Arkansas
Arkansas TV meteorologist Melinda Mayo retires after nearly four decades on air
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — After nearly four decades of early morning alarms and forecasts, longtime Arkansas TV meteorologist Melinda Mayo is retiring, closing a career that made her a familiar face to generations of viewers and a steady voice during dangerous weather.
Before she became a household name, the Pine Bluff native worked behind the scenes as an overnight photographer and producer.
Bob Steel was the first to spot her potential and hired her straight out of college. He said she could do it all. “If you want her to do a story, she could do that. If you wanted her to shoot, she could do that. If you wanted to edit, she could do that. If you wanted her to write, she could do that she was extremely talented. Still is,” Steel said.
That versatility helped her land an on-camera role.
Chief Meteorologist Barry Brandt first met Mayo early in her career when they both worked at another Little Rock TV station. Brandt said, “You could just see she was working her way up through and there was nothing Melinda couldn’t do on the air.”
As she worked as a reporter and anchor, she was also studying meteorology.
In 1996, Mayo joined KATV News. Two years later, she officially became the first female certified broadcast meteorologist in Arkansas.
“I knew right from the beginning that she was going to get it. I just knew it and there was no problem. She just fit right into it,” said Ned Perme, Former KATV Chief Meteorologist.
“She’s gone from this effervescent young college student who is eager to please, to do anything, to a legend,” Steele said.
Brandt called Mayo a trailblazer, pointing to both her on-air skill and her scientific background. “She’s just a trailblazer. Obviously she’s so good on the air, but to have that science background that served her so well and it served Arkansas so well for so many years,” he said.
Viewers relied on Mayo’s calm presence through snowstorms, heat waves and tornadoes.
Steel said her steady approach mattered when it counted most. “She’s probably saved lives in her career, you know, and stayed calm in the storm. I mean, she is, she’s gonna be missed,” he said.
Colleagues also credited Mayo with mentoring others, particularly women entering the business. “She really did hold the hands of new reporters and new anchors along the way and who knows where we’d be if we didn’t have a strong female like Melinda to look up to,” Alyson Courtney, former Daybreak anchor, said.
Mayo also made time for viewers in everyday moments. “We’d be out in the field if somebody came up to her. She took time out to talk to him and speak to him. She didn’t run, get in the car and hide like she was, you know, some big superstar,” Marcus McDonald, former KATV Chief Photographer, said.
Mayo’s work also took her beyond the forecast, including interviews and live coverage from major events. She has interviewed Arkansas native Johnny Cash, covered the Clinton Presidential Library grand opening, and reported from the Country Music Awards in Nashville in 2016.
Her Daybreak adventures included trips to the beach, Branson and high school pep rallies across the state.
Chris Kane, former Daybreak anchor, said Mayo was the colleague he could count on for anything. “Whether its jumping off a pontoon boat during Daybreak, going on a rollercoaster at Silver Dollar City, Melinda was always my go to, hey, I need someone to do this with me, will you do it? And she’d always say yes which made it so much more fun,” Kane said.
He also said Mayo set the tone in the studio each morning. “You’re groggy and you’re still trying to wake up… you pour a cup of coffee and you see Melinda Mayo and you knew it was going to be a good day,” Kane said.
“She’s impacted so many people that she doesn’t even know how many people she’s impacted, but we hear it all the time,” Courtney said.
The longest-running on-air morning show host in Arkansas, is now turning off those morning alarms for good, but her legacy will continue to carry on.
Thank you, Melinda!
BROOKLYN — Arkansas point guard Darius Acuff is the first of three Razorbacks off the board in the 2026 NBA Draft Tuesday night when he was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the No. 7 overall pick in the first round.
Acuff’s selection makes him the highest drafted player from Arkansas since 2023 when Anthony Black went No. 6 overall to the Orlando Magic.
He went into the night projected to be the first player from the Hogs taken following a phenomenal freshman year that saw him earn first team All-American honors, SEC Player of the Year, league freshman of the year, and SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player.
Likely his biggest accomplishment was becoming the first player to lead the SEC in points and assists since Pete Maravich in 1970.
As a freshman, Acuff averaged over 24 points, six assists and three rebounds on 48% shooting from the field, 44% from three and 81% from free throw line.
His knack as a bucket getter and facilitator lifted the Razorbacks to a different level in the postseason by averaging an astonishing 30 points, seven assists and one steal across six postseason tournament games.
He led Arkansas to a victory over Vanderbilt for the SEC Tournament Championship and back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances.
Arguably his best performance of the season came in a double-overtime classic in Tuscaloosa against Alabama when he dropped 49 points on 16-of-27 from the floor, 6-of-10 from three and 11-of-12 from the free throw line. He also contributed with five rebounds, five assists and only one turnover in 50 minutes.
And don’t forget, the 6-foot-2, 186 pound point guard did all of that on a bum ankle he sustained against Aubrn just four days prior.
During a media appearance on ESPN last week, Calipari made sure to warn NBA teams they will regret passing on superstar point guard.
“A great teammate. We all hear stuff. I’m around these kids, all they want to do is get better. They want to respect who’s coaching them,” Calipari told Colin Cowherd on The Herd. “And Darius Acuff, I’m telling you, there’s going to be some guys regretting [not picking him.]
“That’s okay. That’s okay. When he starts playing, you’ll remember this conversation, and we’re saying, ‘You’re going to regret not taking him.’”
Acuff is the latest in a growing list of coach John Calipari guards to be selected as lottery picks across his four decades in the college game. Former Kentucky stars Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, John Wall, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, De’Aaron Fox and Brandon Knight.
During his time at Memphis, Calipari helped Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, and Dajuan Wagner were each lotter picks from 2000-2009.
The 2026 NBA Draft will continue with its second round Wednesday night at 7 p.m. CT from the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
Coach Cal Reaction
There haven’t been many times over the years that Calipari has missed out on watching one of his stars stroll across the stage to shake hands with the NBA Commissioner.
The second-year Razorbacks coach told the world Tuesday night that the Kings will be getting a “fierce competitor and winner” in Acuff.
With NBA Lottery pick and Sacramento Kings Guard Darius Acuff Jr!!! Congratulations to the entire family! The Kings are getting a fierce competitor and winner https://t.co/pk7T9H8e8b
— John Calipari (@CoachCalArk) June 24, 2026
Being drafted by Sacramento shouldn’t come as a surprise either as most mock drafts pegged him at No. 7 overall since the beginning of the college basketball offseason. With so many connections to the franchise, the Kings’ organization might be the perfect fit after all as General manager Scott Perry coached his father two decades ago at Eastern Kentucky.
Sign up to our free newsletter, and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter) for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT) – Registration is open for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s annual urban deer hunt.
This year’s hunts will be held in Cherokee Village, Fairfield Bay, Heber Springs, Helena-West Helena, Horseshoe Bend and Russellville.
The archery-only hunts are designed to offer an “inexpensive and effective method of nuisance deer management,” according to an AGFC news release.
Deer harvested during the urban hunts do not count toward a hunter’s seasonal limit, and there are no limits to the number of deer that can be harvested.
However, the first deer taken must be donated to Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry, which provides ground meat to food pantries across the state.
Hunters must pass the International Bowhunters Education Program before participating. The program is available at www.agfc.com/education/hunter-education.
Hunters also must attend orientation to learn the specific rules of the hunts and pass a shooting proficiency test.
For more information, visit www.agfc.com/urbanhunt.
To report a typo or correction, please click here.
Copyright 2026 KAIT. All rights reserved.
The Arkansas Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Monday, June 22, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 22 drawing
17-19-21-45-48, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 22 drawing
Midday: 8-6-8
Evening: 4-9-7
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 22 drawing
Midday: 4-4-6-9
Evening: 6-4-1-4
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Natural State Jackpot numbers from June 22 drawing
07-17-23-28-32
Check Natural State Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 22 drawing
07-08-20-24-42, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Arkansas Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
- Cash 3 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
- Cash 4 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
- Cash 4 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 9:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Natural State Jackpot: 8 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
- LOTTO: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arkansas editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
Los Angeles, Ca35 minutes ago‘What’s going on with our society?’ Elderly L.A. street vendor violently beaten
-
Detroit, MI55 minutes agoTrailblaze Detroit: Blazing New Trails while Backpacking Metro Detroit | Visit Detroit | Visit Detroit
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoGiants open to moving big names before Trade Deadline
-
Dallas, TX1 hour agoReports: Mavericks acquire Sergio De Larrea in four-team Draft night trade
-
Miami, FL1 hour agoMiami Gardens police make arrest in cold case murder from 2019
-
Boston, MA1 hour agoWoman killed in Mattapan carjacking crash honored at vigil
-
Denver, CO1 hour agoNuggets trade 26th pick in NBA Draft to Spurs, moving out of first round
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoNBA Commissioner says Las Vegas, Seattle remain expansion targets for 2028-29 season
