Stories from Tuesday, December 6, 2016

An armed masked man pointed a gun at a post office official, after unsuccessfully trying to start the postal truck in the 400 block of East Kentucky Monday, according to Blytheville police. The police report said while the mail carrier was delivering mail, an unknown black male dressed in all black, wearing a ski mask, jumped into his postal truck and tried to start it...

Monette -- Billy Owen Gipson, 86, passed away Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016 at his residence. He was born Nov. 26, 1930, in Hancock to the late Manuel and Lura Adams Gipson. Mr. Gipsom farmed all his life in the Hancock area and proudly served his country in the U.S Army. ...

Rodney Glenn Henry, 56, of Manila, died Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016, at his home. Born in Jonesboro, he was the son of the late Glenn Henry and had been a lifelong Manila resident. He was a 1978 graduate of Manila High School and was a self-employed carpenter. ...

Riverside traveled to Manila Monday night and came away with a 73-43 victory over the Lady Lions in senior girls basketball action. The Lady Rebels took a 16-10 lead after the opening quarter and held a 36-25 advantage at the half. Riverside increased its lead to 54-37 after three periods of play...

Sloan Hendrix rallied from an early deficit and stormed past Riverside 68-64 to claim the 58th annual Williams Baptist College Invitational Tournament Championship Saturday afternoon at Walnut Ridge...

Buffalo Island Central cruised to a 52-34 victory over Armorel Friday night at the Mustang Athletic Complex in Monette. The Mustangs (4-3) led 12-6 after the first quarter, 26-18 at the half and 41-24 entering the final frame...

Riverside outscored Manila 10-2 over the last 3:14 of the fourth quarter, enabling the Rebels to stave off a furious second half Lion rally to earn a 61-54 victory Tuesday night at Lake City...

Town Crier News Staff It was Trey DePriest Day at the Mustang Athletic Complex (MAC) on Thursday as the Buffalo Island senior signed a letter of intent to play golf at Henderson State. Trey, who has four state championship golf rings, three with BIC and one with Jonesboro, has had a tremendous high school career. ...

Mrs. Pauline Guyton Dodson, 90 of Blytheville, died Friday, December 2, 2016, at her home. Born March 20, 1926, in Blytheville to the late Marshall Guyton and Maggie Witherspoon Guyton. She was of the Baptist faith. Mrs. Dodson is survived by three daughters, Sandra Dodson French of St. Louis, Mo., Debra Dodson of Blytheville and Sherri Dodson of St. Louis, Mo.;...

Monette Mayor Jerry "Chub" Qualls honored long-time Monette residents, Claude Earl and Glendeen Barnett, with an official proclamation in honor of their 70th wedding anniversary. Claude Earl Barnett of Monette and Glendeen Honnoll of Leachville married Nov. 1, 1946. They have spent most of their married lives living and working in Monette...

Monette Mayor Jerry "Chub" Qualls honored long-time Monette residents, Claude Earl and Glendeen Barnett, with an official proclamation in honor of their 70th wedding anniversary. Claude Earl Barnett of Monette and Glendeen Honnoll of Leachville married Nov. 1, 1946. They have spent most of their married lives living and working in Monette...

During the monthly Buffalo Island School Board meeting Nov. 28 Superintendent Gaylon Taylor and members of the Board shared news of academic recognition awarded throughout the district...

Leachville Christmas parade was held Tuesday, Nov. 29, with antique cars, motorcycles, walkers, floats, fire trucks, police vehicles and more. This year's grand marshals were long time Leachville residents Bernice Jackson and Nell Dean Blackwell...

Lake City Council met in special called meeting on Monday, Nov. 28, unanimously approving two ordinances. The council voted to suspend the rule and place Ordinance No. 289-16, an Ordinance disgnating places for the posting of ordinances; prescribing other matters related thereto; and declaring an emergency on the first reading by title only. ...

The Leachville Fire Department received a check presented by Marilyn Looney on behalf of Leadership Buffalo Island for the amount of $437.08 on Dec. 1 during the monthly Leachville City Council meeting. The funds will be included in the department discretionary account for use as needed...

David Christopher "Chris" Holt, 58, of Manila, died Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, at his home. Born in St. Louis, Mo., he was the son of the late Artemas Holt and Winnia Lou Williams Holt and had lived most of his life in Manila. He was a 1975 graduate of Manila High School, was a longtime employee of Stracener Brothers Construction, and was of the Baptist faith...

Fern Beatrice Neely, 90, of Amory, Miss., formerly of Leachville, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2016. She was born Aug. 14, 1926, in Leachville to the late Thornsberry Gilbert Milligan and Mary Elizabeth Hawkins Milligan. ...

Mr. Bobby "Santa Claus" Martin Hollinger of Osceola passed away on December 5, 2016 at the age of 80. He is survived by his wife Dorothy Hollinger; Three sons Eddie Hollinger, Larry Thompson and William Thompson; Two daughters Jeanettea Thomas and Elizabeth "Beth" Howard;...

Mr. L.D. Daniels, 92, of Knoxville, Tennessee and formerly of Blytheville, passed away Saturday, December 3, 2016 at Autumn Care Assisted Living in Knoxville. L.D. was born in Pottsville, Arkansas to Leonard and Hazel (Hoffstetter) Daniels. He retired from Case IH after 34 years with the company as the parts manager. ...

Former city employee Bobbie Davis was announced as the new animal control officer for the city of Blytheville on Thursday. Terrie Gaines had previously filled the position until she passed away on Nov. 7. Currently, Davis is busy getting caught up. In fact, she is so busy that she was sworn in Thursday morning, completed her first animal adoption early that afternoon and gave her first animal control monthly report to the city council later that afternoon...

The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. -- Officers investigated a battery report in the 300 block of East Davis. -- Police took a harassment report on North 10th. -- Police took a fraudulent use of a debit card report ($800)...

ARMOREL-- The top-seeded Gosnell Pirates were without Coach Jimmy Porter in the first round of the Gerald Jennings Tournament but they pulled out a 64-52 win over the Ridgefield Christian Warriors Monday night. The Pirates started out slow against the Warriors, but held a 19-11 lead at the end of the first quarter. At the half the Pirates would go up on the Warriors, 31-19...

MONETTE-- The BIC Mustangs defeated the Armorel Tigers, 52-34, in the 1-2A conference game on Friday. The Tigers were led by junior Monroe Carr with 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a block. The Mustangs were lead by Chayse Carmichael with 13 points in the win...

MARION -- For the first time since the 2005-06 season, the Blytheville Chickasaws and Marion Patriots faced off in a conference game Tuesday night. As did most of those previous battles, the league opener came down to the wire. The Chicks fell, 47-45, to the host Patriots. Blytheville held a 16-point lead in the first half, but was plagued by foul trouble that helped Marion overcome the deficit...

ARMOREL-- If you weren't at Armorel's gymnasium Tuesday night you missed one for the ages in the new combined 1-2A conference. The Armorel Tigers lost on a layup by Cross County's Marcus Boykin with 1.6 seconds left. The Tigers would lose to the Cross County Thunderbirds, 64-62...

Mr. Maurice Stokes was born November 11, 1953 in Blytheville, Arkansas to Bossie Jr. and Everlene Brown Stokes. He was employed at Nibco and he was of the Baptist Faith. Mr. Stokes departed this life on December 4, 2016 at his home in Blytheville at the age of 53...