Stories from Wednesday, July 1, 2015

The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. Monday, June 29 -- Police took a report of damage to a vehicle in the 1600 block of Stuart. The victim said her son kicked two dents in her vehicle, following a verbal altercation. -- A victim reported that on June 6 she was involved in an accident on the McDonald's parking lot on East Main. The offender did not have valid insurance, the report said, and the victim is pursuing affidavit procedures...

Mosquitos might be able to take a bite out of arms and ankles, but hopefully they will not be taking a significant bite out of Fourth of July fun this year. Vector Disease Control is doing numerous things in an attempt to help minimize their impact upon Blytheville families this weekend...

Getting ready for work this morning I was confronted by the words of the great American country music philosopher Aaron Tippin: "You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything". His words challenge us to consider the virtue of taking a stand for what is right, even at a cost. Missing the big picture holds true for individuals, companies, communities and nations as well...

To the Editor: My heart is heavy right now, as I have just learned that my nephew, Vincent Harrison, was tragically gunned down in a Blytheville, Arkansas park while playing basketball. I know many family members will have a biased opinion and have you believe that their lost family member was an angel and an upstanding citizen. ...

The Blytheville Police Department (BPD), the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department (MCSD) and the Arkansas State Police (ASP) performed a joint policing effort on the streets of Blytheville Tuesday evening. The collective effort included at least three state police units, three county sheriff units, five city police units and the Sheriff's Department helicopter in an effort to search out criminal activity through saturation patrolling...

Nelta Sue Crawford's journey on this world ended on June 27th, 2015 at the Great River Medical Center in Blytheville. She lived to the wise age of 80 years old, and though she may have lost the battle with age, she won the war, and gained peace. Though her story on this world may have come to a close, she's begun her new journey with her Lord in Heaven...

Perry Franklin Hobbs, Sr., 79, of Lepanto, died of heart failure on June 30, 2015 at home. Born May 6, 1936 in Lepanto, he was a retired carpenter and a Pentecostal. He was preceded in death by his parents, Austin R. Hobbs and Opal Hobbs, his wife Bonnie Faye Hobbs, sister Ima Faye Schaffer and brothers Garland Price and Donald Hobbs...

Blytheville Courier News PARAGOULD-The Blytheville Hardy Sales and Service Casons picked up a 6-2 victory on the road against Paragould Tuesday night in zone action. Blytheville scored three in the first inning, a run in the fifth two more in the top of the seventh...

Blytheville Courier News Gosnell Pirate, Chad Wright has been selected to play in the 12th Annual Xtra Innins Summer Classic. The Xtra Innings Summer Classic will be held July 6 and 7 at Arkansas State University's Tomlinson Stadium-Kell Field in Jonesboro, AR...

lytheville Courier News The 16U youth softball tournament began Tuesday night. The Denso Heat and Gosnell Pawn Shop are still alive and will play for the tournament championship Thursday night. Here's a round of the action from the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex...

Mrs. Opal Charlene Davis, 94, of Steele passed away Wednesday, June 24, 205. She was born March 89, 1912, in Steele to the late Golden and Ola Stallons Bradford. She was united in marriage to Harvel Davis on Christmas Eve, 1937, in Steele. They were married for 45 years until his death in 1982...

As of Wednesday afternoon, there has been one same-sex couple apply for a marriage license within Mississippi County since Friday's ruling. The County Clerk's office was prepared for this change in marriage law, however. The new marriage licenses, designed last year, have removed all reference to "Mr." and "Mrs." as well as the words "husband" and "wife"...

Blytheville Courier News Police are still looking for one of the three robbery suspects who were chased from Kennett to Blytheville and swapped gunfire with local police late Wednesday night. According to Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson, at approximately 10:30 pm Wednesday, the Blytheville Police Department was notified by Missouri law enforcement officials of a high speed vehicle pursuit of robbery suspects, who were headed towards Blytheville...