breaking news

7 at 7:00 for Friday, January 4th

By: Liz Hogan

Updated: January 4, 2013

A convicted felon is back on the streets in Siloam Springs this morning, just days after police say they found guns and drugs in his home.

These are the seven stories you need to know about - before you head out the door.

Ted Wilder now faces several charges involving illegal use of drugs and guns.

He was arrested during a traffic stop in Siloam Springs, when police say Wilder told them he was on his way to Oklahoma to buy a pound of marijuana.

A search of his home, which was within a thousand feet of a church and drug treatment facility, uncovered 42 grams of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and two guns.

Charges have been formally filed against the man accused of killing 6-year-old Bentonville girl, Jersey Bridgeman.

Zachary Holly, 28, now faces charges of capital murder, kidnapping, rape and burglary.

On November 20th, police began searching for Bridgeman after she was reported missing by her mother.

Soon after, her body was found in a vacant house doors away from her own home.

Six days later, and after an investigation that included the FBI, Holly was arrested.

His arraignment is set for Monday.

Fox will have a crew there live, bringing you continuing team coverage.

On Monday, Bentonville students will head back to school and police are prepared.

Officers have been stepping up their presence on campus ever since the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in Connecticut.

There now are Bentonville officers assigned to each school in the district.

Those officers check in with their schools throughout the day.

Meanwhile, Fayetteville schools say, while they're not adding extra officers, they will be on alert for any out of the ordinary activity.

At this hour, more than 85,000 people have signed a petition asking Walmart to stop selling assault weapons.

It's part of an online effort asking Walmart to pull the Bushmaster AR-15 from store shelves.

It's the same high-powered rifle linked to the Newtown, Connecticut shooting.

Walmart has already pulled the listing for another Bushmaster rifle from its online store since the shooting.

Dick's Sporting Goods is also pulling rifles off its shelves in the wake of the tragedy. It stopped selling semi-automatic rifles just four days after the shooting.

Here in Arkansas, the minimum wage could be going up, if one state lawmaker gets his way.

Right now, the state minimum wage is $6.25 per hour, one dollar less than the federal minimum of $7.25.

Representative Butch Wilkins, D-Bono, wants to see that rate jump to $8.25 an hour.

Instead of making about $15,000 a year this hike would mean minimum wage workers would make just over $17,000.

New information this morning, about a controversial proposal in Fayetteville we've been telling you about.

City council members unanimously decided last night to crack down on video billboards.

The ordinance amendments regulate the size, brightness and placement of electronic message boards.

The previous ordinance only restricts blinking or flashing signs and did not specifically address video billboards.

In a letter to the mayor, the city attorney said Fayetteville needed to "keep up with the times and maintain aesthetics and traffic safety."

Also in Fayetteville, it looks like a walk of fame will be going in on the downtown square.

City council members voted unanimously on that measure as well Thursday night.

Organizers say the walk of fame will feature plaques honoring native Arkansas entertainers who have positively influenced others..

A working list of nominees includes Al Green, Johnny Cash and Kris Allen.

Each plaque could cost more than $2,000.

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