Stories from Saturday, February 9, 2013

Buffalo Island Relay for Life committee members held the first meeting of the year choosing a date and a theme for the 2013 Relay for Life event. The group chose the theme, "Birthday Party, 100 Years of Hope," for this year's event. The theme was chosen in conjunction with the 100th birthday of the American Cancer Society which will take place in May...

As cheering as the news sounds, let's pause a moment ... First off, exactly what sort of "steel mill" is planned? Will it turn ore into iron, or will it make pipe, or will it put coatings on coils of sheet metal? "Steel mill" can mean many things. Next: Who is "Big River Steel?" Any connection with an Australian firm of that name? Are they publicly traded? One does not build a steel mill with pocket change, and we deserve to know who these folks are...

Arkansas needs to create a database or some type of registry that handles repeated animal abuse. Arkansas could be a leader that would create stronger penalties for animal cruelty and neglect (and make it stick).

Recent reports from the Blytheville Police Department: 2/7 Officers were dispatched to West Ash Street in reference to criminal mischief. Officers found $1,450 worth of damage. 2/7 Officers were dispatched to East Missouri Street in reference to theft. Missing was a black glass top high point stove valued at $500 and a black Frigidaire refrigerator valued at $500...

The Recycling Task Force of the Mississippi County Solid Waste District hopes to get the word out on recycling through magic. Using grant money secured from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, the task force is bringing the "Magic of Recycling" program to Mississippi County schools this week...

Blytheville resident Mona DeCamp wakes up each day with Justice by her side, thanks to a canine training program being helmed by the state's correctional department. In November of last year DeCamp adopted a mixed-breed dog, Justice, from the Jefferson County Humane Society with the intent of training the dog to help her with her physical disabilities. According to Decamp, Justice has been more than she ever could have hoped for...

Citizens will be able to speak on agenda items, and they will go through a process to address the Blytheville City Council on non-agenda items, according to a recommendation to be considered at the Feb. 19 Council meeting. Five of the six City Council members were at the table Friday night for a brief, working meeting to discuss the proposed rules of order and procedure in Council and committee meetings...

Roosevelt Sloan has been serving as the volunteer caretaker of the black cemetery at Number Nine for the last 20 years. A reminder of the county's segregation days, the cemetery pre-dates the early 1930's which are as far back as Sloan, 81, can remember. Though neither of them have been used in recent years, the white cemetery is located on Highway 150 and the black one in a field off of Highway 312...

WYNNE--The Blytheville Chickasaws were officially eliminated from playoff contention after a 52-38 loss to the Wynne Yellowjackets Friday night. Blytheville (4-19, 1-9 5A-East) is now five games behind the fourth place Yellowjackets (6-4 5A-East) with just four games remaining. It will be the second straight year the Chicks have not made the state playoffs...

GOSNELL--The Gosnell Pirates gave their fans a fantastic farewell on "Senior Night," Friday night, against county rival Rivercrest. In their final tune-up before the 3-4A district tournament, the Pirates outpaced the freewheeling Colts in an 83-73 win at a packed Gosnell Physical Educational Building...

Wayne Taylor, 85, of West Memphis died Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013, at Crittenden Regional Hospital in West Memphis. Born in Ripley, Tenn., to John Wesley Taylor and Magdalene Matthews Taylor, he was a retired farmer and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, stationed in Japan...