Showing posts with label Little Rock Arkansas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Little Rock Arkansas. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Shooting At Little Rock Air Force Base Leaves Two Wounded

Two Injured in Shooting at Air Force Base in Arkansas 
Fox News
Jun 15, 2015

Two people were hospitalized after shots were fired when a civilian tried to gain unauthorized access to the Little Rock Air Force Base Monday morning.

The base said the suspect was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. A bystander was also transported for non-related medical care and was released. The base went on lockdown after the incident. read more here

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Little Rock VA Changed Dates of Veteans Claims

Report: Data manipulation confirmed at Little Rock VA
KATV ABC News
By Elicia Dover, Reporter
Feb 27, 2015
"Among the 43 rating-related claims, 1 claim was 20 years old, but the date of claim had been adjusted to make the claim appear 14 days old," the report stated.

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) - Data manipulation has been discovered at the Veterans Affairs Little Rock Regional Office, according to a report.

One claim that was 20 years old, was changed to appear it was only 14 days old.

The Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs released a report Thursday saying their office had substantiated an anonymous allegation that the staff at the VARO in Little Rock manipulated data on veterans' benefit claims.

"The complainant alleged that adjusting the dates of claims was done to give the appearance that VBA was making more progress than it actually had in eliminating its backlog of disability claims," the report stated.

The report found the staff did so in compliance with the VBA Fast Letter, known as FL 13-10, in effect at that time. However, the letter was suspended on June 27, 2014, by the Under Secretary for Benefits after the Office of Inspector General determined staff were misapplying the guidance at another VARO. The VBA did not take action to terminate FL 13-10 until January 22, 2015.

"This guidance applied to 48 cases that maybe we overlooked something in the past and when we discovered it, we immediately took care of it," said Lisa Breun, Director of the Little Rock VA Regional Office.

The Office of Inspector General reviewed 48 cases, most of which were rating-related and involved if a veteran would get disability or not.

According to the report, an average of 1 year and 8 months elapsed between the date the VA received the claim, until the staff discovered the claim.
read more here
KATV - Breaking News, Weather and Razorback Sports

Saturday, August 11, 2012

New Little Rock VA Director shocked by conditions at VA Home

While this report is well written, it doesn't come close to what it actually looks like to the veterans living with all of this. I urge you to go to the link and watch the video for yourself.

Dilapidated Veterans Home Will Not Be Repaired
Aug 09, 2012
By Janelle Lilley
Reporter
KATV

"When I saw the plumbing I thought, my gosh how have we been able to function? How has it lasted as long as it has? You saw it and it's disgusting," said Veterans Affairs Director Cissy Rucker.

When Rucker came to the VA two months ago, she knew she had inherited problems, but even she was shocked at the extent.

White debris of toilet paper covers the floor of the boiler room, left over from the countless times sewage has overflowed. The 60-year-old plumbing is barely working and heating and air are in poor condition according to a building inspectors report.

"You know the people who live here deserve better, and if we can bring this to light and do something about it then it's worth it," said Rucker.

Mike Hampton of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association saw the problems for himself Tuesday while touring the facility.

"What it drives home to me is our government the legislators, the governor, people that actually control the money here haven't taken care of them," said Hampton.

There is no doubt that VA funds have been mismanaged in the past.
read more here

Friday, August 10, 2012

Veterans rally, call for more oversight

Veterans rally, call for more oversight
August 09 2012 LITTLE ROCK (AP)

Arkansas veterans rallied at the state Capitol on Thursday and called for more oversight of the agency that assists them after problems that include thousands of dollars of illegally collected fees and a report detailing $10 million in repairs that the Little Rock Veterans Home needs.

The group of veterans called for the improvements to the state Department of Veterans Affairs during an hour-long rally on the Capitol steps. Gov. Mike Beebe in May asked the department's director to retire over the department illegally collecting more than $580,000 in fees and has used money from the state's surplus to repay the veterans who were charged.

The department in June announced that the Little Rock Veterans Home would close as soon as its residents were moved to other approved facilities of their choosing. Veterans at the rally complained that years of neglect led to the facility's deterioration.

