Stories from Thursday, January 6, 2011

The 2010 Rivercrest Colts broke every pre- and post-game huddle with the same chant since the sweat rolled off their brow during the 'dog days of summer' -- "1-2-3, State Champs."

Andrew Steven Cortez Jr. , stillborn, died Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010, at the Blytheville Women's Center.

Lois Mae James, 88, of Charleston, died Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011, in Fort Smith.

Mr. Floyd Moran Sr., 86, of Blytheville, died Friday, Dec. 31, 2010, at Methodist University in Memphis.

Margaret Anita Christiansen Morris, 86, of Blytheville, died Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, at Great River Medical Center.

The Blytheville Lions Club recently donated 1,027 pairs of eyeglasses to the Memphis chapter of Student Volunteers in Optometric Service to Humanity, or SVOSH. SVOSH, an organization made up of optometry school students and some doctors, make mission-style trips to foreign countries, where they conduct eye exams and distribute donated eyeglasses to people in need...

Author Carol Dabney, will be at That Bookstore In Blytheville Saturday to talk about and sign her book, "Military Mommy."

Two new deputies of the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department recently graduated from the basic police training course at the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in East Camden. Deputy Marvell Carr, 27, of Osceola, and Deputy Travis Robinson, 24, of Luxora graduated in ceremonies on Dec. 17 at Harmony Grove School Auditorium...

Beverly Johnson will be the speaker for the 2011 Dr. Martin Luther King program, which will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16, at Living Word COGIC in Osceola.

Five days into 2011, Blytheville had its first homicide of the year. Darron Williams, 36, was the victim of a fatal shooting around 10 Wednesday night in the 600 block of East Rose.

Local artists Sarah Jackson and Robert J. Phelps have joined forces to create a unique exhibit to be presented in The Gallery of The Ritz Civic Center in Blytheville.

After participating in ceremonies with Gov. Mike Beebe announcing expansion of his company, Ben Quevedo, CEO and owner of Aviation Repair Technologies, was the guest speaker at the Blytheville Kiwanis Club Wednesday. Quevedo explained how he came to establish his newest company in Blytheville.

Since I started writing this column a few years ago a number of people (in a more or less friendly manner) have pointed out to me that the picture of me that accompanies the column is several years old.

I have seen and read letters many times down through the years about substance abuse and the people doing the abusing, but for the next two or three minutes of your life I would like to talk about the loved ones, the family and friends, the people who deeply and dearly and passionately love that abuser. ...

The Poffs' youngest daughter, Donna, and her husband, Henry (Hank) Hayles, hosted again the annual family Thanksgiving in their home in Moody, Ala.