Stories from Friday, December 19, 2014

Fannie Mae Mitchell, 78, of Osceola, died of heart failure on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2014, in Osceola.

CLARKTON -- The Gosnell Pirates advanced to the championship game of the Clarkton Reindeer Invitational Tournament Thursday night by beating the host team, 74-59. The Pirates will play Gideon in the championship game at 8:30 Friday night. Gosnell led Clarkton at the end of each break, ahead 16-10 after the first quarter, 25-22 at half and 53-39 going into the final period...

OSCEOLA -- Blytheville built a 15-point first half lead and withstood a furious fourth quarter rally by Osceola to claim an 81-75 non-conference win over the Seminoles Thursday. The Chickasaws held a 14-12 lead after a pair of free throws by the Seminoles Tevin James with 2:34 to play in the first quarter. But Blytheville would score the final eight points of the period to take a 22-12 lead after one quarter...

Fay Boling-Fisher, 53, of Manila, died Tuesday Dec. 16, 2014, at Saint Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minn. Born in Monette, she was the daughter of the late Charles Boling and had been a lifelong Manila resident. ...

Mrs. Frances G. Honnoll, 93 of Newport, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 17,2014, at White County Medical Center in Searcy. Born in Ripley, Tenn., she was the daughter of the late Charles and Myrtle Williams Riggins and was a former longtime Leachville resident and member of the Church of Christ. ...

Shirley June Nelson, 77, of Blytheville, passed away at home.

A Gosnell man was injured during a fight that occurred Tuesday night when two suspects allegedly forced their way into the man's home.

For the second year in a row, Gosnell freshman Katie Buchanan will participate in the 31st Annual Disney Parks Christmas Parade as part of the National Cheerleaders Association. The NCA and the National Dance Alliance (NDA) celebrate the season in style at the Magic Kingdom...

Recently we were told that my wife was to have minor surgery. Dr. Shahriari, her attending physician, recommended she have the operation at the local hospital and that Dr. Mason be the surgeon. This didn't sound too good because my opinion of Blytheville's hospital is probably like yours. But let me tell you, we were all wrong! The operation turned out to be major surgery with a prolonged stay in the hospital...

The Democrats took a midterm beating. I watched the Democrats campaign through a human relation perspective, and in my opinion, they didn't do a very good job. They never talked about their accomplishments, and there are many they could have campaigned on, but to do so, they would have to say the name Obama. I have never seen Democrats like I have in this midterm election...

Doris Jean Holt, 79, of Blytheville, departed this life Friday, Dec. 19, 2014, in Blytheville.

MEMPHIS -- While the end result on the scoreboard wasn't what the Armorel Lady Tigers were looking for, they had an experience that they'll likely never forget. Friday, the Lady Tigers had an opportunity to play in an NBA arena, squaring off with Tuckerman at the FedEx Forum, which is home to the Memphis Grizzlies...

Mr. George Brown III, 68, of Blytheville, died Thursday, Dec. 18, 2014, at his home.

Healing in the Hood's Beebe Gillespie (left) reads to children at the MCAEOC Wiley Center recently.

New owners Dennis Taylor and Angie Hatch, as well as members of the Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce, celebrated the store's grand re-opening Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Blytheville Elementary School's annual Christmas musical, under the direction of music instructor Marilyn NcNear, featured a very large select choir of fourth- and fifth-graders from various classrooms, students who gave speaking parts and even a few guests. Among those guests were fourth-grader Wills Gullic as Santa Claus and fifth-grader Devion Bell as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Also featured in a song was Frosty the Snowman, with fifth-grader Valentin Trujillo as Frosty...

The 21st Annual Charlie Robinson Christmas Dinner will be held from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Christmas Day at the Steele Community Center.

A group of Blytheville citizens, represented by Osceola attorney Jeremy Thomas, filed a complaint in open court on Monday, before Circuit Judge Ralph Wilson.

SENATH -- The Armorel Tigers are back-to-back Senath-Hornersville Christmas Tournament champions, after defeating Delta C-7, Friday night, 51-46. Nash Winters had a big night for the Tigers, scoring 24 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. He was 6 of 8 at the line, including 5 of 6 in the fourth quarter as Armorel held off Delta...

The Haven of Northeast Arkansas advocate Karen Armstrong day accepts donations of toys from members of the Blytheville High School Rotary Interact Club. The club includes sponsors Lisa White and Kristy Brasfield and members Madison Groves, Adazah Johnson, Harley Hicks, Aaliyah Hudson, Airyella Lawson, Bailey Cason, Aniyah Harrington, Dreamar Williams, Alec Hester, Kaylee Jones, Bennesha Northern, Whitni Mangum, Maya Wells, Megan Krech, Kalei Wimbley, Aimsley Atchely, Akira Hudson, Aleishia Holmes and Annalise Andrews.. ...