Stories from Wednesday, June 17, 2009

After hearing safety concerns, the Blytheville City Council voted 4-0 Tuesday night not to allow probation officer Fred Wright to use the second floor of the Blytheville Waterworks tower as a check-in station for those on probation. Council members Shirley Overman, Shirley Connealy, Monte Hodges and Mylas Jeffers voted against allowing Wright to establish a probation office on the second floor, even if it allowed the Arkansas State Police to set up a satellite office at the same spot...

The NAACP is investigating whether newly-appointed City Councilwoman Carol White's voter registration information was released to the media illegally. White was reappointed to the Blytheville City Council Tuesday night on a 3-2 vote, following a two-minute executive session...

Good news was abundant at the June meeting of the Mississippi County Hospital Systems Board of Trustees Tuesday morning. Paul Zuidema, acting chief financial officer, told the board that collections for hospital services is steadily increasing, lessening the amount of money from the county's coffers needed to operate the hospital...

Farming is definitely a family tradition for this year's Farm Family of the Year. Bell Planting Company is a family-owned farming operation by Larry Bell and his wife, Portia, and their sons, Becton and Ross. Becton's wife, Kaci, and daughters, Hadleigh and Whitley, and Ross' wife, Nickie, and daughters, Macy and Keely, round out the family farming operation...

The Act 2! community theater group will bring "The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood" to the stage of the Ritz Theater for performances at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The play is the tale of swashbuckling, egocentric super-hero Robin Hood, as he swaggers through a funny, Monty Python-esque retelling of the classic. ...

A former Blytheville man was sentenced for the murder of a Jonesboro man Monday in Craighead County Circuit Court. Marcus Antonio Smith, 20, was charged in the shooting death of Charles Anthony Whitney of Jonesboro, and the wounding of Byron Lawrence of Jonesboro in December of 2008...

A brief escape attempt has resulted in more charges being filed against the three men arrested for robbing the Flash Market Convenience Store early Sunday morning. Donald Jackson Jr., 19, Cassanova Lollis, 19, both of Blytheville, and Deko Lomax, 23, of Osceola, were arrested and charged with the robbery and theft of property...

Numerous thefts reported By RICK HARRIS Blytheville Courier News Blytheville Police are investigating several thefts reported to the department over the weekend. Friday at 3 p.m., police were called to the 300 block of North Fifth, where Robert Craig with Craig Realty said he manages property for the victim located at 500 Madison. ...