Stores, T.JX and now Target Stores that have done just that.

Wal-Mart recently said starting wages would be $9 in April, next year employees after some six months of training will earn at least $10 an hour. This impacts about 500,000 of the retailer’s 1.3 million workers. TJX, parent of T.J. Maxx, will also raise starting wages to $9. 

In unrelated news, Target said last week it would lay off about 1,700 workers and close out another 1,400 open positions as part of a $2 billion cost savings plan.

The theatre program at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith took home two national and three regional awards from The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, accolades which solidify the department’s reputation as one of the best theatre programs in the region.

Theatre@UAFS’ devised production of “Delta-v” earned national recognition as a Distinguished Production of a New or Devised Work, and an award for Distinguished Lighting Design went to UAFS student Lee Hartsock of Fort Smith.

The theatre program received the awards following their performance of “Delta-v” at the Kennedy Center’s Region VI Festival, where they were one of six productions chosen to perform from more than 150 submitted works. Forty-eight productions were performed at Kennedy Center festivals nationwide, from which a team of judges selected the national awards.

The recognition reflects the high quality of work from the theatre department, according to Theatre@UAFS Director Bob Stevenson.

“UAFS continues to be a leader in devised ensemble work, and our continued success in the technical elements shows that our students are being trained the right way for theatre in the 21st century,” Stevenson said. “Our motto in the program is ‘show first,’ and to win not only an ensemble award, but also what is basically the ‘Best Picture’ category of the festival, is a testament to our students putting the play ahead of their own individual success.”

In addition to the national awards, UAFS theatre students received accolades from the Region VI Festival. Erin Decker of North Little Rock was named a finalist in the Musical Theatre Initiative, and Leah Wineland and Christian Meurer, both of Fort Smith, were semi-finalists in the Irene Ryan Scholarship Acting Competition.

Stevenson said the department is continuing to do some of the best work in the area.
 
“To be one of the six chosen to perform at the regional festival demonstrates that we are producing the best theatre in the region at the university level – undergraduate or graduate,” Stevenson said. “This is our fifth year to be chosen to perform in the last nine years, making it even more of a feather in our cap. No other school in Arkansas has been chosen more than once during that period.”

Theatre@UAFS first performed “Delta-v” last October as part of the university’s Season of Entertainment 34. The drama explores the journey towards happiness and fulfillment and the sacrifices people make to achieve those ideals.

Region VI of the Kennedy Center American Theatre Festival encompasses six states in the southeast and southwest regions of the United States – Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana and Missouri. More than 100 universities from participating states were involved in the festival.

Wal-Mart Stores’ Mexican division announced plans to further slow down its expansion efforts this year amid a sluggish Mexican economy and weakening peso retated to slumping oil prices.

Chief financial officer Rafael Matute made the announcement on Wednesday (March 18) during a meeting with analysts. Walmart International CEO David Cheesewright first mentioned the slowed expansion in October.

Walmex sold assets and begin to focus on its supermarket business amid the macro-economic slowing in 2014 which has continued.

"This year, 2015, will be a year of pause," Walmex CEO Enrique Ostale told analysts. "We're looking for a greater return on our investments."
 
The company said it will spend $809.45 million this year on maintenance and the expansion of its sales floors. Malute added the company would expand its total sales floor area by 2.4%.

Walmex opened 132 outlets last year, and expanded its total shop floor area by 3.9%, down from the 4.4% originally expected.

Same-store sales fell 0.2% in Mexico last year, hurt by weak demand and tough competition. Last month the retailer reported a 40% rise in fourth-quarter profit last month.

”Making and Remaking America’s Downtowns” is the focus of the National Town Builders Association (NTBA) Spring Roundtable occurring in Arkansas this week. The group will tour Bentonville as a pre-familiarization tour to the main conference held in central Arkansas Friday through Sunday, according to Blair Cromwell, spokeswoman for Visit Bentonville.

A group of 30 people from around the country will join Bentonville city planners, developers, and place makers for a day long behind the scenes experience of this small Arkansas town that has garnered national attention over the last several years. NTBA members will begin their trip in Eureka Springs on Thursday morning (March 19) and travel to Bentonville that afternoon. They will spend the evening dining at Tusk and Trotter followed by an afterhours event at the Hive at 21c Museum Hotel hosted by Rob Coleman, CEO of ERC, the company responsible for the Thrive project in downtown Bentonville.

