Alissa Skelton
Stories by Alissa
Audit cites 171 overpaid in PB
posted: 08/08/2011 4:58 a.m. Discuss
The Pine Bluff School District plans to investigate why 171 employees were collectively overpaid $473,142 without proper documentation during the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
Suit seeks to oust 2 at Gould
posted: 08/05/2011 3:41 a.m. Discuss
A group of Gould residents has sued two aldermen in a bid to oust them, claiming that the representatives are unqualified to serve on the City Council.
11 to serve up lessons from China
posted: 07/31/2011 4:54 a.m. Discuss
As a young girl, Paige Morphew felt like a Chinese princess when her cousin dressed her in a traditional red Chinese dress and arranged her hair Beijing-opera style.
PB Civil Service Commission abolished
posted: 07/29/2011 2:29 a.m. Discuss
The Pine Bluff Civil Service Commission was officially abolished Thursday, allowing the city to be responsible for creating and enforcing rules and regulations for police officers and firefighters.
No Morrilton job, cleanup firm says
posted: 07/27/2011 4:51 a.m. Discuss
Morrilton building owners have started their excavator search anew after Snyder Environmental and Construction Inc. withdrew its bid to clean up the rubble from the fatal collapse of two buildings in May.
Police say box cutter killed Waldo woman
posted: 07/26/2011 6 a.m. Comments 5
The suspect in the slaying of an elderly woman killed Friday in an attack with a box cutter at the Waldo post office ended his initial court appearance early Monday by requesting to speak with an attorney.
Suer of PB balks at police, fire panel deal
posted: 07/21/2011 5:09 a.m. Discuss
The Southern States Police Benevolent Association backed out on a settlement to abolish Pine Bluff’s Civil Service Commission on Wednesday evening.
Give teens 2nd chance, she says
posted: 07/18/2011 5:03 a.m.
Comment 1
Miss Arkansas 2011 Kristen Glover says mentoring can help troubled teens get a second chance.
Glover crowned Miss Arkansas
posted: 07/17/2011 5:08 a.m.
Discuss
Kristen Glover, Miss Ouachita Baptist University, tapped her way to the Miss Arkansas crown Saturday night.
Ex-leader of Farm Bureau dies in wreck
posted: 07/16/2011 5 a.m. Discuss
Farm leader, businessman and former U.S. Senate candidate Stanley Reed died in a one-car accident near Augusta on Friday, one day after he interviewed for the University of Arkansas System president position.
Panel reinstates state trooper
posted: 07/15/2011 5:09 a.m. Comments 6
The Arkansas State Police Commission on Thursday reinstated a state trooper involved in a 2009 fatal accident.
Vote sends district back to drawing board
posted: 07/14/2011 4:48 a.m. Discuss
The Two Rivers School District will meet with the Arkansas Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation Division to discuss what happens next since voters turned down a proposed millage increase to build a new elementary school Tuesday.
Democrat wins vote for District 54 post
posted: 07/13/2011 4:37 a.m. Discuss
Democrat Hudson Hallum won the District 54 state House of Representatives seat with 51 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s Crittenden County special election.
Newport residents say yes to continuing city sales tax
posted: 07/13/2011 4:36 a.m. Discuss
Newport residents overwhelmingly voted Tuesday to continue a half-cent economic development sales tax for another 10 years.
Property-tax rise rejected
posted: 07/13/2011 4:36 a.m. Discuss
Two Rivers School District in Yell County will not receive funds from a proposed property-tax increase to build a new elementary school and sports complex estimated to cost $17.4 million.
Extending sales tax on Newport ballot
posted: 07/12/2011 4:20 a.m. Discuss
Newport residents will vote today whether to extend a decade-old half-cent citywide sales tax used for economic expansion.
4 lined up to interview for leading UA System
posted: 07/09/2011 4:52 a.m. Discuss
Four candidates for the University of Arkansas System presidency will be interviewed next week by trustees.
U.S. waistlines bigger yet in study of obesity
posted: 07/08/2011 5:50 a.m. Discuss
Arkansas improved from eighth to ninth in a national obesity report released Thursday, but not because it made great strides — other states’ residents are getting fatter at a faster rate, Arkansas Surgeon General Dr. Joe Thompson said.
District angers parents again
posted: 07/04/2011 4:16 a.m. Comments 2
More than 100 Brinkley School District parents who had filed a lawsuit last month against their school system are unhappy with the School Board’s choice for superintendent.
New PB schools chief focuses on job ahead
posted: 07/04/2011 4:15 a.m. Discuss
Jerry O. Payne, the Pine Bluff School District’s new superintendent, was the leader of a Louisiana school district when Hurricane Katrina hit, leaving Bogalusa, La., without electricity for more than a month.
Suspect missing, judge cancels trial in 2009 slaying
posted: 06/29/2011 5:36 a.m. Comment 1
The jury trial for a Conway man facing a murder charge in Hot Springs was canceled because he disappeared Monday morning, officials said Tuesday.
Connecticut man selected as Forrest City police chief
posted: 06/29/2011 5:20 a.m. Discuss
Forrest City will have a new police chief in August to fill the vacant position.
Conway man misses hearing
posted: 06/28/2011 4:49 a.m.
Discuss
A Conway man facing murder charges was supposed to show up for a pretrial hearing in Hot Springs on Monday.
State helping residents seek shelter from storm
posted: 06/26/2011 3:41 a.m. Discuss
In March 2010, a tornado sucked the shoes right off 22-month-old Mark Kostreva’s feet while simultaneously blasting out all of the windows in his Center Hill home.
Scramble on to find spots for students, instructors
posted: 06/19/2011 4:36 a.m. Comment 1
The abrupt closing of The Cathedral School in May has families in a frenzy to find other schools.
A year ago, 20 lost lives to flood
posted: 06/12/2011 4:47 a.m.
Discuss
It has been a year since flash floodwaters rushed into Albert Pike Recreational Area, killing 20 people.
Free clinics busy as needy in 5 Delta cities seek care
posted: 06/09/2011 4:45 a.m. Discuss
Temporary clinics opened in five eastern Arkansas cities Wednesday, drawing hundreds of people seeking free checkups, eyeglasses and dental care.
Free health clinics to serve Delta
posted: 06/07/2011 4:56 a.m. Discuss
Free health and dental clinics will temporarily serve five of Arkansas’ least-healthy counties, Gov. Mike Beebe announced Monday.
School Board vows to keep eye on goals
posted: 06/05/2011 5:19 a.m. Discuss
The Little Rock School Board pledged Saturday to move forward with a set of ambitious goals to run a more efficient, cohesive district despite the loss of millions of dollars in desegregation aid to its magnet schools.
Riverfest sets record with crowd of 260,000
posted: 05/31/2011 4:42 a.m.
Discuss
Sunny skies and no rain helped Riverfest set an attendance record this weekend.
Salary set for ASU System chief
posted: 05/28/2011 3:38 a.m. Comments 2
Arkansas State University System President Charles Welch is ready to take care of business.
ASU OKs budgets, 4% bump for tuition
posted: 05/27/2011 4:42 a.m. Discuss
The Arkansas State University board of trustees approved the 2011-12 ASU budgets and an undergraduate tuition increase of about 4 percent Thursday for the school at Jonesboro.
Beebe addresses top scholars
posted: 05/24/2011 4:33 a.m. Discuss
Gov. Mike Beebe wanted to be a secret agent when he finished high school. But he soon figured out that becoming the next James Bond probably wasn’t so romantic after all.
