Black bear spotted in Jonesboro

JONESBORO — Just days after the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission issued its annual advisory that juvenile black bears might be moving through populated areas again theis spring, a black bear was last spotted near Home Depot yesterday afternoon, according to information released by Jonesboro officials.

Bill Campbell, director of communications for Jonesboro, said on Wednesday afternoon Jonesboro Police, Animal Control and Arkansas Game and Fish Department officers were attempting to capture a black bear that was first seen on video Tuesday night near Craighead Forest in Jonesboro.

He said there had been numerous reports of the bear from when it was originally spotted.

At the time of this report, the bear had been last spotted around 3 p.m. near Home Depot on East Parker Road near Harrisburg Road.

“City and state officials hope to save and relocate the animal to its habitat,” Campbell said, noting they were hoping to be able to tranquilize it without causing any harm to the animal. “Residents are warned not to attempt to find or make contact with the bear, but rather to contact JPD,” he stated.

Jonesboro police also posted the video on the JPD Facebook page with a few safety tips for those who see the bear including:

• don’t approach the bear.

• don’t feed the bear.

• don’t talk to the bear.

• don’t befriend the bear.

Call the JPD call dispatch at (870) 935-5553 to report the bear’s location.

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BATESVILLE — Robert Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, appeared before Judge Holly Meyer in the Independence County Courthouse Monday, May 1, in his ongoing court proceedings with Lunden Alexis Roberts,32, during a two-hour hearing. Due to Biden’s prominence as the son of the president, the inperson court appearance caused quite a stir among locals. Security for the court appearance was tight, with Batesville, Independence County, and Arkansas State Police present. Restaurants along Main Street that are normally closed on Monday mornings opened their doors for the increased traffic brought by the court appearance.

The media peppered Biden with questions, while onlookers heckled and jeered at him, as he walked into the court building.

After the initial paternity case, child support had been set since March 2020. In testimony Monday, attorneys said Biden has paid $750,000 in courtordered support to Roberts since the birth of their daughter four years ago. In October 2022, Biden filed to decrease his $20,000 per month child support payments.

In December 2022, Roberts filed to have their daughter’s last name legally changed to Biden because it was “synonymous with

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being well-educated, successful, financially acute, and politically powerful.”

In November of 2019, Roberts’ attorney Clinton Lancaster of Benton filed: “Baby Doe’s paternity could put the child and those close to the child at risk of harm for the same reasons the Biden family is protected by the U.S.

Secret Service.” Roberts’ attorneys have maintained the paternity and child support case has nothing to do with presidential politics.

Another deposition has been scheduled for mid-June and a follow-up court date in July.

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Guns stolen from vehicle

JONESBORO — A 26year-old Jonesboro man reported to police Tuesday night that someone entered his unlocked vehicle and stole three firearms, according to a Jonesboro police report.

The victim told police the theft occurred between 6:45 p.m. and 7:55 p.m. in the 4900 block of South Culberhouse Street.

Stolen were a 9 mm CZ P07 tactical handgun valued at $600, a SilencerCo .30caliber AR-15 style rifle valued at $1,700 and a .22caliber Tikka rifle valued at $800. Also taken were a hard gun case valued at $70 and a nicotine vaporizer valued at $350.

The victim told police he went to the site of the theft to fish in a pond with a friend and went to his Jeep to retrieve fishing poles. He noticed that the firearms were there. When he returned after fishing he noticed the items were missing from his vehicle.

According the Jonesboro police Criminal Investigations Division, the case will be listed as inactive until further suspect information and evidence becomes available.