Authorities search for missing paddle boarder on Arkansas River

MAUMELLE — Authorities are on the Arkansas river looking for a woman who went out on a paddleboard Wednesday afternoon.

Posts from a family member on social media say Ashley Shwarz Haynes failed to return from the river.

According to Maumelle police, Haynes left to go paddleboarding at 2 pm but when she wasn’t back by 5 pm family became concerned and called police.

Multiple agencies are on scene including Arkansas Game and Fish personnel along with Maumelle police, the North Little Rock Fire Department, and others.

Authorities are asking people to stay off the river as it may hinder their investigation.

***

LITTLE ROCK- A strong low-pressure system will pull in colder air this weekend. While mostly cold rain is expected by Saturday morning, it will transition to snow by Saturday afternoon for most of the Natural state.

Several inches of snow is likely for northern parts of the state, with accumulating snow possible here in central Arkansas.

There are a few factors making this forecast a bit harder to nail down. Right now our confidence is not high enough to make a snow map with exact snow totals because it’s hard to pinpoint what time Saturday the rain will change over to snow. The earlier it changes over the more snow we will get.

***

Legislators eye tax credit ideas for officers

JONESBORO — State Reps. Jack Ladyman and Dwight Tosh, both RJonesboro, said Tuesday legislators are looking at ways to help local law enforcement and other first-responders through a possible tax credit from the state.

A proposal for a $3,000 state tax credit for law enforcement officers in Arkansas failed to gain a vote in December during a special session of the Legislature.

Tosh said one issue is that some legislators thought other professions – such as firefighters, teachers and nurses, among others – should get a tax credit.

“To single out one over the others is a concern,” Tosh said, noting they are still looking at options.

Low pay for law enforcement officers has been a problem, according to Craighead County Sheriff Marty Boyd. He pointed out that Arkansas ranks 49th in the country for law enforcement salaries.

County quorum courts and municipalities’ city councils set the pay for law enforcement.

Boyd said the Arkansas Sheriffs Association, of which he is the president, will meet later this month and explore options to increase law enforcement pay in Arkansas.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Tuesday proposed to raise entry-level salaries for Arkansas State Police to place them second in the Southern region, Ladyman

Continued on Page 11