Stories from Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department:

For those of you with the "I don't care" attitude about our debt to the IRS, this is for you. The next time you see a city employee, go up to him or her and say, "I don't care if you get laid off, I am not voting for a tax increase." The IRS is the wolf at the front door and he wants his money. Do not punish the present administration or its employees for the sins of the past...

Well, it looks like the IRS came to play. That point was made clear last week when the federal tax agency placed liens on all city property, including city bank accounts.

Mrs. Vernice Henry, 73, of Osceola, died Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012 in Jonesboro.

Mr. Lester Farris, 66, of Blytheville, died Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville.

Billie Lucille Cole, 81, died Monday, Feb. 20, 2012.

Blytheville senior athletes for winter and spring sports were honored Tuesday night before the boys basketball teams' final home game of the season against Greene County Tech. Tech spoiled the festivities with a 45-43 win at the buzzer.

The Delta Gateway Museum held its fourth installment of "Heirloom Saturdays at the Museum" on Feb. 11. Visitors Margie Hester and Jalynn Hammock (pictured) enjoyed the Black History Month exhibit, "100 Years of African-American Art." The exhibit is on display through Feb. 25. The museum is open from 1-4 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday each week and will add Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting Feb. 25...

During a 25-minute State of the City Address Tuesday night, Blytheville Mayor James Sanders pitched the 15-month, 1-cent sales tax to pay the city's multimillion dollar Internal Revenue Service debt.

The 32nd Annual ESA St. Jude Radio/Cablethon will be Friday and Saturday, and this year the ESA is encouraging people to come out and be a part of the live audience on Saturday

With the first month of a new year having past, Mississippi County is already in what could be seen as the worst financial state it has been in over the last several years, with a large part of the burden stemming from lack of payment of money owed by the city of Blytheville.

AT&T's proposal to erect a future 4G cell tower on Lockard Street is headed back to the Blytheville Planning Commission.

A brief thunderstorm dropped hail on parts of the Blytheville area early Wednesday morning. No significant damage was immediately reported.

In the blink of an eye, the Blytheville Chickasaw's playoff hopes were dashed as rival Greene County Tech defeated the Chicks, 45-43, on "Senior Night" at Chickasaw Gym. With the game tied at 43-43 with eight seconds to play, Tech in-bounded the ball to guard, Andrew Ferguson. Ferguson slipped through the Chick defenders, pulled up at the free throw line and banked a shot off of the glass. Ferguson's shot went through as time expired and took with it Blytheville's playoff hopes...

According to documentation provided by the city of Blytheville and employees of the Blytheville Waterworks, former City Councilman R.L. Jones frequently had the water bills of his constituents adjusted during his time in office.

Mrs. Carolyn Jean Taylor Campbell, 52, of Blytheville, died Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis.