Stories from Saturday, December 17, 2011

In the spirit of Christmas giving, keep in mind that everyone neither wants or needs a Christmas animal. Everyone loves puppies and kittens and the companionship that pets bring to our lives. But pets are not always suitable for some.

2011 was a big year for Main Street Blytheville, and with the year coming to an end in a few short weeks, here's a look back at the last 12-months -- and a look forward into 2012. The Greyhound Bus Station In January, the Main Street Blytheville offices were able to move into the recently remodeled Greyhound Bus Station and use the building as its new headquarters. ...

The Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual open house party from 5-6:30 p.m. Monday at the Historic Taylor house, located at 811 W. Main St. There will be catering provided by Bistro Eleven 21 and music by Charlie DeGeso...

Tuesday night, the Blytheville City Council will consider two ordinances that call for a March 13 special election asking voters to levy a 15-month, one-cent sales tax to pay off the multi-million dollar Internal Revenue Service debt. If passed, the question before patrons would read: Adoption of a 1% local sales and use tax within the city of Blytheville, Arkansas for a period of fifteen (15) months, the net collections of which after deduction of the administrative charges of the State of Arkansas and required rebates, to be used by the city to pay and remit past due federal and state income tax withholdings, employer and employee FICA and Medicare payroll tax contributions, federal and state unemployment tax contributions for periods prior to January 1, 2011, and other amounts due and payable by the city to federal and state authorities in connection therewith.. ...

Blytheville and several other northeast Arkansas cities were unsuccessful in their requests for a slice of the $511 million from the third round of the U.S. Department of Transportation's TIGER grant program. The city of Blytheville sought $3.3 million of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant funds, money that would have funded street projects on Elm Street and Byrum Road...

The 65th Annual Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament begins this Wednesday and it's going to look a lot different than in years past. One change is that all games will be played on the main floor of the ASU Convocation Center which means the single elimination tournament will be stretched out over seven days beginning on the 21st through the 23rd, resuming on the 26th through the 28th and ending on the 30th. ...

The Blytheville Chickasaws will participate in two basketball tournaments over the two-week Christmas holiday break. This week, they will head to a more than familiar place, Greene County Tech, and play in the GCT Christmas Classic starting on Tuesday...

Mr. Ezell Wilson, 82, of Hot Springs, formerly of Blytheville, died Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. Born Nov. 13, 1929, in Blytheville, Ezell lived all of his life in Blytheville, where he worked for Associated Natural Gas for 35 years. He was an active member of the First Baptist Church in Blytheville, where he taught youth Sunday school classes for many years. Mr. Wilson served in the United States Army in Korea. He was the son of the late Earnest and Nannie Wilson...

Patricia Davis, age 72 of Manila, widow of Ben Davis, died early Saturday at her home. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Howard Funeral Service of Manila. Guest register @www.HowardFuneralService.com

Vernon N. Tillman, 74, died Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. The family will receive visitors from 3-6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18 at the Countryside Funeral Home & Crematory, 950 South Bartlett Rd., (at Stearns Rd.,) Bartlett. Funeral pending. Interment Lakewood Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers donations to The Alzheimer's Association would be appreciated at www.alz.org...

Mary Murdock Arensmeier Whisenhunt, 90, of Little Rock died Friday, Dec. 16, 2011 at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock, under the care and kindness provided by a host of loving caregivers at Baptist over a period of many months who, more than once, provided for her care. The family is especially grateful for the nurses and staff who comforted her in her last hours...

Students from Blytheville High School recently scored high enough on their Algebra 1 exams to make BHS one of the most improved schools in the entire state.