Here’s the steamy Saturday open line, with terrible news from Portland and elsewhere:

* U.S. TERRORISM: A terrorist fatally stabbed two people and wounded a third, all defending women on a commuter train in Portland, Ore. They were defending two young women, one wearing a hijab, from abuse including insults about religion. The attacker is a well-known white supremacist, allegedly dedicated to eradicating Muslims and Jews. Home-grown. Immigration ban wouldn’t have helped.

Advertisement

* THREE DEAD IN FORT SMITH: KNWA reports three deaths in an apparent double-homicide-suicide in Fort Smith.

* LITTLE ROCK HOMICIDE 26 OF 2017: Police said this afternoon that the body of Tanisha Roby, 21, was found at the rear of a mobile home park at 8510 Scott Hamilton Drive about 9:40 a.m. today. Injuries were said to be “consistent” with homicide. Roby had been reported missing when she did not return hom from work Friday night. She was last seen leaving work about 9:30 p.m. She walked home every night from a grocery on Geyer Springs Road to an apartment on Auxor Road, her sister told police. The police have no suspects.

Advertisement

* LITTLE ROCK HOMICIDE 27 of 2017: Kendrick Scales, 19, was found critically wounded along Asher Avenue about 3:30 a.m. Saturday, according to a person who helped take him to Baptist Medical Center for treatment, but he died of the wounds.  No suspects as yet.

* IN SEARCH OF ISIS: Also from Northwest Arkansas, KFMS reports an arrest in Huntsville of a man claiming to be a federal agent searching for ISIS camps in Madison County. He’s apparently a felon from New York, now in residence in Arkansas, in possession of a cache of guns felons are not allowed to possess. He also appeared to be attempting to obtain items to identify himself as a Homeland Security officer. His gear included flashing lights, a siren and decals on his SUV.

Advertisement

Be a part of something bigger

As a reader of the Arkansas Times, you know we’re dedicated to bringing you tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 50 years, we've been fighting the good fight in Little Rock and beyond – with your support, we can do even more. By becoming a subscriber or donating as little as $1 to our efforts, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers to expand our coverage and continue to bring important stories to light. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, it's clear that our readers value our great journalism. Join us in the fight for truth.

Previous article Mr. Gianforte, a question? Mr. Gianforte? Next article Changing times: Of coal, renewable energy and Arkansas