Stories from Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Riverside destroyed Black Rock 76-12 in senior girls basketball action Thursday night at Caraway. The Lady Rebels bolted to a 32-3 lead after the first quarter and held a whopping 51-9 advantage at the half. Riverside led 61-12 entering the fourth period and held the visitors scoreless in the final frame...

It took three overtimes, but Riverside finally delivered Head Coach Buster Campbell his 800th career victory with a thrilling 84-77 win over Augusta Wednesday night in 2A-3 conference basketball action at Caraway, ironically, the place where Campbell began his coaching career...

Georgia Hrissikos, branch manager of the recently opened First National Bank in Leachville, said she is excited to be part of the new business in Leachville. The main branch is located in Malden, Mo. Other branches include Kennett, Clarkton and Dexter...

Junior point guard Caleb Reinhart scored 10 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter to help spark the Lions to a stirring 63-59 comeback victory over Osceola in a key 3A-3 conference battle Tuesday night at Manila. ...

All local basketball teams are on the road Tuesday night. The Blytheville Chickasaws (1-16, 1-2 5A-East) try to make it two in a row at Nettleton. Action begins with a junior varsity game at 5 p.m. followed by the Lady Chickasaws (6-10, 1-2 5A-East) and Lady Raiders, then concludes with the boys varsity...

It took an overtime period before Buffalo Island Central finally subdued archrival Riverside 57-55 in senior girls basketball action Monday night at Lake City. The victory avenged an earlier season loss to the Lady Rebels and evened the season series between the two old foes at one apiece...

Free tax preparation and electronic filing will be available from Jan. 21 until April 15. The IRS-Certified volunteers will provide free tax help to those who qualify in the Mississippi County area. Tax filing services are for individuals and families earning less than $51,000...

Buffalo Island School Board members recognized West Elementary at the January meeting for its academic growth. Dr. Kima Stewart, West Elementary principal, reported the elementary school received $20,403.75. The monies received from the state will be spent on the West elementary...

Buffalo Island Central superintendent Gaylon Taylor welcomed patrons to the BIC East Elementary cafeteria Thursday, Jan. 16, where he gave a presentation outlining the district's needs...

The Caraway City Council met in a special meeting Monday, Jan. 13, to approve purchases to rebuild the city's main street corner park that was destroyed by last year's tornado. Caraway Mayor Barry Riley said the council approved using $6,926 insurance funds collected to buy a gazebo, two arbors, two six foot porch swings and two wishing wells. ...

The Craighead County Retired Teachers Association will award in April an academic scholarship to a graduating senior, who plans to major in education, from a public high school in Craighead County. The scholarship is a one-time award to the student that meets scholarship requirements...

Sunkenlands Chapter of Delta Waterfowl will host the eighth annual dinner/auction starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1. It will be held at Taylor & Stuckey Warehouse, 18250 Highway 18, Monette. Pork steak, chicken and rib dinner will be catered by Strawberry's...

25 Charged in 62-Count Indictment LITTLE ROCK - Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas; William J. Bryant, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock District Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and Scott Ellington, District Prosecuting Attorney for the Second Judicial District of Arkansas; announced the unsealing of a 62-count indictment charging multiple defendants in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, with multiple drug charges. ...

Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) completed a draft Compatibility Determination evaluating the Expansion of Arkansas Highway 18 near Manila, AR, along the existing Right of Way. MANILA -- The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD), in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), proposes to widen Highway 18 from two lanes to four lanes on its existing alignment along the southern boundary (partially formed by Highway 18) of Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge for the purpose of public safety.. ...

The Leachville City Council voted to purchase a new police vehicle, new tractor for the street department, new side mower for the street department and an aerator for the water department during its regular meeting Monday, Jan. 13...

OSCEOLA -- A former Osceola High School teacher is accused of inappropriate sexual contact with three male students, Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington said after a Friday morning hearing in Osceola...

Mrs. Lizie B. Davis, 70, of Marked Tree, died Sunday, Jan. 20, 2014, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro.

Mrs. Linda Page Austin, 64, of Crawfordsville, entered into rest Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014.

Manila Senior High Homecoming Court, 2013-2014 are, from left -- Madison Barnett, Breanna McCullom, Nicole Parsons, Taylor Teague, Queen Emily Cook, Mary Kathryn Farrow, Taylen Smith, Justice Aguilar, and Kylie Henderson...

Every now and again I have the good fortune to stumble upon a great novel entirely by accident, and that is how I came to read "The Long Ships."

Business conducted at the Manila School board meeting held Wednesday, Jan. 15, included renewing superintendent contracts, approving make-up snow days, recognizing the elementary for academic performance and discussing facilities...

Blytheville City Councilman R.L. Jones said candidates for local offices, including incumbents and challengers, will be allowed time to introduce themselves during Saturday's quarterly ward meeting at the Blytheville Public Library.

Manila School District voters failed to pass a 4.7 mill increase for the second time. The increase would have been used for the district's matching funds for the construction of a new high school. The unofficial result of the Jan. 14, 2014, vote is 155 for and 277 against...

BLYTHEVILLE - Scott Ellington, prosecuting attorney for the Second Judicial District of Arkansas, announces the arrest of a second defendant in the case of 11-year-old Jessica Williams of Gosnell...

It was happy tears shed by Ann Wells at the 2013-2014 Manila Homecoming as she was surprised by her former students, co-teachers and friends. Mrs. Wells, as she is known by her students, has been attending Manila homecoming festivities for over 50 years...

The proposed 2014 budget is among the items on tonight's (Tuesday) Blytheville City Council agenda.

The Blytheville Ministerial Alliance hosted its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day observation service Monday night at Wellspring Church in Blytheville.

The Mississippi County Hospital System is still battling financial issues as it begins the new year.

Bentley Asher Wood, son of TJ and Chelsea Wood of Leachville, was born Dec. 28, 2013, at 12:57 p.m. He was born at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville weighing seven pounds and 15 ounces and measuring 21 inches...

Fallbrook, Calif. -- Janice Renee Arnold passed away at home on Dec. 23, 2013, surrounded by her loving family, at the age of 58, after a seven year battle with breast cancer. Jan was born in Jonesboro, Ark., on Jan. 17, 1955, to Norma Jean and Eukie Woodard, who survive. Together, they moved in 1958 to Northridge...