State News

2 killed, 2 injured during Little Rock police chase

NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Two people were killed and two others were injured after a police chase in North Little Rock led to a crash, according to authorities.

North Little Rock Police had tried to make a traffic stop at 11:33 p.m. on Thursday when the vehicle’s driver failed to pull over.

Officers pursued the vehicle and during the chase, it collided at an intersection with another car, police said.

The driver of the fleeing vehicle and two passengers were critically hurt. The two passengers later died at a hospital. Their names were not immediately released by authorities.

The driver of the vehicle that led police on the chase was listed in critical condition at an area hospital.

The driver of the car hit by the fleeing vehicle was injured and taken to a hospital, where he was treated and released.

North Little Rock Police are still investigating the collision.

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ARDOT touts National Work Zone Awareness Week April 11-15

LITTLE ROCK — National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 11-15 and the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) is pleading for drivers to slow down in work zones.

This national safety campaign is observed each spring, the traditional start of construction season, to encourage safe driving through highway work zones. This year’s national theme is: “Work Zones are a Sign to Slow Down.”

“This year’s theme aligns well with our ongoing Slow Down, Phone Down work zone safety campaign, which was launched in February of this year,” said ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor. “We hope to educate the public on the vulnerabilities of both workers and drivers within a work zone. We want to keep everyone safe.”

When traveling through a work zone, plan ahead if you can, minimize distractions, look out for workers, check your speed, be careful around large vehicles, be prepared for sudden stops, read the signs, and do your part so everyone can make it home safely at the end of the day.

Governor Asa Hutchinson, signed a proclamation designating April 11-15 as National Work Zone Awareness Week in Arkansas.

The Junction Bridge, Main Street Bridge, Clinton Presidential Park Bridge, Big Dam Bridge, Two Rivers Park Bridge, Union Plaza Building, and Simmons Bank Building in Little Rock and the Arkansas Heart Hospital in Saline County all will be lit orange in observance of National Work Zone Awareness Week.

Throughout the week, we will feature ARDOT construction workers on social media reminding drivers why it is so important that we all promote work zone safety.

National Work Zone Awareness Week was formed by the American Traffic Safety Services Association, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and the Federal Highway Administration. seeking to educate the public on the vulnerabilities of both workers and drivers within a work zone.

Baptist Health becomes first in state to implent REAL Immersive System

LITTLE ROCK — The Baptist Health Rehabilitation Institute has become the first in the entire state of Arkansas to offer the REAL Immersive System virtual reality system for physical therapy in their Conway, Little Rock and North Little Rock locations.

The REAL Immersive System, which was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, uses virtual reality to engage and motivate patients to complete their rehabilitation in a fun, virtual environment with therapeutic activities.

“Impairments affecting the upper body require extensive rehabilitation pro-

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grams to help patients regain functionality,” Julie Nix, the president of the Baptist Health Rehabilitation Institute, said. “To motivate patients and encourage compliance to these programs, therapists frequently look for ways to make the exercises more engaging. The REAL Immersive System is capable of helping patients better stay on track with their therapy.”

The wireless system is for adult patients to use under medical supervision and includes a virtual reality headset, a set of six sensors and a tablet that lets the doctor monitor sessions.

Using virtual reality, this system can improve range of motion, enhance cognitive skills and induce neuroplasticity, which is “the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections.”

The REAL Immersive System offers a variety of customizable actives that promote the upper body, core and balance, cognition, functional tasks, distraction, and low-stiumation environments.

For more information, visit Baptist-Health.com or call Baptist Health HealthLine

at 1-888-BAPTIST. ***

JONESBORO — District Judge Tommy Fowler found probable cause Friday to charge a Jonesboro man with trafficking a controlled substance.

Douglas Gray, 35, of the 2200 block of Belt Street, was arrested following a probation search of his apartment and vehicle at 2:16 p.m. Wednesday by Craighead County sheriff’s deputies.

Deputies found 175 grams of meth, or about 6.2 ounces, and digital scales in the apartment and 61 grams in Gray’s vehicle.

The total amount of meth seized was 8.3 ounces.

Besides the trafficking charge, Gray was also charged with felony possession of drug paraphernalia.

Fowler set Gray’s bond at $150,000.

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Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and Arkansas First Lady Susan Hutchinson, took their second COVID-19 booster shots in public Tuesday from nurses with the Arkansas Department of Health.

During his weekly media briefing Hutchinson also announced that Arkansas Secretary of Health, Dr.

Jose Romero, is leaving the Arkansas Department of Health to take a job with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Romero’s resignation will be in effect May 6. He thanked the governor, other public health officials, and his wife for their support during his time as the state’s top health official.

Romero was named interim health secretary for Arkansas in May 2020 after his predecessor, Dr.

Nathaniel Smith, also left to work for the CDC.

Romero became Arkansas Secretary of Health in September of 2020.

Romero also continued to encourage everyone Tuesday to be vaccinated, and to receive available booster shots to combat COVID-19. He said that even though those who have contracted the virus do develop a natural immunity, that does not persist, and those individuals also should follow through with vaccinations.

That is why the governor and his wife took their second booster shots publicly, to emphasize the importance of the vaccinations.

Romero also received his second booster shot at the media briefing.

The Food and Drug Administration and CDC have made the second booster shot available to certain populations and recommend that those older than 50 and those who are immunocompromised get the shot.

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Governor calls for expansion of violent criminal monitoring

Also on Tuesday, Hutchinson called for an expansion of the state’s Intensive Supervision Program (ISP) to monitor high-risk offenders while citing an increase in violent crime in Arkansas, including the Little Rock metropolitan area. According to the governor’s office, the new expansion will add 10 ISP officers to the program, which will cover five counties including Lonoke, Jefferson, Faulkner, Saline, and Pulaski.

The goal of the program is to provide a higher level of support, and supervision to those who pose a higher risk of violent crimes.

“These are those that have spent time in prison released on parole, that are trying to get a second start in life, and we want to be able to help them to do that,” Hutchinson said.

”But you have an element of those who pose a greater risk than others and that is the design of the ISP program that focuses on highrisk offenders.”

The program expansion will cost $1,091,585 to start with, and then have an ongoing cost of $820,395 a year, but both costs will have to be approved by the General Assembly to go forward.

Photo courtesy of Arkansas Governor’s Office

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson gets his second COVID-19 booster shot during his media briefing on Tuesday as Arkansas First Lady Susan Hutchinson looks on. The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have made a second booster shot available and recommend it be taken by those over 50 and those who are immunocompromised.