News

Arvest Launches New Subsidiary

FAYETTEVILLE – Arvest Bank is pleased to announce the Arvest Opportunity Fund, a wholly owned non-bank subsidiary currently providing loans and lines of credit to small businesses that fall just below bank loan policy requirements. As part of the Arvest Opportunity Fund program, loan recipients agree to receive financial education coaching for 12 months after funding. The financial education program, delivered by professional educators and community partners, is designed to improve the financial standing of recipients to the point where they can eventually meet traditional bank lending standards. “We are committed to bringing opportunity through access to lending and financial education to all groups in the markets we serve,” Arvest Bank president and CEO Kevin Sabin said. “That includes the underbanked. In addition to being the right way to do business, we believe the efforts of the Arvest Opportunity Fund are crucial to the economic health, stability and security of the communities we serve.” Arvest Opportunity Fund candidates are determined when a loan application is submitted to Arvest Bank online or in person and the applicant opts in for consideration from the Arvest Opportunity Fund. If the applicant’s credit file does not meet Arvest Bank loan policy requirements, the application is automatically reviewed by the Arvest Opportunity Fund for consideration. After beta market testing in mid-2022, the Arvest Opportunity Fund was launched across Arvest’s four-state footprint in August. As of Jan. 6, the Arvest Opportunity Fund has delivered more than $1.2 million in small business loans. The Arvest Opportunity Fund is led by executive director Hillis Schild, who is based in Little Rock and has more than 30 years of industry experience, including 17 in community development banking. In her role as executive director, Schild provides strategic leadership for the Arvest Opportunity Fund. Schild serves on the board of directors or advisory committees for
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Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act

This week, the House voted on the H.R. 22, Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act, of which I was an early co-sponsor. This legislation prevents the Secretary of Energy from selling any Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) oil to an entity affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or any entity that plans to export it to China.
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Molenda USMC

Robert (Bob) Molenda is a United States Marine, because once you are a Marine you are always a marine. Bob grew up in Illinois and joined the United States Marine Corps (USMC) in late 1962 where he trained in San Diego and became one of America's finest, an Infantry Marine in the 3rd Marine Division.
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Marion County Police Beat

Current: January 5 – January 15 Kohut, Ryan Matthews Booking Date: 01-13-2023 - 7:32 p.m.; Charges: FAILURE TO COMPLY Moore, Jessie Dale Booking Date: 01-13-2023 - 6:01 p.m.; Charges: Reed, Kathleen Booking Date: 01-11-2023 - 7:38 p.m.; Charges: FAILURE TO PAY FINES MISDEMEANOR Eason, Tony A Booking Date: 01-10-2023 - 3:47 p.m.; Charges: HOLD FOR DOC Tucker, Kourtney Cavell Booking Date: 01-10-2023 - 2:59 p.m.; Charges: HOLD FOR DOC Simmons, Stephanie Louise Booking Date: 01-10-2023 - 11:09 a.m.; Charges: FAILURE TO APPEAR MISDEMEANOR Cowan, Michael Booking Date: 01-09-2023 - 10:53 p.m.; Charges: FAILURE TO APPEAR Ply, Torie Gene Booking Date: 01-07-2023 - 12:06 a.m.; Charges: DISORDERLY CONDUCT, NEED DESCRIPTION Bates, Joshua Allen Booking Date: 01-06-2023 - 11:54 a.m.; Charges: FAILURE TO APPEAR, FAILURE TO PAY Hicks, Louis Fate Booking Date: 01-06-2023 - 3:38 a.m.; Charges: FAILURE TO APPEAR MISDEMEANOR, FAILURE TO APPEAR MISDEMEANOR, HOLD FOR BAXTER CO Andrews, James Lee Booking Date: 01-05-2023 - 5:18 p.m.; Charges: HOLD FOR DOC Killian, Robert Booking Date: 01-05-2023 - 4:53 p.m.; Charges: HOLD FOR DOC Released: Hicks, Louis Fate Release Date: 01-15-2023 - 4:45 p.m.; Booking Date: 01-06-2023 - 3:38 a.m.; Charges: FAILURE TO APPEAR MISDEMEANOR, FAILURE TO APPEAR, MISDEMEANOR, HOLD FOR BAXTER CO, HOLD FOR DOC Rogers, Richard Release Date: 01-14-2023 - 6:11 p.m.; Booking Date: 01-14-2023 - 3:28 p.m. Charges: FAILURE TO REGISTER VEHICLE, DRIVING ON SUSPENDED DL, THEFT OF MOTOR FUEL, FAILURE TO APPEAR MISDEMEANOR Reed, Kathleen Release Date: 01-13-2023 - 8:23 p.m.; Booking Date: 01-11-2023 - 7:38 p.m.
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MC Meeting announced

Marion County Judge, Jason Stumph and the committees have announce dates and times of the upcoming committee meetings. Please note that the meeting time has been changed to 5:00 p.m. in the annex for these meeting.
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Getting to Know My Dad

I am just going to say, right up front, I’m cheating again this week. It’s been a particularly busy and stressful week for me, so as the deadline was looming for this week’s article, I panicked! What would I write about? So, I’m going back to my Dad’s memories (which, again, are considerably before the 1960s I like to write about).
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