Bomb Scare Related to Scam

Texarkana, Texas Police have uncovered information regarding the incident last Saturday at a local hotel whne a suspicious suitcase was found prompting an evacuation of the area.

The investigation reveal the suitcase and its contents were part of a scam originating in Africa. The scam works that someone is contacted via e-mail in an effort to get a face to face meeting on the pretense of delivering them a large amount of money from a supossed deceased family member overseas. The e-mail is "fishing" to get a response and a meeting with the victim.

The victim is then convinced that certain fees and taxes have been incurred and must be paid before the larger amount of money can be released.

Victim of scam is shown some " black money". The money is described as U.S. Currency which has been dyed balck in order to pass the money through customs.

The victim is then provided a demonstration of a special liquid which removes the dye from the money. Actual money is used during the demonstration with the remainder of the cash in the suitcase actually being colored paper rather than real currency. The victim is then told he must purchase the cleaning solution. Once the taxes and fees have been obtained the scam artist leave and the victim is left with a suitcase filed with colored regular bond paper.

Police believe these scam artist may have visited the area on at least one or more occassions. Authorities say to try and remember the old adage " if it seems or sounds too good to be true, it probably is!!!!!

Texarkana, Texas Hotel/Convention Center

The Texarkana, Texas city council is moving forward with plans for a convention center to be built adjacent to a privately developed hotel. The council authorized the negotiation and purchase of real property for the location of the complex. Multiple sites are being considered. The developer will announce the site when the selection process is completed.

"After extensive research and review, we have determined that city ownership of the convention center is the most efficient and fiscally beneficial method to accomplish our goal of a catalyst to increase Texarkana area hotel occupancy" explained Mayor Steve Mayo.

Funding for the project will come from the city's conventon center set-aside fund from hotel occupancy tax revenue which has been accumulating for approximately 3 years with no effect on the taxpayers of Texarkana, Texas.

Holiday Safe Shopping Tips

Police on both sides of Texarkana have some advice on shopping safely during the holiday season.

Authorities say to stay alert to your surroundings and shop with a friend, remember safety in numbers. You should also avoid carrying large amounts of cash.

When it comes to packages do not overburden yourself with too many shopping bags and put purchases in your trunk out of plain view.

Have your keys in hand and ready before leaving the store and if you are shopping after dark park in a well lit area as close to the stores doors as is possible and watch the surroundings around you to make sure you are not being followed.

You should have a plan worked out with your children in the event that they get seperated from you or lost.

And lastly at home make sure you do not display gifts beneath the Christmas tree that cann be seen from the outside and as always lock all doors and windows.

Thanksgiving Holiday Safety

Law enforcement authorities throughout the area urging you to drive safely this long Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend.

Authorities will be out in extra patrols to enforce safety laws including seat belt usage and making sure children are buckled in proper restraints and safety seats.

Do not drink alcohol and get behind the wheel, drive the speed limit and obey construction zone signs.

AHS ON THE EAGLE

Arkansas High's State Class 6A Quarterfinal Playoff game against the Wildcats in El Dorado Friday will be heard on KYGL Eagle 106.3 FM. Air Time is 7:00 p.m. with the pre-game for a 7:30 Kickoff.

If you can not make it to the game or listen on the radio, you can also catch the play-by-play on KYGL.COM

GO HOGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Arkansas High Football

The Arkansas High Razorback football team will be on the road Friday Night November 20th to take on the El Dorado Wildcats in a state quarterfinal playoff matchup.

This is the second time the Razorbacks have played the Wildcats this season. El Dorado won 15-14 on their home turf back in early October during the regular season.

The Texarkana, Arkansas Razorback Athletic Foundation is urging Razorback fans to make the short trip to El Dorado on Friday night to cheer on the Hogs.

Each fan will receive a Thunderstick as they enter the visitors side of the stadium.

Remember El Dorado's football stadium is alot like Razorback Stadium plenty of room on the visitor's side.

We need a huge and loud crowd of Razorback supporters to support our players.

