Ron Wood
Stories by Ron
Pardon Request Brings Back Mother’s Pain A Decade Later
FAYETTEVILLE — P.J. Langford was shopping at a Walmart shortly after her 16-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, died in a crash with a drunk driver. Over the loudspeaker, she heard the man who killed her daughter being paged to the store’s auto center. He worked there. Read More »
State Wants Dirt And Gravel Pit Closed
FAYETTEVILLE — The state is seeking to close down dirt and gravel mining operations at a quarry west of Fayetteville operated by a company belonging to local developer John David Lindsey. Read More »
Killer Says Attorneys Failed Him
FAYETTEVILLE — Convicted murderer Jerry Donald Sykes contends his trial attorneys failed to properly represent him and is asking a judge to overturn his conviction. Read More »
Down Economy Delays Some Projects
FAYETTEVILLE — A sports complex didn’t get built and a regional park was put on hold because of the down economy in 2009. Read More »
School Wants Wolfe Suit Dismissed
FAYETTEVILLE — The Fayetteville School District has filed a motion asking a former student’s bullying and sexual harassment lawsuit be dismissed, asserting there’s no evidence to back up his claims. Read More »
Rogers Group Wants Quarry Ordinance Voided
FAYETTEVILLE — The Rogers Group has asked a federal judge to rule Fayetteville cannot legally declare a rock quarry outside the city a nuisance. Read More »
West Fork Seeks Dismissal of Suit Over Condemnation
FAYETTEVILLE — West Fork officials want out of a federal lawsuit stemming from the condemnation and razing of two buildings. Read More »
Springdale Man Acquitted Of Battering Police Officer
FAYETTEVILLE — Johnny Ray Balentine got hit on the head with a flashlight, zapped with an electric stun gun, handcuffed and hauled off to jail after his mother called Springdale police to their home to quell an argument last year. Read More »
Rotary Moving North
FAYETTEVILLE CLUB LEAVING DOWNTOWN
FAYETTEVILLE — For the first time in more than 20 years, Fayetteville’s downtown Rotary Club won’t be downtown anymore. Read More »
Filing Period Opens For Primary
COUNTY JUDGE DESCRIBES FIRST DAY AS ‘POLITICAL FESTIVAL OF SORTS’
FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County Judge Marilyn Edwards has always filed to run for office as soon as the filing period opens, it’s a habit that goes back to her days working in the County Clerk’s Office. Read More »
Sexual Assault Lands Former Rover In Prison
FAYETTEVILLE — A judge Friday sentenced to prison a man who had been employed to patrol University of Arkansas residence halls but who pled guilty to sexually assaulting a drunken student in her dorm. Read More »
Second Person Pleads Guilty To Lying For Hayes
FAYETTEVILLE — Ricky Frazier told a judge Thursday he lied under oath to protect Terry Hayes. Read More »
Women Say Attorneys Should Be Disqualified
FAYETTEVILLE — An attorney should step down if he has even unrelated information about a former client and is representing someone that client is now suing, say two women in a sexual harassment lawsuit against the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and a former employee. Read More »
Hayes Trial Witness Admits She Lied In Circuit Court
FAYETTEVILLE — A woman who testified last year on behalf of Terry Hayes, a man who fled authorities after his conviction in Washington County Circuit Court, pleaded guilty Wednesday to perjury. Read More »
Nude Photo Lawsuit Dropped
COUPLE ALLEGED CELL PHONE IMAGES WERE POSTED ONLINE
FAYETTEVILLE — A Bella Vista couple who sued over the online publication of nude photos from a lost cell phone has ended their lawsuit. Read More »
Porn Viewing, Records Irrelevant, Men Say
FAYETTEVILLE — Former employees of a local McDonald’s have asked a judge to bar certain questions if a lawsuit over nude photos from a lost cell phone that ended up on the Internet goes to trial. Read More »
