State briefs

Health fair today at West Shores

West Shores Senior Living, 2607 Albert Pike, will host its annual health fair from 9 a.m. to noon today.

Health care providers, including vision and hearing specialists, pharmacists, and representatives from the American Cancer Society and a Parkinson’s organization will be available to answer questions.

Call Carole Lacey at 767-1200 or email clacey@capitalseniorliving.net for more information.

CASA Spa Con Fun Run to close part of Convention

Convention Boulevard, between Malvern Avenue and Vine Street, will be closed from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday for the CASA Spa Con Superhero Fun Run.

Signs will be posted, and motorists will need to seek an alternate route during street closure.

Little Rock stadium gets $60K for metal detectors

LITTLE ROCK — More than

$60,000 will be spent on upgrading security at a Little Rock stadium after thousands of attendees fled the stands during a high school football game amid false rumors of gunfire.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson recently authorized the discretionary funds to install 18 metal detectors at the War Memorial Stadium, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.

“This will speed up the time it takes to enter the stadium while maintaining the highest level of security,” said Kane Webb, executive director of the state’s Parks and Tourism Department. The department has managed the facility since 2016.

Webb said the stadium will also ban loitering in the concourse and implement a clear bag policy following the Aug.

25 incident , which is still under investigation.

The stampede out of the stadium hospitalized five people, according to authorities. Police said there was no gunfire and that people likely heard falling metal barricades or a stun gun. The cause of the incident remains unclear, Webb said.

“To be in the middle of that was pretty disturbing,” he said.

Webb is hopeful the metal detectors will be installed before the Arkansas Razorbacks play the Ole Miss Rebels on Oct. 13.

The Southeastern Conference had announced earlier this year a new requirement for school venues to install metal detectors by the fall of 2020.

“This is standard operating procedure,” said Meg Matthews, the parks department’s spokeswoman. “What we are doing is part of a national trend.”

Bryant student arrested for attempted campus slaying

BRYANT — Police in central Arkansas say an 18-year-old high school student has been arrest-

ed for trying to kill a classmate in the parking lot of Bryant High School.

Police Sgt. Todd Crowson says the 18-year-old male was questioned and arrested Tuesday after being seen on video grabbing and choking a 17-year-old girl until she fell to the ground.

School officials then arrived and the girl was taken for medical treatment. Her condition was not released.

Crowson said the 18-year-old is being held on an attempted murder warrant. Court records do not show that formal charges have been filed.

Officials charge 31 in multi-state drug bust

LITTLE ROCK — Authorities in Arkansas say 31 people have been charged with federal drug, firearms and money laundering offenses in a multi-state drug bust.

Little Rock federal prosecutor Cody Hiland and Drug Enforcement Administration agent Justin King said Thursday that 23 people were arrested and eight more were fugitives in the drug operation which spanned from Arkansas to California.

The charges allege the defendants shipped methamphetamine, marijuana and oxycodone from California, primarily by mail. Agents also seized the psychoactive drug ecstasy, firearms and more than $25,000 in cash.

Officials say suspect Eric Baldwin of Little Rock allegedly led the operation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Givens says Baldwin was arrested in 2012 in another prescription drug bust but was released in early 2016. Baldwin is in federal custody for violating his supervised release.