Stories from Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Manila’s junior high football team improved to 3-1 on the season with a 32-8 victory over Corning Thursday night at Lion Field. Kurt Overton got Manila on the board early by bolting 50 yards for a touchdown at the 7:40 mark of the opening period. Jordan Spray added the two-point conversion, giving the Lions a quick 8-0 lead...

Monette City Council approved construction of new signs and finalized agreements with Emerson Ambulance and Monette American Legion during the council meeting Sept. 24. Farmers Market Manager Bufford Hufford obtained permission from the council to erect advertisement signs adjacent to the new Highway 18 loop, on the east and west sides of the city. ...

Manila Mayor Wayne Wagner introduced Ben Massey, First Commercial Bank vice president, at the Monday, Sept. 24, City Council meeting. Massey has been working with the mayor and the city looking into projects to benefit the community and show the bank's support for the city...

Manila School Board members discussed implementing a trap shoot team, heard principal reports, accepted several resignations and filled positions at the Sept. 27 meeting. Jimmy Self with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission/Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program (AGFC/AYSSP) addressed the board sharing information on creating a school trap team for interested students...

Manila Lions Club will sponsor the 31st annual chili cook-off on Saturday, Oct. 6, rain or shine. The annual event will feature booths with a variety of items to browse. There will be senior and junior chili teams competing for cash prizes. In the adult division first prize will be $500; second $300; and third $200...

Former Monette High School students and faculty held an all-class reunion from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 1, in the Buffalo Island Central High School gymnasium in Monette. Reunion President Eddie Dunigan served as master of ceremonies. This year’s reunion theme was “Monette High School: More than just bricks and mortar.”...

A day of celebration was held Monday, Oct. 1, in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Clark's 80th wedding anniversary. Raymond Clark and the former Rosa Dirion were married on Oct. 1, 1938, making a lifetime commitment to each other. The couple has lived in Lake City for many years. He is a retired Assembly of God pastor and they have served many churches throughout Arkansas including Black Oak, Lake City, Needham, Belleville, Hughes, Mountain View and London...

Manila was named a Purple Heart City and presented a plaque at the September City Council meeting held Monday, Sept. 24. Everett Evans, commander of the Military Order of Purple Heart, Northeast Arkansas Chapter 708 in Jonesboro, made the presentation of the plaque thanking Manila Mayor Wayne Wagner and city officials for recognizing the sacrifices made by veterans...

The new Dollar General Plus opened with a ribbon cutting on Saturday, Sept. 29. John Jasper, Dollar General district manager for Northeast Arkansas, along with the Caraway manger Linda Smith, were on hand to welcome the large crowd to the new 10,000 square foot building that will serve the community well...

Moving Manila Forward (MMF), a community development initiative promoting Manila, now has one more accomplishment to add to their long list of positives. A MMF webpage has been created and is up and running. MMF webpage was created by a young high school student, Connor Cole, a junior at Manila High School...

Katie Lee Shockley Henderson, 83 of Blytheville passed away Saturday September 29, 2018 at her home. Born September 4, 1935 in Armorel, Katie was the daughter of Robert Collins and Glindora Buckner. She worked for many years as a custodian in the Blytheville School District...

Brenda R. Thomas, 56, passed away Monday October 1, 2018 in Blytheville. Brenda was born April 20. 1962 in Hughes, Arkansas to Archie and Reola Taylor Thomas. Brenda is preceded in death by her father Archie Thomas, Sr. She leaves to forever cherish her memories one son, Robert Thomas of Blytheville; three sisters, Doris (Ray) Frazier of Osceola; Sarah (Don) Coleman of Memphis, and Elizabeth (Michael) Johnson of Jonesboro; six brothers, Elder Archie (Bridgette) Thomas of Osceola, Jerry Thomas of Birmingham, AL; Dr. ...

Betty Trible Manning, 70, of West Bloomfield, MI passed away Sunday, September 30, 2018 in West Bloomfield. She was born in Blytheville to James and Luzell Norton Trible on December 12, 1947. Betty was a 1965 graduate of Richard B. Harrison High School in Blytheville...

Carter Boatwright Afflick, 93, of Blytheville, passed away Friday, September 28, 2018 at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville. Carter was born on January 4, 1925 in Danville, Virginia to John Guerrant and Mary Archer Glass Boatwright. She graduated from Stratford Hall in 1943 and attended Randolph Macon College and New York School of Interior Design. ...

David Edwards, 63, of Corning, passed away Monday, Oct. 1, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mr. Edwards was born in Blytheville on June 18, 1955. He was a past administrator at the Corning Nursing Home and past fire chief of the Corning Volunteer Fire Department. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and spending time on the computer. He was a member of Grace Missionary Baptist Church in Corning...

Mr. Bill E. Ross, age 78, a local attorney and civic leader, passed away October 1, 2018 at River Oaks Care Center, Steele, Missouri. He was a former Municipal Judge of Blytheville Chickasaw district, and a former public defender. Mr. Ross is survived by his wife, Carol Frankum Ross; one son, William Frankum Ross; three sisters; Nancy Stevens and Linda French, both of Blytheville; Janet Owens (Charles) of Jackson, TN...

J.B. Harvey, 89, of Blytheville, passed away Monday, October 1, 2018 at Heritage Square Nursing Home in Blytheville. J.B. was born in Blytheville to John Benjamin Harvey, Sr. and Mabel Nicholson Harvey. He was retired from Blytheville Office Supply as the office machinist and was a member of Trinity Baptist Church. ...

Charles Warren, Jr. of Blytheville was born October 8, 1980 in Blytheville to Willie Blackmon, Jr. and Doris Smith Warren. He was of the Baptist Faith. Mr. Warren passed away on September 26, 2018 in Blytheville at the age of 38. He is survived by his mother Doris Smith Warren and father Willie Blackmon, Jr. ...

The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. — Police arrested Leroy Robinson, 55, on fleeing on foot and possession of a crack pipe in the 100 block of West Main. — Officers took a theft report (security camera) at Commercial Collections in the 500 block of Hutson...

The Blytheville Emergency Squad accepted a donation of $1,000 from the Epsilon Sigma Alpha (ESA) and Cars and Cycles organizations. This donation gave them an early kickoff to their annual fundraiser, the Blytheville Emergency Squad auction. Being an independent, self-funded organization, the Squad depends solely on the community to keep operating and providing emergency response services...

According to Blytheville Chief of Police Ross Thompson, Blytheville Police Officers are out with a stranded semi truck in Main Street at the Railroad track crossing. According to the Driver his GPS took him downtown and he got stuck after striking the crossing guard while attempting to turn. No injuries, railroad officials are on scene...