Stories from Thursday, June 19, 2014

Bob and Louanne Rowe of Malvern are home after visiting 47 Arkansas State Parks. The Herman Davis Monument Park (one of the smallest state parks) was number 42 of the tour. The couple visited in Manila on Friday evening of Memorial Day Weekend...

Mrs. Mae Eunice Johnson, 67, of Blytheville, died today, Thursday, June 19, 2014, at Methodist Hospital in Memphis.

Mr. Arthur James Hampton, 82, of Blytheville, died Thursday, June 12, 2014, at Gosnell Therapy and Living Center in Gosnell.

Loretta Bogard, 73, of Trumann, died Tuesday, June 17, 2014, at the Floe and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro.

This past weekend, my granddaughter was married. It was a really beautiful event and I must say she married a very fine young man. They make a great couple. However, the night before the wedding, my daughter (the mother of the bride) had a house full of family and guests. ...

If you are reading this, you are obviously aware of the Courier News newspaper, which is a good thing.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a letter sent from guitarist Charles Postlewate, who recently visited Blytheville, to the night auditor at Blytheville's Holiday Inn; followed by Postlewate's note to the CN: I write to thank you very much for returning my lost wallet to me in the early-morning hours of this past Wednesday, the 4th of June. ...

In the next few weeks, we should be reading about a few more retail opportunities in Blytheville.

The Mississippi County Planning Commission met Wednesday to approve sending two Tax Back resolutions to the Quorum Court for final approval.

The Walker Park pool got the green light from the Arkansas Department of Health and will open at noon today (Thursday), according to Parks and Recreation Director Elroy Brown.

U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor's staffers were at the courthouse in Blytheville Wednesday afternoon helping local residents who are having problems with their Veterans Administration, Medicare or Social Security services.

Arkansas Northeastern College has officially launched its capital campaign for the new Center for Allied Technologies.

The murder trial for suspect Jimmy Northern got underway Wednesday morning, with jurors hearing testimony from an eyewitness, police officers and forensic experts.

BBSB leagues are beginning to wind down. Cal Ripken Major League crowned a tournament champion Tuesday night. Farm Bureau outlasted Rotary in a 17-16 seven inning thriller in the third and final game of the championship round. Rotary tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and each team scored a run in the sixth to send the game into extra innings...

PARAGOULD -- The Hardy Sales and Service Casons defeated Paragould Glen Sain in a Zone 2 game, 2-1, on Wednesday. Tay Hopper pitched all seven innings for the Casons, scattering eight hits and fanning one. Hopper kept Paragould off the board until the home team scored a run in the bottom of the seventh...

Jimmy Northern, 44, was convicted Thursday of second degree murder, and given a sentence of 41 years in prison for his involvement in the shooting death of 23-year-old Thomas Essig. Court reconvened Thursday morning to continued testimony by detective Josh Long, as well as Christopher Alt, who discovered Essig's body and called the police in the early morning hours of Dec. 1, 2012...