Stories from Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department:

Margaret Ellen Fletcher, 96, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012 at St. Bernards Medical Center. She was born Aug. 14, 1916 at Black Oak to the late Roscoe and Martha Whitley. Mrs. Fletcher was a member of the Caraway Church of Christ. ...

Manila took Friday night's opening kickoff at McCrory and drove 70 yards for a touchdown, giving the Lions its first lead of the season, 6-0. Chase Thrasher darted around left end for a 20-yard touchdown scamper to put the Lions on the board. ...

Senior fullback Dustin Sirmon is this week's Player of the Week. Sirmon rushed 12 times for 75 yards and scored a touchdown in Manila's game Friday night at McCrory. "Dustin did a great job for us, both on offense and defense," said Lion Coach Jerry Castor. "He played the entire game on both sides of the ball."...

Members of the Buffalo Island Central School Board filled several positions at the regular meeting held Monday, Sept. 10. The board voted unanimously to hire Kendra Hawkins -- kindergarten East elementary and Micah Browning as special needs aide (on an as needed basis) at West elementary. They also accepted the resignation of Flora Thomas, gym custodian-East...

The Caraway city council paid tribute to the All American Red Heads for their national honor and made plans for new Fire Department building and street repairs at the council meeting held Thursday, Sept. 13...

The Leachville City Council discussed potential annexation with City Attorney Chris Jester at the council meeting held Monday, Sept. 10. "There are three ways to annex," Jester said. "These include by contiguous property surrounded by city, election by adopting an ordinance stating need to annex, and land owners petition to annex."...

An old-fashioned sorghum harvest and cooking will be held beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, at Poor Boy's Garden, located at 2366 Country Road 855 in Caraway. (From Highway 158 in Caraway, turn south by Caraway City Hall onto New York Avenue, also known as Hackberry Road, then go 2.5 miles to Poor Boy's Garden.)...

The 13th annual Lost Cane, Whistleville, Little River and Roseland and neighbor's reunion will be held at the Manila Community Center Saturday, Sept. 29. The doors will open at 9 a.m. and a potluck luncheon will be served at noon...

The Buffalo Island Museum in Monette will host its second Quilt Show from 9 a.m. -- 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22. Entry forms are available at the museum, Monette City Hall, and Kohn Memorial Library. There is no entry fee. Quilt entry will be from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, at the museum, Entrants are asked to turn in a story about their quilt...

The annual Mothers of Angels Walk will be held Sept. 22 with registration beginning at 9 a.m. Tee shirts will be available for purchase. The event will take place at Craighead Forest Park (just inside the entrance of the park), Jonesboro...

St. Bernards Women's Health Mobile Unit will be at the Manila High School gymnasium parking lot on Oct. 16. Appointments are limited. Pre-registration is required by Oct. 12. For an appointment, contact LuAnne Hilligrass at (870) 273-6854...

LITTLE ROCK -- Randy Veach of Manila (Mississippi County), president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau, has been selected to receive the Honorary American FFA Degree, given to those who advance agricultural education and FFA through outstanding personal commitment...

An interesting item at the Buffalo Island Museum in Monette is the barber chair, donated by Johnny Jones. It is believed to be from the early to mid 1800s. It was made by the Vittors Cuttery Company of Atlanta, Ga...

Jeremy Bundren has joined the Manila First Baptist Church staff as student pastor. He has been in the ministry for 10 years. He is a native of Marion, Ill., but has relatives in the Rector area. His grandfather was a pastor in the Rector area for many years. The ministry is what brought his grandfather and Jeremy to the Northeast Arkansas area...

Manila Lions Club President Wendell Poteet opened the Wednesday noon meeting by welcoming guests, Shaun Perkins, guest speaker, and Revis Blaylock, with the Town Crier. The Manila Lions Club meets at noon on Wednesday at the elementary school...

Manila Mayor Wayne Wagner and Manila City Council members are working overtime to get the final touches on the swimming pool project. They held two special meetings last week following the bid openings on Aug. 30...

Mrs. Cindy Wright, 62, of Blytheville, passed from this life Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, at Great River Medical Center.

Mrs. Leola Moore, 95, of Blytheville, passed from this life Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, at the Heritage Square Nursing Center in Blytheville.

Mrs. Alma Frances Hardesty, 90, of Blytheville, widow of Kenneth Hardesty, passed from this life Monday, Sept. 17, 2012.

In the world of romance novels, one of the best-known authors is Nora Roberts. And perhaps some of the best novels written by Roberts are written under her alternate pen name, J.D. Robb.

Arkansans have reported more than 55,000 incidences of littering since the 2004 inception of the Arkansas State Highway Department's toll-free Litter Reporting Hotline.

Tourism and recreation in Arkansas is one of the state's driving economic forces, drawing in more than $5.7 billion in revenue as well as $297 million in state taxes, according to State Tourism Director Joe David Rice.

Representatives from East Arkansas Planning and Development District, in partnership with Building Communities, kicked off a strategic planning process that will last for several days with community member focus groups on Monday.

The Blytheville Finance Committee met Monday to look at year-to-date revenue and expenditures as council members prepare to start working on the 2013 budget.

Mrs. Linda Sue Staggs Lester, 62, of Manila passed away Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born at Manila, she was the daughter of the late Erbie Staggs and was a lifelong Manila resident...