State briefs

Arrest made in fatal shooting of toddler

LITTLE ROCK — Police say a teenage boy has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a 2-year-old Little Rock girl last year.

Little Rock Police Lt. Steve McClanahan told reporters that the 17-year-old was arrested Tuesday afternoon on a capital murder warrant in the death of Ramiya Reed. The suspect also faces six counts of second-degree unlawful discharge of a firearm from a vehicle.

Police say Ramiya was riding in a vehicle with her mother and others on Nov. 22, when she was struck by gunshots fired into their vehicle.

McClanahan said a second suspect is still being sought.

The city initially offered a $20,000 reward for information in the case and recently increased it to $50,000, but McClanahan said it isn’t clear if the reward will be paid.

Man shot in head with arrow; police seek suspect

CHESTER — Authorities say an Arkansas man is expected to recover after he was shot in the head with an arrow.

Crawford County Sheriff Ron Brown says 41-year-old Raymond Holson told authorities that he drove himself home early Monday after he was struck by the arrow, then called 911. Brown says Holson is in good condition at a Fayetteville hospital after doctors removed the arrow.

Brown tells the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that the arrow pierced the back of Holson’s head but did not penetrate the skull. The shooting happened in Chester, about 125 miles northwest of Little Rock.

Police are still searching for the man accused of shooting Holson with the arrow. The sheriff says the shooting happened after the men argued over some property.

Board OKs ‘productivity index’ for public colleges

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board is giving initial approval to part of a new system on how the state’s public universities and colleges are funded.

The board gave first approval Monday to metrics that will create a “productivity index” for colleges and universities in the state. Officials will use that index to track progress from year-to-year and determine whether an institution will get more, less, or the same amount of funding each year.

This year, state lawmakers adopted Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s plan to link state funding for colleges and universities to student success, not enrollment. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette the Higher Education Department will recommend in July how to distribute funding for the 2018-2019 academic year based on the new methods.

Corruption trial delayed for ex-lawmaker, others

FAYETTEVILLE — The trial of a former Arkansas state senator and two others on corruption charges is being delayed.

The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that a federal judge in Fayetteville on Tuesday postponed the trial of Republican former Sen. Jon Woods, Ecclesia College President Oren Paris III and consultant Randell Shelton Jr. until Dec. 4. Prosecutors say the investigation continues and more indictments are expected.

The judge also rejected Paris’ request that he be tried separately in the case.

The three allegedly took part in a scheme in which prosecutors say Woods directed state money to the college in return for kickbacks.

Each of the three has pleaded not guilty.

Republican former state Rep. Micah Neal pleaded guilty in January to four counts of fraud related to the case.