Stories from Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Pauline Alma Walker, 79, of Blytheville, died Saturday, May 28, 2001, at White County Medical Center in Searcy.

Elsie Vowell, 91, of Jonesboro, formerly of Blytheville, died Monday, May 30, 2011, at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro

Ms. Rosie Jefferson, 62, of Blytheville, died Saturday, May 28, 2011, at her home.

Jason Todd Goff, 42, son of Larry and Johnnie Goff of Blytheville, died Monday, May 30, 2011, at The Regional Medical Center in Memphis.

Mrs. Karen Kay Johnson Freligh, 45, of Blytheville, passed from this life Saturday, May 28, 2011, at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville.

When a devastating tornado hit her hometown of Joplin on the evening of Sunday, May 22, Jennifer Douglas was at home in Blytheville with her boyfriend, Rodney Duncan.

Wendell Eddie Ashabranner, 52, of Manila, died Friday, May 27, 2011, at his home. Born at Blytheville he was the son of Jessie and the late Eddie D. Ashabranner and had lived most of his life in Manila. ...

Jerald Deloy Fletcher, 82, of Jonesboro, died Friday, May 27, 2011 at St. Bernards Medical Center. Mr. Fletcher was born July 25, 1928 at Lake City to the late Sparley and Lela Fletcher. He was a member of the University Heights Baptist Church, enjoyed fishing, camping, and spending time with his family and friends...

Mrs. Vailima S. Knight, 77, of Dell, passed away Friday, May 27, 2011, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. Born at Dell, she was the daughter of the late Dewey and Pearl Magers Sheppard and was a lifetime Dell resident. ...

Estus Calvin Williams, 81, of Leachville, died Wednesday, May 25, 20011, at the Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. Born at Pontotoc, Miss., he was the son of the late Amory and Limmie Louise Ramsey Williams and had been a Leachville resident for most of his life. ...

Carl Raymond Neal, 49, of Trumann, died Thursday, May 26, 2001, at his home. Born at Hughes, Ark., he was the son of the late Charles Henry Neal and was raised in the Leachville and Monette areas. He had lived much of his life in Jonesboro and had been a Trumann resident for the past year. He was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Trumann...

Following a lengthy executive session in a special called meeting on Tuesday night, Manila Superintendent Pam Castor recommended a reconfiguration of grades, grouping pre-K through eighth grade. The board voted unanimously in favor of the recommendation...

Debby Hamilton was surprised Wednesday with cake, punch, and gifts all delivered with hugs from her second grade class at Manila Elementary. Hamilton has been a teacher for 32 years -- 31 of those years at Manila...

Here's a wrap up of the action from Cal Ripken, Junior Babe Ruth League and youth softball from May 27 and 28.

Tiffany Adams of Manila was among the graduates earning the Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy in Little Rock on Saturday, May 21, 2011...

Arkansas Northeastern College held a special ceremony Friday night, May 20, 2011, to pin "Wings" on the first graduating Aviation Maintenance Program class. More than 100 people filled the Adams/Vines Gallery on the Arkansas Norhteastern College Campus in Blytheville as 16 graduates were recognized for completion of the 18 month program...

Robertson Furniture Store, a longtime Leachville business, received damage to the building on the east side of main street and the building behind it on Wednesday night. The strong winds took the roof off both buildings. ...

Local duck call maker Lowell Polston of Manila again made a special Relay for Life call to benefit Buffalo Island American Cancer Relay for Life. Polston has been making duck calls for three and a half years and this will be his third to donate to the Relay for Life...

Recent reports, according to the Blytheville Police Department.