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Former AGFC director dies

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Former AGFC director dies


LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT/Edited News Release) – Loren Hitchcock, who was Arkansas Game and Fish Commission director for almost two years during 2011-12, died May 28 at his home in Higden. He was 70.

Hitchcock started his career with the AGFC as a game warden in 1985. He became chief of the Enforcement Division in 1989 and was named deputy director in 2001 (he held both titles until he became a deputy director exclusively in 2003).

When AGFC Director Scott Henderson announced he was resigning his position Sept. 1, 2010, Hitchcock was tapped as interim director. He was promoted to director Jan. 20, 2011, and retired from the agency Oct. 27, 2012.

Loren Hitchcock (left) succeeded Scott Henderson (right) as AGFC director after serving as interim director for five months.(Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)

“It’s a tremendous honor to be asked to lead the dedicated, professional staff at our agency,” Hitchcock said when he became director. “It is with these wonderful people that we can build a new era of efficiency and professionalism at Game and Fish. We’ll work together as a team to take advantage of the opportunities we have ahead of us to tell Arkansans about the wonderful opportunities that exist in Arkansas’s incredible outdoors, and the role this Commission plays in managing those resources.”

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Hitchcock led the Enforcement Division’s role in the passage of the Amendment 75 Conservation Sales Fund in 1996. He was lead administrator in the agency’s acquisition of a large conservation easement – 16,000-acre Moro Big Pine Natural Area Wildlife Management Area in Calhoun County – plus 4,000 acres in fee title property in Searcy County for elk restoration.

He also negotiated with Chesapeake Energy in its acquisition of mineral rights and natural gas exploration on WMAs in the Fayetteville Shale play. The deal brought $32 million in mineral lease bonuses, plus gas royalty payments, to the AGFC.

Loren Hitchcock speaks at the dedication of Richland Valley Sonny Varnell Elk Conservation Area.
Loren Hitchcock speaks at the dedication of Richland Valley Sonny Varnell Elk Conservation Area.(Arkansas Game and Fish Commission)

Loren “Gib” Hitchcock was born to Margaret and Gilbert Hitchcock Oct. 9, 1953, in Batesville, where he was raised. He graduated from Arkansas State University in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in business management. He’s survived by his partner, Shawna, as well as two sons, two stepdaughters and eight grandchildren.

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Arkansas

No. 1 Arkansas leads SEC Indoor after first day finals

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No. 1 Arkansas leads SEC Indoor after first day finals



COLLEGE STATION – A victory in the 5,000m by Nick Busienei and third place in the distance medley relay had No. 1 Arkansas leading the team score with 18 points on the first day of the SEC Indoor Championships.

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The Razorbacks produced 12 of those points in the 5,000m as Nick Busienei won the race in a meet record of 13;31.86, which ranks him No. 7 on the UA all-time list. Busienei bettered the meet record of 13:37.52 set by Razorback Patrick Kiprop in 2025.

James Sankei added two more points in placing seventh with a time of 13:44.57.

Dating back to 1992 when Arkansas competed in its first SEC Indoor meet, Busienei claimed the 21st title for the program and is the 14th Razorback to win the indoor 5,000m.

Six more points were added in the distance medley relay as Arkansas posted a time of 9:30.84 from the foursome of Owan Logorodi (2:58.46), Zyaire Nuriddin (46.51), Julian Carter (1:49.10), and Brian Masai (3:56.77).

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South Carolina won the race in 9:30.08 with Ole Miss runner-up in 9:30.34. Florida originally placed third in 9:30.37 but was disqualified for spiking the baton at the conclusion of the race.

Jelani Watkins led the Razorback crew in the 200m prelims as three Arkansas sprinters advanced to the final. Watkins produced an indoor career best of 20.42 rank second overall to a 20.38 by Florida’s Wayna McCoy. Watkins remains No. 2 on the UA all-time list as he improved his previous time of 20.43.

Dapriest Hogans followed with a 20.63 that equaled his career best and his No. 8 ranking on the UA all-time list. Tevijon Williams clocked 20.65 to reach the final where 20.71 was the cutoff time. Jamarion Stubbs ran 20.87 in his prelim heat.

Cooper Williams completed the first day of the heptathlon in sixth place with 2,862 points. He started with a 7.43 in the 60m (736), then added a 21-9.5 (6.64) long jump (729). In the shot put, a mark of 36-8.25 (11.18) picked up 557 points. Williams wrapped up day one by topping the field in the high jump with a clearance of 6-8.25 for 840 points.

Link Lindsey placed 15 in the long jump with a mark of 23-6.75 (7.18).

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The wall goes back up: Arkansas embraces defiant isolation

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The wall goes back up: Arkansas embraces defiant isolation


“Arkansans have been made better economically, intellectually and socially by letting go of the ‘terrified truculence’ toward outsiders in recent decades. Sadly, as we’ve experienced this sad winter, all signs are that many similar seasons of defiant isolation are in our state’s future,” writes political scholar Jay Barth.



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Man arrested in Arkansas connected to Jan. 2026 fatal hit-and-run in Dallas

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Man arrested in Arkansas connected to Jan. 2026 fatal hit-and-run in Dallas


Authorities in Arkansas have arrested a man accused of being behind the wheel during a January car crash that left one man dead.

Suspect arrested in Arkansas for Dallas hit-and-run

What we know:

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U.S. Marshals tracked down 22-year-old Enrique Hernandez in De Queen, a southwest Arkansas town about three hours away from Dallas and an hour north of Texarkana.

Hernandez has been charged with collision involving death, a second-degree felony, in connection with the case. He is currently being held in an Arkansas jail before he is transferred to a jail in Dallas County.

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What we don’t know:

Dallas police haven’t said if the suspect has any ties to the victim or the area of Arkansas where he was arrested.

The backstory:

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The fatal hit-and-run occurred around 3 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 11 near W. Davis St. and N. Westmoreland Dr. in Dallas.

26-year-old Johnathan Rodriguez was dropped off by friends outside his Dallas neighborhood early Sunday morning after celebrating his birthday.

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Surveillance video shows Rodriguez in the media area of the road when a dark-colored SUV hits him and drives away.

Rodriguez was left with severe head trauma, later dying from his injuries.

A bittersweet victory for the family

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What they’re saying:

John Rodriguez, the victim’s father, struggled to find the words to describe the news he received.

“It’s not going to bring him back, bring my son back,” Rodriguez told FOX 4’s Peyton Yager. “It hurts every day, every minute. I wake up every morning, and he is not here. We are really going to miss him.”

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The Rodriguez family worked with police to help find their son’s killer. They found more surveillance video near the scene of the accident that helped authorities find and arrest Hernandez in Arkansas.

“We are going to fight for justice. Long live Johnny, and we are going to keep on fighting,” Rodriguez said.

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The Source: Information in this story came from current and previous FOX 4 reporting.

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