I’ve always believed in the adage, “bloom where you’re planted until God moves you.” Today is my last edition as a member of the Courier team. I’ve been fortunate to work for a truly family-oriented company, Rust Communications, during my first 23 years in the newspaper business. Days after graduating college, the Dexter, Mo. Daily Statesman took a chance on me as a reporter and sports editor...

Monday night’s failure of the Blytheville School District to choose a superintendent exposed the fatal flaw of an eight-member board, particularly one so divided. Four board members voted for Dr. Gabriel Jackson; the other four raised their hands for Dr. Zrano Bowles...

I’m not a big fan of special elections. While they would never admit this, politicians usually set special elections on tax issues with the idea there will be low voter turnout. Though it doesn’t sunset until 2023, voters will go to the polls Aug. 10 to consider renewing the ½-cent economic development tax...

July 1 began the 100th year of the Rotary Club of Blytheville’s existence. Rotary’s mantra is “Service Above Self,” and the club has certainly been dedicated to serving the Blytheville area for a century and counting. Each year the civic organization provides scholarships to students — usually five scholars receive $1,000 apiece to assist with college expenses...

The Blytheville School District is at the proverbial fork in the road. Superintendent Bobby Ashley abruptly retired in June, leaving a vacancy at the top leadership position. Blytheville High School principal Jennifer Blankenship has taken on the role of interim superintendent, but indicated she will not be applying for the permanent position...

Mississippi County Judge John Alan Nelson had little interest in bicycle trails until a trip to Desha County two years ago opened his eyes to the opportunities they offer. The Desha County judge showed an impressed Nelson his bike trail on the Mississippi River levee...

County leaders have begun pushing the extension of the ½-cent economic development tax, which has played a major role in bringing in industries and good-paying jobs to Mississippi County. The numbers are quite staggering. According to Mississippi County economic developer Clif Chitwood, since its passage in 2003, the tax has helped create 4,100 jobs —with 3,600 still in existence today — and an annual payroll of $130 million...

One of Blytheville’s best assets will come back to life this spring as the Blytheville Baseball Softball Boosters announced it will have a youth baseball and softball season at the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex. Because of the pandemic, BBSB was unable to have a season in 2020 for the first time in nearly 70 years...

Friday night’s final boys game in Chickasaw Gym was fitting as the Class 4A top-ranked Blytheville Chickasaws cruised past Batesville Southside, 75-36. There have been a lot of lopsided Chickasaw wins in “The Big Teepee” as former coach Bill Tyer often referred to it...

One would be hard-pressed to find two people with more Chickasaw pride than Blytheville High School athletic director David Hixson and his wife Lori, a former member of the Blytheville School Board who continued her passionate support of the students long after her final meeting...

Former Mississippi County Judge Steve McGuire would always say,“It’s a great day to be in Mississippi County.” I think he would agree that Saturday was indeed a great day to be in Blytheville. There were plenty of family-friendly activities to enjoy, ranging from aerobatics at the Arkansas Aeroplex to stunning Corvettes on Ash Street, the Summer Reading Prize Party at the library and golfing for a good cause at Thunder Bayou Golf Links...

Four words can make one feel much richer: appreciate what you have. Now, that’s much easier said than done. I’m sure we’re all guilty of hitting the Monday morning snooze button and wishing for another day off, as someone unemployed or underemployed hopes today is the day he or she finds gainful employment...

Excitement is building for the future National Cold War Museum, which will be housed at the decommissioned Blytheville Air Force Base alert facility on the Arkansas Aeroplex. A study predicts some 50,000 visitors will walk through the museum each year, and if that is indeed the case, it will be well worth the $20 million organizers are trying to raise from private and corporate donors...

For years we’ve heard that it’s not a matter of if but when the big earthquake hits here. Occasionally, we feel a small quake and that possibility seems a little more real. Some helpful earthquake tips I've read include preparing an earthquake kit, making a family communication plan, remaining calm, keeping heavy objects on lower shelves, strapping appliances to the wall studs or bolting them to the floor, rehearsing earthquake drills with family members, etc...

