LITTLE ROCK – Gas prices across Arkansas are showing significant variation, with drivers in Desha County paying the highest average price in the state and Texarkana reporting the lowest prices, according to GasBuddy.com.

As of Monday, the average price for regular gasoline in Desha County is $3.00 per gallon, marking the state’s highest average. Meanwhile, the lowest price can be found at Murphy USA on Arkansas Boulevard in Texarkana, where drivers are paying just $2.48 per gallon.

In central Arkansas, gas prices are slightly below the national average of $3.13. Drivers in the Little Rock-North Little Rock area are paying an average of $2.75 per gallon. Nearby, drivers in Hot Springs are seeing an average of $2.72, while those in Pine Bluff are paying slightly less at $2.68 per gallon.

AAA officials noted that gas prices remain unpredictable due to fluctuating crude oil prices, which are influenced by changing supply and demand during colder weather. The organization advises drivers to monitor prices closely and take advantage of lower-cost options where available.

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For the latest updates on gas prices in your area, visit GasBuddy.com.

GREENBRIER – A 20-year-old Greenbrier man was killed, and a 19-year-old Conway man was injured in an ATV crash late Saturday night, according to a report from the Arkansas State Police.

The crash occurred at approximately 11:37 p.m. on January 25, 2025, at the intersection of Pumpkin Center Circle and Rowlett Road in Faulkner County.

The report states that a Honda ATV, driven by Brit Ward, 20, of Greenbrier, was traveling westbound on Pumpkin Center Circle when it left the roadway. The vehicle struck a deep ditch and rolled over. Ward, the driver, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A passenger on the ATV, identified as Seth Haveman, 19, of Conway, sustained injuries in the crash and was transported to Conway Medical Center for treatment.

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The weather at the time of the accident was reported as clear, and the roadway was dry.

Ward’s body was transported to Wilcox Funeral Home. Next of kin has been notified, and the crash remains under investigation by Corporal Ben Ibarra of the Arkansas State Police.

NASHVILLE – A 31-year-old man from Dierks died in a single-vehicle crash Tuesday morning on U.S. Highway 278, according to the Arkansas State Police.

The accident occurred at approximately 9:41 a.m. when a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado traveling north on U.S. 278 left the roadway, struck a tree, and overturned into a ditch.

The driver, identified as Jason Cody Sherck, was pronounced dead at the scene. No passengers or other vehicles were involved, and no additional injuries were reported.

Weather conditions were clear, and the road surface was dry at the time of the crash. The victim’s body has been taken to Latimer Funeral Home in Nashville, Arkansas.

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Next of kin have been notified. The crash remains under investigation by Corporal Kyle Jones of the Arkansas State Police.

LITTLE ROCK – As President Donald Trump took the oath of office in the United States Capitol on Monday, critics of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders couldn’t help but notice the number of troopers from the Arkansas State Police that would be in attendance for the inaugural festivities.

A number of Arkansas political insiders set their social media ablaze looking for answers based on the assumption that those troopers would be traveling as the official security detail for Sanders, who has come under fire from some of these same people for what they consider a waste of taxpayer fund in last year’s purchase of a $19,000 lectern for the Governor’s office. One of those who led the charge on that front was attorney Tom Mars, who in years past was appointed by Sanders’ father as the director of the Arkansas State Police.

I’m not surprised that people were in disbelief about the number of State Troopers who accompanied Gov. Sanders to the inauguration. Maybe someone can count the number of hats in this group photo from D.C to get a more precise count.

I have no idea what they’re doing there. 🤦🏻‍♂️ https://t.co/DgA65kxzaH pic.twitter.com/1t86f5inFO

— Tom Mars (@TomMarsLaw) January 20, 2025

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Mars is no stranger to standing up for what he believes is right. After retiring as state police director, he would return to private practice, opening a law firm in Rogers. This is the same Tom Mars who took on the NCAA, filing legal action to drastically change transfer rules a frew years ago, and who represented Houston Nutt in his legal action against Ole Miss in a chain of events that subsequently saw former Coach Hugh Freeze leave the school.

This week however, we find that after first putting out the possibility that Sanders was leading a taxpayer funded entourage, Mars was also more than willing to responsibly clear the air on what actually happened. As Trump took the oath of office Monday, he quickly told his followers that upon further investigation, the situation was not as it originally seemed.

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New confidential information has convinced me that, despite the appearances, there were legitimate, nonpartisan reasons for sending this many ASP Troopers to D.C. and that none of the expenses will be paid by state taxpayer funds. Gov. Sanders played no role in this decision. https://t.co/4RayMRiP6A

— Tom Mars (@TomMarsLaw) January 20, 2025

On Tuesday night, Mars added further clarity to the situation in a multiple Tweet thread.

“The nationwide request for state and local law enforcement support came from the Biden administration long before the election. Police departments from red and blue states agreed to help with the understanding that all expenses would be reimbursed by the Feds,” Mars explained. “At that time, people were openly talking about Jan. 20 being a repeat of Jan. 6 – but worse. Planning with these law enforcement agencies began months ago. When President Trump won the election, the Biden administration couldn’t just stop the twice a month planning meetings and say ‘never mind.’ ”

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Mars concluded the thread by stating that in his mind, at least this time, Governor Sanders was in the clear.

“So in my opinion, it would be wrong to criticize Governor Sanders for this. This wasn’t a partisan decision,” He noted. “Besides, it’s not like we don’t have plenty of other reasons to be critical of the Governor.”

The Arkansas State Police noted in a Tweet of their own that the federally funded mission had been in the planning stages for over a year, long before presidential candidates were selected.

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Most of us in South Arkansas are used to a yearly snow storm or a brush with ice.

However, for those living on the shores of the newly renamed Gulf of America, snow and ice are not the norm. At all.

Record snow fell along Beach Boulevard in Biloxi on Tuesday. (PHOTO: Lauren Tedford)

So we know that many of our fellow Arkansans are not good at driving on the snow, but how about those folks on the coast? Out of morbid curiousity, we hooked into the Beach Boulevard webcam outside of this author’s favorite restaurant – McElroy’s in Biloxi, Mississippi. Most folks have been doing great, some have slid around. No accidents so far.

You can watch the live feed and see the beautiful snowfall by clicking on the player above.

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