News

By MARCUS McCLAIN NEA Town Courier Repairs remain ongoing at the Walker Park Pool in efforts to safely open for the summer. City officials prepared to be open by this Saturday (June 10), however, leaks have continued to plague opening plans. Last week, the pool was filled with water in belief that it would be ready for the weekend. ...

By Marcus McClain NEA Town Courier Mississippi County officials continued to announce recipients of the Infrastructure Grant Program over the past week. The cities of Manila, Leachville and Blytheville were the latest awarded in a stream of funding made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021...

By B. Kay Richter NEA Town Courier Assistant Editor Last month, 14 parcels of land in Mississippi County were donated to a California nonprofit called Vision to Victory. The properties which were donated were part of a land program that offered tax-delinquent lands at public auction. If the properties did not sell during the public auction, then the properties could be a land donation from the state of Arkansas...

A Blytheville man was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle during the early morning hours on Sunday, June 4.

County Judge John Nelson announced a $41,250 grant to the town of Etowah, alongside mayor Bo McCollum on June 6. This was awarded through the county infrastructure grant program. Funds will be used on Etowah’s wastewater treatment facility standby generator replacement project. ...

By Marcus McClain NEA Town Courier The city of Keiser was the first to be awarded funds through the Mississippi County Infrastructure Grant Program. On Monday, the county announced that $200,000 through the American Rescue Plan Act will be contributed to the city’s Highway 181 Lift Station rehabilitation plan. Due to the age of the station, the city’s wastewater collection system suffers heavy fluctuation in flow during rains. This causes overflows of the existing stations...

By MARCUS McCLAIN Town Courier Blytheville’s state workforce center is one of nine scheduled to be officially closed by the end of June. Offices in Arkadelphia, Batesville, Benton, Camden, Helena, Magnolia, Mountain Home and Rogers will be closed as well due to the number of customers served and the proximity to other centers according to ADWS communications director Zoë Calkins...

The city of Blytheville will be hosting a town hall meeting at the Ritz Civic Center on June 27. Citizens may submit questions for city officials via email, hand written requests or over the phone. Mayor Melisa Logan, the city council, city attorneys and department heads are expected to be in attendance...

A dog attack left one woman in a serious medical condition on June 3 in the 900 block of Ruddle Road in Blytheville. The victim was transferred to Memphis for medical care following the attack. Police Chief Ross Thompson stated that while no charges have yet been brought upon the owner, the investigation is ongoing. He stated that the department is working with veterinarian professionals to compile as much information as possible...

By Marcus McClain NEA Town Courier Letters of reprimand were issued to the Mississippi County election commission on May 25 regarding the 2022 General Election in November. Blytheville mayoral candidate, John Mayberry, submitted a complaint with the State Board of Election Commissioners after the county election commission determined a recount was necessary during their Nov. 15 meeting. During that meeting, acceptable forms of ID regarding provisional ballots were called into question...

By REVIS BLAYLOCK NEA Town Courier Blytheville Humane Society thrift store, known as Orphan Annie’s Thrift Store, is moving to a new location, 510 North Broadway, in the former MCEC building. The thrift store is a major source of income for the Blytheville Humane Society. It has been located at 309 North 2nd Street for 11 years. It was opened by Clara Tayler as a way to help fund the humane society...

By REVIS BLAYLOCK NEA Town Courier Mississippi County Library in Blytheville has expanded their microfilm services. The library now has in house the Courier Newspapers back to 1928 and the Osceola Times dating back to the 1870s, all on microfilm are filed neatly for easy access...

Letters of reprimand were issued to the Mississippi County election commission on May 25 regarding the 2022 General Election in November.

By Marcus McClain NEA Town Courier “I am powerful! I am smart! I am intelligent! I got it going on! And I’m going beast mode!” These words echoed throughout Chickasaw Arena on last Thursday to finish off the EOC Leadership Conference at Blytheville High...

By B. Kay Richter Town Courier Assistant Editor The LEARNS Act, an education law recently passed in the Arkansas legislature was temporarily blocked from implementation last Friday by a judge in Pulaski County. Circuit Judge Herbert Wright agreed with the plaintiffs in that the Arkansas General Assembly failed to properly enact the legislation's emergency clause. This clause allows new laws to take effect immediately...

By B. Kay Richter Town Courier Assistant Editor Mississippi County hosted a Memorial Day ceremony on May 29 on the steps of the courthouse in Blytheville. More than 100 members of the community gathered to be a part of the ceremony and to pay remembrance for those soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice in serving their nation...

Sixteen-year-old Andrea Nicole Meyer was last seen by her family at her residence in Gosnell on the evening of May 28.

