Stories from Wednesday, December 1, 2010

The Annual Humane Society Spaghetti Dinner and Auction will be 5 p.m. Saturday at the former Jaycees building on North Second Street. Parking is available in the back of the building or in the public parking lot across the street from the Blytheville courthouse...

A group of Gosnell women will have their own version of Black Friday from 3-7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Gosnell Community Center. Pictured with some of the items are (from left) Lisa Ballard, Barbara Williams and Whitney Hill. Not pictured are Candy Bryeans, Mary Ann Redden and Debbie Finch. Items for sale will be children's clothing, For Every Home, Holiday Decor, Pampered Chef, Accessory Hut and Treats and Trends...

Arkansas author Judson Hout will be visiting Blytheville on Saturday, Dec. 4 for a book signing to be held during Christmas at the Kress, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The author has some connections to Blytheville and Mississippi County. In 1955, Hout's father was involved in the sale of the barracks building from Eaker Air Force Base to Billie Sol Estes, the Texas financial legend who is famous for his conviction and subsequent prison sentence following a scandal involving fraudulent ammonia tank mortgages. ...

The Christmas season is here and parties and shopping seem to top everyone's lists. Area law enforcement officials say there are several precautions to take for a safe and happy Christmas. "The most important thing is to not drink and drive," said Caruthersville chief of police Chris Riggs. "It is tempting this time of year to attend a lot of parties and think you can drive home. Give your keys to a designated driver or call a sober person for a ride home."...

Blytheville Fire Marshal Rex Wilhite has been named assistant fire chief by Chief Michael Carney. Carney made the announcement Tuesday afternoon at the main fire station in downtown Blytheville. "After weeks of considering some very good candidates, I am happy to have Rex Wilhite accept the job of assistant chief of the Blytheville Fire Department," Carney said...

In a community like Blytheville, there's a unique relationship between the city's newspaper and the city's mayor. Some might even call it symbiotic -- an interaction between two entities in close association, typically to the advantage of both. Then again, perhaps the term "antibiosis" -- an antagonistic association between two entities, in which one is adversely affected -- might be more appropriate, at least at times...