BENTONVILLE – Benton County Public Defender Jay Saxton plans to review two years of cases after a Bentonville police officer was fired for mismanaging evidence.

Former property control officer Michelle Margaret Smith was fired in April by Police Chief James Allen after it was discovered she failed to log 1,300 pieces of evidence in more than 300 cases. Prosecutors say they contacted Smith’s supervisor in February after noticing evidence hadn’t been sent to the state Crime Laboratory in Little Rock.

Prosecuting Attorney Van Stone says he’s confident that Smith’s actions didn’t affect any felony cases.

Officials say Smith placed sealed evidence bags in various places in the property room rather than logging them in proper bins after falling behind in sorting because of a software problem.

Health officials offer flu vaccine to schools

The Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK – State health and education officials are expanding the number of flu vaccinations in schools in hopes of reducing the spread of seasonal flu this fall.

State Department of Education Nurse consultant Paula Smith says 146 of Arkansas’ 244 school districts and 24 charter have scheduled flu shot clinics.

And the state Department of Health will more than double the supply of seasonal flu vaccine it provides to schools. The number of doses to be provided will rise from 280,000 last year to 685,000 this year.

Money for the program comes from $86 million in tobacco-tax increases Gov. Mike Beebe signed into law Feb. 17.

Parents wishing to have their children vaccinated will be asked to sign consent forms early in the school year.

Pine Bluff murder suspect

arrested in Jonesboro

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JONSEBORO, Ark. (AP) – Police in Jonesboro say they’ve arrested a man wanted in connection with a homicide in Pine Bluff.

Police say 30-year-old Francisco Cordova was taken into custody about 6 p.m. Thursday after being found at a mobile home in northeast Jonesboro.

Officers say Cordova is a suspect in an April homicide in Pine Bluff.

Man sues Northwest

Arkansas Regional Airport

The Associated Press

BENTONVILLE – A Georgia man who fell at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport in January is now suing the airport and its governing body.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday by Jeffrey Hicks of Cobb County, Ga., in Benton County Circuit Court claims the airport created an unsafe condition that caused him to fall on his face. Hicks says he fractured a facial bone and lost several teeth.

The lawsuit says Hicks fell because he was forced to walk on a treacherous area around an icy sidewalk because a luggage cart had been left on the sidewalk.

Hicks wants the airport to pay all his medical expenses, the costs of the lawsuit and for pain, suffering and mental anguish.

Airport director Kelly Johnson said Thursday she was unaware of the lawsuit.

New state park

in Springdale unlikely

The Associated Press

SPRINGDALE – A state parks officials says chances are “slim” for a new state park in Springdale.

Supporters of the project for a park on Weber Mountain in Springdale took members of the Arkansas Parks and Tourism Commission on a tour of the 180-acre site Thursday. Supporter Seth Mims says the owners of the land are only interested in developing it either as a state or city park.

Parks director Greg Butts says grants and other assistance are offered for developing local parks. Butts says the site is “beautiful” but is too small for a state park.

The department has had a moratorium on new state park projects since 1998 while it works to complete projects either planned or under construction then.

Daniels says he’s running for Arkansas auditor

The Associated Press

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Secretary of State Charlie Daniels says he’s running for state auditor next year.

Daniels announced Friday that he’s running for the Democratic Party’s nomination for the post currently held by Auditor Jim Wood. Wood is barred from seeking another term in office because of term limits.

Daniels has served as secretary of state since 2002. Before that, he had served as the state’s land commissioner.

Daniels announced his candidacy at the state Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson fundraising dinner.

So far, no other Democratic or Republican candidates have announced they’re running for auditor.