AG’s office warns about phone hang- up scam
LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas attorney general’s office is warning consumers about a phone scam that’s geared to get people to make calls that result in exorbitant charges.
The office said Wednesday that the scam works by an automatic dialer ringing consumers’ phones, with the hope that they’ll be curious enough to dial the number from the missed call. Returning the call can result in high fees, as when calling a 900 number.
Attorney General Dustin McDaniel says the numbers on caller ID have three- digit area codes, so they appear to be from the United States. But the calls generally originate from countries in the Caribbean.
McDaniel says the purpose of the calls is “taking money from unsuspecting victims.”
Crystal Bridges acquires Koons’ ‘ Hanging Heart’
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BENTONVILLE — Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has acquired “Hanging Heart ( Gold/ Magenta) by renowned American sculptor Jeff Koons.
The museum in northwest Arkansas announced the acquisition Thursday and said the sculpture is on display just in time for Valentine’s Day. The 3,000- pound sculpture of a bright gold heart is more than 9 ½ feet wide and is adorned with a magenta, stainless steel ribbon.
The sculpture is suspended from the ceiling of one of the museum’s glass- walled bridges.
The piece is one of five unique versions created by Koons, each with a different transparent color coating. It was the only one retained by the artist until Koons sold it directly to Crystal Bridges in 2013.
The purchase price wasn’t disclosed. Another version of “Hanging Heart” sold in 2007 for $ 23.6 million.
Aspiration killed LR Zoo’s giraffe after attack
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LITTLE ROCK — A 13- yearold giraffe that died at the Little Rock Zoo last year aspirated to death after it was attacked by another giraffe, according to preliminary necropsy results.
Zoo officials said Wednesday that 13- year- old Jigsaw died from aspiration pneumonia — or an inflammation of the lungs caused by inhaling and then choking on fluids or food. Jigsaw died Dec. 29 after getting into a fight with another giraffe, an 8- year- old named Mesi.
Mesi broke through a large metal dividing gate and sparred with Jigsaw until the older giraffe fell, according to the zoo.
“The preliminary necropsy was done immediately following Jigsaw’s death and showed that he aspirated,” zoo spokeswoman Susan Altrui said. “However, the aspiration happened as a direct result of the altercation with Mesi. . Jigsaw fell to the ground and was in a lateral position and could not get up. This caused the contents of his stomach to carry into his lungs, which caused the aspiration. He would not have been on his side had it not been for the altercation with Mesi.”
The zoo had placed the $ 30,000 dividing gate in the giraffe barn after Mesi began showing aggression toward Jigsaw, the Arkansas Democrat- Gazette reported Thursday. Altrui said an investigative report is being written up on how Mesi broke through the gate.
Jigsaw was born at the Little Rock Zoo with a blood infection and was hand- raised by the zoo staff in the first months of his life. While he had had health issues over the years, he was considered in good health before the fight.
The zoo saw the deaths of three other large animals in 2013: a 20- year- old lion died of liver cancer, a 62- year- old elephant was euthanized after being found on her side and a 33- year- old black rhino died of gastrointestinal illness.
Greene Co. sheriff: 2 children found dead in fire
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PARAGOULD — Authorities are investigating after two children were found dead in a house fire in Greene County.
Sheriff Dan Langston says the fire happened Wednesday morning at a home near the Craighead and Greene county line. Langston says a boy and a girl were found dead after the fire, but the children’s names and ages haven’t been released.
Jonesboro television station KAIT reports that authorities are investigating the cause of the fire. The victims’ bodies have been sent to the state medical examiner for autopsies.