Ginny LaRoe
Stories by Ginny
Body found, crash uncovered
posted: 07/04/2010 6:11 a.m. Discuss
Roger Scott Ward died in a wreck no one knew he’d been in.
2 samples reveal high E. coli in river
posted: 07/02/2010 5:40 a.m. Discuss
Two of 15 culture samples taken from a stretch of the Saline River near Arkansas 5 showed high levels of E. coli, the Arkansas Health Department said Thursday.
3 escape Lonoke jail, later back in custody
posted: 07/02/2010 5:40 a.m. Discuss
Three inmates who escaped from the Lonoke County jail early Thursday in what authorities suspect was an organized effort among other inmates were back in custody by day’s end.
E. coli in stretch of Saline River
posted: 06/26/2010 6:18 a.m. Comment 1
A portion of the Saline River is unsafe for swimming, health officials announced Friday after investigating four cases of severe diarrhea among people who swam there.
Ex-prosecutor Harmon wins acquittal in drug-selling trial
posted: 06/25/2010 5:40 a.m. Comments 3
Dan Harmon, a former prosecutor who served time in federal prison for public corruption, was acquitted Thursday of drug charges that threatened to send him to prison for the rest of his life.
Drinking, sex reports prompt inmates’ relocation
posted: 06/24/2010 5:19 a.m. Discuss
The State Department of Correction has pulled its Act 309 prisoners from the Saline County jail after an inmate got hold of a six-pack of Mike’s Hard Lemonade, a prison spokesman said Tuesday.
Malvern gas leak empties homes
posted: 06/19/2010 5:56 a.m. Discuss
A gas leak that began Thursday night at the Kohler plant on the north side of the city prompted an evacuation that threatened to keep area residents away from their homes until this morning.
‘Training kicked in’ for run at killers
posted: 06/18/2010 6:35 a.m.
Comments 5
When the “officers down” call went over the radio, Arkansas Game and Fish officer Michael K. Neal stopped his truck, put on his body armor, strapped his assault rifle to his chest and sped toward West Memphis to join the hunt for the assailants.
Fatal church beating admitted, records say
posted: 06/17/2010 5:24 a.m. Comments 5
A man has confessed to killing an elderly Cross County woman in the sanctuary of her country church earlier this month, records released Wednesday say.
Victims mourned as crash probed
posted: 06/15/2010 5:31 a.m. Discuss
Investigators on Monday probed the cause of a fatal plane crash in rural Howard County that killed four De Queen residents Sunday as those who knew the two couples mourned their deaths.
River sweeps away lives
posted: 06/12/2010 5:13 a.m.
Comments 4
While relatives and friends of missing campers prayed that the floodwaters at a southwest Arkansas campground Friday hadn’t taken their loved ones, families of 16 others found dead were already grieving.
Saline County sets sales-tax vote
posted: 06/11/2010 4:34 a.m. Comments 4
Saline County voters will decide in August whether to adopt a sales tax to pay for a proposed $60 million “fairplex.” The Saline County Quorum Court, in a close vote at Thursday’s special meeting, agreed to hold a special election to ask for a 1 percent sales tax, prompting loud applause from the packed room.
Lawsuit over polls dropped
posted: 06/11/2010 4:16 a.m. Discuss
A lawsuit against the Garland County Election Commission was dropped Thursday, a day after the commission chairman announced his resignation.
Embarrassed, election chief calls it quits
posted: 06/10/2010 4:35 a.m. Comments 2
The head of the Garland County Election Commission resigned Wednesday, saying he was ashamed of the way he bowed to pressure from a political campaign last week in the lead up to Tuesday’s runoff elections.
Voters sue over lack of Garland County polling sites
posted: 06/09/2010 5:15 a.m. Discuss
A Hot Springs attorney representing three Garland County voters has filed a lawsuit against the county’s Election Commission, claiming it violated the law when it opened only two polling places for Tuesday’s runoff election.
County looks at ‘fairplex’ tax
posted: 06/07/2010 4:48 a.m. Discuss
The Saline County Quorum Court will hold a special meeting Thursday to discuss the proposed $60 million “fairplex.” Members are set to vote on whether to send to voters a 1 percent sales-tax proposal to build the Central Arkansas Fairplex in Benton.
Saline County panel OKs tax plan for fair complex
posted: 06/04/2010 2:39 a.m. Discuss
A Saline County committee gave an initial nod Tuesday to a salestax proposal that would fund a proposed “fairplex.” The county’s Finance and Personnel Committee sent a ballot proposal to the full Quorum Court to consider at its next meeting.
Lacking U.S. aid, counties struggle on storm cleanup
posted: 05/31/2010 5:01 a.m. Discuss
With no federal aid to help after the last round of deadly tornadoes and flooding, counties are struggling to cover the cost of cleaning up.
Captured escapee charged in death
posted: 05/29/2010 4:06 a.m. Discuss
Joseph Mitchell, 38, of Hot Springs, an escaped inmate from Hot Springs, was charged Friday with seconddegree murder after a highspeed chase through southern Arkansas on Thursday ended with his girlfriend being shot to death.
UAPB senior, 22, dies after beating
posted: 05/29/2010 4:01 a.m. Discuss
An Arkansas college student was beaten to death in a Memphis gang initiation last weekend, and one man has been arrested in the case, police said Wednesday.
Verdict guilty in website vexing of son
posted: 05/28/2010 6:33 a.m.
Comments 2
A mother was convicted of a misdemeanor harassment charge Thursday for posting messages on her teenage son’s Facebook page and leaving him a series of voice-mail messages, including one calling him a “piece of s***.” Denise New, 35, will have to take parenting and anger management classes, pay fines and stay away from her son or face a month in jail.
State senator mends after wreck on I-30
posted: 05/28/2010 6:05 a.m. Discuss
A southwest Arkansas lawmaker was recovering at a hospital Thursday after clipping an 18-wheeler on Interstate 30 and crashing into a tree.
State to aid tornado victims
posted: 05/26/2010 4:54 a.m. Discuss
Gov. Mike Beebe has authorized spending $1 million to help Arkansans after the federal government denied the state’s application for assistance for the April 30 and May 1 storms, his office announced Tuesday.
Kin, friends honor fallen officers
posted: 05/24/2010 5:39 a.m.
Discuss
Some in uniform, others in tears and many still in shock, dozens of fellow lawmen, friends and relatives filed past the coffins of two fallen officers on Sunday during a visitation ceremony in this east Arkansas city.
Benton wins lawsuit over street funds
posted: 05/22/2010 4:34 a.m. Discuss
A judge announced Friday that he has found in favor of Benton in a lawsuit that claimed the city illegally used taxpayer money to attract a Harps grocery store and pay for a number of other projects.
Tennessean named Benton’s fire chief
posted: 05/21/2010 3:01 a.m. Discuss
Mayor Rick Holland announced the appointment of a new fire chief Thursday.
Lawmen told to identify Harmon drug informers
posted: 05/20/2010 5:57 a.m. Comments 4
Law enforcement officials must disclose the identities of any confidential informants who helped put prosecutorturned-convict Dan Harmon back in jail on drug charges, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Snags few with poll showing called ‘ fair’
posted: 05/19/2010 7:09 a.m.
Discuss
Election day problems Tuesday were few and far between, according to reports from election and political party officials.
JPs table vote on youth day curfew
posted: 05/18/2010 4:52 a.m. Discuss
The Saline County Quorum Court on Monday delayed taking a second vote on the latest version of a daytime curfew for youths.
Fair-complex plan pushed in Benton
posted: 05/16/2010 4:20 a.m. Discuss
A proposed “fairplex” — including a large arena, community centers, barns and pavilions — would host events as small as baby showers and as large as monster truck shows.
Ex-landfill boss admits mail fraud
posted: 05/14/2010 3:21 a.m. Discuss
A former landfill director in southwest Arkansas pleaded guilty to three federal mail-fraud charges Thursday and admitted to a decade-long scheme that cost the district $756,300.
Inmate guilty in ’09 killing
posted: 05/08/2010 4:24 a.m. Discuss
One of three men charged in a jailhouse killing last year admitted his role in the attack Friday, drawing a 20-year prison sentence.
