Stories from Friday, September 2, 2011

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department:

Blytheville Mayor James Sanders is proposing a 14-month, 1-cent sales tax to pay what is now a $3,213,218.53 IRS bill.

KENNETT, Mo .-- The Gosnell Junior Pirates kicked off the 2011 season with an impressive, 32-14, win over the Kennett, Mo. Indians Thursday night. Dewight Griffin passed for over 200 yards and through two touchdown passes and gained over 300 total yards on the night to start the season off...

OSCEOLA -- The Blytheville Junior Chickasaws opened the 2011 football season by dropping a 16-6 decision at the hands of the Osceola Seminoles Thursday night at Seminole Stadium. Blytheville (0-1) had the ball for just 2:27 and ran just six plays in the first half as Osceola (1-0) built up its lead...

Maybe this time next year it will be Blytheville and Gosnell playing each other in the season opener. The game would be the first ever in what would be a natural rivalry. Until then, Chickasaw fans will have to settle for watching their team open with county rival Osceola, which isn't exactly chopped liver...

Mr. Clarence Alvin Wilson, 80, of Manila, died Wednesday Aug. 31, 2011, at NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro.

Mr. Clarence Jackson Shockley, 92, of Manila, died Thursday, September 1, 2011, at the Lakeside Nursing Center in Lake City.

When the razorbacks, boll weevils, red wolves and bears come out, it's a sure sign football season is here.

The citizens of Burdette are planning a public meeting to attempt to save their post office, which is under threat of closure by the U.S. Postal Service.

Growing up I played football ... sandlot when I was a little guy, high school, a little bitty dab in college ... and I was always a big college and NFL fan from the word go, particularly a Hog fan, and for some reason, a New Orleans Saint and Chicago Bears fan.

I am in favor of the raising of the sales tax by $0.01 for a limited time to pay the IRS the money that was deducted from the city workers pay, that was "misappropriated." I am very much in favor of the state an even the federal governments investigating what happen to this money. Anyone found guilty of embezzlement should think about their actions in prison and have their assets seized, sold and used to reimburse the taxpayers...

This is in response to Mr. Daniel Honaker's ridiculous call for a boycott of Micheal Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles (as stated in a Letter To The Editor column on Aug. 31, 2011). First of all, I agree that Michael Vick committed horrible and horrendous acts, but shall he be punished for it for the rest of his life? What would be a just punishment in your eyes, Sir?...

Larry Gordon Doherty, 68 of Leachville, Ark., died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011, at the Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould, Ark. Born November 18, 1942, in Senath, Mo., he was the son of the late Ira and Ethel Rouse Doherty and had been a long time area resident. ...

This week's Pet of the Week at the Blytheville Humane Society is Friskie, an adult female Calico cat. Friskie is up-to-date with routine shots. For more information, call the Humane Society at 870-838-5512 or send e-mail to humanesociety1@earthlink.net.

Clarence Jackson Shockley, 92, of Manila, died Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011, at the Lakeside Nursing Center in Lake City. Born in Manila he was the son of the late Charlie Oscar and Mary Etta Wright Shockley and had been a lifelong Manila area resident. ...