Stories from Friday, December 27, 2013

The 2013 football season was filled with headlines both on and off the field. Blytheville struggled with head coach Vince McCrosky not on the sidelines for any regular season contests and, eventually, he stepped down midway through the year as he battled Parkinson's Disease. ...

JONESBORO--The No. 8 seeded Armorel Tigers gave No. 1 seeded Buffalo Island Central Mustangs all they could handle Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament at the Arkansas State Convocation Center. With just three minutes remaining, Armorel (8-9) trailed 42-39 and had the ball but 6-foot-3 BIC point guard Austin Pike scored 10 of his game-high 19 points in the closing minutes to dash any hopes of an Armorel upset as BIC went on to win, 54-44...

The Blytheville Parks and Recreation crew removed several snakes from Walker Park on Thursday.

In 2013 Main Street Blytheville pulled out all the stops and put together a banner year. Not being discouraged by a few financial issues, the organization hosted a number of successful events including one of the largest Mayfest events in history and the wildly popular Ghosts of Highway 61 Antique Bus Tour. Now the organization is looking to make an even bigger splash in 2014...

Sylvester Hodges, 64, of Blytheville, died Monday, Dec. 23, 2013, at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville. He was born in Crawford, Miss., the son of Jimmy Hodges and Marie Evans Hodges. He enlisted in the United States Army. After leaving the Army, he lived in several states. ...

Mrs. Tracy Jeanette Lasater, 40, of Leachville, passed from this life Wednesday Dec. 25, 2013, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born in Paragould, she was a lifelong Leachville resident and attended Buffalo Island Central Schools. She was a self-employed child care provider and was of the Church of God faith...

The Rev. Oscar O'Neal Nesler, 84, of Hickory Ridge, formerly of Blytheville, died Thursday, Dec. 26, 2013, in Hickory Ridge. He was a minister and member of Feltner Assembly of God in Cherry Valley. He was the minister at First Assembly of God Church in Blytheville for 50 years...

Calvin Stevens, 89, of Blytheville, passed from this life Friday, Dec. 27, 2013, at Great River Medical Center. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Cobb Funeral Home of Blytheville.

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department: Dec. 23 Derek Kisman, 43, of Gosnell, was taken into custody and charged with Driving While Intoxicated-first, Driving While License Suspended-third, No Proof of Insurance-third, and Driving Left of Center...

The Blytheville Chickasaws begin play in the Wynne Holiday Classic Tournament today. The Chicks (0-10) take on Marion at 11:30 a.m. Friday. If Blytheville wins, they'll play at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. A loss, and the Chicks will play at 11:30 a.m. afitzpatrick@couriernews.net...

I must be getting forgetful in my old age, here it is 11:45 Friday morning and I just now remembered to start writing this column. Normally editor Andy Weld reminds me, "Are you having a column this week?" but he's off in Iowa or someplace, off for a few days, so since I've been picking up most of his work and messing with the dogs and running all over the country doing Christmas stuff, I just plain forgot...

Tracy Jeanette Lasater, 40, of Leachville passed from this life Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2013, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born March 26, 1973, in Paragould, she was a lifelong Leachville resident and attended Buffalo Island Central Schools. She was a self-employed child care provider and was of the Church of God faith...

Carolyn Marie Bill, 72, of Manila, died Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2013, at The Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro. She was born Oct. 25, 1941, in Manila to the late George and Grace Hicks Bunch and was a 1960 graduate of Manila High School. ...