ASU to build hotel, debate partnership
JONESBORO - The chancellor of Arkansas State University said ASU will consider a public-private partnership to develop a hotel and conference center on the Jonesboro campus.
Chancellor Tim Hudson said in a news release Friday that ASU is evaluating proposals from two hotel development firms. The firms are identified as Wallace Bajjali Development Partners LP of Sugar Land, Texas, and Jonesboro Hotel and Convention Center LLC, which is headed by an Effington, Ill., family.
Both proposals call for a hotel with at least 150 rooms and a conference center, and both say they support classroom spaces and internships for a hospitality management program being considered by ASU.
Hudson said ASU prefers the facility be built near the football stadium and the Convocation Center on the northeast corner of campus.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESSTobacco-free group
to fight drugs, too
The NWA Tobacco-Free Coalition recently expanded its name and mission to include a campaign against drugs.
Coalition leaders told members Tuesday about the organization’s goal to combat not only tobacco but also drugs. The organization plans to change its name to NWA Tobacco & Drug Free Coalition.
A $125,000 federal and annual grant for the next five years will help the coalition tackle drug use and abuse by youth living in Washington County, said Christopher White, drug-free coalition grant manager.
The 2012 Arkansas Prevention Needs Assessment Survey states that 40.1 percent of 12thgraders in Washington County reported using drugs at least once in theirlifetimes. Twenty-one percent reported using drugs in the past 30 days.
“We want the youth to realize that the decisions they make now can impact them negatively later,” White said.
The organization has been combating tobacco use in Benton and Washington County since 1996, said Jamie Thornton, coalition project coordinator. The coalition runs multiple tobacco-free programs throughout the year, including speaking engagements at schools.
The recent federal grant will also help placement of prescription-drug lock boxes in the community. The boxes are typically placed at secure locations such as police departments. The boxes are meant for residents to dispose of old prescription drugs.
Lydia Pope, coalition project coordinator, said she plans to start youth coalitions in every middle and high school. The coalitions would be run by youth members who will set up their own drug-free programs.
- ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Suspect arrested
in Texarkana fire
TEXARKANA, Ark. - Authorities arrested a person suspected of starting a fire that gutted a Texarkana apartment building.
The first report of the fire came about 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, and firefighters needed more than three hours to contain the blaze.
No one was injured, but the building was destroyed.
Apartment resident Jennifer Hunter told the Texarkana Gazette that two men were fighting over a woman. When the men stopped fighting, the fire started, she said. Hunter said she banged on doors to alert other residents.
Authorities didn’t release the name of the person arrested. Firefighters were uncertain how many people lived in the two-story building.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 10 on 12/07/2013