By Revis Blaylock NEA Town Courier John and Helen Shuck of Blytheville will celebrate 76 years of marriage in December. They have three children, Sandy, Glenn and Donna, nine grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, 23 great-great-grandchildren and one on the way...

By REVIS BLAYLOCK NEA Town Courier It has been over 70 years but it seems like yesterday when Donald Lasater thinks about his brother, Private 1st Class John Carrel Lasater. Private Lasater is one of over 35,000 casualties of the Korean War, sometimes referred to as the forgotten war. Private Lasater was killed in Korea on Aug. 13, 1950, at the age of 18...

By B. Kay Richter Town Courier Assistant Editor During a major environmental decision on Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Environmental Protection Agency's definition of wetlands. The court sided with an Idaho couple who argued they should be required to apply for federal permits to build on their property...

Mississippi County is sponsoring a Memorial Day ceremony that will be held at the Blytheville Courthouse at 11 a.m. on Monday.

By Marcus McClain NEA Town Courier The ninth annual Mississippi County Juneteenth celebration is just over the horizon. Numerous events will be held throughout the month of June, recognizing the emancipation of African Americans and the knowledge of their freedom...

By REVIS BLAYLOCK NEA Town Courier Manila superintendent Jason Evers and school board members welcomed newly elected member, Jackie Hill, at the May 18 meeting. Hill won the May school board election and will fill the position of Danny Robbins who decided not to seek re-election...

By Marcus McClain NEA Town Courier Although he won’t be physically in place day-to-day following his retirement, the effect of James Shemwell will always remain at Arkansas Northeastern College. And the college’s board of directors made sure that his legacy is remembered far beyond simple word of mouth. With Shemwell’s retirement celebration inside the Allied Tech building last Friday, board chairman Randy Scott unveiled one final ‘thank you’ to the outgoing president for his contributions...

A Blytheville man was killed on Sat., May 20, in the 1600 block of Stuart St. Police reported that upon arrival the shooting victim, Christopher Hogan, 34, was located and transported to Great River Medical Center. There, he later succumbed to the injuries. The Blytheville Police Department reported that the investigation is ongoing and additional information will be released as it is made available...

By MARCUS McCLAIN NEA Town Courier Blytheville officials announced changes to the process of bidding for city-owned property during their May 16 council meeting. Moving forward, the city will have four time frames per year, one per quarter, that properties become available for bid. Legal notices will alert the public that an opening date is approaching, as well as the city’s social media channels...

By B. Kay Richter NEA Town Courier The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the Farm Service Agency (FSA) have started the process of sending prefilled applications to rice producers for the new Rice Production Program (RPP) on May 8...

By REVIS BLAYLOCK NEA Town Courier Mississippi County Planning and Development committee approved support for a recruitment and placement specialist and stipend funds for WORKING towards WAGES program at Arkansas Northeastern College. Both issues will go to the finance committee...

By Marcus McClain NEA Town Courier The Blytheville City Council unanimously approved an ordinance renewing industrial development bonds with Nucor-Yamato Steel during their May 16 council meeting. The council held a required public hearing on the matter prior to the start of the official meeting...

Manila public pool staff is working to get everything ready for opening day. If all goes on schedule, the pool will open on Saturday, June 3. Hours for the public will be 1-5 p.m., seven days a week. The price is $8 per person at the door. Season passes are available for $65 for individual passes and $150 for family passes. The family passes include immediate family, parents and children. Season tickets are purchased at city hall during business hours...

The Blytheville Police Department is reminding citizens of Blytheville there will be a Neighborhood Watch meeting Saturday, May 20. The meeting will be from 1-3 p.m. at the Blytheville Public Library. This will be an informative meeting about the neighborhoods and how neighborhood watch groups can be established to better serve the community...

By REVIS BLAYLOCK NEA Town Courier It was Jennifer Gathright Day at Centennial Bank in Monette as co-workers, family, friends and former co-workers gathered for a retirement celebration on Friday, May 12. Gathright, a senior loan assistant, has been with the bank for 31 years...

By REVIS BLAYLOCK NEA Town Courier Jerred Price, president of the Leachville Beautification Corp., thanked everyone who helped make the Leachville Memorial Lamppost Lighting Ceremony and community dinner a success. The event took place on Main Street Leachville with over 100 people attending. They group gathered in one of the historic buildings that is being renovated by Price. It is one of several buildings that were damaged in the 2021 December tornado...