The winner of this game moves on the State Class 6A Semi-Final game next Friday night against either Watson Chapel or Jonesboro.

GO HOGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Arkansas Side Arrests

Texarkana Arkansas Police have made several arrests involving a recent rash of home burglaries on that side of town.

Authorities have arrested 18 year old Bobby Watson, 18 year old William Threadgill, and 18 year old Kevin Epps, all of Texarkana, Arkansas. Each suspect is charged with 10 counts of residential burglary, which is a felony in the state of Arkansas.

All of the stolen property has not been recovered. Authorities say flat screen televisions, other electronics and jewelry are hot commodities on the street. Police say to be careful in purchasing any of these so called " good deals" because purchasing stolen property could potentially land you a signifigant find and even some jail time.

If you have any information on these crimes or this stolen merchandise you are asked to call Texarkana, Arkansas Police or Texarkana Area Crimestoppers. That Crimestoppers number is (903)793-Stop and remember Crimestoppers does not want your name, just your information and if your information leads to an arrest you could receive a cash reward.

U.S. 59 Bridges Set For Demolition

Traffic on I-30 at the U.S. 59 Interchange will be detoured Thursday and Friday Nights November 19th and 20th weather permitting.

Crews will be demolishing the bridges crossing the highway at the I-30, U.S. 59 Interchange. All I-30 traffic will be detoured onto the frontage roads in each direction and may have stopped elays of up to 20 minutes during some points in the demolition of the bridges.

The demolition process is currently scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. each night and completed by 6 a.m. the following morning, weather permitting.

Arkansas High Pep Rally

Arkansas High is hosting a community-wide Pep Rally and Bonfire at Razorback stadium next to the Athletic Fieldhouse. The rally begins at 5:30 this evening (Thursday evening). Come support the Hogs this evening as they get ready to hit the road for their state playoff game against the Patriots tommorrow night in Marion.

GO HOGS!!!!

Major I-30 Traffic Changes

Some more big changes coming to I-30 traffic in Texarkana, Texas as the construction process continues.

Starting Thursday November 12th the exit ramp from eastbound I-30 to Richmond Road will temporarily relocate from its current location to just east of Kings Highway. I-30 East motorists needing to reach Richmond Road will take the exit just east of Kings Highway and go down the frontage road to the New Boston road turnaround then on to Richmond.

A permanent exit will be constructed closer to Richmond Road once the bridges crossing I-30 at the US 59 interchange are removed. Also motorists needing to get to Richmond from us 59 North will need to take the New Boston Road exit and follow the frontage road to Richmond road.

On Friday November 13th the new flyover connection between northbound US 59 and I-30 eastbound will open along with a new exit ramp from US 59 to the eastbound frontage road. Motorists needing to go eastbound on I-30 will need only to take the flyover directly to I-30, motorists needing to go westbound on I-30 will need to tamporarily take the flyover to eastbound I-30 and then take the Summerhill road exit follow the frontage road turnaround at Summerhill Road to get back to the westbound frontage road then take the entrance ramp onto I-30 westbound near Richmond Road.

Stay tuned more changes are coming!!!!!

High School Football Playoffs

Congratulations to all the area high school football teams that have made the playoffs including all 4 Texarkana teams.

Liberty-Eylau and Pleasant Grove have 1st round byes and have this weekend off, while Texas High takes on Jacksonville Saturday at 2pm in Nacodoches and the Arkansas High Razorbacks travel to Marion to take on the Patriots Friday night.

The Arkansas High game can be heard on KYGL Eagle 106.3 FM with the pre-game at 7:00 p.m. and the kickoff at 7:30 Friday night.

If the Razorbacks win Friday night that would set up a rematch with the Wildcats in El Dorado the following Friday night

GO HOGS!!!!!!!!!!

Swine Flu in Arkansas

The Arkansas Department of Health now says that 18 people have died from complications of swine flu since August 1st. The agency says that more vaccines are arriving in the state and more is on the way.

The department says those in higher-risk groups should check with their doctors to see if the vaccine is available. Those groups include pregnant women, health care and emergency workers, people who live with or care for infants, people under the age of 24 and older people with underlying medical conditions.

