Read Across America stresses the need for literacy as a foundation for learning

Arkansas bill would prevent domestic abusers from owning guns

LITTLE ROCK — An Arkansas bill would prevent a person convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence from owning a gun.

House Bill 1655, filed by Rep.

Nicole Clowney, D-Fayetteville, would also require a court to forward records of the conviction to the Arkansas Crime Information Center. The center would then send a copy of those records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

Under this proposal, a misdemeanor offense involving domestic violence includes the use or attempted use of physical force or the threatened use of a deadly weapon.

Arkansas law already prohibits felons from owning a gun regardless of the nature of the felony.

***

DFA: Government shutdown to blame for revenue dip

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas’ finance office says the federal government shutdown is partly to blame after the state’s revenue fell below forecast last month.

The Department of Finance and Administration said Monday the state’s net available revenue in February totaled $321.5 million.

That’s $8.1 million above the same month last year but $9 million below forecast. The state’s net revenue so far for the fiscal year that began July 1 totaled $3.7 billion, which is $5.1 million below forecast.

The department says individual income tax collections withholding receipts that are partly attributable to the shutdown that ended in late January. Individual income tax collections in February were above the same month last year but below forecast. February sales tax collections were below the same month last year and below forecast.

***

Lonoke County man arrested for 7th DWI

MORGAN — The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office arrested an Austin man for his seventh DWI (driving while under the influence) Sunday morning.

Officials confirm a majority of these DWIs have taken place in central Arkansas over the past decade.

Deputies charged 34-yearold Angus Lee Murray with a slew of charges including DWI, aggravated assault, driving with a suspended license and careless driving.

The incident began at a Valero gas station in Morgan at 6:09 a.m.

A deputy pulled up to a vehicle to the smell of alcohol and sight of Murray slumped over inside. A bottle of Evans Williams was also discovered in the seat.

Once contact was made, Murray zoomed off along MacArthur Drive and made his way through Marche Road across the train tracks, eventually making his way to a residential area on Firestone Lane. Deputies pursued Murray, who eventually got stuck in the mud. That’s when deputies approached the vehicle on foot with guns drawn.

Murray appeared to be sleeping as law enforcement commanded him to turn off the engine and exit the vehicle. One of the deputies attempted to open the drivers and passenger doors but was unsuccessful. Murray proceeded to accelerate with the rear of the vehicle nearly hitting the deputies.

Murray slammed into a tree and fled on foot but he didn’t last long.

Deputies arrested Murray after he recovered from falling into a hole.

For Kenneth Hepp, this incident comes as a surprise since it happened in his backyard.

“I think it’s crazy. I don’t know how somebody with that kind of problem could continue to be driving,” Hepp said.

Murray refused chemical testing and his bond is set at $100,000.