Latest news with #Bentonville
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brenda Song says Disney blocked her from pursuing 'Gran Torino' role because of sexual assault scene: 'I was very upset'
Brenda Song's transition from Disney child star to Hollywood actress wasn't always so suite. The actress, 37, rose to prominence for her role as hotel heiress London Tipton on Disney Channel sitcom The Suite Life of Zack & Cody in the early 2000s, starring in a number of original films on the network (Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior, Stuck in the Suburbs) before transitioning to more mature roles in such titles as David Fincher's The Social Network. While accepting Variety's Virtuoso Award at the Bentonville Film Festival in Arkansas, Song shared that her career path was not without obstacles due to her Disney background, revealing that she had been considered for a role in Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino — but Disney ultimately would not allow it due to a sexual assault scene. "The character had an intended sexual assault scene, so Disney nixed it,' Song said. 'And I was very upset but I was like, 'Okay, I guess it didn't work out.'' The 2008 thriller starred Eastwood as a disgruntled and prejudiced Korean War vet who forms an unlikely friendship with a Hmong teen (Bee Vang) after the latter reluctantly attempts to steal his treasured car. Disney actually had similar concerns about her role as Christy, a love interest of Andrew Garfield's Eduardo who has a sexually explicit scene in the film, in The Social Network, Song shared. But she pushed back, going directly to Gary Marsh, president and COO of Disney Branded Television, at the time. 'I was just like, 'I am an actor. When you hired me, I was not a hotel heiress. If I have ever done anything in my personal life to ever draw bad attention to your company, I understand. But this is the last season of the show, and this is the opportunity of a lifetime,'" Song shared. "And I was so fortunate, they were so supportive. They allowed me to do this film that truly changed my life.' Following her departure from Disney, Song appeared across episodes of Scandal, New Girl, Station 19, and Dollface. She also starred in movies like Changeland, where she met future husband Macaulay Culkin, and Secret Obsession. It was her recent turn in Gia Coppola's 2024 drama The Last Showgirl, starring opposite Pamela Anderson and Jamie Lee Curtis, that ushered in what many have hailed as the Brendaissance. Song told Entertainment Weekly earlier this year that the role — as a fiery showgirl named Mary-Anne — marked a "beautiful turning point' in her career. 'I had literally just said to my mom and my partner, 'If the best of my career's behind me, I think I'm okay with that. I am really proud of what I've done,'' she recalled. 'And they're like, 'What are you talking about? You're 35 years old.' But I was at such a crossroads in my life.' Most recently, she appeared on Mindy Kaling's sports comedy series Running Point, which was renewed for a second season. As with The Last Showgirl, that experience "re-energized me and reminded me why I love doing what I do so much," Song said. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Crisp Acquires Cantactix to Expand Retail Space Planning Insights and Automation for CPG Manufacturers and Retailers
BENTONVILLE, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 25, 2025-- Crisp, the leading collaborative commerce platform for retail data, has announced the acquisition of Cantactix, the leading retail category management solutions company. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Crisp Acquires Cantactix to Expand Retail Space Planning Insights and Automation for CPG Manufacturers and Retailers Cantactix works with retailers and suppliers to simplify and automate retail shelf and floor space management through a tailored approach to software adoption and consultation. Founded more than 15 years ago, Cantactix applies a strategic blend of customer-centric services and proprietary software to maximize the value of every inch of retail space, and to automate and streamline workflows that boost planogram efficiency. 'Cantactix and Crisp work with many of the same CPG brands—all of which are using data to optimize what is on the retail shelf in an effort to maximize sales and reduce out-of-stocks,' said Are Traasdahl, founder and CEO of Crisp. 'Crisp helps brands leverage their retail data to provide insights on product demand, inventory and availability. Cantactix ensures that the right mix of categories and products are placed in the right locations in the right stores. By combining these insights within our platform, CPG brands can enable end-to-end supply chain optimization.' 'We empower category managers and space planners by eliminating their biggest pain points in implementing retailer-specific customizations,' said Dan Desmarais, founder and CEO of Cantactix. 'Through this deal, our insights and solutions, developed with our team of experts, will be available to over 6,000 brands globally that already leverage Crisp, providing them with valuable space planning and planogram data to maximize profitability.' Following Crisp's recent acquisitions of Seattle-based Shelf Engine, UK-based SKUTrak (Atheon) and ClearBox Analytics, Bentonville-based Atlas, and Minneapolis-based Lumidata, and SetSight, Crisp is positioned to provide CPG brands with unprecedented visibility into data and insights to optimize supply chain operations across major retail channels. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. About Crisp Over $15T in goods flow through global supply chains annually. But the data required to optimize movement of goods is disconnected and siloed. As the leading retail data company, Crisp leverages AI to facilitate the integration, access and exchange of retail data between CPG brands, retailers, and distributors, providing unprecedented visibility to optimize retail sales and the supply chain infrastructure. Trusted by 6,000+ brands representing more than $2.5T in retail sales across over 250K stores, Crisp transforms a brand's own retail data into a competitive advantage. Learn more at View source version on Press Contact: Katie Padilla, (202) 878-8315,[email protected] KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA ARKANSAS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SOFTWARE NETWORKS DATA ANALYTICS RETAIL DATA MANAGEMENT SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOURCE: Crisp Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 06/25/2025 10:05 AM/DISC: 06/25/2025 10:06 AM
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Walmart Tests Opening ‘Dark Stores' to Speed Up Online Delivery
