Stories from Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Manila Junior High Lions opened up conference play Thursday night at Lion field hosting the Piggott Mohawks. Freshman Quarterback Tanner Miller was a perfect 7-7 with four touchdowns, igniting a 36-0 victory over the Mohawks. Only three minutes after receiving the opening kick off, the Junior Lions found the end zone on a 3 play 67 yard drive finished off by a Kurt Overton 23 yard touchdown run. ...

Manila captured its third consecutive 3A-3 district golf title Wednesday at the Thunder Bayou Country Club in Blytheville. The Lions carded a winning team score of 244, eleven shots better than runner-up Trumann, who finished with a 255 total. Both teams will advance to the 3A State Tournament to be held Oct. 2 at the Burns Park Country Club in North Little Rock...

Coming off a school-record-setting home performance against Marvell the previous week, the Manila Lions rolled into conference play Friday night at Piggott's Parker Field and fell to the host Mohawks by a final of 68-7. The Mohawks, who had pounded their county rivals Rector 52-0 the week prior, continued to exhibit an explosive offense as they edged the Lions on both sides of the football...

The crowd at the Caraway Gymnasium on Saturday night, Sept. 15, was not looking for bargains at the benefit auction. Bidders gave generously to help create a scholarship in memory of Emmalei Utley. Emmalei, a 2018 senior at Riverside High School, died in an automobile accident just before graduation...

Manila Museum Committee and Community Garden organization will host the second Homegrown, Homemade Farmers Market from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27. Vendors will set up inside the Depot Center in Manila. “There will be some great homemade crafts and other homegrown items available,” Iris Poteet, committee member, said...

Leachville Police Officer Mike Shively addressed the city council at the Sept. 17 meeting with quotes for equipping police vehicles with partitions, window bars and steel panels. The department has four vehicles and he gave an estimate for each vehicle with a total of $4,514...

The Manila High School Class of 1968 held their 50 year reunion Saturday, Sept. 15, at the Manila Depot Center for a day of reminiscing. Twenty-one classmates and 14 guests spent the day catching up. Classmates came from across Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi...

Manila Middle School students are getting early training on banking skills through a partnership with Southern Bancorp. Southern Bancorp recently celebrated the grand opening of its mock bank branch located inside MMS complete with a ribbon cutting ceremony...

Members of Moving Manila Forward (MMF), a community development initiative organization, hosted a dinner/meeting at the Manila Airport Center Tuesday evening, Sept. 18. There were several speakers from the University of Arkansas. The keynote speaker for the event was Rex Nelson, senior editor of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette...

Bonnie B. Hudson Kamler, 89, of Gosnell, passed away Thursday, September 20, 2018 at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. Bonnie was born in Humboldt, Tennessee to Albert and Iba Watson Hudson. She was a waitress and of the Baptist faith. She enjoyed playing cards, especially Rummy, and going to yard sales. Bonnie loved to collect various items, but she especially loved to collect dolls...

Hubert Cecil Short, age 81 of Blytheville and formerly of the Chicago, Illinois area passed from the life on Thursday, September 20, 2018 at the Great River Medical Center in Blytheville. Born to Foy Blaine and Tamar Ellison Short in Rose Hill, Virginia, he was of the Protestant Faith and a retired Receiving Clerk for a major Office Max Corporation where he worked for 42 years. ...

On June 16, 1960, a beautiful healthy baby boy named Kimmie was born to Eugene Lewis and Jerline Spiller in Blytheville. Kimmie grew up in Blytheville where his love for family, friends, food, and basketball all began. Kimmie graduated with the Class of 79 from Blytheville High School, Home of the Chickasaws. ...

Teresa Marie McCullom Flie, 69, of Luxora died September 22, 2018 at SMC Medical Center in Osceola. She was a retired American Greetings employee of 40 years and was a member of First Baptist Church in Frenchman's Bayou, AR, church secretary, member of Fidelity 151 and Order of Eastern Stars...

Marjorie Jane Cullum Goodman, age 93, of Blytheville, passed from this life on Friday, September 21, 2018 at the Heritage Square Nursing Center in Blytheville. Born to James Ira and Ora Dacus Cullum in Portageville, Missouri, she was a resident here for most of her life, a retired linotype operator at Blytheville Courier News, Steele Enterprise, Osceola Times and a member of the First Baptist Church...

Howard Maxwell of Blytheville passed away Monday, September 24, 2018 at his home. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced when completed. Cobb Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Tammy Jean Raspberry Hodge, 57, of Blytheville, passed away Monday, September 24, 2018 while being surrounded by family and loved ones. She is preceded in death by her mother, Lee-Ora Raspberry and her father, J.W. “Fotch” Raspberry, Senior, along with her sister, Madeline Jones and brother, Richard Raspberry. ...

Anita Jean Pugh Walker, 59, passed on Friday September 21, 2018 in Blytheville after a long battle of illness. Anita was born on April 3, 1959 in Osceola to Frank and Pendora Pugh. She was a Blytheville High School graduate of the Class of 77 with some college training. She prepared taxes for Jackson Hewitt. She was a devoted member of New Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church...

Frank Young, 73, of St. Louis, MO died September 21, 2018 at his home. He was a roofer and of the Baptist faith. Mr. Young was born February 11, 1945 in Hughes, AR to Bo and Odesther Kelly Young. He was preceded in death by his father, one daughter Lawanda Ewing, one brother Willie T Young and several other siblings and one grandchild Jeffery Logan. ...

Kyle Adam Crocker, 28, of Kansas City, Missouri and formerly of Blytheville, passed away Saturday, September 22, 2018 at his home. Kyle was born in Blytheville to James “Jim” and Cindy Harvey Crocker. He was a graduate of Blytheville High School and a member of North Tenth Street Baptist Church. ...

John Ervine Ragan, 74, died September 24, 2018 at his home in Burdette. He was a farmer and of the Pentecostal faith. Mr. Ragan was born April 23, 1944 in Osceola to J.P. and Sarah Gregg Ragan. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Patsy Ragan, one brother David Ragan, five sisters Libby Randolph Kozohorsky, Joyce Catt, Pat Champion, Sue Burgess and Becky Gibson...

Through attorney Mark Rees, Zyrion Matlock filed a lawsuit against Osceola police officer Jennifer Ephlin, Osceola Police Chief David Gladden and the city of Osceola, Thursday, in Mississippi County Circuit Court Osceola District, alleging Ephlin “unlawfully battered and shot him” on Feb. 24, 2017...

A Blytheville police officer was injured making an arrest Tuesday morning. According to BPD Capt. Jeremy Ward, at 10:26 a.m. officers were dispatched to 801 South Ruddle in reference to a large disturbance and several individuals fighting. "The caller stated several individuals were armed with crowbars and tire irons," Ward said. ...