JP Hanke quits post, admits to tampering
posted: 05/07/2010 4:14 a.m. Comments 3
A Saline County justice of the peace and prominent business owner pleaded guilty Thursday to tampering in his son’s sexual-assault case in a deal that required his resignation from office.
Man wins appeal of DWI after year
posted: 05/07/2010 4:12 a.m. Comments 2
A Hot Springs man convicted of driving while intoxicated despite a 0.00 blood-alcohol test won his appeal Thursday, a year after he and his supporters began sounding alarms about unfair treatment because of his disabilities and the company he keeps.
Jurors divided in Dunn trial
posted: 05/01/2010 5:27 a.m. Discuss
After 8 1 /2 hours of deliberation without a verdict, jurors in the capital-murder case against Gary Dunn went home Friday night with orders to return today.
Sentence is life in gunfire death of ex-girlfriend
posted: 04/24/2010 4:01 a.m. Discuss
Crystalle Jones had tried to help the man who took her life.
Shot ex-girlfriend, man tells his jury
posted: 04/23/2010 4:40 a.m. Discuss
A man on trial Thursday calmly described to a jury how he gunned down his estranged girlfriend in front of her loved ones outside the duplex the couple once shared.
Ex-boyfriend pursued, killed woman, jury told
posted: 04/22/2010 4:38 a.m. Discuss
A social worker described by friends as bright, beautiful and an advocate for abused children died at the hands of her estranged boyfriend as she was running away from him — on that much, the prosecution and defense agree.
Saline County JPs tweak curfew plan
posted: 04/21/2010 4:53 a.m. Discuss
The Saline County Quorum Court on Tuesday voted for a third time in favor of a daytime curfew for youths, but the plan won’t become law anytime soon.
Mentally ill patient shot caseworker, police say
posted: 04/20/2010 4:58 a.m. Comments 2
A mentally ill man on conditional release from the State Hospital shot and killed his case manager and wounded another man outside Hot Springs on Monday morning, authorities said.
Former legislator, trooper in Senate try
posted: 04/19/2010 5:49 a.m. Discuss
A former state representative calling for fewer “unfunded mandates” and a longtime policeman who wants to promote industry are competing for the District 27 state Senate seat.
Political rally set at old schoolhouse
posted: 04/18/2010 5:08 a.m. Discuss
A 1907 oneroom schoolhouse that burned in 2008 will again be the center of Saline County’s political world this afternoon.
Race pits 2 veteran legislators
posted: 04/17/2010 3:59 a.m. Discuss
A former lawmaker who wants to fight for rural Arkansas and a current legislative leader who touts helping usher in tax cuts are running for the District 21 state Senate seat in southwest Arkansas.
2 sisters accused in lottery scheme
posted: 04/16/2010 3:37 a.m. Discuss
Two elderly sisters are accused of stealing lottery tickets, collecting the bogus winnings and taking other merchandise from a store where they worked.
Parolee is jailed in child-porn case
posted: 04/15/2010 4:48 a.m. Comment 1
A man on parole in Faulkner County after killing a baby boy in 1992 is back in jail after investigators say they caught him with child pornography.
3 to stay on Benton panel despite role in secret votes
posted: 04/13/2010 4:50 a.m. Discuss
Three members of Benton’s Civil Service Commission kept their positions Monday despite taking part in secret votes in violation of the state’s Freedom of Information Act.
3 Democrats from Hope tout credentials for prosecutor job
posted: 04/11/2010 3:23 a.m. Discuss
Three lawyers from Hope are vying to be the next prosecuting attorney for the 8th Judicial District-North.
Deputy prosecutor, defender vie for job
posted: 04/11/2010 3:22 a.m. Discuss
A current deputy prosecutor and a criminal defense lawyer who once tried dozens of cases in northeast Arkansas are vying to be the next prosecuting attorney for the 2nd Judicial District.
2 in prosecutor race at odds on experience
posted: 04/11/2010 3:20 a.m. Discuss
The longtime prosecuting attorney in northern Arkansas’ 16th Judicial District faces a primary challenger.
2 Texarkana lawyers seek prosecutor job
posted: 04/11/2010 3:14 a.m. Discuss
A career prosecutor and a city attorney in Texarkana are seeking to become the next prosecuting attorney for the 8th Judicial District-South.
