Stories from Thursday, March 20, 2014

COVINGTON, Tenn. -- The Armorel Tigers dropped a 13-3 contest in five innings on the road at Covington, Tenn. Wednesday night in their second game of the "Best of the West" tournament. Andrew Lannon (two hits), Nash Winters, Ashton Kennedy and Lane Finley picked up hits for Armorel (2-3, 2-0 1A-3 East). Winters, Jared Wyatt and Dallas Nicholson scored runs...

"It's the most wonderful time of the year. There'll be much whistles blowing and everyone groaning, the upsets we cheer. It's the most wonderful time of the year." It's that time of year again. The time of year when Spring returns to the air (thank goodness) and to everyone's step, the grocery store snack aisles are crowded or empty depending on the inventory, stock in chicken wings, pizza and jalapeno poppers go through the roof and work production takes a serious dive...

Mr. Clifford Ray Veach Sr., 80, of Manila, died Tuesday, March 18, 2014, at the Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro.

Mr. James Wilburn Hamm, 65, of Blytheville, died Monday, March 17, 2014, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro.

The interest in March Madness has been ratcheted up a notch this year with a challenge from Warren Buffett.

The Mississippi County Regional Solid Waste Management District approved a resolution for a new waste tire services contract with West River Valley Regional Solid Waste Management District for the inter-district waste tire program.

A special meeting of the Blytheville School Board to discuss the district's School Choice options will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, March 31, at which time the board will make a decision to opt in or opt out of the Public School Choice Act of 2013.

Clifford Ray Veach Sr., 80, of Manila, died Tuesday, March 18, 2014, at The Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro. Clifford was born in Lost Cane, Ark., May 1, 1933. He was married to his high school sweetheart, the late Norma Jean (Hodges) Veach, for 58 years...

Billie Taylor Steele Mangrum, 87, of Paducah, Ky., formerly of Monette, passed away Wednesday, March 19, 2014. She was born March 26, 1926, in Flint, Mich., to the late Ira Lee Taylor and Ruth Wallace Taylor. Mrs. Billie was a homemaker and loved to paint and travel...

A judge ruled in favor of Big River Steel Thursday in an appeal filed against the incoming mill by rival steel-maker, Nucor Corp. The Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission will consider the ruling at its March 28 meeting,