Stage Digest
Phone scammers impersonating police
FORT SMITH (AP) — The Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office says there have been several reports in recent days of residents receiving phone calls from someone impersonating a law enforcement officer.
The department said Tuesday that the impersonators say they are representing the sheriff’s office and have a warrant for the person answering the phone or a member of that person’s family. The caller then gives instructions on providing a money order to prevent the warrant from being served.
The sheriff’s office says any payment for warrants or fines is handled through the court system and that officers will never ask for money or money orders.
The office says it has received no reports of anyone providing money to the would-be scam artists.
Parolee declared fit to stand trial for murder
LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A man accused of fatally shooting an 18-year-old last year was declared fit for trial this week after submitting to a mental evaluation.
Darrell Dennis’ court-appointed attorney said during a court appearance that Dennis can stand trial, adding that he will not challenge the finding. Dennis is charged in the May 2013 kidnapping, robbery and shooting death of Forrest Abrams in Little Rock.
Prosecutors had asked for the mental exam earlier this year, after Dennis asked to represent himself at a trial scheduled for September.
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza ordered the test after the prosecution noted an unrelated, pending case. The conviction in that case may be tossed, because a judge didn’t follow the required procedures before declining a defendant’s request to represent himself.
Arkansas AG announces settlement with charity
LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has announced the settlement of a lawsuit he filed against the New Jersey-based National Police Defense Foundation.
McDaniel said Tuesday that the NPDF agreed to pay $120,000 restitution to consumers and to stop professional fundraising activities in Arkansas.
A phone call to the foundation was not immediately returned.
McDaniel filed the lawsuit in July 2013 alleging that the NPDF misled Arkansas donors into believing their contributions benefited Arkansas emergency responders. McDaniel says the foundation hired another company to solicit donations and that about $231,000 was raised with just $500 going to charity.
McDaniel says the company hired for the solicitation was paid more than $171,000 for its services.
AHTD looking to pave
last gravel highway
LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas highway officials say they want to pave the state’s last gravel highway.
Highway department spokesman Randy Ort tells The Arkansas DemocratGazette there’s about 8 miles of gravel road from Crawford County into Washington County. He says the road, which is called Arkansas 220, is the only unpaved state highway.
The department estimates it will cost between $12 million and $14 million for the project. Ort says the department has received a $4 million grant from the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Forest Service this year. The Transportation Department will match the grant with $1 million. Ort says results from an environmental study are needed before the department begins paving the road. He says there are three endangered species of bat that are located in the region.
House OKs move to rename post office
PERRYVILLE ( AP) — The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a resolution renaming a Perryville post office in honor of the first American prisoner of war executed during the Vietnam War.
The House passed the measure Monday to name the facility the Harold George Bennett Post Office. The resolution was sponsored by Arkansas U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin and co-sponsored by the three other members of Arkansas’ House delegation.
Bennett was born in Thornburg in 1940 and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1957 after graduating from Perryville High School. In 1964, Bennett volunteered to serve in South Vietnam as a special forces adviser.