Friday morning (March 20) NTBA members tour various downtown destinations to learn how Bentonville implements its award winning master plan with transformative projects. The group will end its experience in Bentonville with a tour of the city’s trail system followed by a visit to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and Eleven.

The NTBA is the only town and urban developer association in which the knowledge and experience gained from creating robust town centers is freely shared. Members of the association are town builders committed to smart growth, responsible development, and peer support through networking and collaborative education.

The Spring Roundtable attendees travel to central Arkansas on Friday afternoon through Sunday to tour The Village at Hendrix in Conway, the River Market in downtown Little Rock and Argenta Arts District in North Little Rock.

The Montessori School of Fort Smith has received a $10,000 Challenge Grant from the Windgate Charitable Foundation based in Siloam Springs, Ark.

“This generous challenge grant gives us the footing we need to establish a Scholarship Fund for our school,” said Jessica Hayes, Head of School. “The goal with this fund is to assist families, who believe in the power of a Montessori education, in sending their children to our school.”
 
On April 2, The Montessori School of Fort Smith is participating in Arkansas Gives, a one-day philanthropy event hosted by the Arkansas Community Foundation. Hayes said the event allows the school with an opportunity to not only raise matching funds for this challenge grant, but to receive bonus dollars from the Arkansas Community Foundation. All funds raised that day will go directly to the scholarship fund.
 
For more than 45 years, students in the Fort Smith region have received a non-traditional education through The Montessori School of Fort Smith, previously St. Scholastica Montessori School. Developed in the early 20th Century by Dr. Maria Montessori, the Montessori approach to education focuses on the child as an individual.

Former 188th Wing Commander Col. Mark Anderson has been awarded the Jack White Leadership Fort Smith Award. The award and other Community Leadership Awards will be presented at the Alumni Association’s annual Commencement and Leadership Awards Ceremony on May 14.

The Jack White Leadership Fort Smith Award is given annually to an individual whose leadership has meaningfully improved the quality of life in Fort Smith by contributing time and energy in a multitude of ways for the betterment of our city, demonstrating vision, commitment and courage to achieve positive results while also displaying characteristics such as honesty, moral strength and compassion.
 
Following are recipients of the Community Leadership Awards.
• Business/Industry: Doug Babb, Retired CEO, Cooper Clinic

• Education: Ken Fletcher, Construction Technology Teacher, Northside High School

• Government: Judge David Saxon, District Court Judge, Sebastian County

• Non-Profit: Charolette Tidwell, Director, Antioch Youth & Family

• Healthcare: A. Nasser Adjei MD.,  Interventional Cardiologist, Sparks Health System

• Religion: Rev. Kevin A. Thompson, Lead Pastor, Community Bible Church
 
The 2015 Leadership Fort Smith Commencement and Leadership Awards Ceremony begins at 6 p.m., May 14, at the Reynolds Conference Center at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith.

Main Street Siloam Springs is looking for artists to provide three outdoor art installations and is seeking proposals at this time. Any form of public art suitable for outdoor installation (including sculpture, murals, sidewalk painting, etc.) will be accepted and may be on any theme or subject inspiring to the artist and suited for public display, the group noted in a release.

Artists whose work is chosen will receive $800 in funding for supplies, the cost of installation, and payment. Outdoor art installations will remain in place in downtown Siloam Springs for a one year period.

Each of the pieces selected will be revealed during Beyond the Frame: Experiencing Art in Downtown Siloam Springs, a series of exciting summer art events featuring an outdoor art market and art walk with indoor gallery exhibits.

The deadline for proposals is Friday May. 1, artists will be notified by Friday, May 15 of their selection and further timelines.

Applications are also being accepted for outdoor art market vendors and artists whose work will be featured in indoor gallery exhibits as part of the art walk.
Applications to participate in the art market or indoor gallery exhibits can be accessed through this website link. .

The outdoor art installations are part of the Downtown Connectivity and Master Plan which was developed by Main Street Siloam Springs and unanimously adopted by the City of Siloam Springs Board of Directors in 2014 with the input of more than 500 community members. The group has slated May 9, June 13, July 11 and August 8 as summer art events that will feature the chosen projects.