Walmart Inc. is testing dark stores, which resemble retail stores but are closed to the public, as a way to speed up deliveries. The company has opened one of these smaller warehouses in Dallas and plans to add another in Bentonville, Arkansas, where Walmart is based, according to people with knowledge of the matter who weren't authorized to speak publicly. Walmart is exploring adding more locations, the people said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Designery expands its reach by opening its first location in Arkansas
Owners and brothers Josh and Jason Moll say their new Bentonville venture complements their flooring business, located in the same building FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Designery, an immersive, full-service kitchen, bath and closet design center featuring high-quality cabinets, countertops and flooring, will celebrate the grand opening of its first Arkansas location from 2-5 p.m., Friday, June 27 in the new showroom at 702 SE 5th Street in Bentonville, Arkansas. The event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, live music, local food and giveaways. The Designery Northwest Arkansas (NWA) is owned by Josh Moll and his brother, Jason Moll. The siblings also own Executive Flooring Solutions, Inc. (EFS) in Bentonville with their brothers, Jonathan and Jacob Moll. Their Designery location will run as an extension of this veteran- and family-owned business. "The Designery NWA is complementary of our current business, Executive Flooring Solutions," said owner Josh Moll, a U.S. Marine Corp. veteran and Arkansas native. "We believe that the two business can work together to provide a complete renovation experience for the people of Northwest Arkansas. We hope to provide homeowners everything from flooring to fixtures." After he was honorably discharged from the Marines, Josh Moll became a commercial flooring subcontractor and spent more than 20 years in the industry. Jason Moll had worked for more than 15 years in sales, financial and business management before the four brothers joined forces in 2018 to open EFS. "We don't forget where we started, and we strive to ensure that our companies' successes also includes the individual success of each of our employees," Josh Moll said. "We are honored to also be a part of The Designery team, and hope our latest venture provides more value to our clients." The Designery NWA serves residents in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Cave Springs, Centerton, Farmington, Fayetteville, Larue, Lowell, Mayfield, Osage Mills, Rogers, Sonora, Springdale and Tonitown. The Designery's in-house design expertise and extensive selection of products, including more than 100 cabinet styles and over 25 color options for closets, provide advantages to both homeowners and contractors. Its showrooms provide the ideal setting for personal design consultation, material and finish selection, and a virtual reality design view. For more information about The Designery NWA, visit or call them at (479) 888-8015. About The Designery The Designery was founded in 2007 as A1 Kitchen and Bath, a product wholesale outlet serving the Chattanooga, Tennessee market. In 2019, it rebranded as The Designery and established a franchise model to expand its unique concept: to simplify the kitchen, bath and closet design process by offering premium products, design expertise, project management and trusted professional installation. Its selection of high-quality cabinets, flooring, countertops and accessories makes it a destination for any remodeling, renovation or new construction project. It is a one-stop shop for homeowners and a trusted partner for contractors, with knowledgeable staff to walk clients through every step, from design to project management and installation. The Designery's immersive showroom and personalized guidance bring luxurious designs to life without the luxury price tag. To learn more about The Designery, please visit About HomeFront Brands: HomeFront Brands empowers entrepreneurs to create thriving franchised residential and commercial property service brands. Driven by an experienced team of franchise executives and rooted in family values, HomeFront Brands helps emerging or established concepts accelerate their growth by delivering enterprise-level solutions to local business owners who aspire to build a dynasty and create generational wealth. By leveraging integrated technology, data-driven intelligence and advanced learning management systems, HomeFront Brands is building a foundation for its brands -- Window Hero, The Designery, Temporary Wall Systems, Top Rail Fence, and Roof Scientist – to transform lives through franchise ownership. For more information about HomeFront Brands' current solutions, new business development, and franchising opportunities, please visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE HomeFront Brands
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Benton County employee fired after sexual misconduct investigation
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — An investigation of sexual misconduct in a Benton County detention center has led to the arrest of a jail employee, according to a news release. Matthew Lockard, 42, is facing a charge of sexual assault in the fourth degree. 'Sheriff Holloway is deeply troubled by the actions of this individual and emphasizes that such behavior will not be tolerated,' the press release states. 'He remains proud of the many dedicated men and women of the Benton County Sheriff's Office who continue to serve the citizens of Benton County with integrity and professionalism.' Holloway was notified of alleged inappropriate behavior between Lockard and an inmate on June 17. Sheriff Holloway immediately ordered both an internal and criminal investigation into the matter, the release states. A probable cause affidavit filed on June 20 said a BCSO detective was asked to investigate possible charges associated with a professional standards investigation. The affidfavit listed three incidents where Lockard allegedly touched the inmate inappropriately. Notes were reportedly passed from Lockard to the inmate. The inmate told the detective that they did not give Lockard any notes. Lockard was interviewed and denied the allegations against him. When authorities mentioned the notes, he said they were not from him. After seeing samples of his handwriting, he said it looked 'identical'. He then admitted to passing the notes. Lockard also admitted to kissing the inmate for around three seconds. Lockard was terminated on June 19. He had been employed since Nov. 16, 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
