Stories from Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Combating crime, cleaning up the town and education are keys to rebuilding Blytheville's population and inviting economic development, Blytheville Mayor James Sanders said in his State of the City Address Tuesday night.

The family of an Osceola man shot by a FBI agent is not only grieving the loss of a loved one, but they are angry and want a few answers.

Jennifer Ledbetter and Mitchell Clay of Pocahontas announce the birth of their daughter, Carlee River Clay.

PEO Chapter D met Jan. 26, for a Founders Day luncheon and social meeting in the Southern Grace Tea Room at Sisters at the Crossing.

Despite sending 2010 three sluggers and its best 2010 pitcher to the pros, Coach Dave Van Horn's baseball Razorbacks have been picked to finish second in the SEC West by the SEC coaches.

Blytheville moved into a tie for first in the 5A-East Tuesday night.

The Gosnell Lady Pirates punched their ticket to the 4A regional tournament with a 50-41 win over the Highland Lady Rebels Tuesday night at Trumann.

Mr. Ausie Young, 90, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011.

Mrs. Peggy Sue Wright, 49, of Luxora, died Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011, in her home.

Vanessa Jones Simmons, 47, of Blytheville, died Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro.

Mr. James Orvall Shannon, 85, a resident of Blytheville, formerly of East Prairie, Mo., passed away Monday, Feb. 14, 2011, in the Heritage Square Nursing Center in Blytheville.

When Adron Poole was a young child, his family would drive from the small town of Wabbeseka, Ark., where he grew up, to visit relatives in Chicago. On the way there, they would stop in Blytheville.

During the Tuesday night city council meeting, Gosnell Mayor Don Marshall strongly emphasized his intent, and that of the council, to back city and county law enforcemen in their attempt to rid the area of drug trafficking

"A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline," starring Katie Deal, will be staged at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, at The Ritz Civic Center.

The city of Blytheville owes Mississippi County $175,000 in fees for housing city inmates in the jail, Sheriff Dale Cook told members of the Quorum Court's Police, Fire and Safety Committee Tuesday afternoon.

The deadline for Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals to reach a new contract agreement passed Wednesday with no new deal, making it likely the three-time MVP will test the free-agent market after the season.

The University of Arkansas women's basketball team has a chance to add to its list of "firsts" in the 2010-11season when they travel to Ole Miss Thursday for a 7p.m. tip in Oxford, Miss. The Razorbacks (16-8, 4-8 SEC) have a chance to pick up a win in Oxford over the Rebels (10-14, 3-9 SEC), one of two SEC venues in which the Razorbacks have never won.

The Blytheville Chickasaws jumped back on top of the 5A-East standings with a 56-33 thumping of the Nettleton Raiders Tuesday night at Raider Gym. With Forrest City's (14-7, 7-2 5A-East) 45-44 loss to Beebe Tuesday night, the Chicks (14-5, 8-2 5A-East) and Badgers lead the 5A-East by 1/2 game.

On Sunday, Feb. 13, Chapter CI, PEO hosted our 11th annual Chocolate Fantasy. We would like to thank all of you who purchased tickets to help support our local Arkansas Northeastern College scholarships as well as our international philanthropies. All our philanthropies help educate women from all walks of life and in varying stages of the educations...

Thank you for this story (Feb. 11) on the Gathens. It's good to see home-town heroes recognized. I, for one, can tell you that Coach Gathen was a huge influence on my life while he was the head football coach in Luxora in the '80s. I learned respect, leadership, dedication, discipline and teamwork -- all the things I needed in my 15 years in the U.S. Army and now as a pastor of New Light MBC in Clarksville, Tenn...

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department.

In Mississippi County Circuit Court in Blytheville Tuesday, Frank Goodman, 32, of 1710 Hearn St., entered a guilty plea to second-degree murder in connection with the May 22, 2010, murder of Roy Lee Golden Jr.

On behalf of the Spelling Bee Council of Mississippi County, I would like to thank all those who made our competition possible. Twenty-eight students from throughout our county participated in the annual spelling bee held on the Arkansas Northeastern College campus in the Adams-Vines Recital Hall on Feb. 1...

Life is full of illusions. Things aren't always as they appear, particularly on backwoods, Tennessee highways.