State News

2nd Arkansan charged in Capitol riot; FBI says man beat officer with flagpole An Arkansan accused of being the man who was caught on video using an American flag to beat a police officer during the U.S. Capitol riot was charged Thursday i... by Bill Bowden, William Sanders - January 15, 2021

Guard, governor D.C.-bound Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Thursday that he has authorized the Arkansas National Guard to deploy about 500 soldiers and airmen to Washington, D.C., to help protec... by Neal Earley, Michael R. Wickline - January 15, 2021

Cash cards from U.S. not scam, attorney general advises Arkansans who receive a prepaid debit card in the mail from the U.S. Treasury Department shouldn’t assume it’s a scam, state Attorney General Leslie Rutledge sa... by Neal Earley - January 15, 2021

Virus cases up 2,491; hospitalizations fall Arkansas' count of coronavirus cases rose Thursday by 2,491 -- the fourth daily increase in a row that was smaller than the one on the same day a week earlier. ... by Andy Davis - January 15, 2021

High court bars Griffen as judge in certain trials Outspoken judge Wendell Griffen is barred from ever presiding over capital-murder cases, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a decision siding with Att... by John Lynch - January 15, 2021

Need-based student aid backed by Hutchinson Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Thursday he supports the creation of needs-based scholarship program in this regular legislative session and he asked school district s... by Michael R. Wickline - January 15, 2021

Bill proposed to split state's public, private school teams Once the dust finally settled on the 2020 football season and this year's Arkansas Activities Association state championships had been handed out, Rep. Jim Woot... by Mitchell Gladstone - January 15, 2021

Dallas names street for Jean; Harding alum fatally shot by officer A portion of a street in Dallas will be named after a Harding University graduate who was shot and killed inside his apartment by a Dallas police officer in 201... by Stephen Simpson - January 15, 2021

Hill resolution honors police who defended U.S. Capitol U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., has introduced a bipartisan resolution honoring the officers who defended the Capitol during last week's hourslong riot. by Frank E. Lockwood - January 15, 2021

Masks, distancing among procedures, rules House OKs The Arkansas House on Thursday approved its rules, which this session include rules for safety and committee procedures amid the covid-19 pandemic. by Rachel Herzog - January 15, 2021

State aims to manage new online teaching The use of online, remote instruction that has become fairly widespread in this covid-19 pandemic school year is here to stay -- but with guidance and parameter... by Cynthia Howell - January 15, 2021

Infections forcing schools' changes Shifts to virtual instruction at public schools continued this week in response to the pandemic, and one of the larger districts in the state announced Thursday... by Jaime Adame - January 15, 2021

20 days of LRSD covid sick leave OK'd Little Rock School District employees will be provided up to 20 days of leave with the opportunity for more if they contract covid-19 or are quarantined because... by Cynthia Howell - January 15, 2021

Lawyer in Little Rock police chief's suit files to drop some defendants An attorney representing Little Rock Police Chief Keith Humphrey in a wide-ranging civil rights lawsuit filed in federal court this fall moved to dismiss the ch... by Joseph Flaherty - January 15, 2021

8 schools get 5-year charter renewals The Arkansas Board of Education on Thursday gave final approval to the five-year renewal of charters for eight open-enrollment and conversion charter schools. ... by Cynthia Howell - January 15, 2021