A Northwest Arkansas-based logistics company announced a major expansion and partnership Monday (March 23)  that will mean enhanced warehousing and fulfillment capabilities for current and potential customers of both companies involved.

On Time Logistics (OTL) is moving from its approximately 25,000 square foot warehousing space on Emma Avenue to a 48,000 square foot building (40,000 square feet of warehousing and 8,000 of office and administrative space). The new location is at 1710 Powell Street, also located near downtown Springdale. OTL will now have nearly double the amount of warehousing space and almost double the amount of docks available. The move should be complete by the end of March.

This added capacity will make it possible for OTL to handle its new partnership with Banded, a hunting and outdoor gear company. OTL will manage all of the warehousing and order fulfillment for Banded included all the inbound and outbound orders for individuals and the brand’s retail providers.

“We see this move as a great opportunity to grow the fulfillment side of our business in Northwest Arkansas,” said Steve Jones, owner/founder of On Time Logistics. “Partnering with Banded Brands is a great step towards making this a reality.”

According to the Banded Nation website, Banded Brands, Banded Nation and Maxx Outdoors recently developed agreements with Banded Holdings Inc. to bring together all entities under one operating company. Banded Holdings is based in Fayetteville. The company will have an office in the Powell St. location as well.

The Run Bentonville Half Marathon slated for 7 a.m., Saturday, March 28, has already registered some 2,300 participants for its various events. This marks the event’s fifth anniversary and organizers are preparing for another turnout, according to Blair Cromwell of Visit Bentonville.

The event begins with the half marathon at 7 a.m. leaving the Bentonville Square, which is followed by the 5k and then fun run.

Cromwell said last year 2700 people participated in the event and race officials feel they will likely exceed this number for 2015. 

“We typically have 500 or more people register the week of the race. People are waiting to see what the weather forecast may be or they are already avid runners and jumping in a half marathon or 5k at the last minute is something they are already conditioned to do,” says Layne Moore, race coordinator for the Bentonville Parks and Recreation Department.

Weather.com reports that the forecast should be near 54 degrees for the high on Saturday with zero precipitation and only light winds. This is ideal running weather according to Mike Rush of Rush Running Company.

Cromwell said this particular event has garnered national attention in the past thanks in part to its corporate sponsorships also snagging the “Best Half Marathon in the South” title by Competitor.com.

Also on tap for this event participants and the general public are invited to a Runner’s Expo on Friday, March 27 from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. This event will showcase health and fitness services.

The Expo is followed by a Pasta Party from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bentonville High School where Olympian and Hall of Famer Craig Virgin will speak.

Online registration for all races ends at midnight on Tuesday, March 24. After that participants need to register in person at the Downtown Activity Center at 215 SW A Street.

Runners may also register at the expo on Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  There is no race day registration.

Fitness chain World Gym announced the closing of three Northwest Arkansas locations with a Facebook post on Tuesday (March 24).

“Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control we have been forced to close our Bentonville and Lowell World Gym locations. Springdale and Fayetteville World Gym remains open and available to all customers,” the company notes in the post.

Owners Tania and Rhett Garner said three of their World Gym locations were in leased space and terms of a new lease could not be reached. The owners said they own the locations in Springdale and Fayetteville, which is why those sites will remain open, according to a letter from the owners posted to Facebook early Tuesday.

Members quickly responded with disgust noting that they had have been unable to cancel their billing and using other locations in Washington County are not convenient for members living in Bentonville, where two sites are closing. They want refunds without penalties.

“You just took a check from a friend just last night for the Bentonville / Lowell locations knowing you closing as of today. Bad business,” notes Darrin and Andrea Brothers of Bentonville.

The owners apologized in their letter for the inconvenience vowing to take care of all its members. Meanwhile Fitness for Less and Planet Fitness in Bentonville have been active in the Facebook feed wooing disgruntled members their way.

The Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus cardiovascular technology adult echocardiography (CVT) program has been granted initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

CAAHEP is the largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field. The group reviews and accredits over 2,000 education programs in 28 health science occupations.

Echocardiography is a specialty area of cardiac imaging using ultrasound technology to evaluate the heart and acquire images of the cardiac chambers, walls, valves and blood flow. Echocardiographers generally work closely with cardiologists, who use the images to diagnose cardiac diseases.

The Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT) recommended ATU-Ozark be granted CAAHEP accreditation after a stringent onsite assessment and self-study. JRC-CVT will continue to monitor and assess program outcomes throughout the initial accreditation status.

Program Chair Kristen Wendling said the accreditation reflects the program and campus commitment to providing students with a quality education in preparation for a career in health care.

“Since the program began in 2013, it has been our goal to become a nationally recognized CAAHEP accredited program,” she said. “This achievement verifies we have complied with and meet the rigorous standards set forth by the JRC-CVT and CAAHEP.”

The CVT program is accepting applications for the fall 2015 class. Applications are available online at this link. The deadline is Monday, June 1. Applicants for CVT must attend one of the two information sessions and observation clinics at Chaffee Crossing Building 139, 12211 Ward Drive in Fort Smith. Sessions will be Thursday, April 2, and Thursday, June 4. Both will have a presentation and overview of the CVT program at 10 a.m. and observation clinic at 1 p.m. Seating is limited and applicants must sign-up by contacting Sharyl Moffit at smoffit@atu.edu

The U.S. Marshals Museum has the 2015 spring lecture series titled The Gallery Lecture Series.

Boston-based Brent Johnson Design is in the process of designing exhibits for the future museum. The Gallery Lecture Series will highlight these designs. Each lecture will include an introduction to the featured gallery, and a speaker on a topic to be covered in that gallery. See below for individual session information. Light refreshments will be served, and a cash bar will be available. Admission is $25 for the series, or $10 each for individual lecture.

A special wrap-up session will feature Dr. Brent Glass, director emeritus of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Glass will present on the importance of preserving history and making it accessible to the public, and the critical role of history museums in our society. For reservations, please visit: http://usmm.eventbrite.com or call the USMM Office at 709-3766.

Session One
Marshals Today
April 6, 6:30p, The Blue Lion
The Marshals Today Gallery will highlight the modern day U.S. Marshals Service. Retired Deputy Marshal and Witness Security Chief Eugene Coon will share the story of, and his experiences with, WITSEC– the Witness Security Program. His wife, Lynn, will discuss family life in the U.S. Marshals Service.

Session Two
Frontier Marshals
May 4, @ 6:30p, The Blue Lion
The Frontier Marshals Gallery will explore the most famous period in marshal history– the Old West. Dr. Daniel Littlefield, of the Sequoyah Center in Little Rock, will present on the Trail of Tears, and how this series of forced relocations led to the increase of federal law enforcement in the Western District of Arkansas, and federal jurisdiction in Indian Territory.

Session Three
A Changing Nation
June 1, @ 6:30p, The Blue Lion
The gallery A Changing Nation will focus on the marshals’ involvement in some of the most pivotal moments in American history. William Doyle, author of An American Insurrection: The Battle of Oxford, MS, 1962, will discuss the marshals’ role in the desegregation of the University of Mississippi, and his research for the book.

Session Four
Public Memory in America: Why History Matters
June 29, @ 6:30p, The Blue Lion
Why build the U.S. Marshals Museum? Dr. Brent Glass, Director Emeritus of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, will wrap up the series with a look at why history museums are important, and the critical role they play in our communities.

Two of Wal-Mart’s largest suppliers, H.J. Heinz Co. and Kraft Foods, have entered into a merger agreement creating the third largest food company in North American and the fifth largest in the world.

Once the dust settles, Heinz shareholders will own 51% of the combined company which is to be called The Kraft Heinz Co, with co-headquarters in Pittsburg and Chicago.

As part of the transaction, Kraft Foods shareholders will receive stock in the combined company as well as a special cash dividend of $16.50 per share, which represents 27% of Kraft’s closing stock price on March 24. The cash dividend payment will total approximately $10 billion and be funded by an equity contribution from Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital, the owners of Heinz. The agreement has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

“By bringing together these two iconic companies through this transaction, we are creating a strong platform for both U.S. and international growth,” said Alex Behring, chairman of Heinz and the managing partner in 3G Capital. “Our combined brands and businesses mean increased scale and relevance both in the U.S. and internationally. We have the utmost respect for the Kraft business and its employees, and greatly look forward to working together as we integrate the two companies.”