She was there in anguish as you entered the world. She was there, in the kitchen, blurry-eyed at 2 a.m., warming up a bottle. She was there an hour later, in a milk-stained shirt, rocking you back to sleep. She was there as you took your first step — clutching the coffee table for dear life and trying not to fall down...

At some point this month, each local senior will step onto the graduation stage and accept his or her diploma from a school administrator. Thirteen years of hard work and dedication in the classroom have come to fruition for hundreds of Mississippi and Craighead County students...

State-mandated testing begins this week for several of the local school districts. How the students perform on the ACT Aspire will determine their school’s grade issued by the state in the fall. In the past, local schools’ letter grades have ranged from A-F, with Armorel, Manila, Gosnell, BIC, Riverside and Rivercrest typically fairing best, followed by Blytheville, KIPP and Osceola...

Blythevillians never cease to amaze. There are no finer, generous people than those who call this place home. The latest evidence came over the weekend when the North Mississippi County Relay For Life’s “Dancing for the Cure” raised more than $170,000...

Some of my favorite memories have been made at the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex either coaching or watching my children play ball. Organized by the Blytheville Baseball Softball Boosters, the Blytheville youth baseball and softball season begins next week at one of the best youth sports venues in the state, the Sportsplex...

The FBI was in Blytheville last week, but there were no big raids or high-profile arrests. In fact, as far as I know, the FBI was not conducting any type of investigation here. Instead the visit by special agents was the culmination of the Blytheville Police Department’s Citizen Police Academy...

A few years ago we ran a series titled “101 Reasons to Feel Good About Where We Live.” The 39th Annual ESA St. Jude Radio/Cable-thon would have been a perfect fit after raising $213,845 over the weekend for the charitable children’s hospital. ESA always does an outstanding job organizing the event, and Nucor comes through year after year helping make it a success, contributing $133,424 to the cause on Saturday...

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...

Probably the most ignored sign in Blytheville is the one setting a 30 miles per hour speed limit on the stretch of the new Highway 18 overpass. As a four-lane highway, the speed limit should be 40 or maybe even 45 between the Division and Franklin traffic lights, in my opinion. Because it is a state highway, the Arkansas Highway Commission — not the city — would have to increase the speed limit following a study...

One of Blytheville’s hidden gems is the work of the Rotary Club of Blytheville. Saturday’s Bingo Night just reinforced why I am proud to be a Rotarian. Around 150 participated in the fundraiser, which helps our civic club provide five $1,000 scholarships to local seniors each year...

Our local community college deserves a big tip of the cap. Registerednursing.org recently ranked Arkansas Northeastern College’s registered nursing program third in the state behind only Harding University and Henderson State University. ANC was ahead of Arkansas State University, which was 12th; University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, sixth; and University of Arkansas, seventh...

New Mississippi County Judge John Alan Nelson probably feels like he’s back on the campaign trail. Nelson has spent the last several weeks in front of any group willing to listen to him pitch the extension of the 1/2-cent hospital sales tax, which would provide a revenue stream for the hospital system for years to come and allow for major renovations to the Blytheville courthouse, as well as improvements to the Osceola courthouse...

Without much ado last week, the Blytheville City Council kept in place a policy that came under fire during the recent election. By readopting the 2018 rules of order, council members will continue to be paid whether or not they attend a set number of meetings each month...

A number of political newcomers now hold leadership positions in area city and county governments. As those freshmen office-holders prepare to roll up their sleeves and go to work for those who put them in office or hired them, they may not be aware of some of their responsiblities to the public...

I hope you enjoy the first edition of the NEA Town Courier — your hometown newspaper. It’s an exciting day for the Blytheville Courier News and the Town Crier staffs as we join forces to provide readers with the most comprehensive coverage of the Blytheville and Buffalo Island areas...

As journalists, it is our job to shine light on corruption, report how public monies are spent and serve as the watchdog. But sometimes we make mistakes. In our passion to ensure the public is informed, sometimes we go too far to make a point. Such was the case with a recent piece by Tom Henry who was expressing his disappointment with the Blytheville School District’s test scores...

