Stories from Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Weather continues to play havoc with local baseball and softball schedules. Blytheville, Gosnell and Armorel all canceled baseball and softball activities for Tuesday. Blytheville's 5A-East doubleheader against Batesville has been moved to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex. Gosnell's doubleheader against 3-4A rival, Valley View, is tentatively scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday. Armorel baseball moved their 1A-3 East game at Bay to 4 p.m. Wednesday...

Layne Rayder of Blytheville came within 8 points of winning the nationwide BRACKETBUCKS contest and finished third overall. He was one of three contestants to correctly pick all four Final Four teams -- Kentucky, Florida, Wisconsin and eventual champion, Connecticut...

Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Moore Westgate, 72, of Manila, died Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Manila.

Stephanie Lea Howard of Manila, 40, formerly of Hayti, died Tuesday, April 8, 2014, at her home in Manila.

Ms. April Hill, 44, of Blytheville, died Saturday, April 12, 2014, at NEA Hospital in Jonesboro.

Mr. John Lilbourn Gilbow, 67, of Hollywood, Mo., died Saturday, April 12, 2014, at his home.

Mr. Phillip Tyrone Duncan, 70, of Dyess, died Monday, April 14, 2014, at NEA Hospital in Jonesboro.

Last week, I was reading an article on whatever techie website I was visiting, trying to track down rumors about the next iPhone, and the article referenced athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos, the two athletes who raised their gloved fists in a symbol of human rights solidarity at the 1968 Summer Olympics.

In my search for reading material for the grandkids, I sometimes stumble upon a jewel. Such a find was "Flight of the Butterflies" by Roberta Edwards.

The Gosnell School Board accepted a bid Tuesday night to purchase iPads for the math program at Gosnell High School.

The Armorel School Board approved the submission of a grant application for an Environmental and Spatial Lab (EAST) at Monday night's monthly board meeting.

The Southern Bancorp Relay for Life team is raising money for this year's Relay event by leaving a surprise in people's yards that might leave them a little flushed.

The Mississippi County Senior Center in Blytheville is applying for grant money to possibly construct a new building, and the center has asked the Quorum Court's Finance Committee for help with the application process.

The Blytheville Police and Fire Committee gave Police Chief Ross Thompson the green light to purchase AXON body-worn cameras from TASER International, Monday night.

John Lilbourn Gilbow, 67, of Hollywood, Mo., died Saturday, April 12, 2014, at his home. Born Aug. 25, 1946, in Troy, Ohio, he was the son of the late Robert and Dolley Mae Bertholemy Gilbow and was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a retired truck driver and had lived in central Arkansas before making his home in Hollywood in 1998...

Thelma Cason Price, 93, of Monette passed away Monday, April 14, 2014, at Flo and Phil Jones Hospice in Jonesboro. Born in Tuckerman, Aug. 20, 1920, Thelma lived msot of her life in Monette and was a member of Monette First Baptist Church. She loved gardening, sewing, baking and spending precious time with her family...

Charles Wesley Smith, 67, of Manila, passed away Monday, April 14, 2014, at St. Bernard's Medical Center. Mr. Smith was born March 3, 1947, in Manila to the late Clyde and Ethel Wright Smith. Mr. Smith enjoyed working on cars, especially his toy, a 1937 Jaguar.

Buffalo Island Central remained unbeaten on the season, picking up three more victories in 2A-3 softball action last week. The Lady Mustangs swept a double-header Thursday afternoon over Cross County, defeating the Lady Thunderbirds 13-0 in the opener before taking the nightcap 15-0. BIC finished the week with a 4-0 shutout of McCrory Friday afternoon at Monette...

Bradey Woodall led the scoring in two of the three games he participated in at the Scouts Focus Elite 80 Showcase Camp held in Overland Park, Kan. The Manila eighth grade athlete was invited to attend the camp in March. He was one of only three eighth graders to attend the prestigious basketball camp. The other participants were ninth grade through high school...

Two senior Lady Lions, Deven Burrow and Emily Cook, signed a letter of intent on Thursday to play college basketball for Dyersburg (Tenn.) State Community College. The Manila High School team members were honored with a special signing ceremony in the gymnasium with family and friends...

Manila picked up its sixth straight victory, demolishing Hoxie 11-1 in 3A-3 baseball action Thursday afternoon at Manila. The Lions improved to 6-4 overall and 4-2 in conference play...

Riverside won for the ninth time in 10 games with a crucial 4-1 victory over Marked Tree in 2A-3 conference baseball action Friday afternoon at Lake City. Devon Austin (3-2) earned the win, firing a complete game six hitter. The junior right hander struck out nine, walked two, while giving up just one unearned run...

Devon Austin gave up a run in the top of the first inning and then kept the Marked Tree batters off balance with a nice mix of curve ball and fast balls as Riverside posted a 4-1 win in a key 2A-3 conference game this past Friday in Lake City...

Manila Pack 32 attended the Cherokee District 2014 Cub Scout Spring Camporee at Crowleys Ridge State Park, April 4-6. There were 17 different Cub Scout Packs represented at the Camporee. The activities that the boys participated in we're BB guns, archery, rope bridge, fishing rodeo, scavenger hunt, and falconry. ...

Lake City hosts annual Easter Egg Hunt The annual Easter Egg Hunt was held in Lake City on Saturday, April 12, with over 200 children participating. The Easter Bunny was on hand and every hunter received a prize. A grand prize was presented in each age category to the four who found the lucky eggs...