Stories from Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Saturday afternoon at 508 Chickasawba in Blytheville, Sgt. Vanessa Stewart cut the ceremonial ribbon for the Rebuilding Dreams Center, located in Anthony's Martial Arts Academy. Rebuilding Dreams, conceived and run by Stewart, is an outreach of the Haven of Northeast Arkansas, and has as its main goal the rehabilitation of the self-esteem of women facing abusive relationships...

A fire that destroyed a downtown business Monday is still under investigation, said Capt. Jeff Kemp of the Blytheville Fire Department. Firefighters were called to Blytheville Wholesale and Supply at 129 E. Walnut Street shortly after 8 a.m. Monday. Nearly 40 firefighters, including several from Armorel and Gosnell, and 17 off-duty firefighters from Blytheville, responded to the fire...

The First Tee program of Blytheville will be holding its fundraising Ball Drop at 3 p.m. Saturday. Participants purchase a golf ball, which will then be marked with a number. On the day of the event, all purchased balls will be dropped onto a green at the Thunder Bayou golf course. Four holes on the course will be labeled with dollar amounts, one $3,000 and three $1,000. The balls that land in the marked holes will be the winners of the specified amount...

"Giving people more income beyond 75K is not going to do much for their daily mood." --Economist Angus Deaton

12 people applied for Aeroplex post

Betty Lou Hawkins, 70, of Rochelle, Ill., died Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, at Trumann Health Care, Trumann, Arkansas. Ms. Hawkins was born June 14, 1940, in Dixon, Ill., to the late William C. and Vada Coates Hill. Ms. Hawkins was a lifelong resident of Rochelle, Ill., and had lived in Trumann about one month. She was an avid reader and loved spending time with her family and friends...

Lieseotte Anna Lemons, 81, of Leachville for four years, formerly of Keiser for 32 years, entered into rest Saturday, Sept. 4, 2010 in Manila. Born July 12, 1929 in Dramburg, Germany to the late Otto and Else Welke, she was a longtime member of Keiser First Baptist Church, a translator and switchboard operator while in Germany, and a homemaker. ...

Theodore Allen Picotte, 76, of Senath, Mo., formerly of Manila, died Aug. 29, 2010, at the Heritage Gardens in Senath. Mr. Picotte was born Nov. 30, 1933, in Lake Andes, S.D., to the late Paul Allen and Bertha Lill Picotte. Mr. Picotte served in the United States Air Force during the Korean and Vietnam wars. He was of the Baptist faith...

Joyce Potter, 63, of Blytheville, died Friday, Sept. 3, 2010, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born at Blytheville she was the daughter of the late Steven and Genittie Allison Fountain and had been a lifelong Blytheville resident. ...

Dennis Dewayne Young, 63, of Senath, Mo., died Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, at his home after a brave battle with cancer. Mr. Young was born Nov. 22, 1946, in Kennett, Mo., to the late Robert and Gladys Millsap Young. Mr. Young was a groundskeeper for the last eight years for Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Kennett. He was an avid spectator and participant of billiards...

Manila scored two first half touchdowns and held off a second half Trumann rally to defeat the Wildkittens 12-6 in the Lion's season opener Thursday night at Manila. "We played just good enough to win," said Lion Coach Toby Doke. ...

Manila Middle School (grades 5-8) began a service project through Operation Gratitude and will be collecting candy for troops. The students and their teachers will be gathering bags of candy (Halloween or any type) to send to the deployed military troops. The candy will be eaten by the soldiers and used in their efforts to care for and communicate with children from other countries...

Mississippi County Farm Bureau hosted its annual meeting Monday evening, Aug. 30, at the Arkansas Northeastern College in Burdette. The group was welcomed by Benton Felts, Mississippi County Farm Bureau president...

The Manila Fire Department held a fundraising barbecue on Friday and Saturday at the Manila Fire Station. Firefighters and retired firemen grilled over 1,200 pounds of chicken, Boston butt, and ribs...

The Buffalo Island Museum in Monette will have an Indian artifact exhibit through October. The exhibit began in August. Archaeologists believe there must have been thousands of Indians form one tribe or another who came through this area of northeast Arkansas in early years. Indians moved to this area because of fertile soil, and the area abounded with deer, bear, fish, turkey and buffalo...

The new Manila Justin Veach Elementary School building is nearing completion. The new building was named in memory of Justin Veach, school board member. If all goes on schedule, students should be in the new building Monday, Sept. 13. Students will be out of school on Thursday and Friday for moving days. Teachers and staff will be participating in the move. (Town Crier photo/Revis Blaylock)...

The weather was perfect on Saturday as Leachville hosted the annual Harvest Festival in conjunction with the Leachville School Reunion held every five years. The festival was held at the city park with games, booths, live entertainment, and a car show...

(J.D. "Jim" Forsythe was born in Manila on March 28, 1923. His first school was Shady Grove. He then went to New Harmony School, then to Brown Spur School, moved north of Leachville and attended the Boynton School and graduated from Leachville High School. ...