My blood boiled as I read a response to Tom Henry's column over the weekend. A couple of columns ago, Tom explained rather well why he believes Blytheville is the best town on earth and how a Jonesboro Sun columnist was off base when quipping, in his words, that "all of the criminals have moved over to Jonesboro because there's nothing left in Blytheville to steal."...

Because of some circulation issues, the new Courier News publication schedule will begin in March, not February as originally planned. I won't bore you with the details, but to put it mildly the process is quite involved and requires more than just punching a few buttons...

2016 will bring some changes to the CN. Starting on Feb. 3, the Courier News will publish two days per week -- on Wednesdays and Saturdays. We will continue to produce a daily online product with all the breaking news, however. We've had a lot of positive comments on mail delivery; that will remain the same...

Monday morning, Blytheville was trending. Unfortunately, the attention came via another tragic, senseless incident that seems to be becoming a trend itself-- resolving differences by firing bullets into another human being. Alongside Curiosity Rover, Megyn Kelly and Frank Gifford, Facebook listed Blytheville, Arkansas as trending for the weekend domestic-related shooting that left 19-year-old Adeline King dead and 11 others injured...

Two murders, one day. Four other shootings -- in a five-day period -- that led to victims being rushed to the hospital. There have been six homicides this year, including four since the middle of May: 21-year-old Raymond Smith on May 12; 17-year-old Dewaun Miller on May 18; and 22-year-old Vincent Stone and 20-year-old Kennon Daniels both on Monday. Rodney Lutes, 54, was shot to death in March, and Lawless Kennedy, 49, was killed in April...

Editor's Note: This article was first printed on June 5, 2014. There have been minor edits. Cancer doesn't care. It matters not if you're black, white, blue, green, male, female, rich or poor. Cancer could care less if you live alone or have a family that depends on you...

Memorial Day should mean more than a three-day weekend. This weekend isn't simply a time for barbecues, family get-togethers and an extra day off of work.

Twenty years ago this month, I accepted a diploma from former Gosnell High School Principal Charles Yarbro -- signed by his legendary pen.

If you want to feel community pride, take a walk down Main Street this weekend.

Looking around at the old Franklin Press building the other day, I spotted a few old Air Force photographs and several plaques still hanging on the wall.

Blytheville has been pretty fortunate over the years when it comes to tornados.

This is one of my favorite times of the year. The local youth baseball season begins this week at the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex, and softball starts in just two weeks.

A few weeks ago, one of our readers dropped off an old newspaper clipping to peruse.

There's a new weapon in the fight against hunger. Immaculate Conception Catholic Church recently launched St. Joseph's Soup Kitchen, which is open from 4-6 p.m. every Sunday.

It's that time of the year again. The underdog nails a shot at the buzzer to send one of the favorites home for the season and proves the little guy can win.

On Friday, the Courier News launched a new section on its website: "See Who Is Wanted By The Blytheville Police Department."

Pranks used to be harmless. The target might receive an annoying phone call or have to clean up toilet paper from his yard. But in recent years, some gamers have been getting their kicks out of something called "swatting."

New businesses are starting to pop up but, if new residents are to follow, Blytheville leaders must get a handle on the elephant in the room -- crime.

The big story this Super Bowl week is "Deflategate" or however one wants to term the New England Patriots' use of under-inflated balls in their AFC title game rout of Indianapolis.

The Gosnell and Armorel School Districts deserve credit for going after and getting two of the four state baseball/softball tournaments that they bid on last week in Little Rock.

By the time this column makes its way to mailboxes and racks, all new (and re-elected) officials will have been sworn into office.

Unresolved matters from 2014 could be settled in what looks like will be a busy 2015. Here are a few things to keep an eye on this year:

Each year around this time, this newspaper recaps the major news items of the past 12 months. Usually, the Top 10 includes stories -- good and bad -- that have significantly impacted our community in some fashion.

Before unwrapping the presents and setting the table for Christmas dinner, I would encourage everyone to read Luke 1-2. Those two chapters tell the Christmas story.

