Stories from Saturday, December 1, 2012

Tracy Ann Goss is the author of "The Silent Cry of a Child." She lives in Paragould, where she works as a store manager at a flea market. She wrote the book to help others and to make her dream of a shelter, the New Hope Foundation for abused children and adults, a reality. ...

Good endings come from prayerful beginnings, this I believe! My desire to put to use that which is necessary and good will bring forth a shelter that will serve the county well.

Collections for Ignite's "Boxes of Love" project are still under way. The group plans to give boxes of food from Feed the Children and toys to more than 800 families this year for Christmas, at no charge to the recipients. Financial contributions can be sent to PO Box 466, Blytheville, AR, 72315; and toy donations can be dropped off at Northeast Arkansas Federal Credit Union, Mailboxes and Beyond, all Southern Bancorp branches, Great River Medical Center, SouthBank, Arkansas Northeastern College, Fred's Dollar Store and the Mississippi County Courthouse.. ...

The Arts Council of Mississippi County provides the community with numerous opportunities to be a part of supporting the arts through the course of a calendar year, namely its monthly artist gallery. As one of the Council's most successful on-going programs, Artist of the Month provides artists from near and far a chance to have their work seen in a gallery setting. ...

Construction on the Highway 18 expansion has has begun in the area of South 10th Street

A Blytheville man surrendered himself to Blytheville Police Friday in connection with an aggravated robbery that occurred Thursday. Lonnell Price, 19, of Blytheville, is being charged with aggravated robbery, second-degree battery and carrying a weapon after allegedly attacking Grady Brown Thursday behind Larry's Grocery. Brown was at the store for a delivery and was placing items in the dumpsters behind the store when Price robbed him at gunpoint then beat him...

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) -- Arkansas Farm Bureau members have re-elected President Randy Veach of Manila to a fifth term as president of the private organization that advocates for farm families in the state. Veach was re-elected Friday on the final day of the organization's 78th annual convention in Hot Springs. The group also re-elected Rich Hillman to a fifth term as vice president of the Farm Bureau and Tom Jones was re-elected as secretary/treasurer of the group...

Blytheville city attorney Mike Bearden believes a proposal on the City Council's table will have a major impact on rental properties in Blytheville. The Council has read the proposed ordinance once, and Bearden has suggested the board read it the three required times over three meetings to allow for input from local landlords...

Local business owner Chris Hardy took pleas last week on two misdemeanor charges in the video voyeurism case brought against him last fall. According to the original release from the Blytheville Police Department, the incident apparently occurred on Sept. 29, 2011. Two teenage girls, who utilized a tanning bed in an apartment above a shed in Hardy's back yard, reported they discovered a video camera recording them while they were tanning...

STEELE, Mo.--WIth 1:51 left in the first period Friday night, the Gosnell Pirates trailed the host South Pemiscot Bulldogs, 18-4. Gosnell also found itself in serious foul trouble with starters Tre Howe, Richard Razer and Tevin Real all with two fouls with over three periods still to play. ...

Luke Smith, 76, of Gosnell passed from this life Friday, Nov. 30, 2012, at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville. Born in Corinth, Miss., to Carroll and Lola Baggett Smith, he was a retired farmer and a member of New Providence Baptist Church in Buckeye, Ark. Luke was considered a "workaholic" but when he wasn't working, he enjoyed rabbit hunting, but his greatest enjoyment was the time he spent with his grandchildren and great grandchildren...

Mr. Ronnie David Walls, 59, of Blytheville died Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, at his home. Mr. Walls was born Aug. 29, 1953 in Luxora to the late Marvin and Opal Walls. Mr. Walls was of the Baptist faith and enjoyed fishing and working on his truck. Mr. Walls was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Bobby Walls...

Charles Rodney Huffman, 58, of Dyersburg, Tenn., died Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, at Dyersburg Regional Medical Center. He was a 22-year salesman with General Appliance & Furniture Company, attended Parr Avenue Church of Christ, was a former 13-year employee of Otasco and a member of Dyersburg Moose Lodge...