Stories from Monday, August 25, 2014

Donald Gray, 89, of Sherwood, Ark., passed away Friday, Aug. 22, 2014.

The fact that I totally forgot until 6 a.m. Monday before my Tuesday column that I had a column to write at all this week should be a clue as to how this week has gone. The main culprit has been, of course, the Mississippi County Fair.

The Jester's Jam Concert Series heats up in August with The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards. The group will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Lady Luck Casino Outdoor Amphitheater.

Mississippi County Library System's new technology librarian, Randy Newman, is excited to be a part of bringing new technology to the seven libraries that make up the library system.

Our Pet of the Week is Mindy, a female Maltese who was found in a ditch with Mork, a male Poodle. Both were matted to the bone and full of fleas.

Mr. Steven Earl Hill Jr., 24, formerly of Blytheville, died Monday, Aug. 18 in Grady.

The Crittenden Regional Hospital in West Memphis stopped admitting patients Monday and will shut down permanently on Sept. 7, despite the recent passage of a sales tax increase intended to help the financially struggling facility.

Hedy Austin Conley, 81, of Blytheville, died Sunday, Aug,. 24, 2014 in Jonesboro.

Ern Richardson, 74, of Dexter, Mo., passed away Friday evening at home.

Blytheville and Gosnell will play in Arkansas Activites Association benefit games Friday night. The Chicks will host Helena-West Helena at 6 p.m. at Haley Field. There will be no junior high game.

The Blytheville School Board voted unanimously in favor of a new drug testing policy for all students involved in extracurricular activities on Monday. The policy will go into effect at the beginning the second quarter.

Monday night, the Blytheville City Council's Finance and Purchasing Committee tabled a request to apply for a 50/50 matching grant from the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism's Outdoor Recreation Grant Program.

Last year's test scores were reviewed by the Gosnell School Board at its Monday night meeting -- with improvements in math showing as a trend.