Arkansas STATE

Walmart raises minimum age for tobacco purchases to 21

BENTONVILLE Walmart said Wednesday that it will raise the minimum age to buy tobacco products and e-cigarettes at its U.S. stores to 21 amid growing pressure from regulators to cut tobacco sales and use among minors.

The world’s largest retailer also said it will also stop selling fruit and dessert flavored e-cigarettes, which critics say can hook teenagers on vaping. The new rules will take effect in July at all its 5,300 U.S.

stores, including its Sam’s Club warehouse locations.

Previously, Walmart’s minimum purchase age was 18, excluding states where the legal age is already 21.

Earlier this year, the FDA put Walmart and 14 other retailers on notice for selling tobacco products to kids. Another retailer on the list, drugstore operator Walgreens, said last month that it would increase its minimum age for tobacco sales to 21 in September.

Walmart said it will conduct its own tests this year to make sure minors can’t buy tobacco products at its stores. The company said it will retrain workers that fail its tests.

“Even a single sale to a minor is one too many, and we take seriously our responsibilities in this regard,” said John Scudder, Walmart's chief compliance and ethics officer.

Woman arrested for whipping child with extension cord

JONESBORO – A Craighead County woman faces several charges, including felony

battery after police hi i

say she struck a child! with an extension * ' cord.

Chyeka Jones of Jonesboro was arrested May 6 on suspicion of battery in the second degree on a law enforcement officer, domestic battery in the third T 'r degree,

endanger-

[ 4 ing the welfare of a minor and resisting arrest in connection with the case.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Jonesboro police officers who were working security at Success School got a call about the child, who had injuries.

“Jones got mad at the juvenile and proceeded to whip him with an extension cord, striking him in the face, on the arm and on the legs leaving injuries to all locations,” the affidavit noted.

Officers later went to Jones' home to arrest her and she reportedly became aggressive.

“Officers were trying to place her into custody when she grabbed her infant child and placed the infant between her and the officer,” the affidavit noted.

Police said she then bit the officer’s forearm as he tried to arrest her.

A $5,000 bond was set for Jones.

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Man threatens to jump off Little Rock Bridge

LITTLE ROCK – Police temporarily closed the Broadway Bridge on Wednesday morning because of a man threatening to jump.

North Little Rock police spokesman Sgt. Amy Cooper said about 10:39 a.m.

that negotiators were on the scene. Cooper said about 11:20 a.m. that the situation had been resolved safely and the bridge had reopened.

An iDrive Arkansas traffic camera showed multiple emergency vehicles in the southbound lanes of the bridge on the North Little Rock side.

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Central Arkansas rocked by storms

LITTLE ROCK – Severe weather and flash flooding moved into central Arkansas on Wednesday.

A swath of the central- southwest part of the state including Little Rock, Hot Springs, Pine Bluff, Texarkana and El Dorado saw rain, hail and strong winds Wednesday night into early Thursday morning.

Much of the state remained under a flash flood watch until Thursday evening. The Lonoke Public School District dismissed classes early Wednesday in anticipation of flooding.

A small chance of rain could continue through Friday and into the weekend, especially in southern Arkansas. The storm system came less than a week after heavy rain and seven confirmed tornadoes struck Arkansas.