Nw Arkansas News

Fire investigators suspect fire at abandoned theme park in northwest Ark. was ...

BEAVER, Ark. — Fire investigators say the Aug. 3 fire that destroyed the main building at the abandoned Dinosaur World theme park near Beaver was deliberately set.

Grassy Knob Volunteer Fire Department Chief Bob McVey told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette ( http://bit.ly/q0RYhH ) that arson is suspected because the building has been empty for six years.

The building once housed a restaurant and gift shop for the 65-acre park that opened in 1960 and closed in 2005.

The park featured about 50 life-size, concrete dinosaurs, a 42-foot-tall replica of King Kong and statues of cavemen.

It was included last year in the Society for Commercial Archaeology's list of "10 Most Endangered Roadside Places." It was also in the opening scene of the 1968 horror movie "It's Alive" and was featured in the 2005 film "Elizabethtown."

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Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.

Extreme Couponer Charged With Stealing Newspapers - Project ...

SPRINGDALE, Ark. -- Police in Springdale say the popularity of coupons led a Northwest Arkansas woman to steal 185 editions of a Sunday newspaper.

The Springdale Morning News reports that Jamie VanSickler, 34, of Lowell, was charged Tuesday with misdemeanor theft. She told officers she is a member of a coupon club and said she didn't think she was doing anything wrong.

Police said she took unsold copies of the Springdale Morning News that were left outside a grocery store for the newspaper carrier to pick up and return to the paper. You can read the entire police report from the Springdale Police Department here.

VanSickler released a statement through her attorney Friday afternoon.

"While I was shopping at Harps one night, I noticed that the employees were putting out bags of old newspapers on top of and in their trash can. Assuming they were being thrown out with the trash, I asked the employees whether I could take some of the newspapers because I wanted the coupons. I was told by employees at Harps that they put out the old newspapers each Sunday at closing time, and that I was welcome to take some."

VanSicker's attorney, Alanna Fairrell said in a statement Friday that "Mrs. VanSickler is shocked and embarrassed by the whole situation, since she obtained permission from Harps prior to taking any newspapers, and she was just trying to save some money. She is also very disappointed that the newspaper went public with this story and has decided to press charges against her although she offered to pay for the newspapers she took."

You can read Fairrell's entire statement here.

Slideshow: Images: Local Family Takes 40/29 Extreme Couponing

Carriers are independent contractors of the newspaper and buy papers at wholesale price and distribute them for a retail profit. Papers taken from the grocery cannot be returned to the newspaper for credit. Northwest Arkansas Newspapers single copy manager Greg Parker said the theft cost carriers $231. He said the company is giving the carriers credit to cover the loss. Northwest Arkansas Newspaper is the company that operates the Springdale Morning News, the Northwest Arkansas Times and the Northwest Arkansas edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Jeff Bryan spends about four hours a week collecting and categorizing coupons. He says there is no need to steal newspapers. "I'm not sure why she was doing that," Bryan said.

Deputies Investigate Shooting, Stabbing - Local News Story - KHBS NW Arkansas: via @

RT @: Extreme Couponer Charged With Stealing Newspapers - NW Arkansas News Story - KHBS NW Arkansas

Extreme Couponer Charged With Stealing Newspapers - NW Arkansas News Story - KHBS NW Arkansas

RT @: Romenesko: ‘Extreme Couponing’ show blamed for rise in newspaper thefts: KHBS NW Arkansas A ...

‘Extreme Couponing’ show blamed for rise in newspaper thefts: KHBS NW Arkansas A 34-year-old Arkansas woman was ...

Benn's media

NEWS EDITOR: Tom Swift PUBLISHER: Paula Patton SPORTS EDITOR: Adrian Wagner Frequency: Weekly Circulation: 1750 Northwest Arkansas Times 2 1 2 North East ...

American newspaper directory

Center of the great fruit section of northwest Arkansas. ... NEWS RECORD: every evening ex- cept Saturday and Suuday. and Sunday morning; dally eight, ...

N.W. Ayer & Son's American newspaper annual and directory

News Thursday Democratic 1915 13 llxlTJ 1.00 Bubton Bunch, Editor and Publisher. ... (N.), pop. 14825. 60 m. NW of Searcv. Mo. Л N. Ark. BB Tel. Exp. Banks. ...

SRDS circulation

AR) 15348 9.5% JOPLIN GLOBE 720 4% * MORNING NEWS OF NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ( SPRINGDALE. AR) 30743 19.1% 30743 19.1% ★ □ NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TIMES ...

Rowell's American newspaper directory

Marion, a town of 4000 pop., about 25 miles NW of Selma. ... De-Witt, a town of 1000 pop., on Arkansas River, 70 miles SE of Lithe Rock. ASHLEY CO — Pop. ...