Stories from Saturday, February 23, 2013

Manila elementary students got a lesson in recycling while enjoying a magic show on Tuesday, Feb. 12. The magic event was sponsored by the Mississippi County Regional Solid Waste Management District. An education grant was used to bring the magic show to area schools including Manila, Blytheville, Gosnell, Armorel, Wilson and Osceola on Feb. 11-15...

It is or would be correct to state that Blytheville is not exactly a cultural mecca. It has it's good points. It would, however, be fair to state that after 43 years, it has been home to me and mine.

Lula Muldrow Montgomery Taylor, 82, died Feb. 11 at her daughter's home in Bartlett, Tenn. after multiple strokes. Her rehabilitation after a hemorrhagic stroke four years ago was heroic. She advanced from being comatose to walking with a walker, exercising at the Bartlett Senior Center, attending the Church of the Nativity and the Gourmet Club in Bartlett, traveling and proudly walking down the aisle at three of her grandsons' weddings. ...

Melvin Halsell, 91, of Blytheville, died Friday, February 22, 2013, at his home. Born in Houlka, Mississippi, to James Earnest and Tina Mae Lyon Halsell, he was a longtime resident Blytheville and a member of the First Baptist Church. Melvin retired after 27 years from the furniture business. ...

When Mason Day joined the Blytheville Rotary Club, a gallon of gas was 19 cents, the average cost of a new house was $16,000 nationally and Harry Truman was in the White House. That year was 1951, and Day has been serving the community civically ever since...

Blytheville Parks and Recreation director Elroy Brown believes Blytheville has a hidden gem. He said many Blytheville residents may not know the quality of the golf course that is in their own backyard. Brown points out that Thunder Bayou Golf Links was ranked third in Arkansas last year on a list of Golfweek's Best Courses You Can Play, beating out courses in Fayetteville and Hot Springs. No Jonesboro course cracked the Top 5...

Blytheville High School held its annual Science Fair Friday with more than 600 students turning in just under 500 projects for what faculty said is one of the school's largest science fairs in school history. Students in grades 9-12 turned in individual and group projects and displays covering a wide range of science topics such as physics, astronomy, engineering and biotechnology, microbiology and many more, where they developed a hypothesis, or basic idea, then found ways to test their theories.. ...

The Northeast Arkansas Chapter of the American Red Cross is looking for volunteers to become involved with Heroes for the American Red Cross Every Red Cent Counts, a grassroots fundraising campaign for the American Red Cross. Susan Lambert, "Every Red Cent Counts" campaign captain for Mississippi County, invites residents to join in with Every Red Cent Counts...

With the promise of Big River Steel, and the estimated 2,500 jobs it would create over the next decade, on the horizon, many throughout the community --particularly in the county seats, Blytheville and Osceola-- are taking a look at what can be done to make the area more attractive for outside recruits who might be looking to move to the area to take these high-paying jobs this mill would create...

The Blytheville Chickasaws' 2012-13 season came to an end Friday night after a gut-wrenching, 60-50, loss to the Batesville Pioneers on "Senior Night" at Chickasaw Gym. The game concluded a more than frustrating season for the Chickasaws (4-23, 1-13 5A-East) and first year head coach Jeff Flanigan, one that saw them finish with a tie for last place in the 5A-East with the Pioneers and end on an 11-game losing streak...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- The U.S. Geological Survey reports three earthquakes in Arkansas -- including a magnitude 3.9 quake near Trumann. No injuries or damage are reported. The USGS says the quake was recorded at 4:28 p.m. Saturday four miles southwest of Trumann -- about 45 miles northwest of Memphis, Tenn. Trumann police say they fielded several calls about the quake -- but no injuries or damage are reported...