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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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – COVID-19 is rearing its head again for many Arkansans as cases are on the rise.

According to the Arkansas Department of Health, more than 200 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in July. They said the number of cases has increased from May until now.

Is a COVID summer surge coming to Arkansas? Here’s what CDC data shows

Dr. Robert Hopkins with UAMS said people with COVID are steadily coming through their doors.

“We’ve seen a lot of increase of folks in the emergency department, the clinics, the outpatient areas,” Hopkins said. “We have seen an increase in hospitalizations.”

At Kavanaugh Pharmacy, owner Anne Pace said she has seen an increase in testing and people wanting Paxlovid, an antiviral used to help your body fight COVID.

Hopkins said high demand for Paxlovid means the pharmacy’s stock is often gone by the end of the day.

Little Rock pharmacy struggles to keep up with high demand of COVID-19 medication Paxlovid

Both Hopkins and Pace say that Paxlovid is more often used for higher-risk groups of people, depending on age, underlying conditions and more. Pace said over-the-counter medications are also used to fight symptoms like fever, runny nose, coughing and congestion.

“Paxlovid may be necessary for some people but it’s certainly not necessary for the vast majority of the population to treat it,” Pace said.

Hopkins said that no matter what, it’s always important to stop the spread.

“If you’re sick, even if you think it’s just a cold or allergies, don’t go around other people,” Hopkins said.

What is Paxlovid, the pill Biden is taking after testing positive for COVID?

Hopkins and Pace say that a vaccine should be coming out soon. However, if you’re in a higher-risk area, like a large indoor event, he recommends wearing a mask.

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FAYETTEVILLE – Razorback head coach John Calipari announced that guard Casmir Chavis, the No. 4 overall prospect in Minnesota for the Class of 2024, has signed with the Razorback basketball program.

Chavis originally signed with the Washington Huskies last fall but was released from his National Letter of Intent. His name is pronounced CASH-mere CHAY-vis

Casmir Chavis
6-2, 180, G, Fr.
Minneapolis, Minn. / Park Center Senior HS
X – @CasmirChavis11 • Instagram @jiggy.cash11

On3                              3 star            133 national    19 PG      4 Minn.
On3 Composite       3 star            172 national    27 PG      6 Minn.
247 Composite        3 star            177 national    22 CG      4 Minn.
247                               3 star            — national         22 CG      4 Minn.
ESPN                            3 star            — national         57 PG      7 Minn.

High School:
Rated a 3-star prospect and the fourth-best prospect from Minnesota … On3 ranks him the #19 point guard in the country while 247 has him as the #22 combo guard in the country … Was 1 of 5 finalists for the Minnesota Mr. Basketball … Named PrepHoops.com AAAA Player of the Year, AAAA first team All-State and overall Senior All-State team … Tabbed first team All-Metro by the Star Tribune for 2023-24 … Averaged 23.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.4 assist and 2.5 steals as a senior … As a junior, named to the Star Tribune second team All-Metro team … Won a state championship as a sophomore and is a three-time conference champion … Also played wide receiver on the Park Center football team.

For more­­ information on Arkansas Men’s Basketball, follow @RazorbackMBB on X.