Stories from Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Mississippi County Justices of the Peace held a short Personnel Committee meeting followed by a Finance Committee meeting on Monday afternoon at the Blytheville Annex building. Personnel Committee chairman Rick Ash said he had been approached with a request to add a third school resource officer (SRO) to serve in the Rivercrest School District. ...

During Blytheville Mayor James Sanders Monday COVID-19 press conference, Blytheville Fire Chief Mike Carney and Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson announced that members at each department were being quarantined for COVID-19. Chief Carney said, “One of our members has tested positive within the last couple of days. ...

A head on collision Sunday claimed the life of two men, Terry Carr of Manila and William Hobbs of Ash Flat. According to a preliminary report from the Arkansas State Police, the accident happened at 8:05 p.m. on U.S. Highway 62, east of Agnos in Fulton County. Hobbs, 79,  the driver of a 2003 Chevy Blazer, was traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 62 and Carr was traveling eastbound driving a 2013 Ford Escape. Hobbs crossed the centerline and struck Carr causing a front to front collision...

During a two-hour work session on policies Monday evening, the Blytheville School Board discussed actions to take against students who are accused of violent crimes. School board president Erin Carrington said with the virtual school option now available, students accused of violent crimes off school grounds — such as murder or assault — should not be on campus during the criminal investigation...

The Blytheville City Council’s Finance Committee met via Zoom last Tuesday to discuss the sales tax income. Finance director John Callens stated that in August of 2020 the sales tax revenue was up approximately $28,000 as compared to August of 2019. For the year, the sales tax has nearly reached $144,000...