Stories from Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Armorel Elementary School is one of 67 schools in Arkansas that is "achieving," according to the most recent test scores.

Austin Pike poured in 50 points to lead Buffalo Island Central to a pair of victories in senior boys basketball action last week. ...

Hoxie quarterback Cole Sears fired four touchdown passes to help lead the Mustangs to a 49-12 victory over Manila and a share of the 3A-3 conference championship Thursday night at Hoxie...

Riverside scored a pair of senior high boys basketball wins last week, defeating Ridgefield Christian 61-43 Tuesday night in Jonesboro, followed by a 69-45 thrashing of Armorel Friday night at Lake City...

Lady Rebels sweep past Maynard and Armorel By TRENT FLETCHER Town Crier Sports Staff Riverside's Lady Rebels improved to 5-1 on the young season, outscoring Maynard 78-65 Monday night on the road before coming home to take care of Armorel 49-38 Friday night at Lake City...

Buffalo Island Central connected on just enough free throws in the final quarter to hold off visiting Tuckerman, posting a hard fought 43-39 victory in senior girls action Tuesday night at the Mustang Athletic Complex...

Jimmy Lee Cole, 53, of Black Oak, died Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014, at NEA Baptist Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born Feb. 7, 1961, in Leachville, he was the son of the late Harlis "Windy" Cole and had been a lifelong resident of northeast Arkansas. ...

Linda Sue May, 68, formerly of Nesbit, Mississippi, passed away Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014, at Baptist Memorial Hospital Desoto.

Margie Jean Rhodes, 81, of Blytheville,, died Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014, at NEA Baptist Hospital.

Elzie Combs Jr., 84, of Osceola, died of heart failure on Monday, Nov. 3, 2014, at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis.

Riverside School Board elected officers for the coming year during the Monday, Nov. 3, meeting held on the Caraway campus. Officers elected by unanimous votes were Greg Douglas, president; Mike Brickell, vice president; Len B. Nall, secretary. Other board members are Mike Brown and Rick Austin...

Three members of the Buffalo Island Central journalism staff brought back awards from the Journalism Education Association National Convention in Washington, D.C., last week. Those attending the convention were Greydon Williams, Camden Metheny, Joanna Perez, Drew McFall and Olevia Hughes...

(This story was shared by Delaner Rece's daughter, Carie Hawkins. It shows the bonds created between veterans who serve together.) This weekend the Rece family of Leachville had a joyful yet tearful day of memories retold of a past time shared by two United States Army veterans during their basic training and deployment...

A committee made up of 30 citizens from Leachville, Monette and Black Oak are working on a proposal for new facilities to accommodate the Buffalo Island Central students. The Buffalo Island Central Community Education Committee has met twice and will meet again Nov. ...

Lambda Sigma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will host its 38th Debutante Cotillion on Saturday, Nov. 22 at the Holiday Inn in Blytheville.

The Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. recently elected new officers. Seated (from left) are Vera P. Thompson, recording secretary; Nicole Washington, vice president; Carolyn Stokes, president; Louisa Davis, treasurer; and Jean Moore, chaplin. Other members of the chapter are also pictured...

Mack was found in the country by one of our volunteers and is now in a foster home. He is very sweet and loving but has to eat alone (food aggression). Call our adoption coordinator at 870-838-5512 if you would like to meet Mack. Milo and Ginger, the two Golden Labs who were abandoned in the county are now in their foster homes in Jacksonville, Florida. ...

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.

The Mississippi County Election Commission met Monday afternoon to conduct recounts for both the Osceola mayoral race and the Blytheville City Council Ward 1 races.

The Blytheville Police Department is making good use technology and could lean more on it with changes coming to the 911 system.

Myra Jo (Wilkey) Whitehead, 60, of Middleville, Michigan, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014.

ARMOREL--The Armorel Lady Tigers are still looking for their first win of the season after a 68-29 loss to the Marmaduke Lady Greyhounds Monday night. Armorel led 2-0 early in the first period but that was it as Marmaduke's pressure defense proved too much for the Lady Tigers (0-6)...

JONESBORO -- The Gosnell Junior Pirates opened the season with a 39-21 win over Class 5A Greene County Tech Monday night in the Valley View tournament. The Junior Pirates (1-0) extended an 8-6 first quarter lead to 18-12 at halftime. Gosnell began to pull away with a big third quarter, allowing Tech to score just one point and leading 29-13 going into the final period...

For the first time since 2011 both the Blytheville Chickasaws and Gosnell Pirates will be in the postseason. Gosnell locked up their bid weeks ago but for the Chicks, it came down to last Friday's regular season finale at Forrest City. Considering what Blytheville endured in the week leading up to last week's game starting with their loss to Paragould the week before, I'm still trying to figure out how the Chicks won that game. ...

A train derailed parallel to Highway 18 near Armorel Tuesday afternoon.

Area veterans were honored Tuesday morning in a service held at the Blytheville courthouse.

Sarah Hazel Tucker, 91 of Monette, passed away Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014, at Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House. She was born July 10, 1923, in Pulaski, Ill., to Charles Frederick and Sarah Katherine Showmaker Stern. She was a homemaker and a member of the Church of Christ. She will be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother and friend and always had a smile for everyone...

Dick Pace was the guest of honor Friday afternoon as friends, family and co-workers, present and past, gathered to wish him well in his retirement. Pace decided to retire after a 33-year banking career. ...

Mrs. Ollie Mae "Bay" Bealim, 70, of Blytheville, died Friday, Nov. 7, 2014, at her home in Blytheville.

Marilyn Ardis Boyd Poff, 76, of Gosnell, died Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Cente

Ruth Reed Whitaker, 77, passed away Monday Nov. 10, 2014, in Fayetteville.

The 2014-15 Buffalo Island Central Homecoming was held on Friday, Nov. 7, with Cadyn Qualls crowned Queen. She was escorted by Jace Couch. Ninth grade princesses and their escorts were Molly Hart escorted by Abraham Lopez and Krista Pittman escorted by Andrew McFarlin...

Mrs. Irene Geraldine Sexton, 91, of Trumann, died Monday, Nov. 10, 2014, at her home.

One Leap Ahead Learning Center, which has been located in the old Central School building, received a permit Tuesday night to relocate to the Presbyterian Church on Highland Street.

Mr. Jimmy David Files, Jr., 59, of Marked Tree, died Monday at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro.

The Gosnell Police Department got the go-ahead to purchase a used patrol unit to replace the department's newest vehicle, which was totaled in an accident on Oct. 31.