There aren't many instances when I welcome being wrong (just ask my wife). But I'd gladly say I was mistaken if gas prices do indeed dip below $2 a gallon.

I was scrolling through Facebook on Sunday and paused at the following post from Wally Jarratt.

Many lament the commercialization of Christmas, how companies roll out "Black Friday" deals earlier and earlier each holiday season.

In a couple of days, families will break bread all across this great country in celebration of Thanksgiving.

I've been the target of a few letters to the editor over the years, but none was more deserving than a gym mom's rant about a decade ago.

In the words of late baseball great Yogi Berra, it's deja-vu, all over again. Once more, the Blytheville mayoral race will be decided by a runoff.

For the first time in their lives, 18-year-olds will have a chance to vote for our leaders this year. Who are these newcomers to the polls?

Early voting got underway Monday at a busy Moore Center. Poll workers were hard at work attending to the early bird vote casters.

A few years ago, the Blytheville Rotary Club provided a drug take-back box at the Blytheville Police Department in hopes of keeping some unused prescription drugs out of the wrong hands.

A reader, who wished to remain anonymous, offered a pretty good suggestion on how the city of Blytheville should handle repaying the unpaid trash and sanitation excises taxes.

The right to vote is too often taken for granted and discarded like junk mail. There's an old saying: "Elections have consequences." And it's true.

Game week is finally here for the local high school football teams. It's an exciting time of the year for the schools and their fans.

As city leaders ponder how to spend the $500,000 parks and recreation CD, I hope they'll keep in mind how the money got there in the first place. Several years earlier, the citizens built a top-notch facility -- the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex. By all accounts, the Sportsplex was proving its worth year in and year out by drawing big tournaments and serving hundreds of local children participating in baseball, softball and soccer...

My wife was waiting in the checkout line the other day, when she witnessed something too good not to share.

Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee will all have their annual sales tax holidays this weekend, allowing parents to stretch their back-to-school shopping dollars.

The city of Blytheville's legal fight with the county over jail fees will have a big financial impact for both sides once resolved.

For years, the two big issues plaguing Walker Park have been fish kills and geese feces splattered along the walkway around the pond.

Independence Day has come and gone, but the fireworks are just beginning.

The nationwide identity theft epidemic hit home, recently. A couple of weeks ago, an automated service alerted me of some unusual activity on my wife's debit card.

I always thought it would be a no-brainer. If one of my sons wanted to play football, I'd happily sign the permission slip without a second thought. But that wasn't the case, recently.

Cancer doesn't care. It matters not if you're black, white, blue, green, male, female, rich or poor.

Around barbecue circles, Blytheville is considered the top of the food chain when it comes to smoked, tasty pork.

The primary has come and gone, and now it's time to look ahead to the general election. Locally, the big one to keep an eye on is the Blytheville mayoral race.

Five high school teams within 30 miles of the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex are heading out of the area this weekend to compete in their respective state tournaments.

Often when we hear of a family going hungry, it involves the impoverished in some third world country.

A group of local Rotarians was transported to the county jail Wednesday morning.

For years, one of the big issues plaguing Blytheville has been dilapidated properties -- abandoned eyesores created by fires and often made worse by vandalism.

Weather permitting, the local recreational baseball season will get under way Monday night. There's no better place to be on a spring evening than the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex. The atmosphere is second to none.

Six bucks a month doesn't sound like much, but it sure can add up over time. As it turns out, I've overpaid hundreds by not looking closely enough at my satellite bill for the past several years.

The interest in March Madness has been ratcheted up a notch this year with a challenge from Warren Buffett.

It's nice to see city leaders finally seeking public input on the mayoral retirement benefit ordinance, but they're a little late.

One of the requirements for public office is to be a glutton for punishment.

Imagine taking your child for a routine checkup and learning he or she has cancer. As a parent of young children, I can't think of a more devastating report.

Here at the Courier News, we're working on a new series featuring "101 Reasons to Feel Good About Where we Live." I don't think it would surprise anyone to see the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex make the list.

Films are full of thought-provoking ideas about the subject. Some lines are witty; some are deep. Some phrases become pieces of pop culture, taking on a life of their own, passed down from generation to generation.

Rarely can one say that a movie changed someone's life and it not be hyperbole. But one coming out in March truly has the potential for such an impact.

The biggest game of the year is Sunday, and it's a pretty good matchup.

Candidates for local offices will have an opportunity to introduce themselves during Saturday's quarterly ward meeting.

Twitter was abuzz last weekend as another coach with local ties took over the storied Texas Longhorns.

After several months, the city of Blytheville has come up with a clear definition of "infrastructure" acceptable by auditors, allowing leaders more options in spending the 1/4-cent infrastructure tax money.

For the first time in memory, there will be no Christmas parade in Blytheville. The ice hadn't melted enough to have the parade Monday, the scheduled make-up day for the event, which was originally planned for last Friday.

Our area has been bracing all week for bad weather -- historically bad weather, according to some predictions.

Usually in this space, on this day, I write about a few things I'm thankful for, personally. While I'm as grateful for my faith, family, job, etc. as I've ever been, I thought I'd take a different approach with the Thanksgiving column this year.

'Tis the season to lower those bank balances, swipe those credit cards and shop until you can't shop anymore -- all in the name of spreading Christmas cheer.

Two local groups are working on an effort to honor two great men. One has a national holiday; the other has been a local luminary in education for decades.

In the spirit of Halloween, here are a few tricks and treats with a local political flavor:

Trumann scored a touchdown and 2-point conversion to start the second half. Gosnell fans could care less. No concern. This is a game Gosnell couldn't afford to lose if it wants to contend for a conference championship. But there was little to no reaction from the crowd...

Much has been written about the city of Blytheville's financial struggles, both past and present. But there is one key difference this year, something that gives one reason to be at least a little optimistic.

More have taken an interest in local politics these days. Back a few years ago, the audience of the Blytheville City Council meetings usually included the late Gertrude Smith and maybe a handful of others who had some connection to items on the agenda.

In less than two weeks, the 1-cent IRS tax falls off, and the total tax rate dips to 9.75 percent.

Hundreds of brightly dressed kids and their supporters will converge on the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex soccer fields Saturday for the first time this season.

I bet Jimmie Stanford of Blytheville never dreamed of being on the Jay Leno Show. But his unique view on legalizing marijuana earned him a spot on the famed late night show, Tuesday.

Fred Sanford's hilarious fake heart attack routine would always include: "Oh, this is the big one! You hear that, Elizabeth?! I'm coming to join you, honey!"

Sports personalties, celebrities and leaders on all levels have taken to various media with anti-bullying campaigns.

It's hard to believe that my oldest daughter will be a freshman this year. Starr registered at Blytheville High School last week, and she's looking forward to starting a new school, in a new district.

Usually, my New Year's resolutions have been long disregarded by August. And a vow to shed some pounds only lasted a few weeks this year.

These days, technology drives production in business and, in turn, the way schools educate our children seems to be evolving. One of the items on the third-grade school supply list is a flash drive, a little device that stores electronic data. The list calls for as many sanitizing items -- Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer -- as it does paper. The only paper products on the list are one pack of loose leaf and some journals; no spiral-bound notebooks...

Sunday's "Paws to Ponder" got me thinking about some of the unsung heroes in our community. In the article, Shirley Connealy wrote about how Lt. Doug Brown, a Blytheville fireman, helped save a dog that had been the victim of a hit-and-run.

This summer has seen more local tragedies than any other I can recall.Several families have lost loved ones in car accidents; one is missing theirs following an officer's use of lethal force (justified or not is being determined); and another's was a murder victim.

Get ready to spend more in the coming days. Starting Monday, patrons will pay 10.75 percent on items they buy at Blytheville businesses. The new statewide, half-cent Amendment 1 tax will not be collected on groceries or medicine, however.

Blytheville leaders have a golden opportunity to rebuild the trust of their constituents.

