Ford recalls Bronco
models over wiring
WASHINGTON -- Ford Motor Co. is recalling more than half a million Broncos because a wiring harness in the engine compartment can short circuit and increase the risk of fire.
Ford said Thursday that 565,691 Ford Broncos and Bronco Raptors, model years 2021-2026, are included in the recall. The automaker estimates that around 1% of those vehicles have the wiring harness defect. Ford said it is not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to the issue.
The problem is caused by insufficient protection on the wiring harness which can lead to exposed wires and short circuiting. In the event of a short, drivers may notice smoke in the air vents or a warning message on their dashboard followed by flames coming from the passenger's side of the engine compartment.
To fix the problem, dealerships will install new covers over the wiring free of charge.
Ford's number for this recall is 26S55. Vehicle identification numbers involved in this recall are now searchable on NHTSA.gov. The safety agency's number for this recall campaign is 26V468.
Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety hotline at (888) 327-4236 or TTY (888) 275-9171).
-- The Associated Press
Two families lauded
by state Farm Bureau
The Arkansas Farm Bureau awarded two farm families Thursday at the the 2026 officers and leadership conference in Hot Springs.
Jacob Feather and his wife Callie of Griffithville in White county won the Agricultural Achievement award and a $35,000 prize.
Feather farms roughly 1,200 acres of corn, rice, soybeans and pecans.
The Agricultural Achievement award is for young farmers and ranchers who work in agriculture full-time, have excelled in their farming or ranching operations, and demonstrated leadership skills.
Cody and Cheyenne Holliday of northwest Arkansas received an $11,000 prize with the Excellence in Agriculture award for young farmers and ranchers who earn the majority of their income outside of agriculture but are involved in farming and the Farm Bureau.
Cody Holliday works on the family farm and also part-time at a local farmers cooperative. Cheyenne Holliday teaches agriculture at Lincoln High School.
Both families won trips to compete for a national award at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Convention in Charlotte, N.C.
-- Cristina LaRue
Index ends 1,189.58
after falling by 12.82
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, closed Friday at 1,189.58, down 12.82 points.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.