Natural State Report — News from the Capitol in Little Rock to every county in the Natural State

6:54 a.m. CT Arkansas State Police investigate death at Sharp County detention center 7:54 p.m. CT Arkansas rice acreage falls below 1 million acres as farmers cut losses 6:54 p.m. CT Hempstead County creates board to oversee hospital tax and bond proceeds 4:53 p.m. CT Pulaski County says suspected fraud diverted $1.9 million in jail payments 2:54 p.m. CT Fayetteville budget proposes 15% cut to library’s city funding 1:55 p.m. CT Arkansas education officials seek $52 million for districts with declining enrollment 12:55 p.m. CT Arkansas confirms season’s first avian flu case in Baxter County flock 11:53 a.m. CT WEHCO Media plans 74 layoffs at Arkansas Democrat-Gazette by year-end 6:54 a.m. CT Arkansas State Police investigate death at Sharp County detention center 7:54 p.m. CT Arkansas rice acreage falls below 1 million acres as farmers cut losses 6:54 p.m. CT Hempstead County creates board to oversee hospital tax and bond proceeds 4:53 p.m. CT Pulaski County says suspected fraud diverted $1.9 million in jail payments 2:54 p.m. CT Fayetteville budget proposes 15% cut to library’s city funding 1:55 p.m. CT Arkansas education officials seek $52 million for districts with declining enrollment 12:55 p.m. CT Arkansas confirms season’s first avian flu case in Baxter County flock 11:53 a.m. CT WEHCO Media plans 74 layoffs at Arkansas Democrat-Gazette by year-end