Stories from Thursday, May 31, 2018

Manila School Board met in a special session May 21, interviewing coach applicants, hiring and approving transfers for the 2018-2019 school year. After coach interviews and an executive session, the board reconvened with Superintendent Pam Castor recommending the hiring of Alexandra Hart for girls basketball. Originally from Canada, she has been coaching at Pine Bluff. The board voted unanimously to hire Hart...

Mary Frances Phillips, 71, of Cardwell, formerly of Leachville and Gardener, Ill., passed from this life Wednesday, May 30, 2018, at the Arkansas Methodist Hospital in Paragould. Born in Leachville, she was the daughter of the late Roy and Sylbia Phillips McPherson and was a 1964 graduate of Leachville High School. She was a resident of Gardener, Ill., for 41 years before returning to the Leachville area in 2012...

The Blytheville Fire Department responded to two vacant house fires just seven hours apart. Firemen fought the blaze at 201 South Franklin from 11:14 p.m. Wednesday until 1:22 a.m. Thursday. The fire is under investigation and required Ritter Communications to work on the lines damaged by the blaze...