The state/region in brief

Suspect arrested in officer’s killing

JONESBORO - Police arrested a Jonesboro man Thursday in the first homicide of 2013 for the Craighead County city of 68,500, authorities said.

Calvin Jackson, 39, was set to appear Friday in Craighead County District Court, Jonesboro police Sgt.

Lyle Waterworth said.

Jackson is accused of fatally shooting Denico “Nico” Jeffery, 20, of Jonesboro on Wednesday evening.

Officers responded to a call of a person shot on North Allis Street in north Jonesboro at 8:30 p.m., Waterworth said. When police arrived, they found Jeffery with a gunshot wound. Paramedics took Jeffery to a Jonesboro hospital, where he died. He did not tell police what had happened, Waterworth said.

Prosecutors did not specify what Jackson would be charged with, Waterworth said Thursday afternoon. He was being held in the Craighead County jail in Jonesboro.

  • ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTEE. coli levels safe; 3 beaches reopen

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reopened three swim beaches on Norfork and Bull Shoals lakes, a Thursday news release said.

Lead Hill and Oakland beaches on Bull Shoals Lake, as well as Panther Bay Beach on Lake Norfork Lake, were temporarily closed last week after higher-than-acceptable E. coli levels were found during routine Arkansas Department of Health testing. The beaches have been retested and officials have determined that they are safe for public use.

Corps officials said the high bacteria level was the result of floodwaters and possible fecal material from geese.

  • ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTETwo die in wrecks on state highways

Two Arkansans died in separate accidents on state roads Wednesday and Thursday.

About 11:10 a.m.

Wednesday, Philander Kirk Jr., 18, of Pocahontas was driving south on Arkansas 115 in Lawrence County when he crossed into oncoming lanes in his 2003 Mercury Sable and struck a tractor-trailer traveling north, according to preliminary Arkansas State Police fatality accident reports. Kirk died of his injuries, and the tractortrailer driver, Mitchell Baltz, 57, of Powhatan, suffered injuries from the accident, state police said.

Shortly before 10 a.m.

Thursday, Flora Dubach, 86, of Marvell was leaving a parking lot to turn onto Arkansas 49 when her 1997 Ford Crown Victoria was struck by a tractor-trailer traveling east in Prairie County, state police said.

Dubach died of her injuries at the scene. The tractor-trailer driver, Will Fulcher, 53, of Helena-West Helena, was uninjured.

  • ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTEMcAlester gas firm

sued in fatal blast

EUFAULA, Okla. - Two families are suinga McAlester propane company for more than $2 million over a deadly blast at a Eufaula sandblasting company.

The May 7 explosion left one man dead and another badly burned.

The McAlester News-Capital reported the families of the two men filed suit in McIntosh County.

Officials said 41-year-old Donald Wayne Hamiliton died June 9 from his injuries. Michael Leslie Cox suffered severe burns.

The wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Hamilton’s family seeks more than $1 million against Allford Propane. The Cox family is also seeking more than $1 million.

The company said it would not comment about the legal actions. The suit blames the propane company for the explosion.

  • THE ASSOCIATED PRESSHIV, hepatitis C found in patients

TULSA - One new case of HIV and three new cases of hepatitis C have been reported in an ongoing health scare involving thousands of former patients of a Tulsa oral surgeon whose offices were deemed unsanitary by inspectors.

The Tulsa Health Department said Thursday there are now four patients of Dr. W. Scott Harrington who have tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Seventy-seven patients have tested positive for hepatitis C and five for hepatitis B since testing began in March.

There’s no indication the diseases spread at Harrington’s clinics. Health experts said the spread of disease in dental clinics is extremely rare.

More than 4,000 of Harrington’s patients have been tested since inspectors said they found unsanitary conditions at his two clinics.

Harrington is cooperating with the investigation.

  • THE ASSOCIATED PRESSWater safety urged

for Fourth of July

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality is issuing cautionary advice to those planning trips to state lakes, rivers and streams during the coming Fourth of July holiday.

The department said bacteria and viruses can be present in untreated bodies of water, causing problems ranging from swimmers’ itch and ear infections to some forms of meningitis.

Those swimming should hold their nose or wear nose plugs when jumping into water, wear ear plugs and swim goggles, avoid swallowing water when swimming, avoid swimming near storm drains and wash open skin cuts with soap and fresh water immediately.

Swimmers should also take children on frequent restroom breaks, use swim diapers on infants and avoid areas with floating debris, stagnant water, oil and dead fish.

  • THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 10 on 06/29/2013

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