Stories from Saturday, December 29, 2012

Manila High School Students started gathering teddy bears and signing cards to send to Connecticut to the students at Sandy Hook Elementary who recently suffered a tragic school shooting. Manila teacher Debra Lee heard a report from a mother of one of the victims of the Westside School shooting talk about receiving teddy bears from all over the world and how she shared them with children...

"On the first day of Christmas, my puppy gave to me, the Santa topper from the Christmas tree. ...

A Blytheville resident has filed a class action lawsuit in Mississippi County Circuit Court against the city of Blytheville and its sewer department, claiming the $5 Milestone Study fee attached to the water bill is an illegal exaction. Filed by Lanina Watson through her attorneys, Hoskins & Harris, P.A., the suit says the fee is actually a tax and she argues a tax must go before the voters, just as in March patrons had the option of approving the temporary 1-cent tax to pay the $3.1 million payroll tax debt to the Internal Revenue Service. ...

As the year comes to a close, Main Street Blytheville looks back on a successful year as it prepares for a bigger and better 2013. Main Street board president Tobye McClanahan said overall the year was a big success for MSB. With one of the biggest Mayfest events in recent years, the hiring of a new executive director and several other events meant to boost community pride and involvement 2012 was very busy for the organization...

2012 saw sports news crossover to front page news as much as ever, mostly for negative reasons. From the Penn St./Jerry Sandusky saga to the take down of American icon Lance Armstrong and more recently, the murder-suicide of Kansas City Chief player Jevon Belcher and girlfriend Kasandra Perkins and the drunk driving accident involving Dallas Cowboy player, Josh Brent, that killed his friend and teammate, Jerry Brown Jr...

The Dell Police Department is asking for the public's help as it investigates a burglary at Home Oil Company on Christmas Eve. According to police, the offender broke into the business around midnight Monday and stole 24 big tires valued at $9,355.93...

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department.

WYNNE--"First of all, let me say this. I apologize to the entire Blytheville community and all former Chickasaws. That's not the effort that I expect or coach Tyer expects from our team. No excuse." Those were the words of Blytheville head coach Jeff Flanigan moments after his team's second round game against Little Rock Christian in the Wynne Holiday Classic Friday night...

Eleanora Pew, 71, formerly of Blytheville, passed away at Heritage of Hot Springs Health and Rehabilitation in Hot Springs. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Carney Funeral Home. Friends may register at www.carneyfuneral home.com...

Mrs. Marie Malinda Martin, 81, of Manila, passed from this life Friday Dec. 28, 2012, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro. Born in St. Louis, she was the daughter of the late Gottlieb and Esther Orth Albrecht and the widow of Mr. Marvin Martin. She lived most of her life in Manila and was of the Baptist faith. In addition to her parents and husband she was preceded in death by a son, Kenneth Odell Martin; a daughter, Joanne Johnson; and two brothers...

Saturday afternoon, Second Judicial District prosecutor Scott Ellington confirmed to the Courier News that the Arkansas State Police is investigating the death of an Osceola inmate. Ellington said no foul play is suspected, but he declined to say how the inmate perished. The inmate's name is also being withheld...