The state/region in brief
Posted on Friday, July 18, 2008
Comments invited on beltway project Comments on a proposed western beltway are being accepted by the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission. The comment period, which runs through July 28, is required to secure federal funds for a feasibility study of the proposed highway intended to alleviate pressure from Interstate 540. Written comments can be submitted to the commission at 1311 Clayton St., Springdale, Ark. 72762. The project must be added to the transportation improvement program for the area before it can receive the $ 656, 600 in federal money earmarked for a feasibility study. The group still will have to secure $ 164, 150 in matching funds. The beltway was identified in the 2030 Northwest Arkansas Regional Transportation Plan. It would pass through western Benton and Washington counties and connect to I-540 at Bella Vista and Greenland. Details of the project are available from the commission at (479 ) 751-7125 or online at www. nwarpc. com.
— ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT GAZETTE West Nile reported in central Arkansas Two central Arkansas residents have contracted West Nile virus so far this year, the Arkansas Department of Health announced Wednesday.
Department officials said they have also confirmed one case of another mosquito-borne illness, St. Louis encephalitis, also in central Arkansas.
The department is testing mosquitos and wild birds statewide, and people are asked to bring dead birds to their local health units.
“Our surveillance efforts across the state depend heavily on help from the public,” said James Phillips, director of the Health Department’s infectious disease branch. “We need for folks to send us dead blue jays, robins, crows, hawks and owls that they find on their property so that we can test them for presence of West Nile virus.” Arkansas had 20 human cases of illness and one death linked to West Nile virus in 2007, and 29 reports of illness and four deaths in 2006.
West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis are transmitted to humans, horses and other animals by mosquitos who have fed on diseased birds.
More information is available online at www. healthyarkansas. com — ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Wal-Mart workers accused of forgery Sherwood police arrested two Wal-Mart employees earlier this week on forgery and theft charges in a scheme that investigators say cost the retailer more than $ 30, 000.
The names of the employees, a 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl, weren’t released because they were charged as juveniles.
The girls worked at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Sherwood, and the company is assisting in the investigation.
Sherwood police spokesman Lt. Cheryl Williams said the girls would pretend that the machine that immediately processes checks was faulty and then hang onto a customer’s check.
Customers later would learn that the amount charged to the checking accounts were larger than the customer expected.
“At other times, they [the suspects ] would go get a basket of items from the store and then take it to the return desk, where they received money for the items,” Williams said.
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