News

The newest addition to the Arkansas State Parks system is moving into a fresh phase of development and is marking the milestone with the opening of a visitor center in Marianna.

Mississippi River State Park, which operates in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, is planning a Thursday ceremony at the center, which features a variety of exhibits, park information and a walking trail.

The park includes several sites and its development has been in the works since 1999, though the idea was first proposed in the 1960s.

A 2.8 magnitude earthquake struck the northeast Arkansas town of Trumann at 12:20 a.m. Tuesday. It's the latest in a series of seismic events occurring over the last several months near the New Madrid Seismic Zone. 

Scott Ausbrooks, the Geohazards Supervisor with the Arkansas Geological Survey, says that although the magnitude was not severe, even small increases in magnitude results in an exponential release of energy. Ausbrooks says,

A dime-sized snail found only on Mount Magazine in western Arkansas has become the first invertebrate to be delisted under the Endangered Species Act.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday that the Magazine Mountain shagreen has been taken off the endangered list.

Wildlife service southeast region Director Cindy Dohner says the wildlife service, the US Forest Service, the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission worked together to remove threats and protect the habitat of the snail.

Authorities say one person suffered severe burns after an explosion at a gunpowder supplier in western Arkansas.  

The Johnson County Sheriff's Office says the explosion was reported Tuesday morning at Black Powder Inc. near Clarksville.  

Chief Deputy Jerry Dorney says only one person was inside the building at the time of the blast. That person was taken by helicopter to a Little Rock hospital.  

The sheriff's office says the scene has been secured and investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are responding.

Another school has decided to opt out of the state law allowing staff and faculty to carry firearms on college campuses.

Northwest Arkansas Community College’s board of trustees voted against allowing guns after reviewing student and faculty surveys.

Steven Hinds, director of public relations for the college, says students were surveyed about the issue.

"When the student government looked at the issue, deciding whether or not they were going to sign the resolution…they voted unanimously in favor of opting out of Act 226," said Hinds. 

Arkansas highway officials say Highway 549 in Texarkana is set to open to traffic. 

The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department says the highway that's part of the Interstate 49 corridor will open during the day Wednesday. The corridor will connect the Gulf of Mexico to Canada with part of the roadway crossing western Arkansas.

With research drawing positive associations between music lessons and IQ, many new parents may wonder how they can encourage their young one’s experiences with the arts more effectively.

One Little Rock author has come out with a children’s book she hopes will help parents bring their child’s early educational experiences to life.

Opponents of an Arkansas law banning most abortions 12 weeks into a pregnancy say they don't need to wait until the restriction is enforced to challenge its constitutionality.

Lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas and the Center for Reproductive Rights on Monday responded to the state's request that a federal judge dismiss their lawsuit over the abortion ban. A hearing is scheduled Friday morning over the groups' request for a preliminary injunction against the ban.

The Helena-West Helena and Pulaski County school districts are to continue under state control.

The state Education Board approved separate measures on Monday to keep the districts under the label of fiscal distress.

The board also approved appointment by Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell of community advisory boards for each of the districts.

Both districts were credited with making progress but the Education Department said each has remaining issues that need to be resolved.

The districts will remain under state control for the 2013-2014 school year.

Members of the 188th Security Forces Squadron have left Fort Smith for deployment to an undisclosed airbase in the Middle East.

The last of about 15 airmen left Monday and will be attached to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing where they will help install security and aircraft protection at the base. About half of the group left Fort Smith for the base on Sunday.

Tech. Sgt. Josh Lewis told the Times Record that the airmen will spend about six months deployed.