School Sickness Spreads and Search for Drive-By Shooter Underway

Sick Students
The Eureka Springs school district is closed Thursday and Friday, after about a sixth of the student body was home sick Wednesday. Administrators began noticing the illness last week, so custodians sanitized the classrooms over the weekend, hoping to cut down on germs. But things got worse Wednesday, when the staff began calling in sick. So without teachers to teach or students to learn, the entire district decided to call it a week. Classes are set to start back up on Monday

Former Principal Arrested Again
A former Farming principal, released from jail Wednesday night, after turning himself in to police. Last week, a new arrest warrant was issued for Christopher Webb for violating a protection order. You might remember this summer, police found Webb naked, covered in blood, and holding a woman by the throat. They also found a mutilated dog in the house. Webb pleaded not guilty to those charges, which included cruelty to a dog and domestic battery. He has since bonded out of jail.

Sex Assault Arrest
A Rogers man faces sexual assault charges, accused of inappropriate contact with a three-year-old girl. Police say they started investigating 25-year-old Steven James after after being tipped off that he had sexual contact with the child. He has since been arrested on two felony sex assault charges and now sits in the Benton County jail.

Drive-By Shooting Investigation
Rogers police, trying to track down the triggerman who shot at a house full of children. It happened on south D Street Tuesday night. The homeowner told police a dark-colored car drove by, fired several rounds into the house, and sped off. No one was hurt but there were six  other people inside the home at the time, including five children. If you have any information, Rogers police want you to call them.

Campus Gun Arrest
A UA Fort Smith student, arrested for bringing a gun on campus. University police say that they got a tip and pulled Brett Ward out of class Wednesday. Officers say Ward admitted he had a 9 millimeter Glock in class. But the school's chancellor, Paul Beran says no one on campus was ever in any danger. Ward told police recent school shootings  led him to bring the weapon to campus.  Arkansas law bans concealed handguns on any school campus. Now, the 23-year-old,  who told police he was in the Army National Guard, sits in jail facing two felony charges.

Gun Rights Debate
The debate over gun rights, dominating discussions in Little Rock this week. And Wednesday, the so-called "church carry bill" passed the senate committee. The legislation would give churches the right to decide if members can bring in a concealed carry weapon. Some lawmakers wanted to change the measure, making churches that allowed guns to carry a $100,000 liability insurance policy. The committee ended up killing that amendment. The bill now goes to the full senate.
 
Females on the Front Lines
A ground-breaking decision from the Pentagon will now allow women to serve their country from the front lines. After more than a decade at war, the secretary of defense announced he is removing the ban on women in combat. It's a landmark decision that will potentially open up thousands of elite commando jobs for women. The move overturns a 1994 ruling that kept women from being assigned to ground combat units. It also expands the Pentagon's ruling a year ago which opened up a limited number of combat positions to women in the military.