Stories from Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Monette will kick off its Fall Festival this Saturday, Oct. 9, with all day entertainment and over 70 booths and vendors set up in the center of town. “We are hoping for beautiful weather and lots of people coming to Monette to enjoy the day,” said Monette Mayor Bob Blankenship. ...

The Mississippi County Quorum Court’s Finance Committee met Monday to continue 2022 budget discussions. The board reviewed the budgets of the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office, the Road Department and Circuit Judge Dan Ritchey. The board agreed to add a jail boarding line to the Juvenile Office budget, instead of having it all fall under the Sheriff’s Department budget...

Manila City Council discussed street paving and the purchase of a new police vehicle at a special called meeting Monday, Oct. 4. Manila Mayor Wayne Wagner said he wanted to update the council and get their opinions on street paving. "We have about $120,000 to $150,000 of the bond money to use," Mayor Wagner said...

During Monday afternoon’s Efficiency Committee meeting, Mississippi County justices of the peace questioned whether Mississippi County Assessor Harley Bradley should be paid personally by the drainage districts for assessment work, and they heard concerns about inequities in drainage taxes, with some parcels being charged 10 times more that similar ones...

Cleveland Pannell, Jr. "Bubba", 55, of Osceola died Oct. 4, 2021, at his home in Osceola. He was an electrician and of the Baptist faith. Mr. Pannell was born May 14, 1966, in Osceola to Cleveland and Willie Mae Boone Pannell, Sr. He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Eugene Pannell; one sister and her husband Donna Gail and Rusty Delancey...

Claudia Louise Yancey, 66, of Leachville, widow of David Yancey, passed from this life Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, at her home. Born in Osceola and raised in Manila, she was the daughter of the late Odie Eugene And Juanita Johnson Smith. Claudia was a longtime employee of the Mississippi County Correctional Center in Luxora, retiring as the dietary supervisor in 2018. ...

Malinda Rose White, 57, of Manila, passed from this life Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, at the NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro. Born in Pekin, Ill., she was the daughter of the late Charles Hampton, Jr., and had been a Manila resident since 1977. Malinda was a 1983 graduate of Manila High School and had been an employee of EIS formerly of Manila before she began working for Sonic Drive-In as part of the management team. ...