Arkansas
Arkansas law enforcement urging parents to be “on their guard” after recent Amber Alert
MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. (KY3) – Law enforcement in the Ozarks are urging parents to know what their children are doing on their phones, and who they might be speaking to.
“At the end of the day, parents do need to monitor their kid’s phones, apps, and internet usage,” Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery explained.
For law enforcement all over the Ozarks, it’s a crime that has seen a rise over the last few years. The stalking of minors online.
“We have seen an uptick, and of course, I would say that it goes in spurts,” Sheriff Montgomery stated.
For the sheriff, his department deals with multiple cases a year. Just this last week, an Amber Alert was issued for 13-year-old Kayden Pace from Phillips County, Ark. Investigators with the Arkansas State Police believe Pace was running away with a 25-year-old subject she met online.
Thankfully, she was found a few hours later, and the man was arrested, but the situation could have turned out much worse.
The sheriff said while more and more kids are accessing social media at a younger age, he also believes that some parents may not be up to date with newer technology.
“With the technology changing, and new apps coming out, it creates a challenge for parents to monitor their children,” Montgomery said.
In a news release, Arkansas State Police encouraged both parents and teenagers to know who they’re chatting with online.
“In a recent situation, we had a 25-year-old male acting as a 17-year-old boy and he was talking to multiple groups in our community,” Arkansas State Police Human Trafficking Coordinator Matt Foster stated.
What predators like this one do is make a personal connection with the child. When something negative happens in the child’s life, that’s when they make their move.
“Whenever there is a bad day at home, it turns into ‘I can help you. I can take you away from that,” Foster explained.
Both the sheriff and state police suggest sitting down with your child and going over what is ok and what isn’t, as it might be what keeps them safe in a fishy situation.
“I would encourage parents to sit down with their kids and have an honest dialogue, and let them know that we’re here to keep them safe,” Montgomery said.
Arkansas State Police and the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office have more resources for parents on internet safety available on their websites.
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After a cool/chilly morning that started in the 40s and 50s, Tuesday will warm to the upper 70s and low 80s with nothing but sunshine all day long.
There will be a weak front passing through Arkansas on Wednesday. There will briefly be a few clouds along the time the front actually passes through. But once the front clears, it will once again become sunny.
Starting Friday and lasting through the weekend and into next week a strong south wind will set up. That will warm Arkansas into the mid and upper 80s and introduce a higher level of humidity. It will feel a little like Summer this weekend. Rain chances will return to Central Arkansas starting on Sunday.
With a big upper-level system and cold front approaching early next week, the rain and thunderstorm chance will go up Monday, Monday night and Tuesday. Some strong to severe storms may occur Monday evening. The front will become stationary on Tuesday which will prolong the rainy period and overall help the drought situation Arkansas is facing.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — Purple is the color of the month in Arkansas, and Lupus Awareness Month is bringing a busy stretch of events, including a mayoral proclamation and a smooth jazz concert featuring acclaimed saxophonist Merlon Devine.
A proclamation for Lupus Awareness Month is set for 6 p.m. in North Little Rock, with Mayor Hardwick expected to present it. Organizers encouraged lupus warriors and supporters to come out.
Anita Boone, President of the Lupus Foundation of Arkansas Inc. and a former lupus warrior, described the day-to-day reality of living with the disease: “One minute you’re feeling amazing, the next minute your body is saying we can’t do this.”
Lupus is an autoimmune disease, described during the interview as a condition where the immune system attacks the body “inside out.” It can affect organs throughout the body, including the brain, lungs, heart and kidneys. Boone also shared personal impacts, saying, “I am losing, actually, ear from hearing, just because of lupus.”
The Lupus Foundation of Arkansas is also inviting the community to a Lupus Smooth Jazz Concert this Sunday, May 17, at 3:30 at The Space with Grace event venue, 2005 Main St., North Little Rock.
Gale Davis, committee chair for the Lupus Smooth Jazz Concert shared details about the concert.
Davis said guests are encouraged to “dress to impress,” though formalwear isn’t required. The event will include a photo backdrop, light hors d’oeuvres and beverages, and sponsored tables aimed at networking. It’s also a chance for people to meet other lupus warriors, learn more about the foundation’s work, and watch a video presentation highlighting events from the past year.
The featured artist, Merlon Devine, was described as an acclaimed saxophonist known for a soulful, smooth jazz sound, with a career spanning more than two decades and performances across the country and around the world. He’s also an Arkansas native who attended Little Rock Central High School. He now lives in Southern Maryland, outside Washington, D.C.
Davis said Devine’s connection to lupus is personal. She said his father had lupus and has since died, though he didn’t die from lupus. They also said Divine had a sister who died from lupus in 1981 and that he currently has two sisters living with lupus.
She also shared that, according to his doctors, Devine was born with acute asthma and underdeveloped lungs. His latest single, released last year, is called “Mercy.”
Tickets must be purchased online and will not be sold at the door. They’re available online by clicking on the flyer. Prices are $40 for individual tickets, or $400 for a table of nine, with an option to sponsor a table.
Organizers also noted another proclamation is planned for the Little Rock side with Mayor Frank Scott tomorrow, and encouraged people to follow the Lupus Foundation of Arkansas on social media for updates.
The concert will take place this Sunday at the Space With Grace Venue in North Little Rock.
ASHLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. — An Arkansas man died after crashing a dirt bike on Sunday.
The 21-year-old Arkansas man, formerly from Newaygo, crashed into a tree while riding a dirt bike on private property in Ashland Township near Grant on Sunday before 2:30 p.m., according to Michigan State Police (MSP) troopers.
Emergency responders tried to save his life but he died at the scene.
Troopers are still investigating but do not suspect drugs or alcohol as factors in the crash.
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MSP did not initially release any additional information.
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