UA plans ‘celebration of life’ on Saturday for Broyles

FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas says a “celebration of life” will be held in Fayetteville on Saturday for Frank Broyles, who died Monday at the age of 92.

UA says the celebration will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bud Walton Arena.

Broyles became the school’s athletic director in 1974 while still the football coach, eventually retiring from the gridiron to focus on administrative duties following the 1976 season.

He retired as athletic director in 2007, moving into a fundraising role with the school’s Razorback Foundation until his retirement from that role in 2014.

Remembrances poured in Monday following news of Broyles’ death. Former President Bill Clinton says Broyles was “a leader of character, intelligence and determination,” while Gov. Asa Hutchinson called Broyles “an Arkansas treasure.”

Violent rally prompts debate of Confederate statue

BENTONVILLE — Residents in northwest Arkansas are debating whether a Confederate statue should be removed after a white nationalist rally turned violent last week in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Bentonville Mayor Bob McCaslin tells the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he’s received numerous calls in support of the statue, but also a formal petition to have it removed. He says the city isn’t responsible for the statue.

County attorney George Spence says the statue is most likely owned by Benton County as a “donation.” But he says there may be restrictions on what the county can do with it.

The Confederate statue honoring Second Lt. James Berry is located in the city’s downtown square.

On Sunday, more than 100 people gathered around the statue for the Stand in Solidarity with Charlottesville rally.

First West Nile virus cases of 2017 identified in Ark.

LITTLE ROCK — Health officials say two cases of West Nile virus were identified last week in Arkansas, marking the first time this year that the illness has been confirmed in the state.

The Arkansas Department of Health says most people are infected with the virus from June through September, with the number of infections peaking in mid-August. The illness is transmitted to people by infected mosquitoes.

Health officials say the best way to prevent the disease is to avoid mosquito bites by using insect repellants and wearing long sleeves, pants and socks when outdoors.

According to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 159 cases of the illness have been reported so far this year. Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas have the highest number of confirmed and probable cases.

Panel approves raising hazard pay at 4 prisons

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas lawmakers have given initial approval to raising hazard pay for hundreds of officers and employees at four state prisons.

A legislative subcommittee on Tuesday approved raising the hazard pay at the Cummins, East Arkansas, Varner and Varner Supermax facilities from 6 percent to 10 percent. The panel also approved raising the additional hazardous duty pay that some employees receive for working in those facilities’ highest security areas by the same amount.

The department says the increases were targeted at facilities with the highest vacancy rates. The proposal doesn’t include a hazard pay bump for employees at the Maximum Security Unit in Tucker, which has had two high-profile disturbances recently.

The department’s director says the $1.4 million needed to fund the increase will come from savings from those vacancies.