Stories from Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department:

Quinton Darnell Ward died Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville.

Mrs. Oypere Marie Ursery, 62, of Osceola, died Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, in Jonesboro.

Mrs Eula Mae Reed, 68, of Blytheville died Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, at Great River Medical Center.

Mr. Vance Mace Jr., 66, of Manila, passed from this life Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro.

Mary Alice Lane, 86, of Osceola, died Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, in Osceola.

Mrs. Everlean Johnson was born Aug. 18, 1906, to William and Rosie Lee Butler in Estell, Miss. She departed her life Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013, at the Great River Medical Center, Blytheville.

Have you ever been on a road trip and passed one of those "The End Is Near" billboards? You know, the one where you thought, "What kind of kook puts this on the interstate?"

I cannot understand anyone who does not have pets. Really, I can't. A sterile house leads to a sterile life, but having a pet in the home, even if the result is a little bit of mess, is an infusion of love.

Last year Mississippi County partnered with East Arkansas Planning and Development District to begin its strategic planning process for increasing quality of life throughout the county.

The Blytheville Chickasaws return home tonight for a key 5A-East matchup against the Nettleton Raiders. Tonight's game was originally scheduled for Jan. 15 but was rescheduled to Tuesday night because of inclement weather. Blytheville (4-15, 1-5 5A-East) is coming off a 63-38 loss to the Forrest City Mustangs...

Monday, Henard Utility owner Mike Henard adamantly denied donating money that led to 20 Blytheville Waterworks employees receiving $100 gift cards at Christmas time.

Blytheville Public Works director Marvin Crawford offered an overall 6.1 percent cut to his five departments' proposed 2013 budgets, Monday night, during the Finance and Purchasing Committee meeting.

Monday night, the Blytheville City Council's Finance and Purchasing Committee proposed $548,000 in cuts to capital improvements, suggested a spending freeze on capital projects and offered a new purchasing procedure as work continued on the 2013 budget.

Groundbreaking news for Mississippi County was released in Little Rock this morning (Tuesday) by Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe. Along with local county officials, Beebe announced that Osceola will soon be home to a new steel mill, Big River Steel.

Manila finally put away a pesky Hoxie team in the second half, securing the number one seed and a share of the 3A-3 conference championship with a 54-36 victory Thursday night at Manila...

Senior guard Autrey Allen sank six consecutive free throws in the decisive fourth quarter, including four in the final 42 seconds, to lift Earle to a 55-51 victory over Manila, spoiling the Lions' chances of clinching a share of the 3A-3 conference championship Friday night at Manila...

Marmaduke built a 15 point lead and then held off a late Buffalo Island Central comeback bid to defeat the Lady Mustangs 54-46, clinching the number one seed and a share of the 2A-3 conference championship Monday night at the Mustang Athletic Complex in Monette...

Riverside exploded for 36 fourth period points, breaking open a close game en route to a 77-55 victory over Marked Tree in 2A-3 senior girls basketball action Monday night on the road...

Riverside put all five starters in double figures Friday night at McCrory and went on to defeat the Jaguars 76-67 in 2A-3 conference action. Alteeno Sain led the Rebels with 19 points while Logan Meurer and Dylan Wright pumped in 13 points apiece. Caleb Waugh and Kollin Stone chipped in 12 points each for Riverside, who improved to 18-10 overall and 10-4 in league play...

Buffalo Island Central dropped a pair of tough games last week, losing 65-62 Tuesday night to Marmaduke before being defeated Friday night at Marked Tree 73-67. BIC jumped out ahead of the Greyhounds, 20-13, in the first quarter, but watched Marmaduke rally to tie the game 34-34 at intermission. The 'Hounds' held a slim 52-48 advantage entering the final frame...

Pictured are, from left: Bobby Tucker, Linda Donovan, Don Brooks, Carl Brooks, Dan Gamble, Henry Ford, and Ryan Tucker at the restored entrance archway at the Manila Cemetery. Bobby Tucker, Gamble, Ford and Donovan are members of the cemetery board...

Members of the Manila City Council were sworn in before the first meeting of the year was called to order on Jan. 21. Justice of the Peace Michael White conducted the ceremony as Larry "Whiz" Davis, Linda Donovan, Donnie Wagner, Dale Murphy, Jason Baltimore, and Tony Hawkins took the oath of office...

Manila hosted the quarterly Mississippi County Mayor's meeting at the Depot Center on Tuesday, Jan. 22, with guest speaker John Ed Regenold of Armorel, chair of the Arkansas Highway Commission...