News

The Blytheville Police Department responded to several reports of shots fired Friday night and early Saturday morning, according to Blytheville police chief Ross Thompson. At: 10:26 p.m., police responded to the 1300 block of Hearn, then at 11:37 p.m. were called to the 1000 block of Holly. At 11:52 p.m. Friday, they responded to the 800 block of Howard and then raced to the 300 block of Scott at 12:56 a.m. and the 1000 block of Holly at 4:06 a.m. Saturday...

A vision became a reality as Blytheville has two new houses and two new homeowners thanks to the foresight of the Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber Foundation project started in 2018 with the idea of cleaning up the city by purchasing and removing dilapidated houses...

Tuesday night, the Blytheville Planning Commission approved the draft of a proposed food truck ordinance and set a public hearing for July on the issue. Citizens will have the opportunity to speak on the matter at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 13. The tentative location is the old Blytheville District Courtroom at Second and Walnut streets...

Following a short executive session to discuss personnel, Manila City Council hired a new water/sewer employee and approved several raises at a special meeting Tuesday, June 8. Mayor Wayne Wagner said water and sewer superintendent Danny Davis recommended the hiring of Don Skaggs at $16 an hour...

Suggestions of a citizens review board were presented at the monthly Blytheville Police and Fire Committee meeting on June 8. Councilman John Mayberry introduced the draft ordinance to the council, intending to establish and sustain trust between the Blytheville Police Department and the public. The possible board members would be required to attend the Blytheville Citizens Police Academy, as well as participate in a four hour ride-along with an officer...

The Gosnell Planning Commission has begun a program that identifies abandoned septic tanks that pose a hazard. Planning Commission co-chairs Randy Henderson and Joey Crawford both addressed the Gosnell City Council on Tuesday evening to announce the initiative...

Tuesday night, the Gosnell City Council approved a $9,846 repair to the city hall roof. The board also agreed to participate in the Building Resilient Communities grant from the Center for Disease Control. Jennifer Reaves of the Arkansas Department of Health told the council that Mississippi County was one of five counties selected, and the grant amount will be between $15,000-$50,000...

The Blytheville Men’s Group started out 12 years ago with a few guys who grew up friends in Blytheville and wanted to get together and see each other. The group met and went on a fishing trip for a few days. As their other friends heard about this more wanted to go on this trip to see everyone...

Blytheville police officers have arrested a Kentucky man wanted on murder charges. "On June 9, officers of the Blytheville Police Department and agents of the 2nd Judicial District Drug Task Force cooperated with the McCracken County, Kentucky Sheriff’s Department in an effort to locate a subject wanted for murder in conjunction with a late night shooting there," special agent in charge Bobby Ephlin said in a press release. ...

In spite of the cooler weather 225 people of all ages spent Friday, June 4, at the Manila Water Park/Swimming Pool for opening day. After being closed last year due to Covid-19, swimmers were excited to be back in the water. The new concession stand was open, along with the new 4' swimming pool addition which was filled with young people playing water basketball and other games...

The Mississippi County Police and Fire committee met with the Pafford Ambulance Service on June 4 to establish better ways to serve members of the community. Dr. Reggie Cullom sparked the conversation by seeking to improve response times on calls for service in more rural areas of the county. Detailing the experiences of those close to him, Cullom saw room for improvement...

Riverside School Board elected officers, approved school choice applications, voted on fuel bids, purchased a tractor, accepted resignations, added a kindergarten class at West Elementary, and approved the purchase of a new science curriculum at the regular June meeting Monday night...

The Blytheville City Council met with Brad Wingfield of Pollution Management Inc. and Bob Sommers of Horner and Shifrin Engineering June 7 to further discuss the city’s sanitary sewer system. To satisfy the Arkansas Department of Environment Quality, the city must improve its wastewater collection simply due to old-age of the system. ...

The Blytheville Police Department completed their move to the new Justice Center and hosted an open house for the public on June 5. Located at 1700 S. Division, the complex will be the new home for the department and district court. With new offices, interview and dispatch rooms, and SkyCop monitors anticipated to arrive soon, the Justice Center is expected to increase the city’s safety. ...

Herman Davis American Legion Post 197 in Manila held their first annual Open House/Community Appreciation Day on Saturday, June 5. The day was also held in conjunction with the 77th anniversary of D-Day on June 6.  Senator Dave Wallace was the keynote speaker. A flag retirement ceremony was also held during the afternoon. ...

Two young men, Jacob Waldroop from Cincinnati, Ohio, and Brent Mooney from Atlanta, Ga., have been drawn to the Blytheville area due to their love of aviation. The former Eaker Air Force Base is the resting area of many retired Delta Airlines MD 80 and MD90, their favorite aircraft. ...

In a brief special meeting Thursday night, the Blytheville School Board approved superintendent Bobby Ashley’s recommendation to hire Gregory Ruffin as head football coach. A Blytheville High School alum, Ruffin has coached at several small colleges for 20-plus years, including serving as head football coach and football administrator for Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Fla., from 2018 to March 2021 and tight ends coach from 2017-2018. ...

