Arkansas
Miss Arkansas wins Miss America’s Teen 2025; Miss Alabama is first runner-up
Peyton Bolling was crowned Miss America’s Teen 2025 on Saturday night in Orlando, Florida.
Bolling, who competed as Miss Arkansas’ Teen, is from Rogers and attends Bentonville High School. She performed a jazz dance in the pageant’s talent competition on Saturday. The teen pageant — which includes talent, evening gown and on-stage question segments — is part of the Miss America organization.
Along with the title of Miss America’s Teen, Bolling will receive $50,000 in scholarship money and a yearlong reign, according to the Miss America organization. During her year as Miss America’s Teen, Bolling will travel across the country and use her platform to raise awareness about her philanthropic effort, known as Simple Acts of Citizenship. She’ll also serve as a role model for young girls and a brand ambassador for the Miss America’s Teen program.
Ali Mims, Miss Alabama’s Teen, was named first-runner up for Miss America’s Teen on Saturday and earned $10,000 in scholarship money. Mims, from Harpersville, was featured throughout the finals event and performed a soprano aria during the talent competition, singing “O Mio Babbino Caro” (“Oh, my Dear Papa”) from Giacomo Puccini’s 1918 opera “Gianni Schicchi.”
Also, Mims was one of three winners in Tuesday’s evening gown preliminary for Miss America’s Teen, earning a $3,000 scholarship.
Mims is a student at Chelsea High School. Her philanthropic platform for Miss Alabama’s Teen is the Joyful Noise Foundation: Music Education for the Special Needs Community, It raises money to put musical instruments in special needs classes.
Ali Mims of Harpersville, Alabama, was named first runner-up for Miss America’s Teen on Jan. 4, 2025, in Orlando Florida. Mims competed as Miss Alabama’s Teen in the national pageant.(Courtesy of Miss America IP LLC)
A total of 51 teens were in the running for 2025, competing in preliminary events this week and the finals on Saturday at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando. All had previously been crowned at pageants in their home states or Puerto Rico.
Aside from Bolling and Mims, the top five finalists were:
- Brooke Bumgarner, Miss Mississippi’s Teen 2024 (second-runner up)
- Abigail Mignucci, Miss New Jersey’s Teen 2024 (third runner-up)
- Macie Krause, Miss Texas’ Teen 2024 (fourth runner-up)
As runners-up, Bumgarner, Mignucci and Krause each earned $10,000 in scholarship money, according to the Miss America organization. The finals were livestreamed on the Miss America YouTube channel and PageantVision.com.
The top 11 contestants for Miss America’s Teen were:
- Ali Mims, Miss Alabama’s Teen 2024
- Keira Bixler, Miss California’s Teen 2024
- Melissa Le, Miss Louisiana’s Teen 2024
- Peyton Bolling, Miss Arkansas’ Teen 2024
- Nicole McClain, Miss Hawaii’s Teen 2024
- Kynlee Schultheis, Miss Oklahoma’s Teen 2024
- Macie Krause, Miss Texas’ Teen 2024
- Abigail Mignucci, Miss New Jersey’s Teen 2024
- Carrington Manous, Miss Georgia’s Teen 2024
- Avery Bradley, Miss Iowa’s Teen 2024
- Brooke Bumgarner, Miss Mississippi’s Teen 2024
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — A bee swarm attack in Texas sent three people, including a firefighter, to the hospital this week, while Arkansas medical experts said most bee stings are not dangerous but can become life-threatening in certain cases.
Authorities in San Antonio said the three victims were hospitalized after being swarmed and stung by aggressive bees. Officials have not released details on what triggered the attack or the species involved.
Doctors in Arkansas said the biggest risk from a bee sting is not the sting itself, but a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.
“The concern when you have a bee sting is if you develop a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis,” said Dr. Garrett Lewis, chief medical officer at St. Vincent Infirmary.
Lewis said warning signs include throat swelling, difficulty breathing and feeling faint, which require immediate medical attention.
“If you’re experiencing any throat swelling or severe shortness of breath, you need to seek medical care immediately,” Lewis said.
He added that people who are stung multiple times may also be at risk even without a known allergy, because each sting introduces additional venom into the body.
In the event of a swarm, Lewis said the priority should be escaping the area as quickly as possible and removing any stingers once safe.
“Seek water, seek indoor,” Lewis said. “Once you’re away from the swarm, you want to make sure that you are removing any stingers that might still be in your skin.”
Lewis also said symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and widespread hives can indicate a serious reaction.
While the Texas incident resulted in hospitalizations, a recent swarm outside a Little Rock business ended without injuries after bees briefly gathered on a tree limb before being safely removed by a beekeeper.
Lewis said the best prevention is awareness of surroundings and understanding when medical care is needed after a sting.
CORNING, Ark. (KATV) — Regulatory Enforcement Agents with the Department of Finance and Administration, along with local police, seized a significant amount of illegal THC products from Pacific Green in Corning on Tuesday.
According to the DFA, more than a dozen agents joined the City of Corning Police in the day-long operation that resulted in two arrests.
DFA agents seized more than 25 pounds of illegal products consisting of flower, vapes, and edibles.
Owner Ben Bennett and employee Sharia Shipman were arrested and both charged with the following:
- Delivery of a Schedule VI controlled substance (Class D Felony)
- Possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance with the purpose to deliver (Class B Felony)
- Controlled substances – Offenses relating to records, maintaining premises (Class C Felony)
- Possession of drug paraphernalia (Class D Felony)
- Unauthorized use of another person’s property to facilitate certain crimes (Class C Felony)
Bennett’s bond was set at $150,000, while Shipman’s bond was set at $100,000.
“In addition to selling illegal products, investigators confirmed violations involving underage access at this location,” said David Potter, Director of the Regulatory Enforcement Division. “This retailer, which was located within 1,000 feet of a school, presented significant public health and safety concerns. We are proud to partner with the Corning Police Department in addressing these violations. We seized a substantial quantity of illegal products, including flower, vapes, edibles, and other items, during the operation. We appreciate the cooperation of local law enforcement and information received from the community that led to yesterday’s operation and stopped this blatant disregard of the law.”
Note: All suspects accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of law.
The Department of Finance and Administration said Arkansans can use Apple Wallet to present their license or ID in person, online and in apps at select organizations, including at more than 250 Transportation Security
-
Seattle, WA2 minutes agoSeattle mayor grilled over public safety, affordability, CCTV
-
San Diego, CA5 minutes agoAutomated license plate readers and public surveillance cameras are coming to Imperial Beach
-
Milwaukee, WI10 minutes agoFriends, family gather to remember gunshot victim Pepe Sikisi-Belle Jr.
-
Atlanta, GA17 minutes agoAs FIFA World Cup nears, some MARTA riders raise safety concerns after recent attacks on transit system
-
Minneapolis, MN20 minutes agoMinneapolis leaders split over ShotSpotter contract
-
Indianapolis, IN25 minutes agoWork completed on $3 million restoration of fountains at Garfield Park
-
Pittsburg, PA32 minutes agoPittsburgh Regional Transit starting to install new ReadyFare machines
-
Augusta, GA35 minutes agoFive Augusta Women’s Tennis Players Honored on PBC All-Academic Team – Augusta University
