News

Colleges and universities across Arkansas will have to find ways to keep enrollment up, now that there will be significant cuts to state scholarship programs.

When the Arkansas Department of Higher Education didn’t get the additional $7 million it requested from the state legislature to shore up expected shortfalls, President Terry Kimbrow of Central Baptist College in Conway knew his team had to act.

The president of the University of Arkansas system is recommending its 11 campuses opt out of a law allowing faculty and staff to carry concealed handguns on campus. 

A spokesman on Tuesday said UA System President Donald Bobbitt will recommend that the schools continue banning concealed handguns on campus. The UA Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on the recommendation Thursday.

Federal prosecutors are seeking the maximum sentence for a former Texarkana-area youth baseball coach who pleaded guilty to molesting young players.

Prosecutors are limited in the sentence they can pursue for 60-year-old Walter Richard Roberts of Texarkana, Arkansas because he pleaded guilty to alleged offenses that occurred in 1992.

Walmart says it is pledging $1 million for the recovery from the tornado that devastated Moore. 

The Bentonville, Ark.-based company said Tuesday that it will make donations of cash and materials equal to $1 million.

Walmart is also sending truckloads of food, water and other basic items to serve as immediate aid.

The world's largest retailer says no customers or employees were injured in its two stores in Moore. But the company says some workers' homes were destroyed and that it is still checking on the needs of its employees.

An Arkansas man who admitted driving into a group of joggers in southeast Missouri has been given a 12-year prison term.

The Southeast Missourian reports 19-year-old Vincent Anderson, of Little Rock, was sentenced Tuesday in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court.

Anderson pleaded guilty last month to first-degree assault, admitting he drove directly at the joggers in downtown Cape Girardeau last Oct. 28 in a stolen car.

Arkansas' state treasurer has resigned after federal prosecutors accused her of taking cash payments from a broker who handled a large amount of the state's investment portfolio.

Democrat Martha Shoffner resigned effective Tuesday from the office she has held since 2007 and was re-elected to in 2010. She was barred by term limits from seeking re-election next year.

A book dedicated for school-aged children just came out earlier this spring.

Natural State Notables features 21 people from Arkansas who became famous.

They include U.S. president Bill Clinton, Walmart creator Sam Walton, as well as a woman who saved Arkansas Children’s Hospital from closing during the Great Depression.

Author Steven Teske said he was inspired to write something for kids.

The top Republican in the Arkansas House is calling on the governor to begin the process to remove state Treasurer Martha Shoffner over federal charges she accepted cash from an investment broker.

House Majority Leader Bruce Westerman on Tuesday asked Gov. Mike Beebe to convene lawmakers to remove Shoffner, a day after she appeared in court on federal extortion charges.

Remington Arms Company LLC says it will spend $32 million to expand the company's ammunition plant in Lonoke. 

Remington says the expansion will include the construction of a new building. Work is expected to begin later this year and finish up by next spring.

Remington's Lonoke plant manager Jim Grahlmann says the expansion will help Remington meet a growing global demand for ammunition.

The Remington plant in Lonoke designs and makes ammunition products. It opened in 1969.

Authorities say a teenager was killed in northwest Arkansas on Monday night when storm debris crashed into his car. 

Arkansas State Police say 19-year-old Austin Deere of Prairie Grove died at about 7:30 p.m. Monday while driving on U.S. 412 in Springdale.

A preliminary report says a street sign that was uprooted by high winds landed on top of Deere's car. Deere was pronounced dead at the scene by the Washington County coroner.

The Storm Prediction Center says a wind gust of 69 mph was recorded in Springdale at the same time as the accident.