Stories from Thursday, November 10, 2011

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department:

The Gosnell Pirates begin the 4A state playoffs with a trip to Malvern to take on the Leopards. Malvern finished the regular season with an 8-2 mark and 6-1 in the tough 7-4A. The Leopards' two losses came against 5A Lakeside and league rival, Pulaski Academy. Pulaski Academy is currently ranked number one in the 4A in most polls and a big favorite to run the table and win the state title this year...

The last time Blytheville won a playoff game, the current Chickasaw seniors were in diapers. Friday night, the Chicks are looking for their first postseason victory since 1994 and their third in school history as they hit the road to take on 5A-Southeast champion White Hall...

Mrs. Beulah Spencer, 92, of Asheville, N.C., formerly of Manila, died Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011, at the Pisgah Manor Health Care Center in Candler, N.C.

Mr. Carl F. Gentry, 67, of Gosnell, passed from this life Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville.

Mr. Billy Joe Branch, 47, of Osceola, died Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011, at SMC Regional Medical Center in Osceola.

Since the Blytheville leadership has yet to decide how to repay the $3.2 million delinquent payroll tax debt to the Internal Revenue Service, here is one possible way to bite off a chunk, if it's legal.

A trial date has been set for a Dyess woman who has been charged with the shooting of her sister.

On Friday, students at Blytheville High School will be spending their day participating in a business simulation game sponsored by Nucor Steel Arkansas.

The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for parts of Arkansas, including Mississippi County.

At 109 years old, when Bertie Ross was asked what she would do if she could do anything, her answer was eating catfish at Benny Bob's in Blytheville.

After seven years of heavy restrictions and supervision by the Arkansas State Department of Education on the "school improvement" list, Gosnell Elementary has raised its test scores high enough to be removed from that list and be named an 'achieving' school.