LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas’ Martin Luther King Commission is about to undergo an overhaul, after public squabbles that prompted the governor to call the panel an embarrassment.

A new law that takes effect Wednesday cuts the size of the commission in half, from 26 members to 13, and gives the governor the authority to hire and fire the panel’s executive director. Gov. Mike Beebe says he doesn’t know who he will appoint to the commission yet, but his office says he plans on keeping the commission’s current executive director.

The panel was formed in 1994 to promote racial harmony, but Beebe complained last year that it was receiving too much attention for infighting among its members.

Prank call leads to $50K in damage at hotel

The Associated Press

CONWAY – The FBI is now investigating a prank phone call that caused $50,000 in damage to a Conway hotel.

Conway police spokeswoman Sharen Carter said Monday the FBI is looking into the call in which a man claimed to be a representative of a fire alarm company. The man persuaded employees to pull a fire alarm by saying the system needed to be reset.

The man then told employees and a guest to break an overhead fire sprinkler and windows in the lobby to prevent all the fire sprinklers from activating.

Special Agent Jason Pack of the FBI national press office says the case is being handled by the Knoxville, Tenn., field office. A spokesman in the Knoxville office wasn’t available for comment.

Ex-Miller County sheriff sued by former jailer

The Associated Press

TEXARKANA – A former Miller County jailer is suing former county Sheriff Linda Rambo, her chief deputy, another deputy and the county over the ex-jailer’s arrest last year.

Audrey Rivas claims she was unlawfully arrested July 9, 2008, for criminal trespass.

The lawsuit also claims Rivas immediately posted bond but wasn’t allowed to leave the jail for 16 hours.

Rivas was accused of yelling threats at a relative and being on the relative’s property after being told to stay away. Her attorney – Reggie Koch says the charge was dropped by the prosecutor.

Rambo says she doesn’t remember the incident.

The lawsuit asks for compensatory and punitive damages, court costs and attorney fees.

Officials try to catch alligator in Hardy

The Associated Press

HARDY – Authorities are trying to capture a 3 1/2-foot-long alligator that’s been seen in Sherwood Lake in Hardy.

It was last seen last Tuesday by a reserve police officer.

The reptile isn’t considered a serious safety threat and there are no reported injuries or property damage related to it.

But as it continues to grow its potential to cause harm increases. And if it’s a female it could build a nest and become more aggressive in protecting its territory.

Police Chief Ernie Rose he wants to catch it now so he’s not chasing it when it’s seven or eight feet long.

Officials are hoping for a live capture and will turn it over to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for a likely re-release somewhere in southern Arkansas.

Police seek missing Waldron ex-mayor

The Associated Press

FORT SMITH – Fort Smith police say a former Waldron mayor is missing and is considered to be in danger.

Seventy-five-year-old Troy Anderson was last seen June 21 and police were told Saturday he was missing. Police spokesman Sgt. Levi Risley says Waldron is considered to be in danger because of his age, the hot weather and because there’s no indication he planned to go somewhere.

Risley said he could not release details of the investigation.

Anderson left office in 2006 after pleading no contest to misdemeanor abuse of office and indecent exposure.

2 in hospital after chlorine leak near El Dorado

The Associated Press

EL DORADO – Two people were hospitalized and a third person was treated after chlorine leaked from a tanker truck on U.S. 82 near El Dorado.

Their names and conditions were not released.

A Union County Sheriff’s Office report says the Chemtura truck was hauling the chlorine to the company’s west plant Monday when he was stopped by a motorist who saw the trailer leaking.

Driver Jeffrey Stevens said he could find no leak and a company supervisor says a pressure relief valve likely opened while the truck was making a turn. A safety lock was placed on the tank inlet and the truck continued on to the west facility.

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Information from: El Dorado News-Times, http://www.eldoradonews.com