Stories from Friday, November 15, 2019

Grilling with Santa will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 25, for opening night of the Lights of the Delta, a display of lights that has become a Christmas tradition in Blytheville and the surrounding area. The public is invited to join Santa for hot dogs and hamburgers...

Volunteer Paula McArthur of Manila has found a calling in working at the clothes closet for foster children. The closet is located at the First Baptist Church in Manila. The foster clothes closet grew from a clothes closet the church had for a while. Under the direction and organizational skills of Paula, it is an outreach mission that meets the needs of foster children throughout the county...

Mississippi County Circuit Court Judge Dan Ritchey usually rules on crimes. On Tuesday, he was the victim of one — an attempted robbery at his home. According to a report from the Blytheville Police Department, officers responded to the 1400 block of North 6th Street that day after receiving a call from Judge Ritchey...

Burla Renia Gonzales was born Jan. 30, 1963 in Blytheville to the late Burly Anderson and the late Angie Anderson. She was a homemaker and was of the Pentecostal faith. Mrs. Gonzales passed away on Nov. 9, 2019 at her home in Blytheville at the age of 56. She was preceded in death by her father Burly Anderson and her mother Angie Anderson...

Mississippi County Judge John Alan Nelson is asking the city of Blytheville to close about a block of Chickasawba as the county expands the courthouse. Nelson updated the Rotary Club of Blytheville on the progress of the $14 million renovation during the civic club’s weekly meeting on Thursday...

In an effort to save money, the city of Gosnell is considering changing how it bills for sanitation and sewer. During Tuesday night’s Gosnell City Council meeting, Mayor Teresa Walker and city clerk/treasurer Kathleen Hunt-Cross proposed utilizing a billing company for those services instead of continuing to have the Gosnell Water Association include them on the water bill...

The Blytheville Chickasaws started their basketball season Tuesday night with an AAA benefit game as they hosted and defeated the Little Rock Parkview Patriots, 69-64. The Patriot, who are coached by Arkansas Razorback legend Scotty Thurman, scored first in the scrimmage, and it was back-and-forth game through the first quarter, with the Chicks leading 17-15 going into the second period...

ARMOREL — The Armorel Lady Tigers were not able to get anything going Thursday night in their 68-17 defeat at the hands of the Osceola Lady Seminoles. The Lady Tigers led with 3-0 at the very beginning of the game but then the Lady ‘Noles got hot and a rolled ankle to Tigers senior guard Briley Miller led to an OHS 18-8 lead after the first quarter...

LAKE CITY— The Riverside Lady Rebels (3-1) were defeated Monday night by the 6A Jonesboro Lady Hurricanes 50-34. The Lady Rebels, however, easily handled the Hillcrest Lady Screamin’ Eagles last Thursday, 72-48. The Lady Rebels jumped out to a 17-10 first quarter lead and never looked back as they led 45-18 at the half...

GOSNELL — The Gosnell Pirates (6-5) advanced to the second round of the 4A state playoffs with a 40-29 victory Friday night over the Mena Bearcats.       The next Pirate drive lasted four plays before Pieri hooked up with Partee again — this time for a 74-yard TD completion...