Turns out, my wife's new teaching job kept us from getting really wet. Originally, we planned to take our trip to North Carolina last week, but at the last minute we had to move it up a few days because Kristy had some professional development obligations.

Memorial Day should mean more than a three-day weekend. This weekend isn't simply a time for barbecues, family get-togethers and an extra day off of work.

The Walker Park fountain was one of the first Blytheville staples I noticed after moving here in 1992.

There will be no shortage of things to do in Blytheville this weekend.

The other day a local business owner dropped by the office lamenting the half-cent state sales tax that becomes effective July 1, thanks to the passage of Issue 1 last November.

I've always subscribed to the theory that a local newspaper reflects the community it serves. There will be good news and bad news -- that's just the way it is.

Disagreements over jail fees have gone on for years, not just in Blytheville, but around quorum court and city council tables all around the state.

At last, spring has finally sprung. It's time to pull the tarp off the mower, replace the plants that didn't survive the winter and dust off the ol' baseball glove.

Some 60-plus antique buses will be rolling into town today as part of The Ghosts of Highway 61 Antique Bus Tour. In fact, several were already here Wednesday night.

One of Blytheville Mayor James Sanders' objectives this year is to bring in new businesses to the city.

The upsets. The dramatic finishes. The emergence of a star from some obscure school. The expert analysis that Team X will win because they have the prettier uniforms or the better mascot. It all makes the NCAA Tournament the fun event that it is, year in and year out...

During a committee meeting last week, Blytheville city attorney Mike Bearden jokingly asked Council members if they planned to solicit bids for a boat dock at "the Blytheville Recreational Lake."

As we remember great leaders during Black History month, the jury is still out on Blytheville's first African-American mayor.

Saying the wrong thing can get you in the doghouse with your significant other on Valentine's Day.

For a lot of people, the first thoughts of spring come when Punxsutawney Phil makes his annual prediction as he did last week.

Tonight the Blytheville City Council is expected to pass a 2013 budget, concluding a process that has captured its full attention all month.

I got a call last week from a Little Rock reporter who needed a little help with a project. Sportinglifearkansas.com stumbled on an interesting fact that Arkansas and Ole Miss played a couple of college basketball games at Chickasaw Gym.

Once the Blytheville City Council wraps up the budget process, one item that deserves the attention of the Police and Fire Committee is developing a set of rules for the police and fire appeals board.

Forgive me if this sounds familiar. I wrote something similar last summer, but it seems worthy of bringing up again given new local leaders have now taken office.

Locally, 2013 offers a fresh start and a renewed sense of hope. The city of Blytheville's IRS matter is taken care of; there is fresh blood on the Blytheville City Council; and there are now dedicated funds available for areas like parks and recreation, streets and police and fire.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Dean Gurley and Owens Drugstore owner Louie Dudley, who turned a scary Christmas morning into a fairly pleasant Christmas and demonstrated the spirit of the season.

Six days later, I still can't wrap my head around what happened in Newtown, Conn., and what has transpired after the tragedy.

Typing up Santa letters got me thinking just how different Christmas wish lists are now than when I was growing up.

Barring something miraculous, the three new members of the Blytheville City Council will get their feet wet by passing a 2013 budget within a month of being in office.

One of Blytheville's best assets is on display nightly now through Dec. 27.
 Lights of the Delta's 12th season is under way and the Lights continue to be a staple of the Christmas season.

I know I should do this more often than today. Ephesians 5:20: "Giving thanks always for all things unto God, even the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Every local politician has uttered at least one true statement during their time in office. Most likely, in some form, office-holders of every era have said this area's best asset is its people.

It feels a little like deja vu. Ward 2 made a decisive choice for its representative. The Ward 1 and Ward 3 races are headed to a runoff again. Vera James, Tommy Abbott and Joe Lewis are still campaigning after Election Day. And R.L. Jones is the candidate with the most votes in Ward 3...

A confused, distraught teenager walks into a clinic to get rid of what she views as a problem. And the doctor commits a legal murder under the guise of women's rights.

With Halloween around the corner, here are a few tricks and treats in the news.

