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TOP STORIES:

SCHOOL TAKEOVER-ARKANSAS

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — State officials on Thursday took over the financially struggling Mineral Springs School District, dissolving the southwest Arkansas district’s board as it faces a budget shortfall. The takeover of the 449-student district came a little over six months after the state Board of Education classified Mineral Springs as fiscally distressed after officials said it would end the current fiscal year with a $131,616 deficit. State Education officials told the district about the takeover earlier Thursday.

GRANDFATHER MUTILATED

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a new trial for a North Little Rock man convicted in the bludgeoning death of his grandfather, ruling that a judge didn’t properly instruct jurors on how to consider a lesser manslaughter charge. Justices reversed Sean Fincham’s first-degree murder conviction in the January 2011 killing of his 65-year-old grandfather, Dennie Gregory. Fincham testified that he took a hammer from his grandfather during a confrontation and hit him with it.

GAS DRILLING-WATER POLLUTION

PITTSBURGH — Hydraulic fracturing for natural gas hasn’t contaminated drinking water wells in Arkansas, according to a new study, but researchers said the geology there may be more of a natural barrier to pollution than in other areas where shale gas drilling takes place. The most passionate critics and supporters of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, often describe the process in extremes, suggesting it is either inherently dangerous for the environment or that it poses virtually no risk at all. But Avner Vengosh, a Duke University professor of geochemistry and water quality, said making generalizations about fracking in Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Colorado doesn’t make scientific sense. By Kevin Begos.

EARNS-WAL-MART

NEW YORK — The first few months of the year were tough for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The world’s largest retailer reported Thursday that its first-quarter profit edged up just slightly, and the company struggled with a sales slump in its namesake business during the three-month period. The discounter also offered a quarterly profit outlook that came below Wall Street’s projections. Its stock fell on the news. By Retail Writer Anne D’innocenzio.

AP Photo NYBZ162.

JAIL WOES

HELENA-WEST HELENA, Ark. — The Phillips County Quorum Court has delayed a hearing to discuss the county’s closed jail after hearing a presentation on financing options. The 75-bed jail. built in 1989, was closed in April after inspectors from the Criminal Detention Facilities Review Committee found it unsafe and a threat to public safety due to sewage overflowing into cells; broken locks; a lack of policies; a failure to put jailers through a basic training course; a lack of medical aid at the jail; a sprinkler system that had been shut off at the main valve; and a lack of smoke detectors, fire alarms or written evacuation plans.

BATHHOUSE LEASE

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — A nonprofit group has withdrawn its proposal to convert the Hale Bath House into a cultural arts center in downtown Hot Springs. The Muses Creative Artistry Project said it pulled its plan because it was unable to raise enough money for the project, president and founder Deleen Davidson told the Sentinel-Record (http://bit.ly/13ofH2o ).

ALSO:

— GUNS ON CAMPUS-OPTING OUT — Harding University opts out of concealed-carry law.

— TEXARKANA STABBING — Texarkana woman sentenced to 20 years for stabbing.

— GAME AND FISH-LEASE — Arkansas Game and Fish Commission leases land.

— ARKANSAS SNAIL DELISTED-AWARD — Team honored for delisting of Arkansas snail.

— OUACHITA RIVER-DROWNING — Camden fisherman drowns in Ouachita River.

— HIGHWAY OFFICES MOVING — Highway department moving district HQ to Barling.

— SMALL TOWN AWARDS — Ark. city on list of award-winners.

— OBIT-CORKY’S BAR-B-Q FOUNDER — Don Pelts, founder of Corky’s, dies in Memphis.

IN SPORTS:

— NORMAN REGIONAL — NCAA Softball regional in Norman to start.

— BOXELL RESIGNATION — U. of Ozarks basketball coach Boxell resigns.

The AP, Little Rock