Stories from Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Arthur Bunch, resident of St. Charles County, Mo., for 48 years, died Dec. 27, 2011. He was 84 years of age. Bunch, born in Manila, Ark., June 7, 1927, served in the United States Army during World War II and the Korean War and the Merchant Marines in the interim. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Free Masons, as well as the Kiwanis...

Ronnie Gene Fortson, Sr., 62, of Leachville, died early Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born at Manila, he was the son of the late William Thomas and Delilah Marie Hicks Fortson. Ronnie was a retired farmer and a lifelong area resident...

Mr. William B. Leitzen, 89, of Manila, Ark., died Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, at Monette Manor Nursing Home. Mr. Leitzen was born June 9, 1922, in Stockton, Ill., to the late Oscar and Lula Susan Hall Leitzen. Mr. Leitzen enjoyed cracking pecans, making wooden ornaments and spending time with family and friends...

Freddie Cleveland McKemie, 91, of Manila, died early Friday, Jan. 6, 2012, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born at Manila, he was the son of the late John William and Viola Bishop McKemie and lived much of his life in Blytheville. ...

Richard Howard Moore, 62, of Trumann, died Sunday Jan. 1, 2012, at his home. Born at Sunnyvale, Calif., he had lived most of his life in California and was a retired truck driver. He had been a Trumann resident for the past two months...

Margaret Elizabeth Wallace, 59, of Las Vegas, Nev., formerly of Leachville, died Friday, Jan. 6, 2012, at the Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Howard Funeral Service of Leachville...

Buffalo Island Central split a pair of conference games last week, defeating Maynard 48-46 Friday night on the road after dropping a 58-32 decision Tuesday night at Rector. Dilynn Strickland scored the game winning lay-up with eight seconds left to give the Mustangs a two point win at Maynard Friday night. Strickland led BIC with 14 points while Wes Colbert added 10...

Morgan Hawley scored a game high 30 points to lead Marmaduke to a 65-57 2A-3 conference victory over Riverside Thursday night at Marmaduke. Hawley, who also grabbed six rebounds while adding four steals, went 12-14 from the foul stripe as the Greyhounds improved to 15-7 overall and 8-1 in league play. ...

Brady Jones pumped in a team high 19 points to lead Manila to a come from behind 54-52 overtime victory over Hoxie Friday night in 3A-3 conference basketball action. The Mustangs took an 8-6 lead after the opening period before the Lions came back to tie the game at 18 apiece at the half. ...

Jeannette A. Robertson, a local Jonesboro attorney, announced Monday she is seeking election to the Arkansas Court of Appeals in District 1, position 2. All judicial elections are nonpartisan and the election will be held during the primary which is scheduled for May 22, 2012...

Blytheville native Johnny Tolley will be at the Ritz Civic Center at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, to host a fundraising event on behalf of The Arts Council of Mississippi County. The program is called "The Johnny Tolley Ole Time Variety Show" and will include several family-friendly acts including song, dance and comedy. ...

Manila School Board members met in special session on Friday evening to discuss personnel issues. Board members present included Tracey Reinhart, president; Danny Robbins, vice president; Johnny McCain, Tony Crowell, Jeremy Jackson and Tommy Wagner...

Manila Masons held installation of officers at the Masonic Lodge 588 Monday evening, Jan. 2. David Hutton is the Worshipful Master; Jeremy Bennett, senior warden; David Keys, junior warden; William Barnhart, senior deacon; Jimmy Veach, junior deacon; Danny Robbins, treasurer; Eugene Dobbins, secretary; Woodrow Henry, chaplain; R.A. ...

Craighead County Solid Waste Authority (CCSWA) employees, board members and area mayors gathered Thursday, Jan. 5, for a ribbon cutting at the grand opening of the new facility located near Lake City. Construction of the CCSWA represents a $500,000 investment. The new building is a little larger than the previous building and the new transfer station will provide for a more efficient operation...

As I was riding down the road with my grandkids earlier this week, one of them asked me a really interesting question. Actually, the 4-year-old asked the 8-year-old, who answered, and then an argument ensued which Grandma had to settle.

Mrs. Lenora Ramirez, 86, of Luxora, died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, at NEA Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro.

Mr. James Robert Lovelace, 93, of Blytheville, passed from this life to be with his Savior on Monday, Jan. 9, 2012, at his home.

Mrs. Mary Frances Crawford Lendennie, 82, of Weiner, formerly of Blytheville, passed from this life Monday, Jan. 9, 2012, at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro.

Mr. Rufus Harrell, 59, died Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, at his home in Osceola.

Mrs. Peggy Joyce Grimes, 62, of Lepanto, died cancer Thurs., Jan. 5, 2012, in Jonesboro.

Mr. Ronnie Gene Fortson Sr., 62, of Leachville, died early Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro.

The Arkansas Municipal League is preparing to start its winter conference, at which it plans to hear from a number of legislators and other officials.

Arkansas' education board has approved four new charter schools.

Local pageant royalty will be a part of this weekend's "Johnny Tolley Ole Time Variety Show," scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at the Ritz Civic Center.

The first in a series of three seminars to be offered to the public by the Blytheville Police Department will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday. The location of the seminar has been moved from a lecture hall to the Governors Ballroom at Arkansas Northeastern College.

Classes at Arkansas Northeastern College start back today, but its not too late to get signed up for classes.

Armorel school district superintendent, Bruce Young, announced his intentions to resign at the end of his current contract, Monday night at the district's monthly school board meeting.

Mississippi County Quorum Court Justice Emmanuel Lofton has filed an answer and cross complaint in the Circuit Court case, Adonis Anne Hopper v. The Mississippi County Election Commission, with the hope of assuring there will be at least three minority justices on the Quorum Court in the future.

JONESBORO --The Armorel Lady Tigers defeated the Ridgefield Christian Lady Warriors Friday night, 48-25. The Lady Tigers got double-digit scoring outputs from Denassia Middlebrook (16 points), Alexis Betts (12 points) and Madison Carr (10 points) in the win. Middlebrook also grabbed 13 rebounds and had five steals. Betts also swiped six steals and dished out six assists...

Ray Lawrence of Blytheville missed just three bowl games to win the Blytheville Courier News Pigskin Payoff. Lawrence won $50 and a spot in the $150 grand prize drawing. This morning, the Courier News drew for the grand prize. Carl Wilson of Blytheville won the grand prize...

One person was transported to Great River Medical Center after a two-car collision Tuesday afternoon at 10th and Chickasawba streets.

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department: