Arkansas
Arkansas grocery store reopens in wake of mass shooting that left 4 dead
The sounds that filled the Mad Butcher grocery store on Tuesday — the beeping barcode scanners, the rattle of shopping carts and cash register drawers opening — were familiar ones for customers and employees of the only grocery store in the small Arkansas town of Fordyce.
But this was not a normal day for the store, which reopened 11 days after a shooter killed four people and injured 10 others in Mad Butcher and its parking lot. Community leaders called Tuesday’s reopening an important part of the healing process for a town of 3,200 shocked by the mass shooting.
“It’s more than a store,” said Dallas County Sheriff Mike Knoedel, who had responded to the shooting and was on hand for the store’s reopening. “It’s a meeting place. Every time I’m in this store, I’m in it two or three times a week, you’re talking to neighbors. Everybody knows everybody.”
The store’s closure left Fordyce without a grocery store and few nearby alternatives in the aftermath of the shooting, prompting several food distribution sites to be set up throughout the community. Though the town has a Walmart and discount retailers with some food options, the closest grocery stores or supermarkets are located in neighboring cities at least half an hour away.
“This is Fordyce,” said Dick Rinehart, a mechanic who went to the store Tuesday to buy ribs, bread and lunchmeat. “Without this grocery store, where would we go?”
Employees and volunteers who were there for the reopening handed customers shirts that read #WeAreFordyceStrong. A banner with the same message has hung under the store’s green awning since the shooting occurred. Memorials to the victims of the shooting, including flowers and crosses, sit near the store’s parking lot.
Kent J. Broughton, a pastor in Fordyce who was loading up his cart with watermelons, said the store’s reopening restores a place for many in the community to connect with family or friends.
“If you’re bored and you need something to do, if you want to see somebody, just go to the grocery store,” Broughton said. “You’re going to run into somebody you know, a friend or cousin or something, and you pick up from there.”
Police have not given a motive for the shooting. Travis Eugene Posey, 44, pleaded not guilty last week to four counts of capital murder and ten counts of attempted capital murder and is being held in a neighboring county’s jail without bond. Posey was injured after a shootout with police officers who responded to the attack, authorities said.
Police have said Posey was armed with a handgun and a shotgun, and multiple gunshot victims were found in the store and its parking lot. Authorities have said Posey did not appear to have a personal connection to any of the victims.
The store reopened the day after the last of four funerals for the victims, who ranged in age from 23 to 81. Mayor John MacNichol said he never would have imagined a mass shooting occurring in his close-knit town, but said he’s been proud of the community’s response.
“I think we’re doing OK. I ain’t saying we’re doing great,” MacNichol said. “But I think it’s bringing the community closer together and uniting us.”
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Renegade, the Arkansas Derby winner, finished second Saturday in the Kentucky Derby, as more than 30,000 fans gathered at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort for the final day of the racing season.
The race often called the “fastest two minutes in sports” drew strong reactions from the Oaklawn crowd, where fans watched together as one of their own track’s top horses competed on racing’s biggest stage.
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Renegade entered the Derby as one of the favorites after winning the Arkansas Derby in March. The horse’s second-place finish fell just short of a win, disappointing some bettors but still energizing the crowd.
“I’m cheering for Renegade, that’s where my money’s at,” said Chris Ho, Oaklawn’s vice president of marketing.
Fans across the venue said the day was about more than just the outcome of a single race, as Oaklawn wrapped up its racing season with large crowds and a festive atmosphere.
“I’m having a blast, losing some money but having some fun,” said attendee Zachary Willmuth.
The event brought together both longtime racing fans and newcomers experiencing the tradition for the first time.
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“I have an aunt who had a derby party every year, so I went every year,” said first-time Oaklawn visitor Jayna Monical. “This is the closest I’m going to be to the derby.”
Others said attending races at Oaklawn has been a longstanding tradition.
“As soon as I got my driver’s license at 16, I started coming here,” said Robert Trammell. “I’ve been doing it ever since.”
Despite some losing tickets, the crowd remained lively throughout the day, with cheering and celebrations echoing across the track during both the Kentucky Derby watch and Oaklawn’s final races.
For some, the experience ensured a return trip.
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“I think it’s exciting,” Monical said. “We have a whole crew that’s coming next year.”
Saturday marked the end of Oaklawn’s racing season, closing out months of competition in Hot Springs.
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JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – Ticks are out as people head outdoors this spring, and a doctor is warning about a little-known illness on the rise.
Dog ticks, deer ticks, Gulf Coast ticks and Lone Star ticks are among the most common in Arkansas. New York Institute of Technology at Arkansas State Dean Dr. Shane Speights said they can be found nearly anywhere in the state.
“So, when you think about certainly the deep woods in northeast Arkansas, along like the Spring River and things like that, anything along the rivers or large bodies of water, you’re going to be at a higher risk,” Speights said.
Those ticks can carry diseases like Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme Disease. Speights said there is a growing concern with another disease — Alpha-Gal Syndrome.
The Lone Star Tick carries a molecule that can transfer to humans through a bite and can cause an allergic reaction to red meat.
“That’s a smaller percentage of the population. But it can last for a long, long time. And it can be a violent response in terms of eating, you know, just a little bit of steak or a hamburger. You can get violently ill,” Speights said.
Data from the Arkansas Department of Health showed a sharp increase in Alpha-Gal Syndrome confirmed or probable cases in the state, from 70 in 2023 to 344 in 2024 and 249 in 2025.
The most common symptoms after a tick bite are fever and chills, aches and pains and rash. Speights said a person should seek medical attention after 36 hours if the tick is still attached.
“If the tick has been attached for more than 36 hours, we recommend you start antibiotics, promptly,” Speights said. He said antibiotics can be prescribed by a physician.
Ticks should not prevent someone from enjoying the outdoors. Speights said there are things people can do to prevent a tick hopping on them, like wearing light-colored clothing, pants, high socks and boots.
If one does get on a person, Speights said to remove it as quickly as possible to reduce the possibility of infection.
“You should remove the tick by carefully lifting up on the back of it with some tweezers and just kind of gently pulling until the teeth, um, let go of your skin. Uh, cause you do worry about, you know, parts of the tick being left there can cause infection,” Speights said.
Doctors say the best defense is to avoid tall grass, wear light-colored clothing and shower within two hours of being outdoors.
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