Jill Bleed is the supervisor for Arkansas, followed by Chuck Bartels. 501-225-3668 or 405-525-2121.
Editors: Also note that political copy, including state political copy, is now moving under the Politics/Government category and is no longer moving under the General News category.
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TOP STORIES:
MEDICAID-ARKANSAS
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The state Department of Human Services is preparing to overhaul the way it investigates fraud and waste complaints within its Medicaid program. Starting July 1, a separate Office of Inspector General will review the state’s Medicaid program. The new office was one of several Medicaid reform measures approved in conjunction with a plan to expand health insurance in the state. By Andrew DeMillo.
LITTLE ROCK MARRIOTT
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Downtown Little Rock is losing its ducks, but it’s gaining some international recognition with the changeover of the Peabody hotel to a full-service Marriott. The Peabody, modeled after its namesake in Memphis, Tenn., has featured ducks swimming in a fountain and enjoyed a popular resonance in the region since it took over the city-owned property in 2002. By Chuck Bartels.
GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS-REFUGES
NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will hold five public meetings around the South in June to hear what people think about using genetically modified crops on refuges to provide food for ducks, geese and other migrating waterfowl. Under cooperative agreements with the agency, farmers harvest part of the crops they grow on about 44,000 acres scattered in various refuges — about 1 percent of the land in 138 refuges in a district covering 10 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
ALSO:
— CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION-EXTORTION PLEA — Former east Arkansas probation officer pleads guilty to extortion in Delta Blues investigation
— PEABODY DUCKS-FAREWELL — Last march for Peabody ducks in Little Rock, hotel converting to Marriott chain
— MISSING TULSA WOMAN — Authorities in western Arkansas are searching for the remains of a Tulsa woman who has been missing for more than 35 years.
— SCHOOL BUS WRECK — Authorities say at least five students from the Batesville area were injured when two school buses collided in North Little Rock.
— PARKS DIRECTOR CHARGED — Prosecutors have filed two additional theft charges against a former parks director in De Queen accused of stealing money from a regional softball program.
— DYESS FIRES — State and federal investigators are looking into a string of fires that have destroyed homes in Johnny Cash’s hometown of Dyess.
The AP-Little Rock
