Stories from Thursday, June 21, 2012

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department:

Here is a wrap up of recent youth softball games at the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex. FROM 6-19 8-U TOURNAMENT SRT Ball Hogs 9, Thomas, Speight and Noble Divas 4 The Ball Hogs jumped on top of the Divas with four runs in the first inning and then sealed the deal with a three- run fifth on their way to a 9-4 win...

Mr. Billy Rofe Sr., 55, of Trumann died Sunday, June 17, 2012, at home surrounded by family.

"The quality is high but it's a limited field," he said. "This is the worst time of year to hire a football coach." Teacher contracts have already been signed for next year which means that most candidates would have to request permission to be let go from their contract...

Ke'Shya Marie Norman, 1-month-old, of Blytheville, died Sunday, June 17, 2012, at The Med in Memphis.

Mrs. Mary Webb Hopper, 84, of Hot Springs, passed away Sunday, June 17, 2012, at Hot Springs.

Editor's Note: Below is a letter written in response to a June 14 column by CN Managing Editor Mark Brasfield titled: "Blytheville residents pay twice for jail." I felt compelled to respond to your June 14, 2012 opinion editorial, wherein you opined that Blytheville residents are unfairly paying twice for the jail...

Area law enforcement has been busy recently making arrests on drug-related charges.

The FBI and Arkansas State Police's joint investigation into the city of Blytheville's multimillion dollar payroll tax debacle is still ongoing, according to Lt. Brant Tosh, who heads ASP Company F, the investigating division looking into the matter.

Three recent jobs in the Normandy and Logan street area have made a big improvement in the sewer system, according to Blytheville Wastewater superintendent Kenneth Ellis.

Nucor Corporation announced today that it has completed the acquisition of the membership interest of Skyline Steel LLC and its subsidiaries for the purchase price of approximately $605 million.

The vegetation clogging ditches and preventing proper drainage in Blytheville is expected to be cleared out in the coming months by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Arkansas Northeastern College Board of Trustees appointed an interim president Wednesday, one of several adjustments the college is making as it heads into the coming school year.

Local teen Cody Ward, who is being charged with Monday's murder of John Smith, was arraigned in Blytheville district court Wednesday. Judge Shannon Langston set a $200,000 bond on Ward, who remains in police custody.