Behring will become chairman of the new company and John Cahill, chairman and CEO of Kraft Foods, will become vice-chairman. Bernardo Hees, the CEO of Heinz, will become the CEO of the Kraft Heinz Co., the company noted in the release.

The pro forma company will have an estimated $28 billion in annual sales. Together the new company will have eight brands with sales in excess of $1 billion and five brands with sales between $500 million and $1 billion.

The complementary nature of the two brand portfolios presents substantial opportunity for synergies, which will result in increased investments in marketing and innovation, according to H.J. Heinz. A statement outlining the merger estimated synergy potential to be approximately $1.5 billion by the end of 2017.

“Together we will have some of the most respected, recognized and storied brands in the global food industry, and together we will create an even brighter future,” Cahill said. “This combination offers significant cash value to our shareholders and the opportunity to be investors in a company very well positioned for growth, especially outside the United States, as we bring Kraft’s iconic brands to international markets. We look forward to uniting with Heinz in what will be an exciting new chapter ahead.”

Kraft and Heinz have sales offices in Northwest Arkansas and it's too early to know if there will be any job consolidation as a result of this merger.

America's Car-Mart announced the opening of its 139th dealership, the fifth new lot opening this fiscal year. The dealership is located in Valdosta, Ga., also the fifth Car-Mart lot in the Peach State, according to the release.

“We intend to add three more new dealerships between now and April 30, the end of our fiscal year,” said CEO Hank Henderson.

Shares of America’s Car-Mart were trading down nearly 1% in the Wednesday (March 25) afternoon session at $55.60 per share. The stock has been rising in recent weeks on the heels of stronger financial balance sheets and earnings reported in February. The stock decline is in sync with the broader market indices all trading lower on weaker-than-expected durable goods report earlier in the day from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Despite bird flu implications in Tyson Foods’ home state of Arkansas, Wall Street analysts with Stephens Inc. have raised their fiscal second-quarter earnings forecast for the Springdale-based meat giant.

Farha Aslam, analyst with Stephens, updated her Tyson earnings forecast to 72 cents per share, up from 67 cents forecast previously noted. She lifts the forecast based on improved operating climate for poultry and prepared foods with beef and pork also modestly gaining some momentum.

In a note to investors, Aslam predicted Tyson’s chicken sales and profits should benefit from strong demand from foodservice and retail, as well as moderating grain costs. Prepared Foods results should garner support from declining pork and beef prices, as well as good synergy capture from the Hillshire acquisition.

Also weighing in her analysis are heightened expectations for beef exports in the back half of this year. She believes the Avian Influenza hitches are manageable thus far and notes that China could help absorb global increases in red meat production.

She also noted that export demand for U.S. red meat is expected to increase in the second half of 2015.

Shares of Tyson Foods opened lower on Friday trading at $38.11, down 5 cents in the morning session.  For the past 52 weeks the share prices has ranged from $44.24 to $34.90.

Walmart will hire up to 95 associates to work at the new Walmart Neighborhood Market slated to open this summer in Bentonville located along N. Walton Boulevard. A temporary hiring center has opened at Walmart’s Corporate Office at 203 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy., in Bentonville.
 
Applications will be accepted Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Interested applicants may also apply online at this link. 

According to store manager Daniel Mosley the store is hiring full- and part-time associates. The majority of new hires will begin work in May to help prepare the store for its grand opening.
 

Tyson Foods announced the closure of a poultry processing facility in Buena Vista, Ga., and discontinuation of the third shift at its Dawson, Ga., plant as it works to streamline efficiencies and retool itself to changing consumer demands.

The meat giant said changing product needs, the age of the facility and prohibitive renovation costs were factors leading to the plant's closure. About 260 employees will be impacted from this shuttered business over the next month.

“Because these changes affect our team members and their families, it was a very tough decision,” said Noel White, president of poultry for Tyson Foods. “Our business needs have changed in southern Georgia, so after a great deal of consideration, we’ve decided to take these steps in order to best serve our customers.”

Tyson said the company will work with state officials to inform employees about unemployment benefits and any potential re-training opportunities.

Meanwhile, expansion of Tyson's Vienna, Ga. facility is in progress. The company is changing the focus of the plant's production to tray pack chicken at a cost of $110 million. Tyson said the expansion and conversion project will add more than 700 jobs when it’s completed mid-year.