Stories from Tuesday, October 28, 2014

For the first time in their lives, 18-year-olds will have a chance to vote for our leaders this year. Who are these newcomers to the polls?

With Halloween only a few days away, creatures of all kinds have been appearing in the yards of many local homes.

Gene Craig, 77, passed away Monday, Oct. 27, 2014 at his residence. He was born Oct. 31, 1936, in Malden, Mo., to the late William Russell and Ruby Rosetta Bush Craig. He was a route salesman and supervisor for Pepsi from 1955 until 1998. He enjoyed gardening, fishing and camping. Gene was a member of the Macey Methodist Church...

Rev. Donald Wayne Emery, 72, of Kennett, Mo., died Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014, at Twin Rivers Medical Center in Kennett. Born in Senath, Mo., he was the son of the late Bill and Mary Agnes Thrasher Emery and had been a longtime Kennett resident. ...

Shawn Perrin, 48 of Jonesboro, formerly of Monette, passed away Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014. He was born April 21, 1966 in Peoria, Ill. He was a 1984 graduate of Monette High School. Shawn was a licensed paramedic and educational director with Medic One since 2004. He enjoyed arrowhead hunting and playing music. He will be remembered as a loving son, father, brother and grandfather...

Vivian Ivah Sharp, 91 of Caraway, passed away Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014, at Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House. She was born Jan. 22, 1923, at Golconda, Ill., to the late Thomas and Vertie Bogard Collier. Mrs. Vivian was a lifetime resident of Caraway and a member the Caraway Church of Christ. She was an avid sports fan and loved to play cards at the Senior Center...

Rebels boys go back to back! Riverside brought home their second consecutive 2A State Boy's Tennis Team Championship Tuesday afternoon at the Fort Smith Athletic Club. It marks the fifth straight season the Rebels have won a state team title as the Lady Rebels claimed state crowns in 2010-2012...

Manila used a stingy defense and an opportunistic offense to post its second victory of the year, defeating Piggott 18-8 in 3A-3 conference football action Friday night at Lion Field...

Riverside opened its 2014-2015 basketball season with a 60-36 victory at Armorel Friday night. The Lady Rebels also began their new season with a win, defeating the Lady Tigers 46-15...

Members of the non-profit 501c3 Leachville Foundation were at the Leachville City Council meeting Monday, Oct. 20, to introduce themselves and talk about project they have in the works...

Danna Deaton, organizer of The Butterfly House, a faith based transitional living facility for women, is pleased to talk about the expansion of services through the newly formed Charlotte Deaton Foundation. ...

The regular Manila City Council meeting scheduled for Monday, Oct. 20, was postponed until Tuesday, Oct. 21, due to a lack of a quorum with three council members unable to attend...

Caraway Mayor Barry Riley is pleased to see the work on main street underway. Michelle Excavating has been preparing the street for paving. Three inches across the 1,350'x52' street have been milled out. ...

Manila Mayor Wayne Wagner welcomed mayors and guests to the monthly Mississippi County Mayor's luncheon on Tuesday, Oct. 21. The luncheon was held at the new terminal building at the Manila Municipal Airport...

Adam Hillis and Cristin Sullivan will exchange wedding vows at 3 p.m. March 21 at Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro. The bride-to-be is the daughter of Mike and Cynthia Sullivan and the granddaughter of Gail Sullivan Jowers, the late Pat Sullivan and the late Joe and Geneva Roberts. She has a special great-aunt, Norma Baker Gabhart, and is the sister of Ryan Sullivan...

Officer Drew Byford of Manila serves on both the police and fire departments. He was honored Monday night, Oct. 20, at city hall with a state citation presented by Representative Wes Wagner...

Brian Baltz, M.D., has joined Dr. Dennis Parten as a primary care physician at Monette Family Practice Clinic, 210 East Drew Avenue in Monette. Baltz is a native of Northeast Arkansas, having grown up in Pocahontas. He earned his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and has been in private practice at Pocahontas Medical Clinic for the last two years...

Shawn Perrin, 48, formerly of Monette, passed away Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014.

The Blytheville Fire Department responded to a fire at 3038 N. Highway 61 Tuesday morning.

Dell Van Halfacre, 82, of Manila, died Monday Oct. 27, 2014, at the Manila Nursing Center. Born in Peach Orchard, Ark., he was the son of the late Luther and Alma Clark Halfacre and was a 1949 graduate of Strawberry High School. ...

Betty Ruth Lester, 68 of Manila, passed away Tuesday Oct. 28, 2014, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born in Manila she was the daughter of the late Gaston Carmichael and Dorothy Ewing Gamble and had been a lifelong Manila resident. She had been a longtime employee of East Arkansas Agency on Aging and was a devoted wife and loving mother...

Mr. Willie Milton "Buck" Pugh, 65, of Osceola, died Friday, Oct. 24, 2014, at his home in Osceola.

The Blytheville School District gave its annual report to the public during Tuesday's Blytheville School Board meeting, detailing the district's goals and achievements.

Mississippi County intends to hire architect Aaron Ruby of Little Rock and Fayetteville firm Allison Architects to assess both county courthouses and provide detailed plans and cost assessments for the renovation of both facilities compared to the cost of closing both facilities and constructing a new courthouse.