State briefs

Damage assessment of roadways begins

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department says officials are in the process of assessing damage to roadways caused by recent severe storms.

Department spokesman Danny Straessle says the most significant road damage is on Arkansas 304 about 3 miles east of Pocahontas in Randolph County in northeast Arkansas.

Straessle says work has begun on several roadways to repair storm damage, but the cost of repairs has not yet been determined.

Parts of Randolph County have been dealing with significant flooding due to recent severe storms that also brought tornadoes to the state. Nine deaths in Arkansas have been linked to the storms and flooding.

A report released by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture puts preliminary crop flood damage at $64.5 million.

Sixteen lawmakers named to panel studying tax cuts

LITTLE ROC — Ten Republicans and six Democrats have been named to serve on a legislative task force that will

recommend tax cuts before the 2019 session.

House Speaker Jeremy Gillam and Senate President Jonathan Dismang on Monday named their appointees to the Tax Reform and Relief Legislative Task Force, created as part of a $50 million income tax cut plan approved by lawmakers this year.

The Senate’s Republican members are Sens. Bart Hester, Missy Irvin, Dave Wallace, Dismang and Senate Majority Leader Jim Hendren. Its Democratic members are Senate Minority Leader Keith Ingram, Sen. Joyce Elliott and Sen. Larry Teague.

The House Republican members are Reps. Joe Jett, Frances Cavenaugh, Jim Dotson, Lane Jean and House Majority Leader Mathew Pitsch. Its Democratic members are Reps. Bob Johnson, Warwick Sabin and Kenneth Ferguson.

Reward increased to $50K in child’s shooting death

LITTLE ROCK — A reward for information leading to an arrest for the fatal shooting of a 2-year-old Little Rock girl has been increased to $50,000.

The city of Little Rock announced Saturday that the reward had been raised by $10,000 for information in the Nov. 22 death of Ramiya Reed. It had been initially set at $20,000 and then doubled in December.

Police say Ramiya was riding in a vehicle with her mother and others when someone fired shots into the vehicle. No suspects have been identified.

The girl’s death was one of two fatal shootings of toddlers within a month in Little Rock.

Authorities say 3-year-old Acen King was fatally shot in a Dec. 17 road-rage incident.