The state also says that a second round of mass vaccination clinics at schools is planned.

Don't forget children under age 10 need a second dose of the swine flu vaccine about a month after receiving the first dose according to health officials.

I-30 Fatality Wreck Update

The names of the 4 people killed in yesterday's fiery fatal crash on I-30 east of Texarkana have been released. The Arkansas State Police identify the victims as 43 year old Vaughn Gentry of Dallas, 51 year old Albert Pruitt of Addison Texas, also 77year old Walter Carpenter and 64 year old Victory Barker both of Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Authorities say Carpenter and three other drivers were stopped in a construction zone near the 4 mile marker in Miller County Arkansas when an Eighteen Wheeler that Gentry and Pruitt were in hit the bck of Carpenter's car causing an explosion. Police say they could not determine who was actually driving the big rig at the time of the accident.

Westlawn Kindergarten Family Night

Westlawn Elementary School's Kindergartne family fun night is tonight Tuesday November 10th. They are calling it fun with a purpose as students are collecting admission tickets in the form of one canned food item each.

The event is from 5:50 to 7 p.m. at the Westlawn Elementary School at 410 Westlawn Drive.

Parents/Guardians of Kindergarten students will enjoy Frito Pie, Drinks, & Dessert along with special music performed by the Kindergarten students.

All proceeds from the canned food collection will be donated to Harvest Texarkana.

For more information, phone (903) 223-4252.

Texas side Police make Robbery Arrest

Texarkana Texas police have made an arrest in an alleged robbery at the Dollar General Store in the 3500 block of New Boston Road. Officers discovered a vehicle matching the description given by Arkansas side authorities as possibly being used in robberies on that side of Texarkana.

After a search of a residence a suspect was found hiding beneath some laundry in a back bedroom. 37 year old Erik Hiegelmann has been charged with felony reobbery and other charges.

I-3O Fatality Wreck

Traffic was shutdown for hours this morning on Interstate 30 east of Texarkana. Arkansas State Police say the accident claimed the lives of 4 people. The accident occured pre-dawn near the 4 mile marker and involved 3 Eighteen wheelers a pickup truck and a car. Two of the vehicles caught fire. The investigation into what caused the deadly crash is underway but we do know it did occur in an area which is currently under construction.

I-30 traffic was shutdown on both sides for hours before limited eastbound traffic was allowed, it was almost noon before westbound traffic was allowed through the accident site.

12 DEAD, AND 31 WOUNDED IN ATTACKS AT FORT HOOD

By ANNE GEARAN and APRIL CASTRO
Associated Press Writers
FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) - A soldier opened fire at a U.S. Army base in Fort Hood, Texas on Thursday, unleashing a stream of gunfire that left 12 people dead and 31 wounded. Authorities killed the gunman, and apprehended two other soldiers suspected in the attack.

The shooting began around 1:30 p.m., Lt. Gen. Bob Cone said at a news conference. He said all the casualties took place at the base's Soldier Readiness Center, where soldiers who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening.

"It's a terrible tragedy. It's stunning," Cone said.

Little was known about the three soldiers suspected of taking part in the attack. The soldier used two handguns, Cone said. It was not clear if the gunman had stopped to reload.

A graduation ceremony for soldiers who finished college courses while deployed was going on in an auditorium at the Readiness Center at the time of the shooting, said Sgt. Rebekah Lampam, a Fort Hood spokeswoman.

Greg Schanepp, U.S. Rep. John Carter's regional director in Texas, was representing Carter at the graduation, said John Stone, a spokesman for Carter, whose district includes the Army post.

Schanepp was at the ceremony when a soldier who had been shot in the back came running toward him and alerted him of the shooting, Stone said. The soldier told Schanepp notto go in the direction of the shooter, he said. Stone said he believes Schanepp was in the theater.

The base was locked down after the shootings. The wounded were dispersed among hospitals in central Texas, Cone said.

