Tommy Robinson, a former U.S. congressman who captured attention while serving as an Arkansas sheriff, using tactics that included chaining inmates outside a state prison to protest overcrowding, died July 10 at a hospital in Forrest City, Ark. He was 82.
Arkansas
Tommy Robinson, Arkansas sheriff and congressman, dies at 82
Mr. Robinson was first elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1984, representing a district that included Little Rock and central Arkansas. He switched parties and became a Republican in 1989 before losing the GOP primary for governor the following year.
But it was Mr. Robinson’s actions and comments during his years as Pulaski County sheriff that gained him national attention. He was elected to the post in 1980 after serving as state director of public safety.
He had complained about a backlog of state inmates being held in the county’s jail and in 1981 had a group of them chained to a gate outside an Arkansas prison.
“The bottom line is, I’m not going to keep state prisoners,” he said at the time. “It’s their problem, not mine.”
Mr. Robinson also clashed with prosecutors and judges during his time as sheriff. He was jailed by a federal judge for contempt for two days after kicking out a special master appointed to oversee conditions at the jail.
Following a string of robberies, Mr. Robinson had deputies hide randomly at convenience stores armed with shotguns to deter would-be robbers.
During his time in Congress, Mr. Robinson aligned with the “boll weevil” bloc of conservative southern Democrats who voted for many of President Ronald Reagan’s policies. When he switched parties in 1989, Arkansas was a predominantly Democratic state, but Mr. Robinson complained that the party had become too liberal.
Mr. Robinson ran for the GOP nomination for governor in 1990, hoping to unseat Gov. Bill Clinton (D). He was defeated by Sheffield Nelson in the Republican primary, and Nelson lost to Clinton that fall. Clinton was elected president in 1992.
Tommy Franklin Robinson was born in Little Rock on March 7, 1942. Early in his career, he served with the North Little Rock Police Department, the Arkansas State Police and the U.S. Marshal Service.
Mr. Robinson remained in the news in the years after leaving Congress. In 1992, he was named as the worst offender in an overdraft scandal involving the House bank. The bank closed in 1991.
Over a 16-month period, he wrote 996 checks on insufficient funds, overdrafts that totaled more than $250,000. A Justice Department report later said no one would be prosecuted for the overdrafts because it was bank policy to routinely honor checks written on insufficient funds.
Mr. Robinson was appointed to the state Pollution Control and Ecology Commission and the Parole Board by Gov. Mike Huckabee (R).
Mr. Robinson ran as the Republican nominee in 2002 for the 1st Congressional District in eastern Arkansas and lost to incumbent Marion Berry, a Democrat, in the general election.
A list of survivors was not immediately available.
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.
Arkansans can now present their driver’s licenses and state identification cards on mobile devices using Apple Wallet, state finance officials announced Wednesday.
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
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