Northwest Arkansas is the worlds retail capital, nestled in the sleepy but beautiful foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The home of Sam Walton and the company he founded, Northwest Arkansas is exploding in every way. The Milken Institute of California ranked Northwest Arkansas Number One in terms of economic performance in 2003. This MSA is the sixth-fastest growing region in the country, with a 47 percent increase in population since the 1990. It boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates, beating every state and national trend (in 2002 the annual unemployment rate was just 2.3 percent). The region is home to the fastest growing median household income rate in the country with 60 percent employment growth in the last decade. Its ranked the 36th safest metropolitan area in the country. New residential and retail developments are announced on a weekly basis. Northwest Arkansas isnt just the world headquarters for Wal-Mart. It is also home to Fortune 100 company Tyson Foods, the worlds largest producer of poultry, beef and pork¦ Northwest Arkansas is also home to J.B. Hunt Transport, the nations largest publicly owned transport carrier. Also fueling the Northwest Arkansas economy are 17,000 Razorbacks at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.The Springdale Morning News is in the Fort Smith - Fayetteville - Springdale - Rogers, AR DMA. The Springdale Morning News offers ROP and insert advertising opportunities in its daily and Sunday circulation. Echo Media has direct relationships with over 7,500 newspapers providing tremendous local coverage.