Arkansas

Keith Boles

Over the past week, we have received about an inch and a half of rain with more on the way. For those who have ATV's and 4WD vehicles it is a mudder's paradise. However, the fun comes with a cost to farmers who are seeing their easily accessible fields being rutted and torn up.

Many fields are already green with winter wheat or prepared for cotton or other row crops. In addition, some of these fields were fertilized for this year's crops. The muddy fun can ruin the effect of chemicals on a field.

Amanda Hanson

Many of the ATV trails in Craighead Forest Park are un-drivable. Now, officials with the Parks Department are considering closing the trails down.

If you come out the ATV trails at Craighead Forest Park, start your engine, unload the truck, and hit the trails you might not be a happy camper.

Josh Harvison

Officials with the Poinsett County Sheriff's Office Wednesday said more teenagers and younger adults are taking to city streets on all terrain vehicles, a violation of state and local law. According to Poinsett County Sheriff Larry Mills, they've witnessed an increase in the number of ATV riders this summer. He said with the additional of several ATV riders comes the possibility of more accidents.

"You've got kids out of school and when they're out of school, we were the same way, you know they're going to find something to do with their time," said Mills. "If they have access to an ATV, then they're probably going to be on it."

Kate Luck

The National Forest Service is tightening its rules for riders of All-Terrain Vehicles, or ATVs.

And one group is trying to fight the ruling, saying it would do more harm than good.

Mark Gregory

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.—Members of Arkansas’ congressional delegation say a National Forest Service plan to close areas of the Ouachita National Forest to off-road vehicles should be stopped in its tracks.

Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and U.S. Rep. Mike Ross say any such rule could hurt the economy in western Arkansas. They cite the Mena area in particular as one that would be hard-hit by an off-road vehicle ban in the national forest.

Rusty Garrett

A long-anticipated decision regulating the use of roads and off-road trails in the Ouachita National Forest has been released, with implementation tentatively scheduled for this spring.

However, a number of outdoor recreation enthusiasts and those who cater to them say they will likely appeal the plan, which they say is overly restrictive.

Melissa Lore

As the weather gets warmer and schools are dismissed for the summer, officers of the law all over the county are working to maintain the safety of residents and are battling the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATV’s), specifically four wheelers, on the city streets and highways.

According to the Arkansas Motor Vehicle and Traffic Laws and State Highway Commission Regulations, “it shall be unlawful for any person to operate an all-terrain vehicle upon the public streets and highways of this state,” with the exceptions of use in farming or hunting operations, when the vehicle is on the public street or highway in order to get from one field to another. Exceptions are made for specific handicaps.

Andra Atteberry

BELLA VISTA - A ban on allterrain vehicles, go-carts and motorized dirt bikes in Bella Vista came a step closer to reality Monday night at a meeting of the Bella Vista City Council.

The council had the second reading of an ordinance banning the vehicles from operating in the city unless they are run on a minimum of 3 acres of property owned by the recreational-vehicle riders.

Keith Boles

MAYNARD (KAIT) All terrain vehicles are designed to go pretty much anywhere and everywhere.

But one Region Eight town says they don't belong on their city streets.

A street is the wrong place for an atv to be.