By B. Kay Richter NEA Assistant Editor More than 40 community members gathered at the renamed Wallace Thomas Field during a formal dedication ceremony on Monday afternoon. Billy Curl, the chairman of the airport commission read an official proclamation renaming the airport from Blytheville Municipal Airport to Wallace "Wally" Thomas Field...

By Marcus McClain NEA Town Courier National Nursing Home Week was celebrated with a balloon release Monday morning at Heritage Square Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Blytheville Mayor Melisa Logan was in attendance to acknowledge both the residents and their caretakers, kicking off a week full of events. “I think I’ve been here every year, for the past four years, to celebrate with you all,” Logan laughed. “And I’m so excited that this time I get to do it as your mayor!”...

May is Community Action Month. Denise Harlow, National Community Action Program Chief Executive Officer, stated that “Community Action Month is a time for us to come together and elevate Community Action as a voice and driving force for opportunity in America. ...

By B. Kay Richter NEA Assistant Editor Blytheville residents will no longer be able to stop in for chicken and biscuits at the Popeyes in Blytheville located at 119 S. North Service Road. According to social media reports by Jordan Beal, "the doors will not be opening back up... these are just business decisions that the Memphis market made that nobody can do anything about."...

Washington - Police officers from Arkansas and across the country gathered in the nation's capital for National Police Week. The officers honored those who lost their lives while in the line of duty. This week, U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced the Back the Blue Act. ...

By B. Kay Richter NEA Assistant Editor Parents across the state of Arkansas will now have more options in education for their children. On March 8, state legislators in Arkansas passed a universal school choice bill that gives all children an opportunity for an education...

A juvenile was shot May 9 in the 1300 block of East Rose in Blytheville. Upon arrival, officers located the male victim with multiple gunshot wounds. He was later transported to Le’Bonheur Children's Hospital for medical treatment. As of Friday morning, the department stated that the victim is in stable, yet critical condition...

By Marcus McClain NEA Town Courier The Blytheville police and fire committee revisited several proposed ordinances and issues during their May 9 meeting at the Justice Center. Committee chair Barabara McAdoo-Brothers reintroduced the conversation regarding ATVs/UTVs, such as four-wheelers, mopeds, side by sides, etc., being operated on city streets. ...

By REVIS BLAYLOCK NEA Town Courier Mary Hackett of Blytheville is proud to be the mother of nine boys. She has five sons, James, Shell, Patrick, Tony and Reggie, still living. Sadly, she has four sons who have passed away. She has many grandchildren and loves her big family...

Two Blytheville men have been arrested and issued a $100,000 bond each. Thursday, May 11, a search warrant was executed on a residence on South 7th Street in Blytheville. During the search, deputies located one loaded Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 380 caliber handgun (stolen) in the living room floor. One loaded Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 caliber handgun and one loaded Smith & Wesson SD 40 caliber handgun found on the bottom shelf of the coffee table...

Unofficial results from Tuesday School Board election: Armorel School Board Zone 5 Scott Jowers - uncontested Manila School Board Zone 3 Jackie Hill - 238 (79.07%) Brett Sexton - 63 (20.93%) Gosnell School Board Zone 7 Cody Mace - 95 (58.64%) Lindsey Rouse - 34 (20.99%)...

BREAKING: State authorities confirmed Wilfred Davis was charged in a single-vehicle traffic accident that resulted in six people being transported to Great River Medical Center Saturday, April 29 on AR-181 in Gosnell. The accident involved two adults and four children, leaving the vehicle displaced in a nearby ditch. ...

The nonprofit, Main Street Blytheville, plans to bring another edition of the Mayfest celebration on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Armorel School Board Zone 5 Scott Jowers - uncontested Manila School Board Zone 3 Jackie Hill - 238 (79.07%) Brett Sexton - 63 (20.93%) Gosnell School Board Zone 7 Cody Mace - 95 (58.64%) Lindsey Rouse - 34 (20.99%) Christian foster - 33 (20.37%) Rivercrest School Board Zone 1...

Police responded to the 1300 block of East Rose on May 9 in reference to shots fired. On arrival, officers located a juvenile male with multiple gunshot wounds. Police reported that his condition is unknown at this time, however, he was transported to Le’Bonheur Children's hospital for medical treatment. ...

By REVIS BLAYLOCK NEA Town Courier Abby May Miller, of New York, made her first visit to Mississippi County with a showing of her unique, wearable art at the historic New York Store on Blytheville Main Street. The Friday and Saturday event showcased her private collection...

By B. Kay Richter NEA Assistant Editor A federal program has earmarked funding for local transportation projects in Mississippi County. According to a press release by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Arkansas and Mississippi County were the recipients of a program titled the Competitive Highway Bridge Program. ...