Stories from Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Pafford CEO Jamie Pafford-Gresham lobbied the Police and Fire Committee for an exclusive franchise contract with the city of Blytheville, Monday night. After about a 40-minute discussion, Councilman R.L. Jones motioned to send the request to the City Council. However, it died for a lack of a second...

Blytheville Fire Chief Mike Carney is optimistic that the city will maintain its Class 3 fire rating. Monday night, Carney told the Police and Fire Committee that an ISO representative visited the city on Feb. 17, and results are expected in August...

The city of Blytheville is looking at ways to offer more competitive wages to its wastewater employees. Monday night, Wastewater director Richard DePriest told the Airport and Utilities Committee that it is difficult to retain workers when surrounding wastewater systems offer higher pay...

By AARON FITZPATRICK Blytheville Courier News ARMOREL-The Armorel Tigers remain undefeated in conference play after a 10-0 shutout in five innings of the Ridgefield Christian Warriors Monday at Billy Brown and Hugh Don Ashmore Field. With the score, 9-0 and two out in the bottom of the fifth, Logan Blankenship drew a bases loaded walk sending home Wesley Walls from third giving the Tigers the 10-run rule win in five innings...

Angela Michel Jones Rabey of Colorado Springs, Colo., passed away March 4, 2016, from a lengthy illness. She was born Feb. 22, 1979. She is survived by her husband, Paul Keith Rabey; a daughter, Hannah Michel Goza; a son, Damien Gage Rabey; a brother, Chester Jones; father and mother, Terry and Jackie Jones, all of Colorado Springs, Colo.; adopted parents, Roy and Tammy Skinner; a brother, Roy Aaron Dean Skinner, all of Monette; a sister, Patricia Edge; one nephew and two nieces, all of Leachville.. ...

Harold Cox, 89, of Tulare, Calif., died March 1, 2016. Born in Monette, Ark., on July 24, 1926, he was raised in Arkansas and lived most of his adult life in California. Mr. Cox had served in the Marines, was a mechanic and a minister...

Bono- James Harold Lea, 81, passed away Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at NEA Baptist Hospital. He was born Nov. 29, 1934, in Black Oak to the late William and Margie Penter Lea. He graduated Lepanto High School in 1952 and from Arkansas State College with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. ...

Jonesboro -- Lloyd Earl Somers, 86, passed away Monday, March 7, 2016 in Little Rock. He was born October 30, 1929, in Black Oak to the late Lloyd B. and Jewell Johnson Somers. He was a member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church since 1957, where he served as a deacon and taught Sunday School for over fifty years. ...

Lake City -- Ruby Wanda Shaw Taylor was born October 31, 1916, at Mangrum and passed away on Monday, March 7, 2016, at Lake City. She was a direct descendent of Benjamin Shaw, who homesteaded the area in Craighead County known as Shaw Farm. ...

Despite heavy rain, area softball and baseball teams returned to the diamond last week. Riverside remained unbeaten on the young season, defeating Buffalo Island Central 6-3 Monday afternoon in high school baseball action at Monette before pounding out a 14-6 victory Friday at Pocahontas...

Manila standout linebacker-running back Aaron Carter inked a letter of intent to play football at Missouri Baptist College Thursday morning at the high school auditorium in front of family, friends, and teammates...

Mark Cahoon, architect, led Riverside School Board members on a tour of the new East elementary building March 7 prior to the monthly meeting. Final touches are nearing completion and students are expected to move into the new building in April...

Caraway Council members started the March 10 meeting by flashlight as the power was out throughout the town. The electricity came back on shortly after the meeting began. Prior to the start of the meeting, Mayor Barry Riley and council members viewed the 420 Cat backhoe purchased by the city...

Unico Bank opened its doors in Lake City Wednesday, March 9, at 300 Cobean Blvd. The bank is temporarily located inside the old city hall which now houses the Lake City Museum. Lake City Mayor Jon Milligan said the museum board did not hesitate to move out of the rooms needed to make a temporary home for Unico Bank. The museum will be shut down for 90 days...

Riverside Superintendent Tommy Knight announced plans to retire early in the school year in order to give the board time to fill the position. The Board voted on Feb. 11 to promote high school principal Jeff Priest to the position. The two are currently working together to ensure a smooth transition...

Celebrate Recovery (CR) is a well-established program that changes lives forever. Men and women who have been part of the program want to share it with others. ...

Due the wet weather conditions, groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Manila High School was held inside the gymnasium on Friday, March 11. It was a special day marking a new beginning for students and teachers at MHS...

The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. -- Police took a criminal mischief report in the 1400 block of Brandon. The victim damaged a sliding glass door. -- Officers took a breaking and entering report in the 100 block of West Missouri. Missing from the rental property were a stove, refrigerator and outside air conditioning unit...

Two individuals were missing tires and rims Monday morning, after thieves stole them off their vehicles parked in driveways on North 6th Street. One of them is a Circuit Court Judge. Around 8:15 a.m. Monday, Judge Daniel Ritchey's Chevrolet 2500 HD was found sitting on blocks in his driveway in the 1400 block of North 6th...

Members of the Quorum Court finance committee met Monday afternoon to further discuss out of control spending at the county landfill. The committee met with County Judge Randy Carney and Landfill Director Will Allen on March 2 to request that Allen cut down on overtime and equipment purchases, but committee chair Justice Michael White said that he noticed reports of continued high spending and wanted to ask his fellow Justices their opinion on the matter...

The Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual banquet Monday night, themed "Focus on the Future." The traditional awards were issued, in addition to a few new features: -- Lifetime Community Achievement: Neil Burge -- Citizen of the Year: Lisa John-Adams...

The Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce issued its most prestigious annual award, the Lifetime Achievement Award, to local business owner and elected official Neil Burge at its Monday night banquet. Burge, the son of Neil H. and Nadene Burge, was born in Batesville and took his first job working deliveries on a milk truck with his father at age 11. He then got his first retail experience by working in a grocery store...

It has been a wet wonderful week for the Humane Society. Even with flooded roads, we adopted four dogs and one cat. This week, instead of sharing pet updates or pet care tips, we want to share our blessings with you. The organization is blessed to have a dedicated group of volunteers. ...

Applications are now available to high school students for the summer M*A*S*H camps. These camps will be located at 34 medical facilities throughout Arkansas. Two new host facilities have been added this year: DeQueen Medical Center and Black River Technical College in Pocahontas...

The Mississippi County Arkansas E.O.C. will distribute commodity food at the following locations from 8 a.m. until noon, unless food is depleted before noon. Please bring proof of last month's income or EBT card and social security numbers for all household members. Please bring a note if picking up for one other person; your name must be on card...

The Blytheville City Council addressed a short agenda Tuesday night, following committee reports and a note by Mayor James Sanders thanking the owners of Diane's Boutique and Day's Men's Store, both of whom extended discounts recently to city employees...