LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The Justice Department says two subsidiaries of Exxon Mobil have agreed to pay almost $5 million in government penalties from a 2013 oil spill in a central Arkansas community.

As part of a consent decree set to be filed in a Little Rock federal court Wednesday, the companies would pay about $3.2 million in federal civil penalties in addition to addressing pipeline safety issues and oil-response capacity. They would pay $1 million in state civil penalties, $600,000 for a project to improve water quality at Lake Conway and $280,000 for the state's legal costs.

Assistant Attorney General John Cruden notes that Exxon Mobil doesn't admit liability in agreeing to the measures.

CONWAY, Ark. (KTHV) - The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department has scheduled a public hearing in Conway on plans to relocate Highway 25 and expand it to 5 lanes.

The work will extend north from Exit 124 on Interstate 40 to existing Highway 25 just west of Beaver Fork Lake.

The meeting is set for Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the Conway Parks and Recreation.

CONWAY, Ark. (AP) - Voters in Conway have approved a plan to rededicate and extend a sales tax to support the redevelopment of the city's former airport into a shopping and restaurant area.

Voters on Tuesday easily approved the measure, which authorizes the city to rededicate an existing 1/8th percent sales tax. The tax will allow the issuance of about $21 million in municipal bonds that will support infrastructure for the planned Central Landing center.

The tax had been set to expire in 2021 but is now extended until 2045.

Plans for the Central Landing project include a department store, shops, restaurants and residential housing. The project is to be built at the site of the city's former airport, which is being replaced by a new airport that recently opened.

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