Stories from Wednesday, January 20, 2016

The Blytheville City Council voted Councilman R.L. Jones as president pro tem of the Council on Tueday night. Councilman John Musgraves nominated Jones, and the board approve 5-0 with Jones abstaining. "I accept," Jones said. Prior to Tuesday's regular meeting, the Council held a public hearing on a conditional approval for a taxi license for Mississippi County Cab Company, 1928 West Main Street...

All local schools are closed today (Wednesday) because of inclement weather. Armorel, Blytheville, Gosnell and KIPP students get the day off because of icy roads. "Officers have reported that some main roads aren't too bad but side roads are deceptively slick," according to the Blytheville Police Department twitter page. "Thin layer of ice drive slow drive safe."...

A local man is charged with robbery after trying to take two containers of buttercream frosting from Hays Grocery on West Moultrie, Monday. Justin Jordan allegedly had a three knives on his person when taken into custody. Police reportedly found an 8-inch chef's knife secured with a leather belt on his right leg; a 4-inch cooking knife in his left sock; and a serrated steak knife in his right pocket...

Approximately 140 Dogwood Water Association customers are under a boil order at this time. According to DWA manager Lyle Niederbrach, only the customers who were without water for 48 hours are under the boil order. They included those residing along NCR 679, NCR 695, ECR 262, North State Highway 239 and all points each, East State Highway 148 and all points north, as well as ECR 310 and ECR 282...

The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. Monday, Jan. 18 -- Police took a report of a damaged sign at Hinson Signs, Inc. on Ash Street. -- Officers took a breaking and entering report to a vehicle in the 300 block of Tennessee. A GPS system was reported missing...

Special to the CN from Armorel Schools Superintendent Sally Bennett School districts across the state work diligently to provide the best education for the learners in their communities. So often, the focus is on whatever the current "test" is that has been mandated by the state. ...

Jesilene Long Burton, of Blytheville, died on January 18, 2016 at the age of 101. Jesilene was born February 8, 1914 on her family farm in Gosnell, which became Blytheville Army Airfield in 1942. She was the eldest child of James C. Long and Media Crawford Long. After receiving her nursing degree from the Nursing School of Blytheville Hospital, Jesilene worked for over 50 years as an LPN in her community. She was a member of Fairview Baptist Church...

Rodger Dale Davis, 53, of Leachville, passed from this life January 18, 2016 at NEA Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro. Born in Paragould, he was the son of the late Marlon Davis and had been a lifelong Leachville resident. He was a 1980 graduate of Leachville High School and was the owner/operator of Davis Built LLC, residential construction and general contractors. Rodger was of the Pentecostal Faith...

By AARON FITZPATRICK Blytheville Courier News JONESBORO-The Blytheville Chickasaws went a long way in saving their season Tuesday night with a one point, 43-42, win over Nettleton and they did it from the most unlikely of places; the free throw line. Issac Kelly's free throw with 3.3 seconds left gave the Chicks their one point win and their first win in the 5A-East this season...

Blytheville Courier News JONESBORO-The Gosnell Pirates fell to the Westside Warriors, 73-59, Tuesday night. Gosnell led 20-17 after one period before trailing 37-31 at halftime and 49-47 heading into the fourth. Westside outscored the Pirates, 24-12, to pull away in the fourth...

Mississippi County's general fund has begun 2016 with a balance of just over $2 million in January, an amount which finance committee chair Justice Michael White called "healthy." "We have a little over $2 million but we have some bills to pay," he said. "We're healthy, we're okay, we can pay the bills. A few years ago, we were worried we couldn't make our January payroll...we followed our budget, which was really good for us."...