Seven at 7:00: Tornado Touch-Down in NWA, Students Sign "Banner of Hope" for Newtown
By: Jay Dillon
Updated: December 21, 2012
Tornado Touch-Down
It turns out that an EF Tornado hit the River Valley, according to the National Weather Service. And people in the area are now cleaning up the damage just north of Lavaca. No one was hurt in the storm.
"Mud Rain" Moves in
A lot of you probably noticed extra dirt on your car after the storm. The reason? A dust storm in parts of Kansas and Texas earlier in the week quickly spread all the way to our area. The dust mixed with the rain, ultimately creating "mud rain."
Search for Walgreens Robber
The search is on in Fayetteville for the woman police say robbed a Walgreens and took off. Police are now hoping surveillance pictures taken from the Walgreens store on Mission Boulevard on Wednesday will help track her down. Officers say the woman said she had a weapon and handed the pharmacist a note, demanding narcotics. She got away with a couple of bottles of pills. Police think she might be driving an older model white Nissan Maxima with a damaged front bumper. If you have any information, call Fayetteville Police.
Day of Mourning
A day of mourning was held for the 26 people who died in the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre, exactly one week ago on Friday. Connecticut's governor asked everyone in his state for a moment of silence this Friday morning at 9:30. The memory of last week's deadly mass shooting is still fresh on the mind's of many as more victims continue to be laid to rest. Here in Arkansas, Mike Beebe also called for a day of mourning here, in memory of the victims in Newtown. He's also asking for places of worship and other buildings with the capabilities to ring their bells 26 times at 9:30 Friday.
Banner of Hope for Newtown
A Rogers student is bringing her school together to send a Banner of Hope to Connecticut. After talking with her mother about the shooting at the elementary school there, Heritage High School freshman Carrie Langstaff decided that there was something more she could do at her own school, for the students and families at Sandy Hook. So she came up with the idea for a banner for classmates to sign. It reads, "Our thoughts are with you." The banner now has 200 signatures and counting.
More Huckabee Fallout
A Texas mother has written an "open letter" to former Arkansas lawmaker, Mike Huckabee in response to his comments after the Connecticut school shooting. During an interview on Fox News, Huckabee said, in part-quote- "we ask why there is violence in our schools, but we have systematically removed od from our schools. Should we be surprised that schools would become a place of carnage?" - end quote. In the letter, the mom says, "God is alive and well in schools, through the good work the teachers and administrators do every day for students."
Camping out for a Cause
Students in Bentonville have been braving the elements to bring attention to homelessness in northwest Arkansas. The "Famine for Freedom" campaign kicked off in the freezing cold Thursday at Bentonville High School. It's part of a camp out and 24 hour fast, asking the public to drop off food, clothing, and blankets. Friday is the last day to donate today, right in front of Bentonville High School off of J Street.