A reader called the other day lamenting Blytheville's IRS problem, specifically wondering how a state auditor could say the payroll taxes were not misappropriated -- using payroll taxes for something other than payroll taxes seemed to fit that term in her mind.

Carlock manager Thomas Reagan offered up a pretty good idea at a recent East Arkansas Planning and Development District strategic planning meeting.

This is by far the most difficult column I've written. Most reading this don't know the subject, but she's really all I can think about this week.

Last year around this time, hundreds poured into Cypress Park and disbursed into groups to tackle unsightly and unsanitary areas on the West End of Blytheville.

Blytheville/Gosnell/Armorel-area soil has produced more than cotton and soybeans over the years.

The other day an elected official got a little upset over something in the newspaper. That's not really anything new. What this individual failed to realize is: anything newsworthy said before or after a meeting adjourns is just as printable as remarks made during the meeting.

Constantly relying on the Water Department as a primary funding source should be cause for concern.

An out-of-court settlement appears to be the best possible outcome in the short term as the county tries to collect overdue jail fees from the city of Blytheville.

I often tell my wife I wish I had known her sooner; apparently I did and didn't realize it. Kristy was helping me research something online not long ago and stumbled on some old Courier News editions with the "Spyglass" -- Gosnell's school newspaper page...

News of the old Hoops Drive-in's impending demolition brought back some good personal memories and a nostalgic trip down memory lane. But I'm sure it also revived some not so pleasant memories for some. In fact, one former employee sees the demolition as closure for a horrific, life-changing incident...

The other day my wife issued an executive order in the house: "Be a Kid Day."

For a journalist, one of the most important tools in keeping the public informed is the Freedom of Information Act.

As expected, soon-to-be District 55 State Rep. Monte Hodges said he won't seek re-election to his Ward 1, Position 1 City Council post.

The county and city of Blytheville appear headed to court over the ongoing jail fees saga.

It struck me funny as I started typing the words: they lost their battle with cancer. After more thought, I changed the wording to a more accurate depiction of one dying from the disease.

Blytheville will get a chance to show off one of its best assets this weekend as 32 teams from Arkansas and Missouri converge on the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex to participate in the annual Sports Hall Thunder Bayou Blowout.

At last Tuesday night's Blytheville City Council meeting, Councilman John Musgraves and Mayor James Sanders both lamented about the poor promotion of the city.

Seventeen years ago, Coach Charlie Brown might have chuckled at the thought of the Armorel baseball program being in its current state.

She was there in anguish as you entered the world. She was there, in the kitchen, blurry-eyed at 2 a.m., warming up a bottle. She was there an hour later, in a shoulder-stained shirt, rocking you back to sleep. ...

$300 doesn't seem like much when it comes to an organization donating to a political campaign. But it could be quite costly for a local church if the Internal Revenue Service discovers the campaign contribution to one of the candidates seeking outgoing State Rep. Tommy Baker's District 55 seat.

I was at a town over the weekend most anyone could be proud to call home.

Matthew 25:40 is a powerful scripture to keep in mind Saturday as the CleanerSafer Blytheville campaign kicks off in the Lake-Lilly-Cherry street area.

Drive down Memorial Drive or Main Street these days and you might sense a hint of nervous energy in the air.

Little Johnny throws a backpack over his shoulders and shoves a gun in his pants. In his mind, now he's ready for school and the dangerous walk back home.

It has been 10 years since former Blytheville Chickasaw pitcher Joel Huffman fired the first fastball at the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex; then seven days later, that former Chickasaw cleanup hitter John Blair cranked the facility's first home run.

The Blytheville City Council should rip up the zoning regulation book. No need to have a bunch of codes to follow. The Blytheville Planning Commission is fully capable of deciding what belongs where in the city without any guidelines.

As the political season heats up, rest assured, candidates will push the envelope to get votes. They'll target particular segments with tactics, some of which border unethical, if not corruption. A telling report is a candidate's Campaign Contribution and Expenditure Report, which is designed to give transparency of who contributed and how the candidate used the funds...

