SUMMARY: A Sterlington man, Roger Stripling Jr., 32, was arrested for allegedly possessing over 250 child pornography images and 160 photos of animal sexual abuse following a complaint investigation by the Wastop Sheriff’s Office. He is currently held on a $330,000 bond. Meanwhile, gasoline prices in the U.S. average $3.32, with Louisiana‘s average at $2.83. In Arkansas, human remains were discovered by artifact hunter Charles Slaughter, raising concerns due to the area’s history of missing persons. Weather forecasts predict clear skies with temperatures gradually warming into the mid-70s, leading to potentially warmer weather next week.

Midday Ark-La-Miss News Update: Oct. 17, 2024

Source

SUMMARY: The Louisiana Public Defender Oversight Board recently approved a compensation plan for chief public defenders, rejecting Governor Jeff Landry’s proposal. The new board, formed after Landry took office, aims to enhance salary fairness, building on the previous board’s efforts to standardize compensation. While the State Public Defender Rémy Starns suggested a local compensation model reflecting district-specific funds, the new board proposed a plan favoring salary increases similar to state civil employees, considering prior experience over local funding constraints. However, Starns criticized this approach for ignoring districts’ unique needs. The board decided to grandfather current salaries while deferring future pay arrangements.

Read the full article

The post Oversight board approves compromise chief public defender salary plan | Louisiana appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

SUMMARY: Meteorologist Chase Ward reports clear weather with no radar activity, continuing a dry forecast into next week. Temperatures in South Arkansas are in the mid-30s, with potential patchy frost, particularly in Arkansas, where frost advisories are issued until 8:00 AM. High pressure keeps conditions stable with easterly winds. This afternoon’s temperatures will reach the upper 60s to lower 70s, while tonight may drop to the lower 40s, causing more frost potential. Drought conditions persist, with burn bans in effect. Next week, temperatures may rise above average, bringing some clouds but little rainfall expected.

Clear skies and the cool airmass in place have led to some chilly temperatures this morning. We will remain quite pleasant this afternoon. Dry conditions will continue throughout the rest of the week and through early next week. Winds have calmed, but there is plenty of dry fuels on the ground combined with the ongoing drought will keep the fire danger up through the weekend. A few clouds will sneak back in next week along with rising temperatures that are expected to be above average.

Source