Stories from Monday, May 2, 2016

Mrs. Peggy Diane Birmingham, 61, 0f Jonesboro and formerly of Blytheville, died at Arlington Cove Nursing Home in Trumann, Arkansas on April 24, 2016. Peggy was born in Blytheville on April 30, 1954 to Rubin Thomas (RT) and Peggy Killingsworth. She worked for many years at a retail convenience store in customer service. ...

Barry Lynn Beach, 60, of Leachville, passed from this life Thursday April 28, 2016 at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born in Kennett, he was the son of the late Charles and Wilma Hill Beach and was raised in the Buckeye community. A 1973 graduate of Manila High School, he was a lifelong resident of the Manila and Leachville areas and was a retired supervisor with Nucor-Yamato Steel in Blytheville. ...

Mrs. Irma Jean Knowles, 63, of Biloxi, Mississippi died Thursday, April 28, 2016 at Serenity Springs Health Care Center in Biloxi. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the McDonald-Horne Funeral Home.

Bobby Joe Rich, 65, of Yarbro went to his eternal home Wednesday, April 27, 2016. He passed at his home while fighting cancer. He was born to Overt O'Neil Rich and Irene Wheatley on June 14th, 1950 in Bowling Green, Ky. Bobby is survived by his wife Peggy Rich of Yarbro;...

Infrastructure maintenance is to a city what vitamins and cholesterol medicine is to a body. It costs money and there is typically no visible sign of their benefit unless something goes wrong! The arteries of a city must flow just as surely as the arteries of a man's body. Just like a person with 90 percent blockage in his/her coronary arteries, when sewer pipes leak under a street, eventually the road will come down and the city's health, commerce, traffic and life can come to a stop...

The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. -- Police took a criminal mischief report in the 1100 block of Logan. The offender cut off the victim's gas cap. -- Officers investigated a battery report at KIPP School on Byrum Road. The victim told police that offender accused her of "saying blacks were the worst race" and "jumped on" her, causing a mark on her left eye, the report said...

According to a recent message from the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, the east side of Blytheville's 3rd Street (east of the railroad tracks at Ash Street) is now open to two way traffic. Some parking on the formerly one-way street might be affected...

Effie Boren, 96, of Blytheville, passed away Thursday, April 28, 2016 at Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro. Born to Aaron and Stella (Dobbs) Fleming, Effie was a retired nurse's aide and was a member of First Baptist Church. Effie loved to crochet, quilt, and sew, as well as do crafts and ceramics. ...

The Mississippi County Hospital System Board of Governors recently accepted the resignation of CEO Ralph Beaty and accepted the nomination of Chris Raymer as the new CEO, effective July 1, 2016. Prior to the promotion, Raymer has been serving as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer for the system...

Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompsons said that officers of the Blytheville Police Department (BPD) have been writing tickets as a result of the partial road closure on West Moultrie as a result of a sewer cave-in. Thompson wants the public to know that traffic from 6th Street eastward to the railroad tracks is open for westbound traffic only. ...

According to Craighead County Sheriff Marty Boyd, a 17 year old male, Jacob Thomas Craig, was arrested Sunday, May 1, in the connection of the murder of Lake City resident Jimmy Hall. The suspect appeared before Judge Keith Blackman Monday afternoon for a probable cause hearing. He was charged with first degree murder and will be charged as an adult. Bond was set at $1 million...