The Arkansas Building Authority earlier this week said it would take $10 million to bring the building up to state building and health codes.

"Our troops deserve a better place to fight their final battle," James Scholz, an Army veteran who lives in Little Rock, told the crowd.
read more here

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Little Rock citizens don't want Veterans Center because "beautiful heritage is at stake"???

Does this make sense to you? Why is it people always say they love veterans but love them more when they are out of sight? Their "beautiful heritage" looks a bit tarnished now.

Neighbors opposed to VA Center in downtown area
8:22 PM, Feb 6, 2012
Written by
Pam Baccam


LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) -- The Little Rock City council will vote on an ordinance tomorrow, which could determine the fate of a new Veterans Affairs center.

The VA has plans to move into the old Cook Jeep dealership on Main Street. If the city amends an ordinance, the VA would have to apply for a permit.

The VA announced last month plans to expand services to Main Street, but some residents in the area are upset they did not have a chance to voice their opinions on the clinic.

Jo Summar and Dick Kelley live near Little Rock's Main Street. They're neighbors and want to see the area thrive as it once was.

"Our beautiful heritage is at stake here."
read more here

Monday, June 1, 2009

Two soldiers shot at recruiting office in Little Rock

Soldier killed in recruiting office shooting

By Noah Trister - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Jun 1, 2009 15:53:42 EDT

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A new soldier helping to attract others to the military was shot and killed outside an Army recruiting office Monday and a second soldier was wounded. Police arrested a suspect a short time later.

A man inside a black vehicle pulled up outside the Army-Navy recruiting office in west Little Rock and opened fire about 10:30 a.m., police spokesman Lt. Terry Hastings said.

The soldiers were outside the office when they were shot. They were taken to a hospital, where one died.


Lt. Col. Thomas F. Artis of the Oklahoma City Recruiting Battalion, which oversees the Little Rock office, said the victims had just completed basic training and were not regular recruiters. He said they were serving two weeks in the Little Rock office.

go here for more

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/06/ap_recruiter_shootings_060109/


UPDATE
Police: Shooting suspect targeted military

By Noah Trister - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Jun 1, 2009 20:33:40 EDT

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Police say a man with “political and religious motives” confessed to fatally shooting a new soldier and wounding another Monday in an attack on a military recruiting center.

The shootings were not believed to be part of a broader scheme.

William Long, 23, of Conway died in the attack on the Army-Navy Career Center in a west Little Rock shopping center, and Quinton Ezeagwula, 18, of Jacksonville was wounded and is stable, Police Chief Stuart Thomas said.

Police arrested Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, 23 of Little Rock along a crosstown interstate moments later. Thomas said Muhammad, previously known as Carlos Bledsoe, would be charged with capital murder, plus 16 counts of committing a terroristic act.
click same link for the update

Monday, October 27, 2008

2 dead in Arkansas campus shooting


2 dead in Arkansas campus shooting

Story Highlights
NEW: Police: Four suspects sought in campus shooting; two at large

Two students were killed, one was wounded, officials say

Shooting prompted a lockdown at University of Central Arkansas in Conway

UCA serves about 12,500 full-time students
CNN) -- Police are searching for two suspects in the fatal shooting of two University of Central Arkansas students Sunday night, while two other suspects are in custody, authorities said Monday.

The first suspect was apprehended in his car shortly after the shooting, and a second turned himself in, said University of Central Arkansas police Lt. Preston Grumbles.

The four suspects are not university students, he said.

The shooting, which happened outside a dorm, prompted a campus lockdown and the cancellation of Monday classes at the university, which serves about 12,500 full-time students in Conway, Arkansas.

"This is something you pray never happens," a visibly upset Tom Courtway, interim university president, said Monday. "Our campus is safe."

Police said students Ryan Henderson, 18, of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Chavares Block, 19, of Dermott, Arkansas, were killed. Henderson died at the scene, and Block died at Conway Regional Medical Center.

click link for more