In Washington, President Barack Obama called the shooting "a horrific outburst of violence." He said it's a tragedy to lose a soldier overseas and even more horrifying when they come under fire at an Army base on American soil.

"We will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident," the commander in chief said. "We are going to stay on this."

Covering 339 square miles, Fort Hood is the largest active duty armored post in the United States. Home to about 52,000 troops as of earlier this year, the sprawling base is located halfway between Austin and Waco.

Around the country, some bases stepped up security precautions, but no others were locked down.

Fort Hood officially opened on Sept. 18, 1942, and was named in honor of Gen. John Bell Hood. It has been continuously used for armored training and is charged with maintaining readiness for combat missions.

___

AP National Security Writer Anne Gearan and Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor and Devlin Barrett in Washington, D.C., and Associated Press Writer Jay Root in Fort Worth, Associated Press Writers Linda Stewart Ball, Anabelle Garay and Andre Coe in Dallas contributed to this report.

ARMY ID'S ONE SHOOTER...AND MORE.

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) - A soldier opened fire at a U.S. Army base in Fort Hood, Texas on Thursday, unleashing a stream of gunfire that left 12 people dead and 31 wounded. Authorities killed the gunman, and apprehended two other soldiers suspected in the attack.

A law enforcement official says the shooting suspect at Fort Hood has been identified as Army Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan.

The official said Hasan, believed to be in his late 30s, was killed after opening fire at the base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.

The official says investigators are trying to determine if Hasan was his birth name, or if he changed his name and converted to the Islamic faith at some point in his life.

The shooting began around 1:30 p.m., Lt. Gen. Bob Cone said at a news conference. He said all the casualties took place at the base's Soldier Readiness Center, where soldiers who are about to be deployed or who are returning undergo medical screening.

"It's a terrible tragedy. It's stunning," Cone said.

Little was known about the three soldiers suspected of taking part in the attack. The soldier used two handguns, Cone said. It was not clear if the gunman had stopped to reload.

A graduation ceremony for soldiers who finished college courses while deployed was going on in an auditorium at the Readiness Center at the time of the shooting, said Sgt. Rebekah Lampam, a Fort Hood spokeswoman.

Greg Schanepp, U.S. Rep. John Carter's regional director in Texas, was representing Carter at the graduation, said John Stone, a spokesman for Carter, whose district includes the Army post.

Schanepp was at the ceremony when a soldier who had been shot in the back came running toward him and alerted him of the shooting, Stone said. The soldier told Schanepp not to go in the direction of the shooter, he said. Stone said he believes Schanepp was in the theater.

The base was locked down after the shootings. The wounded were dispersed among hospitals in central Texas, Cone said.

Covering 339 square miles, Fort Hood is the largest active duty armored post in the United States. Home to about 52,000 troops as of earlier this year, the sprawling base is located halfway between Austin and Waco.

In a statement released just after 4:00 pm, Col. Steven Basham, the 2nd Bomb Wing Commander at Barksdale Air Force Base, said the Bossier City base was now at a heightened state of alert due to the shootings at Fort Hood.

"Any time any one witnesses suspicious activity they should report it immediately. We take appropriate measures to protect our people and resources. The safety and security of our Airmen and families is always first and foremost in our mind. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our fellow servicemembers and their families at Ft. Hood who are impacted by this tragedy," Basham said.

Fort Hood officially opened on Sept. 18, 1942, and was named in honor of Gen. John Bell Hood. It has been continuously used for armored training and is charged with maintaining readiness for combat missions.

President Barack Obama on Thursday called a mass shooting at a Texas Army base "a horrific outburst of violence."

"We will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident," the commander in chief said. "We are going to stay on this."

He said it's a tragedy to lose a soldier overseas and even more horrifying when they come under fire at an Army base on American soil.

Obama also said his thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and families of the fallen.

SHOOTINGS AT FORT HOOD!!!

There has been a shooting at Ft. Hood in Texas and the base is locked down...as many as nine dead, and 20 wounded.

Here is a link to CNN's live streaming video from Ft. Hood...
http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=stream1


Here is a link to CNN for more....
http://www.cnn.com/