Stories from Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department:

Caruthersville Police Department officer is dead and another officer injured after a driver in a stolen pickup truck rammed into their vehicles early Tuesday morning, according to Pemiscot County Sheriff Tommy Greenwell.

A Manila man was killed in a two-car wreck early Monday on Highway 18 near Dell.

Mr. William "Bill" Straehley Tucker Sr., 94, of Blytheville, passed away Monday, Aug. 15, 2011, at his home.

Mrs. Judy Diane Robertson, 56, of Dell, died Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011, at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville.

Mrs. Thelma Rice Putman, 81, of Hot Springs, died Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011.

Mr. David Paschal, 82, of Blytheville, died Sunday, Aug. 14, 2011, in Gosnell.

Patricia Carol Ainley, 60, of Jonesboro, Ark., died Sunday, Aug. 14, 2011 at her home in Jonesboro after a battle with cancer. Born Jan. 31, 1951 at Rockford, Ill., she was the daughter of Robert and Arlene McMaster Gates and was a homemaker and caregiver...

Amy Diane Bollinger, 36, of Manila, died Sunday, Aug. 14, 2011, at the Great River Medical Center in Blytheville. Born at Benton Harbor, Mich., she was the daughter of the late Jackie Joe and Janice Marie Hammons Rich and had lived most of her life in Manila. She was a 1994 graduate of Manila High School and was a former employee of Milwaukee Tool in Blytheville...

Mr. James L. Herron, 71, of Manila, died Monday, Aug. 15, 2011, near Dell.

Mr. Leland Brown, 63, of Chicago, formerly of Osceola, died Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011, at Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago.

Mr. Elman Elyse Grooms, 89, of Leachville, died Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born at Leachville he was the son of the late Ed and Evah Jackson Grooms and had lived most of his life in Leachville. ...

Floyd Winstead has been fishing in the Floodway for most of his life but made the catch of a lifetime recently. It was not the size of the fish but how it was caught that made the catch so unusual. "If I had not had a witness, I would not have even bothered to tell the story," Winstead said...

Brittany Stockton, student at Buffalo Island Central, has been invited to participate in the Down Under Sports tournament to be held in Australia the summer of 2012. "I am honored to be an ambassador of not only our community and state, but also our country," Brittany said. I hope to participate in this international tournament."...

The Leachville Council heard department reports, announced training schedules and agreed to update the city's emergency preparedness plan at the regular council meeting held Monday, Aug. 8 Dickie Coburn reported limbs are still being picked up throughout the city. An insurance check was received for $14,615 to repair damage to the lift station and do fence repair...

The Caraway City Council discussed finances, potential sales tax, and ordinances at the regular city council meeting held Thursday, Aug. 11. "I am glad to see the general fund is up this month," Mayor Barry Riley said. "We are all working hard to cut costs in every way possible."...

Buffalo Island Central School Board met in Jonesboro Tuesday, Aug. 9, with Scott Beardsley with Beardsley First Security Public Finance providing professional development in-service for board members...

Mr. Elman Elyse Grooms, 89, of Leachville, died Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro.

Amy Diane Bollinger, 36, of Manila, died Sunday, Aug. 14, 2011, at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville.

A special ribbon cutting was held Wednesday, Aug. 10, at Wear the Style Is in Caraway. The new business is located on the corner of West State Street and Waco Avenue and is owned by Glenda Kelems, Courtney Kelems, and Justin Kelems. Heather Bupp will be working at the store also...

The Board of Governors for the Mississippi County Hospital System voted Monday to accept a resolution approving the recent settlement between MCHS/Mississippi County and First Tennessee Bank.

State Sen. David Burnett was in town on Monday to speak at the monthly luncheon of the Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce. Among his top issues were highways, sentencing reform for non-violent crimes and tax cuts.

Leachville Watermelon Festival was held Saturday kicking off with a parade filled with antique cars, four-wheelers, motorcycles, beauty queens, fire trucks and more. Chairman Paula Bowen expressed her appreciation to everyone for their participation. Booths, games, food and entertainment kept visitors busy throughout the day...

Manila elementary hosted a K-6 Conference on Wednesday with Mississippi County teachers from Manila, Armorel, Osceola and South Mississippi County attending. Over 200 attended the full day of sessions...

Westminster Village went to see a Memphis Redbirds game. Doris Marks got a hug from Rocky.

A branch of the Clinton Gore coaching tree is trying to lay down winning roots in Manila. Longtime Osceola assistant coach Jerry Castor is bringing the Seminole philosophy with him as he enters his first season as Lions head coach. Manila will switch from the spread to the wishbone offense and change to the 50 defense, the same smashmouth style former legendary Osceola coach Gore employed while making the Seminoles a state powerhouse...

Our founding fathers, back in the mid-1700s, were an interesting and entirely dedicated group of fellows. They were a mishmash of societal groups, from cobblers and handymen to lawyers, doctors, pastors and bankers.

Mr. Tony Laffoon, age 39 of Little Rock, formerly of Leachville, passed from this life Monday, Aug. 15, 2011, at St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock. Born at Jonesboro, he was the son of the late Ronnie Laffoon and was a 1991 graduate of Buffalo Island Central High School. ...

Mary Edith Weyer, age 70 of Paragould, Arkansas, died Monday, August 15, 2011 at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro, Arkansas after a brave battle with cancer. Born October 27, 1940, in Arbyrd, Mo., she was the daughter of the late Leo and Lois Skelton Stumon and had been a long-time area resident. ...

Percy Sanders, 64, of Osceola, Ark., died Monday, Aug. 15, 2011, at Osceola Heath Care, Inc. in Osceola. Born March 28, 1947 in Savage, Miss., he was the son of the late Leroy and Ida Franklin Sanders and was a mechanic...

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department: