LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for wildland fire suppression kits through October 2, 2026. Through a grant from the U.S. Forest Service, the Department will distribute 70 wildland fire suppression kits to rural volunteer fire departments across Arkansas this year. Since 2014, more than 898 kits have…
EAST CAMDEN, Ark. — The Arkansas Division on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (ADLEST) proudly recognized the graduates of Basic Police Training Class 2026-B during a ceremony at the East Camden campus of the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy (ALETA). The class consisted of 65 cadets representing 45law enforcement agencies from across Arkansas. Following weeks…
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas roadway fatalities are down significantly compared to recent years, according to year-to-date data. As of July 29, 2026, preliminary reports indicate there have been 245 traffic fatalities statewide, compared to 292 at the same point in 2025 — a decrease of 47 deaths. A total of 569 people were killed on…
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas State Crime Laboratory (ASCL) announced a major milestone in digital evidence processing, with significant reductions in the backlog of mobile device examinations and substantial improvements in turnaround times. For the first time in recent years, the laboratory’s Digital Evidence Section is now processing mobile devices as they are submitted, effectively…
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas State Police (ASP) is investigating two separate in-custody deaths. On Sunday, July 26, 2026, the West Memphis Police Department requested ASP assistance in the death of Tony Sanders, 40, of West Memphis. Officers responded to a report that a man was attempting to break into an ambulance at Crittenden Baptist Hospital.…
Voters across Arkansas Senate District 1 will return to the polls Tuesday, Aug. 18, as the process of selecting a new state senator for southeast Arkansas gets underway. The special election was called following the resignation of former State Sen. Ben Gilmore of Crossett, who left the Senate at the end of June to accept…
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — Anthony B. Smith, 26, of Little Rock, was sentenced Thursday, July 23, 2026, to 25 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to First-Degree Murder in the death of Clifford James Griffin, 27, of Maumelle. The fatal crash occurred on September 19, 2024, on Interstate 430 near Colonel Glenn…
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management, working in coordination with Arkansas Task Force One, has deployed two seven‑member Swift Water search and rescue teams through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact to assist Texas communities experiencing severe and widespread flooding. The deployment began Thursday after Texas requested support through EMAC, allowing Arkansas to…
By Ryan McGeeney University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture LITTLE ROCK — University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture experts are urging the state’s pasture managers to gear up for winter by planting cool-season grasses in the fall. Jonathan Kubesch, extension forage specialist for the Division of Agriculture, said that Arkansas offers some unique challenges to farmers, being in a…
VAN BUREN, Ark. — On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, around 1:45 p.m., an Arkansas State Police (ASP) Trooper conducted a traffic stop on a van traveling on Interstate 40 near the 2-mile marker in Crawford County. During a search of the vehicle, Troopers discovered approximately 150 pounds of high-grade, illegal marijuana packaged in multiple bundles. The…
ASHLEY COUNTY, AR — The Tenth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Frank Spain announced that an Ashley County jury has convicted Aaron Dewayne Rice on multiple felony drug charges and sentenced him to a total of 112 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction. Article submitted by District Prosecuting Attorney Frank Spain‘s Office The conviction stems…
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas State Police (ASP) is launching a new statewide public safety initiative, “Rules of the Road,” a video series designed to help Arkansans better understand common traffic laws and best driving practices on Arkansas roadways. The campaign debuts today, with the first video focused on what drivers should do when being…
TEXARKANA, Ark. — On Tuesday, July 7, 2026, the Arkansas State Police (ASP) Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), in coordination with the FBI, ASP Company C, and the Miller County SWAT Team, executed a search warrant at a home in the 8000 block of Old Harrison Chapel Road in Texarkana. The search warrant stemmed…
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — From July 10 through July 31, State and local law enforcement agencies across Arkansas will participate in the national Speeding Slows You Down high-visibility enforcement campaign, increasing patrols and enforcement efforts to reduce speeding-related crashes and save lives.Speeding remains one of the leading contributors to traffic fatalities in the United States. In…
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has released its 2025 Arkansas Groundwater Protection and Management Report, detailing groundwater monitoring, water levels, conservation programs and water use across the state. The report was issued pursuant to the Arkansas Groundwater Protection and Management Act of 1991 and provides an overview of groundwater conditions during…
July 2, 2026CAMDEN, Ark. — Ouachita County Chief Deputy Collector Erica Johnson has been charged with Theft of Property, a Class D felony, following an investigation by the Arkansas State Police (ASP) Criminal Investigation Division. The investigation, which began in January at the request of 13th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Rogers, revealed that Johnson, 33,…
MONTICELLO, Ark. — The drought that has affected Arkansas and surrounding states for more than a year has had an impact on every sector of the region’s agriculture, including timber stands throughout the South. By Ryan McGeeney University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture According to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, Arkansas is home to more than 18 million…
The Arkansas Department of Transportation, Arkansas Highway Police and the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Office are launching a statewide awareness and enforcement campaign aimed at reducing litter along Arkansas highways. The campaign, set to begin in July, will focus on Arkansas laws requiring waste materials to be securely transported in vehicles. ARDOT said unsecured loads can…
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas residents who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will face new restrictions on certain grocery purchases beginning July 1. Under a federal waiver approved for Arkansas, SNAP benefits may no longer be used to purchase regular, diet or low-calorie soda; candy; fruit and vegetable drinks containing less than 50% real…
LAKE VILLAGE, Ark. — On Tuesday, June 23, 2026, Special Agents with the Arkansas State Police (ASP) Criminal Investigation Division (CID) arrested Debra Chandler, 57, of Lake Village, on two felony counts of Theft of Property. In December 2025, at the request of Tenth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Frank Spain, ASP CID initiated a theft investigation…
Brinkley, Ark. — Arkansas State Police (ASP) Troopers seized 190 1-pound bags of illegal marijuana during a traffic stop Monday, June 22, 2026, on Interstate 40 at the 217-mile marker in Monroe County. Around 6 a.m., Troopers stopped a black Chevrolet Silverado for a traffic violation. During a search of the vehicle, Troopers discovered the marijuana…
