Construction worker, 71, claims $177M jackpot
LITTLE ROCK — A 71-yearold construction worker from Texas is the winner of the largest lottery jackpot ticket ever sold in Arkansas.
Arkansas Scholarship Lottery officials say 71-year-old Eliberto Cantu of Lubbock, Texas, purchased the winning ticket in a Mega Millions drawing worth $177 million. Cantu bought the ticket March 30 in Stuttgart, about 55 miles west of Little Rock.
Wearing a black cowboy hat and sunglasses, Cantu held up a giant prize check on Monday with his wife, Anita. A lottery
spokesman says Cantu opted for a lump sum payout of $72 million.
Cantu is a regular lottery player who says he plans to use the prize money to do some traveling, as well as level and rebuild his home church.
State lawmaker won’t try to override picketing veto
LITTLE ROCK — An Arkansas senator says he won’t try to override the governor’s veto of his bill that would’ve criminalized mass picketing.
Under Republican Sen. Trent Garner’s bill, penalties of up to a year in jail and a fine of $2,500 would be assessed for interfering with people getting to work or blocking access to homes and public roadways while demonstrating.
Garner says he wants to discuss the bill with other lawmakers and the governor’s office to come up with something that satisfies everyone.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson says the bill’s goal of ensuring public safety is admirable, but that the measure’s vague language could affect constitutional rights to free speech and assemble. American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas had urged Hutchinson to veto the bill over concerns of constitutional violations.
Chinese pet food company to bring 70 jobs to Arkansas
DANVILLE — A Chinese company that makes food for pets has announced plans to open in Arkansas and bring 70 jobs to the state.
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission announced Monday that Pet Won Pet Products will locate in Danville in a plant formerly occupied by Petit Jean Poultry.
The company plans to spend about $5 million on the building before production is scheduled to begin in June.
Pet Won Pet Products produces pet treats that are made from poultry. The company plans to use deboned chicken to make the product at the Danville plant.
Man fatally shot by officer was from Indiana
WEST MEMPHIS — A man fatally shot by an Arkansas police officer has been identified as an Indiana man.
Arkansas State Police said Monday that 33-year-old Olugbalah Ridley of Indianapolis was killed by a West Memphis officer who was responding to reports of a robbery at a motel.
Police say Ridley brandished a gun when officers approached him and police opened fire. Ridley was pronounced dead at the scene.
No police officers were wounded. The officers’ names have not been released.
State police say West Memphis police asked for assistance in investigating the shooting.
Little Rock pushes sales tax law for online retailers
LITTLE ROCK — Lawmakers must pass a bill in order for the city to sue online retailers over sales tax collection, a Little Rock official said.
The Arkansas Legislature tried to pass a bill this year that would’ve required larger online retailers to collect local and state sales taxes and remit those collections back to Arkansas, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. The bill passed the Senate but failed to pass the House.
City directors Dean Kumpuris and Lance Hines are proposing a measure that wouldn’t require online retailers to collect local sales taxes. Instead, the retailers would be required to send customer information to Arkansas so its cities could attempt to collect the taxes.
Arkansas residents are required turn in a form on their purchases at the end of the year and pay any sales taxes due on those items. However, the state can’t enforce the collection without knowing who buys from where.
Kumpuris suggested that if Little Rock were to pass the measure, it would encourage every other municipality in the state to pass similar resolutions.