For the last several weeks, the Courier News has been delving into a mountain of city of Blytheville financial records.

Maybe it's time for Blytheville to secede from Mississippi County. After all, it is Blytheville's fault that the county is in its worst financial shape in years, to the degree justices are asking the legality of a 30-90-day loan for operational expenses...

Perhaps it's coincidental, but interesting nonetheless, that the IRS filed a lien on all the city owns the same day a story broke that the Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce asked to delay the temporary 1-cent sales tax election.

On Jan. 25, Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Liz Smith emailed Blytheville Mayor James Sanders about the Chamber's request to delay the 15-month, 1-cent sales tax special election.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the air base closing.
 According to our archives, the last plane left Eaker Air Force Base on March 16, 1992.

Barrett Harrison has to be one of the best pure politicians to ever hold a local public office. He epitomizes stereotypical small-town politico -- he's cunning, slippery, says the right things, yet the results leave something to be desired. Earlier this week, Harrison sent out a text that read: "Please go to blythevillecn.com and vote for me to keep my job."...

The 1/4-cent parks and recreation tax money should begin making its way to the city coffers in the next few weeks.

The Blytheville Planning Commission strengthened the stigma that small-town politics will always be run by the "Good Ol' Boy" system when effectively denying 4G service to serve the interest of one of its members.

2012 has the potential to be a make or break year for the city of Blytheville. Sometime this year, the city will likely enter into an Offer In Compromise with the Internal Revenue Service for the multi-million payroll tax debt.

With five kids in the house, it's easy to get into the Christmas spirit. But a story the other day took it to another level.

There's an old saying: If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas. Blytheville Mayor James Sanders must have entertained a similar thought this year, his first in the mayor's office.

He hops on the back of the garbage truck early in the morning. Through rain, ice, snow, heat, cold, he tosses can after can and endures foul smells on the ride around town. It's a thankless job for minimal pay.

The first thought that came to mind when hearing the county wants to deal with the city of Blytheville on the vacant Federal Building: Just what the county needs, another old building to maintain.

There's an old saying: Any day above ground is a good day. If you're reading this, chances are you fit in that category and have at least one reason for which to give thanks on Thanksgiving.

The best of the community always seems to come out this time of the year

Since the Blytheville leadership has yet to decide how to repay the $3.2 million delinquent payroll tax debt to the Internal Revenue Service, here is one possible way to bite off a chunk, if it's legal.

A Blytheville resident called the paper the other day, perturbed about her water bill. I would be pretty upset, too, if my water bill was $115 when my usage was similar to every other month as she contends.

In the spirit of Halloween, here are a few things that should scare the wits out of local leaders:

The Blytheville Emergency Squad's efforts often go unnoticed, but its role is vital to our community.
 The Squad serves the area in a variety of ways, from rescue efforts to being on standby at public functions.

Often when an embattled politician or public figure finds his name top of the fold in bold type, he will threaten, either subtly or brazenly, to sue the newspaper.

The second big Cleaner, Safer Blytheville cleanup is Saturday in the south part of town.

The Delta Gateway Museum was doomed from the start. Officials only allocated $750,000 for a projected estimated to cost more than $1 million, according to figures from Councilman Monte Hodges, who chairs the City Council's Parks and Recreation Committee.

The clock is ticking on the city of Blytheville. The Internal Revenue Service will only wait so long on the $3.2 million the city owes in back payroll taxes.

Folks of all walks of life labored together for one goal: A Cleaner, Safer Blytheville. Hundreds -- young, old, black, white, rich, poor -- spent nearly four hours Saturday cleaning up six city blocks on the West End.

On Sunday, the Courier News is including a special edition, remembering the tragedy that occurred exactly 10 years ago that day.

One of the selling points of turning two sunsetting 1/8-cent sales taxes into a permanent 1/4-cent police and fire tax tax in 2009 was the plan to build a new fire station on the west end of town.

My wife has one of those fancy phones that is capable of housing every app imaginable. One such app is Life360, which allows parents to see where sex offenders live and pinpoint where their children are at any given time.