Stories from Monday, November 30, 2015

Mrs. Inelda Tipton Nelson, 78, of Jonesboro, widow of Dr. Howard Nelson, died Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015, at the NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital from injuries received in an auto accident in Jonesboro. ...

Patricia Lois Maynard, 68, of Jonesboro, passed from this life Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, at the NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro. Born in Leachville, she was the daughter of the late Bill and Seveda Roberts Hetler and had lived most of her life in the Leachville area. ...

Jacob David "J.D." Robins, 72, of Leachville, died Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, at the Pocahontas Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. A lifelong Leachville area resident, he was the son of the late Hadley and Lena Harris Robins and attended Leachville High School. ...

Hubert Gene Wright, 85, of Leachville, died Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. A longtime Leachville resident, he was the son of the late Charles Virgil and Annie Waldrop Wright and was a United States Air Force veteran of the Korean War...

Mrs. Mary Kathryn McElroy Yates, 78, of Monette passed away Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro. Born March 4, 1937, in Mississippi County, Ark., she was the daughter of the late Ray and Lilly Murphy Fortson. Mrs. Yates was of the Baptist faith and enjoyed traveling and working in her beauty shop...

The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. -- Officers investigated a battery report at Lake and Cherry. -- Police took an identity theft report. The offender charged $84 at Rent-A-Center. -- Officers took a report of stolen vending machines in the 1900 block of West Main and 600 block of North 6th...

The Mississippi County unemployment rate for September is down but still above the U.S. average and state average. According to data from the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services website, Mississippi County's preliminary unemployment rate for September shows it to be down to 8.1 percent for September 2015 compared to January's 9.9 percent and 9.7 percent in August. ...

The Mississippi County Election Commission met Monday to draw for ballot positions for the March 2016 primary election. Several candidates were present to draw for their spot. Positions are drawn by lot with the highest number getting top the spot. In the District 7 Justice of the Peace race, candidate Joe Henry Lewis got the top ballot spot over opponent Jo Ann Henton...

This is the last week for Ignite's Boxes of Love toy collection and donations are still needed. Citizens are encouraged to donate toys for children up to 12-years-old for the Boxes of Love campaign that helps families in need at Christmas. Collection boxes are located at all Southern Bancorp branches, Northeast Arkansas Federal Credit Union, Arkansas Northeastern College, Ruddle Road Church, First Methodist Church in Blytheville, and Pathway Ministries. The last day of the drive is Dec. 8...

DGM Association, the non-profit support organization for Delta Gateway Museum in dowtown Blytheville, has joined #GivingTuesday to kick-off the holiday giving season. #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities, and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide...

LTC Thomas Lemuel Stanford, 84, of Huntsville, Ala. passed from this life on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015 at the Magnolia Trace Nursing Center in Huntsville. Born Monday, July 27, 1931 in Tulsa, Okla. to the late Thomas and the late Ellis Barnett Stanford, he served his country from 1953-1974, for a total of 21 years, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. After his military career, he was a realtor and a JROTC instructor...

Mr. Bob Herron, 81, of Luxora, passed from this life Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015 at his home. Born to the late William and Ada (White) Herron, Bob was a retired farmer, working for Edwin Stubblefield, Ashmore and Brown Farms and Charles Bennett farms. In his spare time he liked to garden and raise barnyard animals. In the fall Bob loved to travel and see all of the changing fall colors...

Mr. Jacob David "J. D." Robins, 72, of Leachville, died Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015 at the Pocahontas Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Born on Oct. 25, 1943 and a lifelong Leachville area resident, he was the son of the late Hadley and Lena Harris Robins and attended Leachville High School. ...

Mrs. Patricia Lois Maynard, 68, of Jonesboro, passed from this life Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015 at the NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro. Born on July 9, 1947, in Leachville, she was the daughter of the late Bill and Seveda Roberts Hetler and lived most of her life in the Leachville area. She was retired from Thomas and Betts Corporation in Jonesboro and was a member of the Etowah Pentecostal Church of God...

Mr. W.T. "Buddy" Metzger, Jr., 85, of Blytheville, passed away Friday, Oct. 27, 2015 at Unity Harris Hospital in Newport. Born to the late William Taft and Lorene (Cockran) Metzger, Buddy was a retired farmer and attended Pathway Church of God. He was a former Chairman of the Mississippi County Election Commission, a former board member of Chickasawba Hospital and a mason...

Mrs. Nita Henry, 79, of Osceola died Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015 in Monette. Born Jan. 31, 1936, in Newark, Ark., to the late Allie Jewell Carpenter and the late Louellen Nash Adams, she was a homemaker and of the Pentecostal faith. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by one daughter, Donna Wilson, two sisters, Eloise Williams and Juanita Williams and two brothers Kendell Carpenter and Doyle Carpenter...

NORFOLK, Va. -- A 2012 Gosnell High School graduate and Blytheville native serving in the U.S. Navy was selected to participate in a special event which reunited service members stationed in Norfolk, Va., with their families for Thanksgiving. Petty Officer 3rd Class Gabriel Pagan, was one of only 72 Sailors and Marines chosen to participate in the reunion event. His sister, Jessica Pagan, was flown in from Burdette to spend the Thanksgiving Day holiday together...

After days of rain, many in the Blytheville area see their yards flooded and their ditches full of water, but government officials say that flooding is not presenting any problems to vehicular traffic or public safety. "I haven't heard of any structural flooding, but I know we don't need any more rain," Mississippi County Office of Emergency Management Officer Joseph Richmond said. ...