The state/region in brief

— Beebe to promote state in Europe

Gov. Mike Beebe and a team of economic advisers will visit London, Paris and Hamburg, Germany, next month as part of a nearly $100,000 week-long attempt to find investment and jobs for Arkansas.

Beebe; his wife, Ginger;

two Arkansas State Police troopers; and four advisers will leave Arkansas on Oct.

2, returning Oct. 10.

Beebe promised to leave "no stone unturned" in an effort to recruit business to the state, according to a news release.

Nothing can replace personal contact in business recruitment, officials said.

"This is a relationship business," said Joe Holmes, director of marketing and communications for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Maria Haley, the commission's executive director; her deputy, Becky Thompson;

and Lenka Horakova, the European project manager for the agency, also will make the trip.

The commission had an office in Belgium, but it was closed during the administration of Beebe's predecessor, Mike Huckabee, Holmes said.

The trip will cost $94,192, of which $79,000 will be state funds, according to a commission budget estimate.

Touching base with European companies like Dassault Falcon and L'Oreal that already have investments in Arkansas while looking for new partners is the purpose of the trip, said Matt DeCample, Beebe's spokesman.

"It's an opportunity to meet directly with executives and companies," he said.

Grant Tennille, the governor's office ombudsman, also will be on the trip.

- ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTESherwood inmate found dead in cell

Sherwood police found a female inmate dead in her cell Thursday morning, Pulaski County Coroner Garland Camper said.

Jamie Flowers, 28, address unknown, was pronounced dead at 8:03 a.m.

Thursday, he said.

According to Camper, Flowers was arrested on drug charges about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. She later became nauseated and was throwing up, prompting jailers to call for assistance, Camper said.

About four hours after her arrest, Flowers was taken by ambulance to the emergency room at St. Vincent Medical Center North in Sherwood. Camper said she was treated for about two hours and returned to the jail. Officers found her dead Thursday morning.

"The autopsy revealed certain items in her digestive tract consistent with ingesting possible drugs and drug paraphernalia," Camper said. "Naturally, the ruling on the cause of death is going to be pending a toxicology analysis." - ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTETheft inquiry focuses on officer

A Little Rock police officer is under investigation to determine whether he tried to steal from a rentto-own store that was burglarized Wednesday night.

Lt. Terry Hastings, a spokesman for the Police Department, said officerBennie Dandy, 28, has been suspended until the criminal and internal investigations are completed in about two weeks.

Hastings said he could not reveal additional details until the investigation is completed. Dandy had been on the force for two years, Hastings said.

Sean Funderburg, general manager of the Stroman's store at 9700 Interstate 30, told a local television station that Dandy tried to take a laptop computer from the store after investigating the break-in.

Security camera footage posted on the Web site of KLRT-Fox 16 shows a police officer trying to leave the store with a box, only to find the door locked.

The officer then walks away with the box, returns and tries the door again.

The officer walks away again with the box.

A telephone message left for Funderburg was not returned late Thursday.

- ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTEOral Roberts welcomes leader

TULSA - A fraillooking 91-year-old Oral Roberts returned to the campus he began building nearly 50 years ago Friday to help inaugurate the university's third president, nearly two years after his son resigned the same post amid a financial scandal that tarnished the evangelical school's reputation.

Thousands of Oral Roberts University students, faculty and alumni filled a campus arena for the inauguration of Mark Rutland, 61, the former president at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla.

He is the school's first leader without the Roberts surname.

Conspicuously absent during the two-hour ceremony was any direct mention of Roberts' son Richard, who stepped down as president in November 2007 amid allegations he and his wife spent university money on vacations, home remodels and other luxuries at a time ORU was $55 million in the red. They have denied the allegations. - THE ASSOCIATED PRESS2 held in robbery where teen slain

OKLAHOMA CITY - A judge has ordered two men held for trial on murder charges for allegedly plotting a robbery that ended with a teenage robber dead and a pharmacist charged with murder.

Oklahoma County Judge D. Fred Doak ruled Friday there was sufficient evidence for Anthony Morrison, 43, and Emanuel Mitchell, 31, to stand trial.

During Friday's hearing, Jevontai Ingram, 15, testified the two men provided the gun, clothes, mask and transportation for the May 19 robbery of Reliable Discount Pharmacy in south Oklahoma City.

Sixteen-year-old Antwun Parker was shot and killed by pharmacist Jerome Ersland. Prosecutors contend Ersland had already incapacitated Parker with an earlier shot before he got another gun and delivered the fatal gunfire.

- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 12 on 09/26/2009

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