Wanted suspect surrenders
An aggravated assault suspect turned himself in to Pine Bluff police, according to a news release.
Anthony Compton Jr., 39, surrendered to detectives at approximately 7:45 p.m. Tuesday. He had been wanted for several days. Compton will be booked into the Dub Brassell Detention Center and faces charges of aggravated assault on a family or household member and first degree terroristic threatening.
Simmons reports earnings
Simmons First National Corp. reported net income of $23.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to $47.2 million in the third quarter of 2023 and $83.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to a Wednesday news release.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Diluted earnings per share were $0.19 for the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to $0.37 per share in the third quarter of 2023 and $0.65 per share in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Adjusted earnings for the fourth quarter of 2023 were $50.2 million, compared to $48.8 million in the third quarter of 2023 and $81.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2022. Adjusted diluted earnings per share for the fourth quarter of 2023 were $0.40, compared to $0.39 in the third quarter of 2023 and $0.64 in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to the release.
Local on Tennessee Dean’s List
Middle Tennessee State University at Murfreesboro named Jack England of Rison to its Dean’s List for the fall 2023 semester. England is majoring in aerospace, according to a news release. To qualify for the Dean’s List, an undergraduate student must maintain a current semester grade-point average of 3.5 or above and earn at least 12 semester hours.
Resident graduates at Harding
Brittany Neal of Pine Bluff graduated from Harding University during a commencement ceremony on Dec. 16. Neal received a Master of Business Administration in management and business ethics. She was among more than 300 to graduate, according to a news release.
ARDOT repairing potholes
Arkansas Department of Transportation crews and contractors are repairing potholes statewide that formed in the aftermath of the recent winter storm.
The state was hit by a severe winter storm that cost ARDOT approximately $8-10 million in labor and materials – including salt, salt brine, equipment, and working hours, according to a news release.
Now the focus turns to repairing the roads, particularly the potholes that formed due to freezing and thawing of the ground.
ARDOT is placing priority on repairing large potholes in work zones on Interstate 30 in Saline County and U.S. 67/167 in Jacksonville. The department is working with the contractors in those work zones to repair the damaged areas as quickly as possible.
Due to an extended period of rain in the forecast, repairs are expected to take longer as crews wait for the pavement to dry out.
Until repairs can be facilitated, motorists are asked to drive slowly and with extreme caution in these areas and know crews will be making repairs as soon as they possibly can.
Potholes form when wet ground goes through periods of freezing and thawing, causing the pavement layers to crack and breakdown under traffic.
“With the period of extreme cold we experienced, now followed by a period of extreme rain, we are left vulnerable to prime pothole conditions,” said Steve Frisbee, ARDOT’s Assistant Chief Engineer of Maintenance. “We are all frustrated by them, and we all want them fixed. Please be patient as our crews and our contractors work diligently to repair our roads in the wake of this storm.”
To report a pothole, visit https://site.idrivearkansas.com/index.php/contact/report-a-pothole.
Locals on Mississippi honors’ lists
Mississippi State University named locals to its honors’ lists for fall 2023, according to a news release.
PRESIDENT’S LIST
Local President’s List honorees include: Ryan Ruff of Pine Bluff, Taylor Yelvington of Stuttgart, John Warfield of Lake Village, Aidan Cox of Lake Village, Hannah Pieroni of Lake Village, John Gray of Monticello, and Ethan Holzhauer of Gillett.
Students on the President’s List achieved a 3.80 or better grade point average based on a 4.0 scale, while completing at least 12 semester hours.
DEANS’ LIST
Local students on the Dean’s List include: Makaila Book of Lake Village, and Emily Earney of Stuttgart. Dean’s List honorees must have achieved a GPA between 3.5 and 3.79, based on a 4.0 scale, while completing at least 12 semester hours, according to the news release.