Arkansas State News | West Plains Daily Quill

Oklahoma highway reopens following shutdown after a barge hit a bridge

An Oklahoma highway has been reopened following its closure for a few hours on Saturday after a bridge over the Arkansas River was struck by a barge. Troopers with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol closed … more

3/31/24

Arkansas, local officials mark anniversary of tornadoes that killed four and destroyed homes

Arkansas and local officials are marking the one-year anniversary of tornadoes that devastated the state and killed four people. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Friday visited a title company in … more

By ANDREW DeMILLO | 3/29/24

Deep South News Digest, 1pm update

Here's a look at how AP's general news coverage is shaping up for select Deep South stories. For up-to-the minute information on AP's complete coverage of Deep South and the rest of the world, visit … more

3/29/24

FILE - The Arkansas state Capitol building is seen on May 29, 2015, in Little Rock, Ark. Voters in three Arkansas state House districts will return to the polls Tuesday, April 2, 2024, to complete some unfinished business from the March 5 primaries. The top two finishers from primaries where no candidate received a majority will compete in runoff elections for a spot on the November ballot. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Arkansas' state house primary runoffs

Voters in three Arkansas state House districts are returning to the polls to complete some unfinished business from the March 5 primaries. There's one race in which Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee … more

By ROBERT YOON | 3/29/24

FILE - Voters work on their ballots in kiosks in Jackson, Miss., March 10, 2020. Voters in the pivotal swing state of Wisconsin, as well as Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island, will weigh in on their parties presumptive nominees in presidential primaries Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Further south, Arkansas and Mississippi voters will return to the polls to decide a small handful of legislative seats that were forced to runoffs in primaries held earlier in March. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in the April 2 presidential and state primaries

Voters in the pivotal swing state of Wisconsin and three Northeastern states will weigh in on their respective parties' presumptive nominees in upcoming presidential primaries. On Tuesday, Wisconsin … more

By ROBERT YOON | 3/29/24

Georgia joins states seeking parental permission before children join social media

Georgia could join other states in requiring children younger than 16 to have their parents’ explicit permission to create social media accounts. Lawmakers on Friday gave final approval to a bill … more

By JEFF AMY | 3/29/24

Wright Co. crash claims life of Mtn. Grove woman

Jamie L. Holloway, 29, Mtn. Grove, suffered fatal injuries when her vehicle struck a semitruck at 7:50 a.m. Wednesday on AM Highway, a quarter mile east of Mtn. Grove in Wright County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. more

3/28/24

Completion of audit into Arkansas governor's $19,000 lectern has been pushed back to April

An audit of a $19,000 lectern that was purchased for Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is nearing completion, but officials are awaiting a response from the governor's office on it. Legislative … more

By ANDREW DeMILLO | 3/27/24

Arkansas Election Testing, Advisory

EDITORS: NEWS DIRECTORS: NOT FOR BROADCAST, PUBLICATION OR USE ONLINE The Arkansas Primary Runoff election is April, 2, 2024. Poll close: 8:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CDT First results … more

3/27/24

AP-Network 9:15 ped

Critical Race Theory Arkansas (COPY:V0800) <<CAT:General News-US Domestic>> Critical Race Theory Arkansas-Intro Vcr apa365646-Voicer--LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-(Lisa Dwyer, AP … more

3/25/24

AP-Network 8:15 ped

Critical Race Theory Arkansas (COPY:V0800) <<CAT:General News-US Domestic>> Critical Race Theory Arkansas-Intro Vcr apa365646-Voicer--LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-(Lisa Dwyer, AP … more

3/25/24

Certified Status Advisory

EDITORS: NEWS DIRECTORS: NOT FOR BROADCAST, PUBLICATION OR USE ONLINE Certified results from the 3/5/2024 Presidential and State Primary are now available for Arkansas in The Associated … more

3/20/24

Arkansas Election Testing, Advisory

EDITORS: NEWS DIRECTORS: NOT FOR BROADCAST, PUBLICATION OR USE ONLINE The Arkansas Primary Runoff election is April, 2, 2024. Poll close: 8:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CDT First results … more

3/15/24

Blaine Schmidt holds his guitar near his damaged home following a severe storm Friday, March 15, 2024, in Lakeview, Ohio. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

After dangerous tornadoes in Ohio and Indiana, survivors salvage, reflect and prepare for recovery

A storm's trail of destruction affected people in parts of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas on Thursday night. At least three people were killed, dozens hurt and even more reported damaged homes … more

By JOSHUA A. BICKEL and ISABELLA VOLMERT | 3/15/24

FILE - LGBTQ+ rights supporters rally in the hallway outside an Iowa House Judiciary subcommittee hearing, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, at the Statehouse in Des Moines, Iowa. The rights of LGBTQ+ people continue to be in flux across the U.S. with a new flurry of developments. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

Things to know about developments impacting LGBTQ+ rights across the US

The rights of LGBTQ+ people continue to be in flux across the U.S. with a new flurry of developments. A legal settlement has made it clear that teachers and students in Florida public schools can say … more

By GEOFF MULVIHILL | 3/15/24

Severe weather and suspected tornadoes struck areas of eastern Indiana and western Ohio on Thursday. At least two deaths are reported in Logan County, Ohio. Authorities say there are significant injuries in Winchester, Indiana. (March 15)

Severe storms with tornadoes kill at least 3 in the central US

Severe storms with suspected tornadoes have damaged homes and businesses and killed at least three people in the central United States. Officials scrambled Friday morning to assess the extent of the … more

By STEFANIE DAZIO and LISA BAUMANN | 3/15/24

Deep South News Digest, 1pm update

Here's a look at how AP's general news coverage is shaping up for select Deep South stories. For up-to-the minute information on AP's complete coverage of Deep South and the rest of the world, visit … more

3/14/24

Baxter Co. woman charged with arson in connection with Jan. 2023 house fire

A Baxter County, Ark., woman has been charged in connection with a house fire that happened just over a year ago near Gamaliel, Ark., after allegedly telling someone she paid someone else $500 to set fire to the house, which was occupied by three adults and a child. more

3/9/24

This photo shared on Facebook by Shannon County First Responders shows firefighters working to extinguish a blaze that destroyed the Eminence Area Volunteer Fire Department building and its fleet. Winona, Ellington, Summersville, Thayer and Timber fire departments responded to assist local crews in putting the fire out.

Eminence Area VFD building, fleet destroyed by Tues. morning fire

The Eminence community suffered a devastating blow Tuesday morning when a fire destroyed the Eminence Area Volunteer Fire Department (EAVFD) fire station, along with several trucks. more

BY ABBY HESS, ABBYH@WPDAILYQUILL.NET | 3/5/24

Black River Technical College’s fire science program in Pocahontas, Ark., recently held a chili cook-off to raise money that goes to the BRTC Foundation to fund scholarships for fire science students. Fire departments from Ash Flat, Hardy, Highland, Walnut Ridge, Pocahontas, Paragould and Hoxie gathered to face off using their favorite chili recipes. The overall winner was Highland’s Fire Department’s Koby Herring, left. “This fundraiser is very important to the fire science program,” said Fire Science Program Director Alan Haskins, center. “All proceeds help ensure there are funds available for prospective firefighter students who do not qualify for financial aid.” Joining Herring and Haskins is BRTC Black Hawk mascot Stryker. For more information about BRTC’s fire science program, contact Haskins at 870-248-4129 or alan.haskins@blackrivertech.edu.

BRTC fire science chili cook-off raises $2,000

3/5/24