Local medical professionals hosted a forum via Zoom June 2 to discuss COVID-19 vaccinations. Doctors such as Chimere Ashley, Sherita Willis, Stephen Pirtle, and more joined the discussion in continuing to battle the virus. Blytheville Mayor James Sanders also confirmed that appromixatley 23 percent of Mississippi County residents have been fully vaccinated, with another 5 percent partially vaccinated...

Justice Jo Ann Henton submitted her resignation retraction letter June 1 in the Mississippi County personnel committee. Due to personal reasons, Henton presented the county with a resignation letter on May 25, but has since had a change in circumstances. “I no longer want to resign and would like to be allowed to keep working in my current position,” Henton’s letter reads...

The Blytheville Fire Department received their new Freightliner tanker truck June 1. Chief Mike Carney detailed features of the new truck to the Mayor James Sanders and members of the city council on the following day. The tanker can hold up to 3,000 gallons of water and disperse the full amount in just minutes. ...

Blytheville School District hosted a Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work® LIVE Institute, June 2-4. The institute was streamed in real time from Fort Smith and featured leading education experts with firsthand experience using the PLC at Work process to transform teaching and learning...

LAKE CITY — Gina Knight and Martin Lilly—deputy prosecuting attorneys—prosecuted 37-year-old Marco Clark for 37-year-old Melinda Coburn’s Aug. 24, 2019 murder. Potential Craighead County jurors had been summoned and appeared. But before jury selection started, Clark pleaded guilty to capital murder, and Circuit Judge Dan Ritchey sentence Clark to a life sentence...

Mississippi and Poinsett counties saw population loss, while Craighead County gained population, according to early 2020 Census figures released recently by the US Census Bureau. Mississippi County’s population dipped from 46,651 in 2010 to 40,066 in 2020. In 1990, the county’s population was 57,525, and then it dropped to 51,979 in 2000...

Tobye McClanahan of Blytheville serves on the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) board of directors and Christina Jankoviak is the advocate coordinator for Mississippi County and Greene County in the 2nd Judicial District.  CASA is a non-profit organization with the goal of ensuring abused and neglected children find safe, permanent and loving homes where they have the opportunity to thrive...

The Manila water-park/pool will open Friday, June 4, at 1 p.m. Due to Covid-19 the pool was closed last year. Mayor Wayne Wagner and the pool staff are pleased to announce its opening for the 2021 season. The pool will be opening with a new  4’ swimming pool area with water basketball and  a newly constructed concession stand that will serve the water-park and city park visitors...

Monette American Legion Post #136 hosted a Memorial Day tribute to veterans on Sunday, May 30, at the Monette Cemetery. The services were held in the pavilion on the south side of the cemetery, with shaded seating provided. Monette Mayor Bob Blankenship welcomed the veterans and their families in attendance. Former Mayor Chub Qualls led the opening prayer...

Mississippi County Quorum Court Justice Jo Ann Henton has tendered her resignation from the Court effective immediately. Justice Henton, who represents Quorum Court District 7 in Blytheville, resigned in a letter given to Mississippi County Judge John Nelson prior to Tuesday’s meeting of the Court...

Manila Mayor Wayne Wagner and city council members met Wednesday evening in a special meeting to discuss hiring a police officer. The council approved hiring Keith Hill of Gosnell starting June 28 at $16 an hour. Hill is a certified officer and has nine years of experience. The next Council meeting will be 5 p.m. June 17...

Thursday night, the Gosnell School Board unanimously approved an employee Covid-19 additional duties pay plan of $15 per student day worked. The additional pay is scheduled to be distributed on June 8 and is being funded by ESSER money (federal Covid relief funds)...

The Mississippi County Quorum Court met Tuesday, May 25, at the Burdette Courthouse. Eight of the 10 justices were in attendance with Justices Neil Burge and Aaron Fleeman being absent. Justices discussed several ordinances, passing on a third reading Ordinance O-2021-8, which ensures open and transparent bidding and contracting and Ordinance O-2021-9, which deals with the reporting of county boards. Justices adopted both by 8-0 votes...

Ninety-six years ago on Memorial Day 1925 the life-sized statue of Herman Davis, World War I hero was unveiled on the corner of Baltimore Street and Highway 18 in Manila. The monument was placed on land donated by the city of Manila. The body of Davis was moved from the Manila Cemetery and is interred at the base of the monument...

In dismissing Mississippi County Judge John Alan Nelson’s lawsuit against the Mississippi County Quorum Court Tuesday, Circuit Court Judge Scott Ellington said moving supervision duties of the financial management office from the county judge’s office to the county treasurer was within justices’ Constitutional authority and did not strip the office of its powers...

During Monday night’s meeting, the Blytheville School Board agreed to $747,500 in funding for Professional Learning Communities Coaching Days at all four buildings in the district. Blytheville Elementary, Blytheville Middle School and Blytheville High School will all have 30 coaching days at a rate of $195,000 per building or $585,000 total, while Blytheville Primary School will have 25 coaching days at a cost of $162,500...

