Stories from Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Steven Smith, 27, of Blytheville, was taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct.

Mrs. Hattie Mae Woodard, 81, of Osceola, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2013, at Osceola Therapy and Living Center.

Mr. Jerry Stovall, 70, of Blytheville passed from this life Monday, Sept. 30, 2013, at Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro.

Mr. Clarence Lee Perry, 55, of Osceola, died Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013, in Osceola.

Mrs. Betty C. Johnson, 78, of Killen, died Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, at her daughter's home in Tuscumbia.

Mr. Neeley Russell Chapman, 66, of Columbus, Miss., formerly of Blytheville, passed from this life Friday, Sept. 27, 2013, at his home.

Has anyone else noticed that the lane markings on Ward Avenue in Caruthersville are the wrong color?

Blytheville City Councilmen Stan Parks and John Musgraves have both been appointed to the Arkansas Municipal League's Advisory Council for Public Safety for 2013-14.

Mississippi County citizens who still owe their real estate and personal taxes have until Oct. 15 to pay, according to County Collector Patricia Caldwell.

Mississippi County 4-H'ers will display original their art, photography and crafts at the Ritz Civic Center for the next two weeks as part of their summer "I Heart the Arts" program.

Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge is closed to the public, a casualty of the a partial shutdown of the federal government that resulted when Congress failed to adopt a spending plan for a new fiscal year Monday night.

Tuesday night, the Blytheville City Council tabled a resolution assisting a GIF-funded Community Enhancement grant application for the future Blytheville Prayer Garden at First Christian Church, after concerns about the city involving itself in a religious endeavor.

The Humane Society of Blytheville's annual Spaghetti Dinner and Auction will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church.

The city of Blytheville has denied part of an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request from the Blytheville Courier News, arguing the information is exempt because of a subpoena issued Tuesday by Second Judicial District Prosecutor Scott Ellington.

The 5A-East got off to a relatively predictable start last week. All of the recent powers won their conference openers. All four playoff teams from a year ago, Wynne, Batesville, Forrest City and Beebe won their openers by wide margins. This week there are a number of matchups that could already determine how the league will shape up later in the year. Here's a look at this week's matchups...

The top lady golfers in Class 4A converged on Thunder Bayou Golf Links Wednesday for the Class 4A State Golf Tournament. Thunder Bayou will host the boys Class 4A Golf Tournament next week. Last year, the local golf course, one of the top public courses in the state, hosted the Class 3A Girls State Tournament...