Stories from Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Ice, political storms topped the news in '09

Two Blytheville women were flown to The Regional Medical Center in Memphis following a shooting early this morning, according to Blytheville Police. At 2:50 a.m. this morning, Blytheville Police officers responded to a call of shots fired at an apartment in the 400 block of East Davis. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the occupants of the residence, Brittney Adams, 21, of Blytheville, Tina Powell, 35, of Blytheville, and a female juvenile...

Helen Louise Johnson, 74, of Leachville, died Friday evening, Dec. 25, 2009, at her daughter's home in Crown Point, Ind. Born at Manila, she was the daughter of the late Jessee Starkey and Betsy Thomas Starkey English. She and her husband were the retired owner/operators of Pin Bowl Recreation Center in Hammond, Ind...

Sylbia Allene McPherson, 89, of Leachville, died Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born at Crockett, Ark., she was the daughter of the late J.W. and Bertha Phillips and had been a Leachville resident since her teenage years. Mrs. McPherson was an accomplished seamstress having worked for many of her friends and family over the years...

Heath Sanders started riding horses at the age of four, fell in love with the rodeo and travels far and near competing in team roping. Sanders, a cowboy who has won a lot of buckles and saddles for his team roping, loves the competition. On display with some of his buckles is a Cowboy Bible he also won...

Bob Skelding is back on the road with a new wagon and a new team traveling the old-fashioned way. This is his third trip across country by horse and wagon. Skelding made it from New Hampshire to Mississippi on trip two when an accident destroyed his wagon, killed two of his horses, and sent him to the hospital...

In a battle of wills, Riverside finally outlasted Marmaduke 19-17 in the first round of the Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament Wednesday night at the Convocation Center in Jonesboro. The two teams fought to a 10-10 tie after the first period, but no one in the stands knew what was coming in the next three quarters. ...

Kirk Horton's only basket of the game with 1.5 seconds left lifted Rector to a heart-stopping 47-45 victory over Riverside in the opening round of the 65th annual Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament Monday afternoon at the Convocation Center in Jonesboro...

The Lady Lions rolled into the semifinals of the 65th Annual Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament with a pair of victories last week. Manila got by Crowley's Ridge Academy 53-47 Wednesday afternoon before knocking off Black Rock 54-43 Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center in Jonesboro...

Manila stormed into the Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament semifinals with a pair of resounding victories last week. The Lions blasted Maynard 88-44 Wednesday afternoon before knocking off a stubborn Ridgefield Christian team 71-55 Saturday afternoon...

Buffalo Island Central galloped into the semifinals of the 65th Annual Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament with victories over Rector and Rivercrest last week. The Lady Mustangs fought off a determined Rector team, 63-57, Wednesday night, before running past Rivercrest 78-69 Saturday night...

In one of the wildest shootouts in the history of the Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament, Buffalo Island Central finally escaped with a heart pounding 98-97 victory over Brookland Tuesday morning at the Convocation Center in Jonesboro...