The Ritz reopening event featuring The Big Beyond, a high energy show band from Atlanta, will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 12. General admission tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Ritz or online. The Ritz Foundation will hold a VIP reception at 6 p.m. Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased by any Foundation member. There will be 140 VIP tickets available...

Monette City Council met Monday evening and made plans for specialized training for Water and Wastewater employees. Mayor Bob Blankenship reviewed the resignation of former Wastewater Department Supervisor Jerry Lamar and the need for in depth training for water and wastewater training...

Circuit Judge Scott Ellington has ruled in favor of the Mississippi County Quorum Court in the lawsuit filed by Mississippi County Judge John Alan Nelson, according to Justice of the Peace Michael White. In March, Ellington heard the case and made his ruling Tuesday...

RNR Tire president David Harrison was in Blytheville Saturday morning to present Manila resident Emily Onnen with a 2021 Buick Encore as part of the company’s Mother’s Day giveaway. Onnen’s daughter penned an essay, which beat out contestants from all of RNR’s area of service that ranges from Springfield and Joplin, Mo. to as far south as Lafayette, La...

The Blytheville City Council approved several ordinances May 18 to support the efforts of the Public Works Department. Working to solve the city’s pothole problem, the council passed a resolution to purchase a 2022 Freightliner Pothole Patcher from TAG Truck Center in Jonesboro for $174, 875. In early meetings concerning this purchase, Public Works director Mark Key explained the need for this truck...

Manila City Council reviewed bids for the construction to expand the Manila Fire Station at the regular meeting on Monday, May 17. The cost is $1,040,000. Mayor Wayne Wagner said a meeting will be held with the architects to see what can be trimmed. The council has 30 days to accept or reject the bid...

Two juvenile suspects have been arrested in the May 17 early morning fire that damaged the landmark Caraway First United Methodist Church. According to Caraway Police Chief Shannon Kelems, the fire call came in at 3:35 a.m. and Monette Fire Department assisted the Caraway firefighters...

Lake City Council met on Monday, May 17, allowing a property variance, filling a council seat, discussing the sale of police vehicles and reviewing paving bids. Mayor Cameron Tate opened the meeting with Council members Brenda Hutcheson, Kate Wells, Tommy Eakins, Harmony Cash and Danny Dunigan present, along with city clerk Lisa Sitz...

Jordan’s Kwik Stop #64, in Monette, held its Grand Opening on May 14 with a ribbon cutting ceremony, complimentary food services, discounted gas prices and large gift drawings. Jordan’s owner Jackie McClure and Monette Manager Paxton Hamilton were on hand at 11:00 a.m. to greet the more than 2,000 guests who came out to see the new facility located at 19888 Hwy. 18 East, in Monette...

This week a Mississippi County jury of three men and nine women found Correy Crawford of Memphis guilty of first-degree murder with a gun enhancement in the April 25, 2020 slaying of 27-year-old Demarcus Daniels of Blytheville. Crawford was sentenced to 40 years for the murder and 10 years for the gun enhancement in Mississippi County Circuit Court in Burdette. ...

The Mississippi County Finance committee met May 17 and discussed the possible uses for the American Rescue Fund. Under the plan from President Biden, Mississippi County is set to receive $7.9 million over a 3 to 5 year span. The plan’s objective is to address public health and economic challenges brought by COVID-19, such as support for vital public services and stabilization for households and businesses...

Leachville City Council held a public meeting Monday evening, to discuss applications for city park grant improvements, before their regular business meeting that followed. Mayor Rodney Robertson welcomed guests present, and City Treasurer Ruth Ann Keith reviewed two possible grants available for additions to the city park at 301 East Eleventh St...

The Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce hosted their monthly luncheon May 17, distributing the year’s first quarter awards, and hearing a legislative update from Arkansas representatives Monte Hodges (D-Blytheville), Johnny Rye (R-Trumann) and state senator Dave Wallace (R-Leachville)...

With a 4-2 vote during Monday night’s personnel hearing, the Blytheville School Board upheld the termination of Blytheville High School football coach Lance Stone. Stone opted for a closed hearing, but when returning to open session to vote, board members Tobey Johnson, Desmond Hammett, Tracey Ritchey, and Erin Carrington cast yes votes, while Barbara Wells and Billy Fair dissented...

Former Temps Plus manager Sabrina Minyard was sentenced to 51 months in prison and ordered to pay $931,336.39 in restitution Monday after pleading guilty to bank fraud charges last fall. According to court records, Minyard embezzled more than $793,000 from the business between June 2007 and March 2019. After her sentence is served, she will have two years supervised release. She must report to prison by July 6...

Jacob Finch of Gosnell faces reckless burning charges after he reportedly set his vacant house on fire to clear the property on County Road 122 — a week after the Gosnell Fire Department told him he couldn't burn the house, according to a report from the Mississippi County Sheriff's Office...

Around 4:15 p.m. Sunday, the Gosnell Fire Department and Blytheville Fire Department responded to County Roads 567 and 122 near Gosnell for a fully involved fire. GFD’s Andrew Wyles said the home was vacant with power and no service. No injuries were reported...