Stories from Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Police (BPD) Chief of Police Ross Thompson told the Police and Fire Committee of the Blytheville City Council on Nov. 9 that thus far all eight 2015 homicides have ended in arrests. During the same time period (January 1-November 9) last year, the city had only two homicides...

Clarence Junior Carmichael, 68 of Manila, died Sunday Nov. 22, 2015, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro. Born in Newport, he was the son of the late Clarence E. and Margie Smith Carmichael and had been a resident of the Leachville and Manila areas since 1959. ...

Randy Gates, 52, of Paragould, passed away Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015. He was a certified welder at Utility Trailer for 17 years. Randy loved attending rodeos and riding and training horses. He was the son of the late Johnny and Donna Gates...

Loralyle Williams, 69, passed away Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015, at Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House. She was born Nov. 28, 1945, in Monette to the late Henry and Willie Mae DeJarnette. She worked at Black Oak Gin for several years and was a member of the Monette First Baptist Church. Loralyle was a super wife, mother and grandmother, who enjoyed her family especially her grandchildren...

Manila was outscored 13-5 in the fourth quarter falling to Bay 43-34 in the boys championship game this past Saturday in the Bay Invitational Junior High Tournament. Manila's Jeremiah Perez opened the scoring with a basket inside and was followed by Brock Birmingham drilling a three-pointer giving the Junior Lions an early 5-0 lead. ...

Buffalo Island Central overcame 19 turnovers and held off Riverside's second half surge to post a hard fought 64-54 victory over the Rebels in 2A-3 senior boys basketball Friday night at the Mustang Athletic Complex in Monette...

Manila opened its 2015-2016 basketball campaign Tuesday night at home with a 76-67 victory over Buffalo Island Central in a game marred by fouls. The two teams combined to shoot an incredible 88 free throws, including 21 apiece in the fourth quarter alone...

Riverside overcame a sluggish first half to rally past Buffalo Island Central 36-22 in senior girls basketball action Thursday night at the Mustang Athletic Complex in Monette...

Mississippi County Sheriff's Department Intake Report -- 11/16 through 11/22...

The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. Monday, Nov. 23 -- Police took a fraudulent use of a debit card report. The offender had a $16 transaction at Pizza Hut and $58 at Blytheville Waterworks. -- Officers took a harassment report in the 1600 block of Chickasawba...

The Nailbenders for Jesus have been at Bethabara Baptist Church for a week and they blessed the congregation with more than just a finely constructed new church interior, but a community ministry as well...

Lake City Mayor Jon Milligan informed council members at the Nov. 16 meeting that two individuals who have shown an interest in filling the vacant council seat are eligible for the appointment. The two are Donald Davis and Steve Terrell...

Ruth Ann Keith, Leachville city clerk, gave an update on the tornado siren project at the Monday, Nov. 16, city council meeting. A deposit has been made on the siren. Delivery is expected by Dec. 23 and installation is expected to be in the first or second week of January...

Manila girls basketball coach Samantha Fowler and boys coach Lee Wimberley were guest speakers at the Nov. 18 Lions Club meeting. Coach Wimberley has been in Manila for four years. He talked about building the program from the elementary up. He discussed some of the upcoming changes in the conference with the combining of the 3A-4A teams...

Prior to Monday night's meeting, the members of the Gosnell school board were given a tour of the new additions to the pre-K facilities and classrooms by the elementary principle, Debbie Wammack. The additions include another classroom for pre-K students, an indoor playground and physical therapy room, and enclosing the open area between two buildings to make a safer and more coherent learning environment for children...

There will be a showing of the photographs of the Buffalo Island Central Journalism Department at Monette's Centennial Bank branch at from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1. There will be refreshments served and photographs featured in the gallery will be available for purchase...

Mississippi County Sheriff Dale Cook presided over a promotion ceremony Tuesday morning in the MCSD Board room. Sheriff Cook was assisted by Court Justices Ken Kennemore and Benton Felts...

Manila Mayor Wayne Wagner reported on needed work on the Airport Center building and the Boy Scout Hut at the Monday, Nov. 16 meeting. Mayor Wagner said he had not heard back on the needed repairs at the Boy Scout Hut but he would let the Council know when he received estimates on the work needed on the building...

Architect John Mixon with Cromwell and Adam Seiter with Nabholz Construction Services updated Manila School board members at the Thursday, Nov. 19, meeting. A Power Point presentation was presented by Mixon showing the design and discussing the time line for the construction of the new high school. The first and second floor layouts were presented along with surrounding area...

Manila, Ark., is a long way from Manila, Philippines. Guests from a city of millions made a tour of Manila in the heart of the Delta last week. Making a stop in northeast Arkansas were Mark Gary and Denisa Gary from Manila, Philippines, and Gary's relatives from Kentucky, Doug Gary and Nancy Hack...

Mr. Johnny Raymond Holt, 69, of Dyess, died Sunday, November 22, 2015 at St. Bernard's Hospital in Jonesboro. Born May 20, 1946 in Whitton, Ark., to the late Clarence and Eileen Cavitt Holt, he was a farm worker and of the Pentecostal faith. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister Lynn Ashley and his brother Wesley Holt...

Ms. Toshika Danielle Wheeler, 37, died Tuesday, November 17, 2015 in Memphis, Tennessee. She was born on January 14, 1978 to Gail and Reed Wheeler, St. of Blytheville. Toshika was blessed to have received double portions of parents and many brothers and sisters...

Ms. Glenda Gail Murphy Wade, 67, of Steele, died Monday, November 23, 2015 at Pemiscot Memorial Hospital in Hayti. Born November 20, 1948, in Manila, to the late David Murphy, Sr. and the late Pinkly Louise Page Murphy, she was a retired employee of the compress and of the Pentecostal faith...

Mr. Jerry Lee Rodgers Sr., 76, of Republic, Mo. passed away on Monday, November 23, 2015 in his home. He was born on May 20, 1939 in Blytheville to Lucille and Bob Rodgers and lived in the Armorel/Huffman area. Jerry met his wife Judy and they later married in Chicago, Ill. in 1967. Jerry and Judy were happily married for 48 years...