Stories from Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The tragic death of 2-year-old twin girls in Portageville, Mo., after they were stuck in a locked vehicle last week is raising concerns about the dangers of high heat and humidity. The toddlers died from heat-related problems, according to the autopsy...

After-school program set

Blytheville Primary School officials are encouraging students to take advantage of an after-school program. Children who will be first- and second-graders at Blytheville Primary School this fall are now being accepted into the Academic Excellence After-School Program at BPS...

Hundreds pack meeting with FEMA director

Clif Chitwood, executive director of Great River Economic Development Foundation, told attendees of Monday's monthly Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon why citizens will be asked to pass an extension to the county's economic development sales tax on Aug. 10...

James Paul Hollis, 85 of Leachville, died late Saturday at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born near Monette, he was the son of the late Henry Columbus and Sarah Gauf Hollis. He was a U.S. Army Veteran of World War II and was a farmer early in life near Arbyrd, Mo. ...

The six year old NEA East All Stars won the Sports Hall Thunder Bayou Championship. They appreciate all of their sponsors as well as anyone who stopped by their car wash on May 29. Without the support from their local communities none of the past NEA East success would have been possible. ...

Buffalo Island Central 12 and Under Mustangs are the NEA East League Tournament Champions. Pictured from left: are, front -- Gavin Anderson, Jake Jones, Dylan Hurst, Azael Flores. Back -- Coach Scott Ballard, Ryan Austin, Tyler Parker, Allen Carmichael, Trevor Couch, Drake Cobb, Coach Chris Stuck. Not pictured is Ryan Stuck. (photo provided)...

Manila senior Zach Birmingham inked a letter of intent to play baseball for Crowley's Ridge College in Paragould on May 26th at the Manila High School Gymnasium. On hand for the signing wre (seated) his parents, Darrell and Tina Birmingham, and brohter, Brock. Standing -- Bill Taylor, assistant baseball coach; Paul McFadden, CRC coach; Jeaqn Birmingham, grandmother; MIldred Ramsey, great-grandmother; Don Nunnally, assitant baseball coach; and Steven Milligan, baseball coach...

Jax Gist, four month old son of Aaron and Whitney Gist, is proud to have the first cotton bloom reported to the Town Crier. The cotton blooms were found on his Grandpa Tommy and Uncle Robbie Veach's farm at Lost Cane, on June 18. The Stoneville 4554 was planted on April 17. (Town Crier photo/Yvonne Hernandez)...

Tanner Smith, a 2010 graduate of Manila High School, was honored at the Little Rock Film Festival Awards Gala held at the Clinton Presidential Center on Sunday, June 6. Tanner and other scholarship winners were presented their awards, and awards for the film festival were given out...

Linda Goodson Simpson, clerk/treasurer, for the city of Lake City is announcing her bid for re-election of clerk/treasurer. Mrs. Simpson will be seeking a second term in office, which will be voted on in the General Election on Nov. 2, 2010...

JONESBORO - The Craighead County Veterans Monument Foundation, Inc. is extending the deadline for entries in the new book honoring Craighead County Veteran. W. Danny Honnoll chairman of the Craighead County Veterans History book, announced, "The new due date is set as to July 4."...

It was only after his death the family learned that Uncle Red had been awarded two Bronze Stars for heroic achievement during World War 11. It was a period of his life he didn't talk about. We do know that when he entered the war, his hair was red and bushy, but when he returned home four years later, it was thin and prematurely gray...

Craighead County Sheriff's Deputy Terry McNatt gets to drive the state's winning vehicle. The county's DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) vehicle recently won first place in the Arkansas DARE Officers Association Custom Vehicle Competition...

A special Flag Day dedication service was held Monday, June 14, for the Buffalo Island Veterans Park in Leachville. In less than a year project leaders raised over $120,000 to complete the park and bring a dream into a reality...

For the 2009-10 Manila Lion's Echo Yearbook Staff this year has been filled with excitement from the time the new staff members joined until they saw the yearbook in print for the first time. Earlier in the year they were nominated for the Walsworth Publishing Company's Gallery of Excellence...