Lawyers Say Divorces Irrelevant To Harassment Case
FAYETTEVILLE — Attorneys for a former Washington County Sheriff’s captain should not be disqualified from representing him in a federal sexual harassment lawsuit, according to a motion filed Thursday. Read More »
DRUG COURT TV: Show Garners National Interest
FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County Drug Court has been giving local cable viewers a dose of reality for years. Read More »
Candidates Aim To Stand Out At Forum
CONTENDERS FOR JUDICIAL SEATS GATHER AT SENIOR DEMOCRATS-SPONSORED EVENT
FAYETTEVILLE — Candidates for two judicial seats in Washington and Madison Counties tried Tuesday to differentiate themselves from the competition at a forum sponsored by the Senior Democrats of Northwest Arkansas. Read More »
Man Pleads Guilty To Sexual Assault
FAYETTEVILLE — A former University of Arkansas employee pleaded guilty Thursday to sexually assaulting a woman in her dorm room in September. Read More »
Women Want Lawyers Disqualified From Sexual Harassment Suit
FAYETTEVILLE — Two women suing over alleged sexual harassment at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office want an opposing law firm thrown off the case. Read More »
Child-porn convict challenges sentence
70 years exceeds maximum, he says
FAYETTEVILLE — A Bella Vista man who molested foster children in his care and filmed the encounters told a judge Wednesday that he wants his sentence to be reconsidered. Read More »
BELLA VISTA OFFENDER: Bergthold Wants Do-Over
CONVICTED CHILD MOLESTER SAYS SENTENCE TOO HARSH
FAYETTEVILLE — A Bella Vista man who molested foster children in his care and filmed the encounters told a judge Wednesday he wants a do-over on his sentencing. Read More »
Search For Missing Woman Leads To Dump,
FAYETTEVILLE — When investigators went looking for a body last year, they also found an illegal dump. Read More »
Special Prosecutor Won’t Charge University Athletes Over Incident
FAYETTEVILLE — A special prosecutor said Friday there is not enough evidence to charge three University of Arkansas basketball players over a sexual encounter at a fraternity house last year. Read More »
Judge Won’t Delay Quarry Case
FAYETTEVILLE — A federal judge has refused to delay a lawsuit over a quarry west of Fayetteville while an appeal winds through the courts. Read More »
Government: Fincher’s Move To Vacate Frivolous
FAYETTEVILLE — A Washington County man convicted of having illegal machine guns wants to retry issues already decided and his conviction should not be thrown out, federal prosecutors said Wednesday. Read More »
Bank Seeks Foreclosure On Fulbright Building
FAYETTEVILLE — First Federal Bank of Arkansas filed a foreclosure petition Wednesday for the Fulbright Building, the former site of the public library adjacent to the Washington County Courthouse. Read More »
Decay Getting Appeals Attorney
CONVICTED DOUBLE MURDERER HAS 90 DAYS TO RAISE ISSUES
FAYETTEVILLE — Convicted double murderer Gregory Christopher Decay will be appointed an attorney by the state to handle appeals of his two death penalties. Read More »
Appeals Court: Fincher Tried To Hide Assets
FAYETTEVILLE — An appeals court said Federal Judge Jimm Hendren was correct to order a self-proclaimed leader of the Washington County militia to pay for an attorney. Read More »
Decay Due In Court For Monday Hearing
FAYETTEVILLE — Condemned double murderer Gregor Christopher Decay will be in a Washington County courtroom Monday for the first time since he was sentenced to death in April 2008. Read More »
Weatherman Sees Improvement over Weekend
FAYETTEVILLE — Northwest Arkansas should see improving weather over the weekend, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Tulsa, Okla., said Friday. Read More »
NO EVIDENCE OF INTENT: Charges Dropped
FAYETTEVILLE — Prosecutors Wednesday dropped charges against a woman whose 5-year-old son was ejected from a car during an accident and found laying in the middle of South Thompson Street in Springdale. Read More »
COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE: Judge Orders Links Cut
SUIT CLAIMS SEXUAL HARASSMENT, FREE SPEECH VIOLATIONS
FAYETTEVILLE — A federal judge has ordered Internet links from a court filing to a lawyer’s website cut off. Read More »
Quarry Case On Hold Pending Appeal
FAYETTEVILLE — A circuit judge in Washington County has delayed a lawsuit to allow an appeals court to decide in a similar case whether conditional use appeals should be heard by a judge or jury. Read More »
Stueart Given Probation For Shooting Incident
FAYETTEVILLE — A Fayetteville man was sentenced to six years probation Tuesday for a shooting incident last summer. Read More »
Magistrate OKs Jail Settlement
LAWSUIT FILED OVER SILOAM SPRINGS STRIP SEARCHES
FAYETTEVILLE — A federal magistrate has approved a preliminary settlement to end a lawsuit over strip searches at the now-closed Siloam Springs City Jail. Read More »
McDonald’s Owner Wants Nude Photo Suit Dismissed
FAYETTEVILLE — McDonald’s and a local franchise want a judge to throw out a lawsuit over nude photos from a lost cell phone that ended up on the Internet. Read More »
Court Upholds Hanna Custody Ruling
FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Court of Appeals has upheld a judge’s custody ruling in a contentious divorce between Burt and Donna Hanna. Read More »
Anderson Capital Murder Trial Reset
FAYETTEVILLE — The capital murder trial of Ricky Ray Anderson, charged with killing Jill Lynn Ulmer, had been reset to allow his new lead lawyer time to prepare. Read More »
Crowd Honors Legacy
FAYETTEVILLE — There were no police dogs, taunting crowds, fire hoses or tear gas waiting to block marchers Monday. Read More »
INDIGENT DEFENSE: Rulings Cloud State Law
DIFFERENT CASES POSE TWO INTERPRETATIONS OF STATE FUNDING
FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Legislature or the Arkansas Supreme Court may have to determine under what circumstances the state will help in pay for an indigent person’s criminal defense. Read More »
Eggert Seeks Release Until Murder Trial
FAYETTEVILLE — Delores Eggert, charged with capital murder in the death of her mother, is asking to be released from jail while she awaits a capital murder trial. Read More »
Lindsey Denies Breaking Agreements, Wants Hearing
FAYETTEVILLE — John David Lindsey has answered two lawsuits claiming he hasn’t paid his bills for two quarries west of Fayetteville, saying he hasn’t breached the agreements. Read More »
Quarry Neighbors Appeal Denial Of Jury Trial
FAYETTEVILLE — Neighbors of a quarry west of Fayetteville have appealed a judge’s decision denying them a jury trial in their lawsuit against he county planning board. Read More »
Judge OKs Testing In Pankau Case
MAN CONVICTED OF BURGLARY, ATTEMPTED RAPE GETS CHANCE FOR DNA EXAM
FAYETTEVILLE — A judge will allow DNA testing that could result in a new trial for a man convicted of trying to rape a Springdale woman. Read More »
Company Sued Over Second Quarry Deal
FAYETTEVILLE — Owners of a quarry west of Fayetteville have sued John David Lindsey and his mining company, claiming the company isn’t paying the mortgage but is still mining the property and selling dirt and gravel to third parties. Read More »
Officials Check Welfare Of Elderly
FAYETTEVILLE — Several organizations are looking out for older residents of the area during the deep freeze. Read More »
Country Club Sues Over Missed Scheme
Suit Claims $150,000 Lost
FAYETTEVILLE — The Springdale Country Club has sued an accounting firm, claiming it missed a long-running employee embezzlement scheme. Read More »
Suit Alleges Deceptive Trade Practices
FAYETTEVILLE — Mark Rich, who owns land west of Fayetteville, has sued John David Lindsey claiming the developer purposely reneged on a dirt pit deal leaving Rich between a rock and a hard place. Read More »