Stories from Tuesday, February 9, 2016

The Delta Gateway Museum's Annual Fundraising event will be held Saturday, Feb. 27. Tickets are $50 per individual or $80 per couple. Table sponsorships are also available. For more information, call or email Director Leslie Hester at (870)824-2346 or lhester43@yahoo.com...

Would you like to improve your health without buying expensive equipment or joining a gym? Then get out your walking shoes, comfortable clothes, and start walking. Researchers have found that walking as little as three 10 minute increments (30 minutes total) five days per week has a positive impact on individual personal health and fitness...

I listened to Mayor Sanders recently tell our Rotary Club about his plan to close Thunder Bayou Golf Links to save a loss to the City of Blytheville of up to $317,000 based on previous years' of experience. I appreciate the effort to balance the city's budget; however, some of the suggested changes in this plan do not seem practical towards meeting the expected goal...

To the Editor: I'm sure everyone is aware by now of the Mayors proposal for a new park area by closing and repurposing our golf course. Closing the golf course is not the answer because the golf course increases our tax revenue by more that you realize. The Mayor's proposed park will cost more to maintain than he is estimating. The old oaks course is at least 50 acres, added to the 110 acres on the golf course and now you're talking about at least 160 acres to maintain...

By AARON FITZPATRICK Blytheville Courier News BLYTHEVILLE-The honors and accolades continue to fall on to the Blytheville Chickasaw football program. This time its in the form of education as seven players from the 2015 5A-East conference championship team will continue their football careers at the college level...

Blytheville Courier News Registration for the 2016 BBSB Cal Ripken baseball and ASA softball will begin Saturday, February 13 at the Greater Blytheville Chamber of Commerce building. Registration will take place on the Saturday the 13th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, February 16th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday, February 18th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m...

Carol Stanford of Blytheville is the winner of $50 and is the Big Game Contest winner. Stanford picked the Denver Broncos to beat the Carolina Panthers, 19-16. Stanford's final score was the closest and only seven points off of the actual final score, 20-14...

The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. Monday, Feb. 8 -- Police investigated a domestic assault report in the 800 block of Delmar. The offender allegedly threw a drawer from a dresser, striking a juvenile in the left side of the face and nose...

Mississippi County Sheriff's Department Intake Report -- 2/1/2016 through 2/7/2016...

Mitchell Wayne Maxwell, 19, of Rector, passed from this life Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, at the Arkansas Methodist Hospital in Paragould. Born Dec. 10, 1996, in Paragould, he was the son of the late Mitchell L. Maxwell and had lived most of his life in Paragould and Manila. Mitchell was a former employee of the City of Rector and had also worked at Couch's Barbecue in Paragould...

Lola Flippo Rice, 90, of Manila, died Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, at the NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro. Born Jan. 11, 1926, in Clover Bend, she was the daughter of the late Robert and Roxie Turley Kincade and was 1944 graduate of Delaplaine High School...

Buffalo Island Central Senior basketball players, cheerleaders, and manages, were honored on Friday night, Feb. 5, in-between the junior and senior boys' basketball game. The senior girls basketball players included Caslyn Walls and Blaire Wildy...

The Buffalo Island Central 2A State Golf Champions were recognized, along with their coach, Cary Cossey, on Friday night at the Mustang Athletic Complex. Between the girls and boys games on Friday night members of the golf team were honored and presented with state champion rings. Making the presentation was athletic director and boys' basketball coach Bill Taylor...

Buffalo Island Central wrapped up third place in the tough 2A-3 conference race with a 68-42 victory over Rector Friday night at the Mustang Athletic Complex in Monette. Travon Cobb celebrated senior night by pumping in a game high 22 points to lead the Mustangs, who improved to 17-9 overall and 11-5 in league play. ...

Riverside closed out the 2A-3 conference season, splitting a pair of league games last week. The Rebels squeezed by Cross County 71-69 in triple overtime Tuesday night at Cherry Valley before falling to East Poinsett County 67-62 Friday night at Lake City...

Manila's 54-51 victory over Rivercrest Friday night, combined with Piggott's upset win at Osceola, gave the Lions the outright 3A-3 conference championship and the number one seed in the upcoming district tournament...

Cpl. John Shipman with the Jonesboro Police Department made a special presentation to the Buffalo Island Central West elementary students. He delivered a Buddy Bench to be placed on the school playground...

Due to the threat of rain, the Feb. 2 Leachville 100th birthday celebration was moved to Monday, Feb. 1. Buffalo Island Central East elementary students and staff joined members of the Leachville Centennial Committee for final 100 happy birthday wishes to the city of Leachville...

The Manila Food Pantry and the Neighborhood Service Center have relocated to 203 North Baltimore (Main Street) in Manila...

Mayor Ralph Wells and city council dismissed into executive session at a special called meeting Wednesday, Feb. 3. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss part-time police salary...

Riverside School Board heard a construction update for the new elementary building at the board meeting held Monday, Feb. 1. Despite an unexpected repair of a water main, everything was reported as going well. The Board was given an expected move in ready date of April 1...

J.T. Tippy was the honored guest at the Lake City Courthouse on Wednesday, Feb. 3, as friends and family gathered to wish him a happy 95th birthday. The World War II Veteran has lived in Lake City for 27 years and has been an example of good citizenship and friendship to those around him...

Ty and Terri Beach of Leachville announce the birth of their daughter Shaylee Jade Beach. Shaylee was born at 1:31 p.m. Jan. 1, 2016, at NEA Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro. She weighed seven pounds and 10 ounces., measuring 21 inches long...

Sabrina Barber and John Meadows III of Steele, Mo., announce the birth of their son Camden Jett Meadows. Camden was born at 11:07 p.m. Jan. 26, 2016, at NEA Baptist Hospital. He weighed seven pounds and three ounces...

So far in the ongoing election cycle, Mississippi County residents have donated a total of $4,392 to various presidential campaigns, and the spread shows that while the county may be traditionally Democrat-dominated, its voters willing to cough up support funds for a national campaign are largely Republican...

Mrs. Maxine Robinson Johnson, 64, of Newport died Sunday, February 7, 2016 in her home. Born December 26, 1951 in Blytheville to the late Love Robinson, Jr. and the late Luecressie Sanders Robinson, she was a retired teacher of the Newport School District and a member of the First Baptist Church in Newport's Mission Society and usher as well as a member of the Zeta Honor/Service Society...

Mrs. Pecolia Diggs, 87, of Luxora, died Monday, February 8, 2016 in Blytheville. Born April 26, 1928 in Luxora to the late Christine Amos White and the late Welton Cartwright, she was a homemaker and a lifetime member of the New Salem M.B. Church in Luxora and President of Motherboard...