Stories from Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Preston Nichols drove in three runs as Riverside posted a 7-1 win over EPC this past Wednesday in high school baseball action in Lake City. Kern Kline led off the game with a single for EPC as Chanc Gray followed with a single. ...

Manila's Lady Lions completed a busy week with a runner-up finish in the Cougar Slam Saturday at Izard County. Manila started the week with a 7-6 victory at Marked Tree on Monday. ...

Manila completed a perfect 5-0 week on the baseball diamond with a doubleheader sweep over Rivercrest and East Poinsett County Saturday at Lion Field. Manila took the opener over the Colts 5-4, behind the strong pitching performance of Michael Jorgensen. ...

Riverside continued to roll through their opponents, picking up five more victories in high school baseball action last week. The Rebels pitched shutouts over Gosnell and Harrisburg while also posting victories against East Poinsett County, Corning and Walnut Ridge...

Riverside suffered through a tough week on the diamond, dropping three of four games in high school softball action last week. Gosnell hammered the Lady Rebels 18-3 Tuesday afternoon at Lake City. ...

Bay's Taylor Layne drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning to help lift the Yellowjackets to a 5-4 come from behind victory over Buffalo Island Central Wednesday afternoon at Bay...

Buffalo Island Central Coach Brandon Ballard will be adding the senior high boys basketball to his list of coaching duties. Ballard is familiar with the BIC program as he worked as a volunteer assistant coach at BIC for two years before being hired last year to coach the boys seventh grade and junior high, and serve as senior assistant coach...

Mrs. Florence “Flo” Brooks, 60, of Blytheville, passed away Friday, March 31, 2017 at her home. Florence was born in Chicago, Illinois to Robert and Anna (Wagner) Ostler. She was a homemaker and a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church. Florence enjoyed church and was very active whenever her health allowed. She also enjoyed playing cards. Florence loved her grandchildren. They were her pride and joy...

Manila High School students witnessed a mock wreck Friday, March 31, prior to the 2017 prom night set for April 7. The event, held every other year, encourages students to make the right choices...

Monette City Council welcomed a new alderman, Bob Blankenship, sworn in at the March 27 monthly meeting. Due to recent health complications, Alderman Bob Hurst submitted a resignation letter to the Council. In the letter Hurst recommended Blankenship as a qualified replacement...

Tommie Jo Kendrick, member of the newly formed Leachville park committee, addressed the Leachville City Council at the March 27 meeting. The meeting was conducted by council member Ethel Hetler who was presiding in the absence of Mayor Ralph Wells...

Lake City Council met March 27 adopting a resolution, approving a new member to the fire department, adding a new Housing Authority Board member, purchasing property for a water tank, and hearing Mayor Jon Millign's state of the city address...

Buffalo Island Central School Board filled the position of senior high boys basketball coach, voted to remove inventory and heard a building project update at a special meeting held March 23. The board accepted the resignation of boys high school basketball coach Mike Scutero as of Monday, March 27...

Manila Mayor Wayne Wagner informed the city council the heated, therapeutic pool should be opening around April 17. The pool was one of the topics discussed at the March 27 council meeting...

Buffalo Island Central High School, under the direction of facilitator Jill Sanders, won the 2017 Timothy R. Stephenson Founder's Award, the highest honor presented at the 2017 EAST Conference held March 14-16 at the Hot Springs Convention Center...

Scott Browning was surprised on Saturday, April 1, with a reception in his honor for his years of service to the Caraway Fire Department. Browning has served as a Caraway firefighter for 18 years serving as Chief since 2012...

Craighead County Eastern District patrons attended House Judiciary Committee meetings in Little Rock again last week to oppose SB 535 regarding operations at the Lake City courthouse. The bill was soundly defeated in Judiciary Committee meeting on March 21, but threats of lawsuits and bill repeal and resubmission continued to circulate. ...

A Kennett infant was treated at Great River Medical Center and later flown to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, after suffering from a fractured skull and several broken ribs. The Blytheville Police Department report noted the child also had superglue around his mouth...

Blytheville police were forced to shoot an aggressive dog that was charging towards animal control officer Bobbie Davis on Monday in the 100 block of West Rose. According to the police report, two dogs killed the complainant’s dog and would not let the homeowner out of his house...

Dawn Marie VanHorn, 40, of Leachville, passed from this life Saturday, April 1, 2017, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born in Pahokee, Fla., she had been a Leachville resident since 1996...

Mr. Johnny Lee Yankaway known as “Hooker Ray” of Gosnell, was born on February 17, 1948, to Sam Yankaway and Lerotha Jennings. Johnny, departed this life on Thursday, March 30, 2017 at the Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro, at the age of 69. He was preceded in death by his parents...

Mrs. Aldena Thomas Palmer, 84, of Osceola, departed this life on Sunday, April 2, 2017. She was born on January 7, 1933 to Joseph B. and Lucy Rainwater Thomas. She graduated from Nancy High School in Nancy, Kentucky. She was of the Baptist faith, she loved gardening, birds and Genealogy...

Mr. Samuel Scruggs, 69, of Blytheville transitioned from his earthly home into eternity on Monday, April 3, 2017, at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born on July 26, 1947, in Lee County Arkansas (Scruggs Settlement), to Reverend Willie and Victoria Clayton Scruggs...

For nearly four decades, Samuel Scruggs, 69, of Blytheville led the Mississippi County, Arkansas Economic Opportunity Commission, serving the needs of those most in need in the community. On Monday, Scruggs passed away from an illness at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro...