Stories from Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department:

Deshedrick Darnell Jones Jr., 1 1/2 months, of Osceola, died Monday, June 18, 2012, at The Med in Memphis.

Once again, the highway is calling to me. It's a pretty typical occurrence this time of year. Summer is the time for family vacations, and hitting the road just seems like the right thing to do.

A Blytheville woman is receiving medical treatment after being shot in the leg early Tuesday morning by an unidentified assailant.

Bob Tarter of the Natural History Education Company of the Mid-South gave children an up-close look at snakes, spiders and more Tuesday morning at the Blytheville Public Library.

Blytheville City Councilman Monte Hodges told the Courier News Tuesday night that he won't re-run for the Ward 1 seat he has held the last 3 1/2 years.

Members of the Mississippi County Election Commission voted Tuesday afternoon to officially certify the results of the June 12 runoff election in which Monte Hodges won the Democratic Party nomination for Arkansas state representative for District 55.

Street work on Main Street, between the arches, should be wrapped up by this evening, then it's on to repairs on Elm Street and Kari Lane, according to Blytheville City Councilman Stan Parks.

Blytheville Mayor James Sanders plans to meet with Police Chief Ross Thompson and City Council members Monte Hodges and Stan Parks "in a week or two" regarding the jail fees the city owes the county.

The Blytheville School Board met Monday to discuss contract termination for Primary School Principal Veda Struble and Assistant Principal Dee Keiter.

Ralph Eugene "Gene" Layman, Sr., 87, of Aurora, Ill, passed away Monday, June 18, 2012, in Woodland Park, Colo., with family by his side. Ralph was born Jan. 5, 1925 in Caraway, Ark., the son of Alfred and Goldie (Harlan) Layman. He was united in marriage May 22, 1943, to his high school sweetheart, Elfrieda Endicott, and they remained married until her death in 2005...