Stories from Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Earle held off a furious fourth quarter Riverside rally to defeat the Lady Rebels 55-53 in semifinal action of the 2A North Regional Tournament Friday night at Rector. The two-time defending state champion Lady Bulldogs held a 48-37 advantage with 5:17 left in the game. ...

The 4A East Region runner-up Blytheville Chickasaws will have a bye in the opening round of the Class 4A State Tournament. The Chickasaws (21-6) will face the winner of the Morrilton Devil Dogs and host Magnolia Panthers Friday at 8:30 in Magnolia. The Devil Dogs (19-12) and the Panthers (20-5) are set to face each other Thursday at 2:30 p.m...

As I write this on Monday evening, 19-year-old Dashanay Wilson is fighting for her life on a hospital bed at Region One Medical Center in Memphis. The Blytheville teen is the latest victim of violence in what has been one of the deadliest Februarys in Blytheville’s history...

Area schools celebrated Career and Technical Education Month during February. I visited in all of the area schools taking pictures and visiting with sponsors and students. For many years I have gathered information and pictures for the special edition featuring Manila, Buffalo Island Central and Riverside in the Town Crier...

Monette City Council selected Ethan Ivy as alderman for the Position 1, Ward 3 vacancy during the Monday night meeting, and Mayor Bob Blankenship administered the oath of office. During the meeting, the council set Thursday, Feb. 28, as the date for a special called council meeting and public hearing concerning an appeal from properties owner Tracy Gathright, after denial of her rezoning request by the Zoning Committee last Thursday. However, following the...

After a 2 ½-hour executive session Monday night, the Gosnell School Board voted 5-2 to accept Gosnell head football coach and assistant principal Brandon Barbaree’s resignation. Voting to accept Barbaree’s resignation were Greg McGuirt, Doug Johnson, Lee Ketchum, John Weiss and Donnie Wright. Gary Payne and Danny Quearry cast dissenting votes...

Leachville Mayor Rodney Robertson gave the State of the City address at the Monday, Feb. 25, city council meeting. “When I think about our future, I think about those who came before us,” Robertson said. “We may be a small city, but we are rich in history. We have always been home to young business people and we encourage new businesses, education and growth.”...

At Monday night's school board meeting, a critical error was revealed concerning the district's finances for the project to build a new high school gym, refurbish the football field and renovate the track. According to Superintendent Bobby Ashley, representatives from Baldwin and Shell, and Todd Welch from Brackett-Krennerich & Associates, the architect for the project, the architect fees were not included in the project's total cost. ...

More than 100 roads in Craighead County flooded during heavy rain earlier this month. In his report to the Craighead County Quorum Court, county road superintendent Eugene Neff stated a dozen roads were closed as of Feb. 11 - amid the heaviest rainfall of the month - while water had overtaken dozens of other roads...

Howard Lathrom Sr., 78, of Marked Tree, passed away Feb. 24, 2019, at NEA Hospital in Jonesboro. He was retired from Malone Oil, retired Vietnam Army veteran and a member of First Baptist Church in Marked Tree. Mr. Lathrom was born Jan. 6, 1941, to Otto Lynn and Audrey Crisp Lathrom in Manes, Mo. He was preceded in death by his parents...

Ira Neely Koonce, Sr., 86, of Blytheville, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019 at his home. Ira was born in Blytheville to William and Freddie Burks Koonce. He was a retired farmer and a member of New Liberty Baptist Church. He was a graduate of Blytheville High School and the University of Arkansas. ...

Blytheville Chief of Police Ross Thompson made a statement to The Courier recently that Dashanay Wilson passed away from her injuries sustained in the Sunday shooting at Walker Park. Thompson stated that the information will be included in their case file to the State Prosecutors for consideration of amending charges...