Stories from Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Mrs. Joline Rudesill, 76, of Thayer, Mo., died Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, at the Ozark Medical Center in West Plains, Mo. Born Aug. 27, 1935, in Tyronza, she was a homemaker of the Pentecostal faith.

Mr. Billy Ray Gann, 57, of Manila, passed from this life early Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011, at his home.

Mrs. Mary Bernice Fondren Duncan, 85, of Blytheville, passed from this life Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011, in Blytheville.

Large snow flakes fall on a lighted Nativity scene in front of the Steve Lendennie residence Monday night. Photo submitted by Pat Lendennie.

The Blytheville School Board recognized coaches Lauren Callender and Russell Page and the BHS quiz bowl team for outstanding school pride during Monday night's meeting.

The Quorum Court of Mississippi County will meet at 7 tonight at the county courthouse In Blytheville to discuss and vote on the proposed county budget for 2012.

County and city elected officials gathered Monday to tour the Federal Building on Walnut and Broadway. Mississippi County Judge Randy Carney called for the tour because of the interest he has expressed in the county taking over use of the building.

Billy Ray Gann, 57, of Manila, passed from this life early Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011, at his home. Born at Lepanto he was the son of the late Cordie and Alma Gann and was a 1971 graduate of Osceola High School. ...

Jeremy Shane Carruth, 30, of Manila, Ark., died Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011, at his home. Born at Osceola, Ark., he had been a carpet layer and a lifelong Manila area resident. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Frank and Elsie Carruth, maternal grandparents, Luke and Lucille Kimble, three uncles and one aunt...

Russel Carl Fleeman of Monroe, La., died in his sleep Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011, of complications from pneumonia. He was born May 12, 1918 at home in the country outside Manila, Ark. The sixth and youngest child of Horace Mack and Ollie Burton Fleeman of Manila, Russel was preceded in death by his brothers, Fred, Charles and Eugene Fleeman, and by his sisters, Hazel Meyer and Nellie Townsend. ...

Lois Viletta Haigwood, 80, of Manila, Ark., died Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011, at NEA/Baptist Health Care in Jonesboro. Born in the Skidway Community near Leachville, she was the daughter of the late Jim and Martha Warnick Deaton and had been a lifelong Leachville/Manila area resident. ...

Ramona Hodges of Jonesboro, 71, beloved mother and wife, passed away Nov. 22, 2011, at her home with her loving children and husband by her side. She had endured a five-year battle with ALS. ...

Manila remained undefeated in 3A-3 conference play with a 70-53 victory over Tuckerman Tuesday night at Tuckerman. The Lions improved to 5-1 overall and a perfect 3-0 in league play...

Homer Lenderman, Democrat, is announcing as a candidate for Arkansas House District 53. This is basically the same district (76) that he has served except with the reapportionment, Bay, Valley View and the South Ridge areas have been removed because of population growth...

Monette City Council worked through several ongoing projects, including repairs, grants and purchases, when the council met Monday, Nov. 21. Mayor Chub Qualls reported the water leak behind the play area at the city park had been taken care. The roof at the city building, behind city hall, has been sealed to prevent leakage...

Manila Middle School FBLA sponsored a can drive to help Manila Lions Club with their Christmas baskets. The FBLA challenged each grade, fifth through eighth, to a contest to see who could collect the most cans...

"Corn on the Case" was what the students at Manila Pre-k through fourth grade chanted as Principal Dale Case prepared to be "creamed." Proving to be a man of his word, Mr. Case told the students if they collected 1,000 canned goods for the Manila Food Bank he would let them pour creamed corn over his head...

Due to inclement weather, the Leachville Christmas parade has been postponed twice. The new time and date will be 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Line up will begin at 5 p.m. Following the parade, children can have their pictures made with Santa at the Melody Theater. There will be cookies and soft drinks served after the parade...

Caraway Lodge will host a pancake breakfast at the Lodge from 6-10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. The menu will consist of fresh sausage, bacon, pancakes, milk, coffee and orange juice. The cost is $4 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under...

The Manila Lions Club will sponsor their annual Pancake Supper at the Manila School cafeteria starting at 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. Pancakes will be served throughout the evening following the Christmas parade...

Over 100 fourth grade students from Gosnell toured the historic Widner-Magers Farm near Dell on Friday, Nov. 18. The young students strolled through the 1930s as they learned about the work, company stores, sharecropping, schools, games, farms, and penny candy...

Caraway Lions Club has started collecting food for Christmas boxes at Dollar General Store for area senior citizens. They are also collecting toys for children from one to six years old. Anyone with toys that are clean and in good working condition may donate them to the Lions Club and the toys will be given to children who need them...

A special dedication will be held at the Lake City Museum, Colbean Ave., in Lake City at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. A tribute and dedication to the Mayors of Lake City, former Adjutant Generals of Arkansas and touring several items donated by the family of the late Bobby Gains Woods, former State Representative. Woods served as state representative for 25 years...

David Hopkins, engineer with Landmark Engineering Firm, was at the Manila City Council meeting on Monday evening, Nov. 21, to discuss possible sites for swimming pool construction...

Art Bell is the new Blytheville Junior Chickasaws basketball coach. He replaces Kirk Glintborg who is now principal at Gosnell Junior High School. Bell, a native of Searcy, comes to Blytheville after practicing law for two years. He graduated in 2005 from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas and received a law degree from Arkansas Little Rock in 2008. He's worked for a federal judge and practiced law in Little Rock...

BATESVILLE -- The Blytheville Junior Chickasaws lost to the Batesville Junior Pioneers, 42-23, Monday night in Batesville. Blytheville led early but the Pioneers held the Chicks to just nine points in the second half including a scoreless fourth period on their way to the win...

OSCEOLA -- The Gosnell Pirates picked up their second victory of the young 3-4A conference season in a 75-71 win over county rival, Osceola, Monday night at Osceola. Osceola's Taylon Miller's game-high 28 points was nearly matched by Gosnell's Darrian McKinney who dropped in 26 to lead the Pirates (4-2, 2-1)...

Recent reports from the 2nd Judicial Drug Task Force

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department: