Stories from Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Riverside clinched the top seed in the upcoming 3A District Tournament with a 60-36 victory over Rivercrest Thursday night at Lake City. The Lady Rebels got a game high 16 points from Haven Robertson while Bailey Fisher chipped in 11 more...

Riverside rode Braden Overman's second triple-double of the season, and went on to blast Rivercrest 78-55 in senior boys basketball action Friday night at Wilson. Overman scored 16 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and dished out 10 assists as the Rebels broke open a close game at the half and soared to a 23-point win to improve to 23-9 overall and 10-4 in the blended conference.. ...

Buffalo Island Central went on a 17-0 run in the fourth quarter, breaking open a two-point game, and the Lady Mustangs went on to hand Manila a 55-42 defeat in senior girls basketball action Friday night at Lion Gym...

Manila used a 26-3 second half run and rallied past Buffalo Island Central for a come from behind 67-57 victory in senior boys basketball action Friday night at Lion Gym. Manila trailed 42-31 with 2:10 left in the third quarter, but closed the stanza on a 12-0 run to grab a 43-42 edge heading into the final frame. ...

Manila City Council discussed, reviewed and approved several increases in services for the coming year. Mayor Wayne Wagner said even with the increases, Manila's utilities remain among the lowest in the area...

Manila High School EAST Initiative students gave their electric vehicle (EV) a trial run on Wednesday, Feb. 1. It took the team about a month to assemble and wire the EV, which arrived in lots of boxes...

A local man is accused in 14 commercial burglaries and four residential burglaries that all occurred within a month's time. On Monday, Cordell Askew, 39, was arraigned in Blytheville District Court on charges of Commercial Burglary (Attempted), Theft of Property (Attempted) Commercial Burglary (X14) ,Residential Burglary (X4), Theft of Property (X18) Obstructing Government Operations and Possession of Firearm by Certain Person...

Ms. Keysha Venee Williams, 47, of Cordova, Tennessee passed into the presence of the Lord on January 25, 2017 at St Francis Hospital in Bartlett, Tennessee. She was born on December 21, 1969 in Osceola to her loving mother Jacqueline Jean Williams. Keysha was preceded in death by her biological father Sheridan Kuykendall, paternal grandparents Robert and Ann Kuykendall, maternal grandparents Johnnie and Carye Williams, paternal grandmother Mary Haley and nephew Joshua Isaiah Haley...

Mrs. Verna Dean Smith, 55, of Osceola, passed away on February 6, 2017 in Osceola. She is survived by her husband, James O. Smith of Osceola; One son, Jared O. Smith of Osceola; One daughter, Shaina B. Smith of Osceola; Four brothers, William Cornelious, Jr. of Little Rock, Walter L. Cornelious (Willie Mae) of San Antonio, Texas, Emmanuel F. Cornelious (Judy) of Little Rock and Albert C. Cornelious (Elaine) of Weiner;...

Mr. William H. Collier, 68, of Blytheville, passed away on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at the Great River Medical Center in Blytheville. William was born to Everett and Frankie (Booker) Collier in Blytheville. He worked at Nucor Yamato as a heavy equipment operator and in maintenance. ...

Maurice Gene Jorn, 75, of Jonesboro, passed from this life Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born in East St. Louis, Ill., he was the son of the late Clarence Ivy and Margarite Jordan Jorn and was raised in St Louis, Mo. ...

The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. -- Police arrested Shawunna Goss, 30, who allegedly took $1,200 from the Love's Travel Stop cash register. The report said Goss, an employee, had been taking money from the register and changing her totals to show a balanced cash drawer...

JONESBORO -- The Blytheville Chickasaws lost a heartbreaker to Nettleton, 48-45, in overtime on Tuesday night. The Raiders outscored the Chicks, 6-3m in the extra frame. Tony Newmy scored 12 in the loss for the Chicks. Blytheville hosts Forrest City on Friday night...

CAVE CITY -- The top-seeded Gosnell Junior Pirates advanced to the semifinals of the 3-4A District Tournament, Monday night, with a 52-29 win over Trumann. The Pirates (21-4) led at the end of each break. They were up 13-6 at the end of the first quarter, 31-14 at halftime and 38-21 going into the final period...

MANILA -- The Gosnell Pirates failed to beat the Manila Lions in a 60-42 3A/4A-3 conference contest Tuesday night. The Pirates trailed the Lions by 10 early in the second quarter, but would come back to trail by one, 23-22, at the half. Pirate senior Tabari Herron knocked down a three coming out of half to give the Pirates their first lead, 25-23, since the beginning of the game...

Mr. William Rucker, Jr., 64, of Blytheville passed away on February 1, 2017 in Jonesboro. He was a retired factory worker and a member of the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his father William Rucker, Sr. and his mother Alberta Rogers Rucker; four brothers, Charlie Rucker, Kenno Rucker, Chancery Rucker and Tommy Rucker and three sisters, Lavetta Holloway, Odessa Rucker and Betty Jean Rucker...

Mr. Lee A. Robinson of Blytheville, was born on November 23, 1954 to the late Lee Robinson Sr. and Mary Holliman in Marion, He departed this life on Tuesday, January 31, 2017 at the age of 62, at the Great River Medical Center in Blytheville. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Johnny Holliman, George Holliman and George Robinson and his sisters, Beulah Holliman Harris and Mary L. Thomas...