Stories from Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Mr. Bill Hudson, 68, of Ripley, Tenn., formerly Blytheville, died Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, in Ripley.

I have to tell you, I have waited a long, hot summer to be able to use this title. It took a hurricane to bring us a couple of inches of rainfall.

Osceola will be hosting the inaugural Big Catch Catfish Festival Saturday at Sans Souci Park, located on the banks of the Mississippi River.

Local teen Cody Ward will appear in Circuit Court today (Tuesday) for a chambers date in the case of the shooting death of 21-year-old John Smith.

An Air Force theme is set for Delta Gateway Museum's next "Heirloom Saturday at the Museum" to be held from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday. Coffee and donuts will be served.

Blytheville is still West Nile Virus-free, according to Vector Disease Control's Tim Nelson.

Murel Dewice Archer, 60, of Jacksonville, born July 27, 1952, in Manila, to father, Alma "Al" Archer, and mother, Jacqueline "Polly" Chipman, passed away Friday, Aug. 17, 2012. He was of the Baptist belief...

Mrs. Patsy A. Garcia (Mrs. Pat), departed this life Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, at the age of 69. She was born Oct. 14, 1942 in Egypt, Ark., the daughter of Lawrence (Buster) Coursey and Mable Cavaness Coursey. Patsy was a retired nurse and of the Pentecostal faith...

Mrs. Anna Jones, 98, formerly of Manila, departed this life Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born Feb. 28, 1914, in Swifton, Ark., the daughter of Josepheus Slayton and Cora Ruff Slayton. ...

Earnie Gene Walling, 72, of Lepanto, was born Feb. 16, 1940, in Bethesda, Ark., and departed from this life Aug. 29, 2012, at Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro. He was preceded in death by his wife Carolyn; his parents, L.D. ...

Brent Ward, 54, of Leachville, passed from this life, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro. Born at Jonesboro, Brent lived in Leachville until his family moved to Jefferson City, Mo., in 1972. ...

Mr. Steven Todd Williams, of Monette, Ark., departed this life Thursday night, Aug. 30, 2012, in Port Lavaca, Texas, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He was born Dec. 7, 1959, in Paragould, Ark., the son of Tommy R. Williams and Vela Davison Williams. Todd was a self-employed farmer and loved riding his Harley and traveling...

A Pulaski County Judge ruled on Wednesday candidate Wes Wager is in compliance with the residency requirements for District 54 House of Representative. Wes Wagner, an attorney in Manila, ran for House District 54, unopposed. District 54 is a newly drawn district and is made up of northern and western Mississippi County, and Lepanto, Rivervale, and Trumann in Poinsett County...

The new federal Department of Agricultural guidelines for school lunches went into effect and is one of the largest changes in many years. Gena Mostrong, dietary manager at Buffalo Island Central School District, said this is the largest change in her 14 years of service...

Rodney W. Lancaster, Manila ALE (Alternative Learning Environment) teacher at Manila High School, applied for and was awarded a $3,000 grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. The grant will be used to help students improve reading skills...

While mowing my yard this week on my John Deere riding mower, I was reminded of the mower at the Buffalo Island Museum. It is a push reel mower from the early 1900's, made by the Great States Corp, Shelbyville, Indiana. ...

Beginning Robotics, LEGO Mindstorms NXT, kicked off at Manila Middle School with 30 students divided into six teams. Librarian Melissa Baker and Coach John Deaton are the program coordinators and both said they are pleased with the students' enthusiasm for the program...

Another year has rolled around and Southworth Products has been busy again this year working on fund raisers to help with the Backpack Back to School Program. ...

Several City Council members, Mayor Wayne Wagner, and City Attorney Wes Wagner, were present Thursday for the bid opening of the Manila swimming pool project. "The last swimming pool built in Manila was in 1951," Wagner said. "We are proud to be able to do this today."...

Farm Bureau officers and members filled the meeting room at Arkansas Northeastern College in Burdette for the annual meeting Tuesday, Aug. 28...