Ronald McDonald House announces expansion into Jonesboro

JONESBORO — A nationally- known facility that helps families with critically ill children will soon have a presence in Jonesboro, with officials saying it will provide support for those who need it the most.

Officials with RMHC-Memphis announced late Tuesday its expansion to Jonesboro, working in partnership with St. Bernards Healthcare and Hunt Properties.

“By extending the mission of keeping children near the care they need with the family they love to Jonesboro, even more families in need will have a place of comfort, care and community close to their child’s medical treatment,” officials said in a media release.

While specific details on the expansion, including location and construction were not released, officials said they are being developed and updates will be given to the Jonesboro community on the project.

However, RHMC officials said the Jonesboro expansion will be similar to one that is set to open in Jackson, Tenn.

The Jackson, Tenn. location will provide support for up to 20 families and will be located in a Hyatt Place Hotel, officials said.

The Jackson hotel is under construction and is set to open this year.

Officials also said the goal of the Jonesboro facility will be to create a space where families can find a respite and the resources they need in their time of need.

In discussing the project, both Ronald McDonald House Charities and hospital officials said they are appreciative of the opportunity to help area families.

“We are thrilled to partner with St. Bernards Healthcare and Hunt Properties to bring

See STATE, page A3 STATE

From page A2

the mission of RMHC to Northeast Arkansas,” RMHCMemphis executive director Jill Crocker said. “This expansion allows us to further our commitment to familycentered care, and enhance the support we provide to patients and their families during difficult times.”

“As a provider to critically ill babies in our community, St.

Bernards sees what an amazing gift Ronald McDonald House Charities is to the families we serve,” St. Bernards Women’s & Children’s Nursing Director Dana Lands said. “We are incredibly thankful for them and honored they chose to make Jonesboro their home, too.”

***

Man faces drug, weapons charges after traffic stop

JONESBORO — A Jonesboro man faces a potentially long prison sentence after a judge found probable cause to charge him with simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms.

Kendrayle Demarcus Woods, 24, was ordered held in lieu of $150,000 bond after also finding probable cause to charge him with possession of marijuana with the purpose to deliver.

Police reported finding 24.26 grams (0.8 ounces) of marijuana in the floorboard of his car, which had been stopped for driving left of center.

Typically, possession of less than four ounces of marijuana is a misdemeanor. However, Craighead County District Judge David Boling said the fact that Woods was also in possession of a loaded pistol and more than $1,000 in cash gives authorities reason to believe he was selling the drug.

***

'Cold case wall' at White

County Sheriff's Office illustrates need for evidence to be 'handled appropriately'

SEARCY — Amanda Rodriguez of Beebe applied to participate in the inaugural White County Sheriff's Office Citizens Law Enforcement Academy because her aunt 'was unfortunately murdered in a hit and run' a decade ago. “I actually have a passion for criminal justice,' Rodriguez said Monday after the Week 4 session. 'It all started with the death of my aunt in 2015.

'… When she officially passed, the whole trial ended because the officers that were working the case actually muddled around with the evidence and they recorded the video of her getting hit and unfortunately, ruined the whole … . And ever since then, I’ve been trying to find a sense of justice.'

Rodriguez said her aunt died in Texas and Rodriguez's mom actually worked for the county when Rodriguez lived there. She wrote arraignments and worked for the judges.

“I had an interest in it when I was little and I was helping,' Rodriguez said. 'My mom’s doing it. I think I’d want to do

See STATE, page A10 STATE

From page A3

it, too.

' … I have several ideas of what I want to do, specifically there’s one for forensic anthropology. I would love to investigate the deaths of people and find out if they were murdered or if it was a suicide. Not a lot of people can say they like looking at dead things.”

Rodriguez said she found out about the 10-week academy through the White County 911 Dispatch Facebook page. She is one of five participants in it.

On Monday, she and the other participants got to learn more about the sheriff's office's 'cold case wall.'

'Every single case up there or [expletive] near every case up on that wall should have or could have been solved,' said Detective Sgt. Josh Biviano, who is leading the academy.

'In fact, I can think of one case that Detective [Sidney] Marini is working on, has been working on extremely hard over the last couple of years, absolutely should have been solved if the evidence was handled appropriately on scene and submitted correctly and logged correctly.

'If all of that had happened, that murder would have been solved a long time ago to be honest with you. It is actually a very big deal. That is a huge deal for us.'

Those who participated in the Week 4 session also got to hear from two detectives, Cpl. Misty Goss and Marini, about domestic violence cases and Investigator Paul McIntosch about street crimes.

According to Biviano, the sheriff's office has a total of 10 detectives. There are three investigators in street crimes, three in domestic violence/crimes against children unit and three in the major crimes unit.

Lt. Jordan Tucker, who is over the Criminal Investigation Division, told the participants that when it comes to detectives, the ones in White County are “hands down the

See STATE, page A20

PMG photo

PMG photo STATE

From page A10

best you’re going to find. As a group, they are second to none. I would put them up against anybody in Little Rock, any of these big agencies; they are by far the best.'

Tucker said he has been in law enforcement “just over 20 years. I started in Searcy in 2003, came over here in 2008, worked drugs for 10 years, patrol 10 [years], now with CID. By far these guys are the best of the best, they really are. When it comes time to solve a crime, these guys are serious about it. I’m super proud of them and couldn’t ask for a better team.”

For almost his entire career, Biviano has been in investigations, he said. Out of his 11 years in law enforcement, 10 have been spent as an investigator. He added that the employees of the sheriff's office are his family, with him probably spending more time with them than he spends with his family. “Most of us have worked together for years at this point,” he said.

The Citizens Law Enforcement Academy was started to give selected residents “a behind- the-scenes look” at the criminal justice system, according to Biviano. It is being paid for by a $300,000 federal Small and Rural Department Violent Crime Reduction Grant awarded to the sheriff's office in 2023.

He had previously said that between 10 and 15 applicants would be chosen to participate, depending on the amount of applications received.

Biviano said the theme with these academies is “understanding through education. It kind of gives the public a chance to kind of understand our perspective as law enforcement with our ability to kind of educate them on our daily lives, our daily operations. But we also want to create that avenue of communication so they can also share with us any concerns and any ideas that they may have for policing in the communities.”

Upon completion of the academy, the participants will get a certificate of recognition and will become sheriff’s office ambassadors in their communities.