Stories from Friday, August 4, 2017

Shella Sue Booth, 61, of Manila, died Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, from injuries received in an auto accident near Manila. Born in Blytheville, she was the daughter of the late C.J. and Anna Sue Johnston Rabey and had been a Manila resident for most of her life. She was a 1974 graduate of Manila High School and was a family support specialist for the Department of Human Services in Blytheville. She was of the Baptist faith...

Douglas Howard Dodson, 74, of Manila, passed from this life Monday, July 31, 2017, at the Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro. Born at Lake City he was the son of the late Raymond and Lorine Williams Dodson and was raised in the Lepanto area. He was a retired truck driver for Cummins Diesel Recon in Memphis and enjoyed camping, fishing, watching football and spending time with his family...

Mr. Robert M. Jontz, 66, of Asheville, North Carolina and formerly of Blytheville, passed away Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at the Elizabeth House in Flat Rock, North Carolina. Born in Blytheville, he was a son of the late William Mearl and Billie Louise Gaines Jontz, and was also preceded in death by a brother, William Gaines Jontz...

On Thursday, the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Department, along with deputies assigned to the Street Crimes Unit, seized 14.1 pounds of marijuana and arrested 22-year-old Cesar Vasquez at 104 Adams Street in Keiser. Deputies were executing a search warrant and discovered one large package and four smaller packages of marijuana at the residence, according to to a news release...

There were no injuries, but a Blytheville Police Department patrol car was damaged when a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu collided with the cruiser early Friday morning on South Division, according to BPD Capt. Jeremy Ward. The Arkansas State Police is investigating the accident...

Mr. Donald Wayne Howard, 66, of Blytheville, passed away Thursday, August 3, 2017 at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis. Don was born to Elmer and Katherine (Summers) Howard in Manila. He was the owner and operator of Don’s Body Shop. He also served his country honorably in the United States Army. ...

Ms. Patricia Ann Bachuss, age 69, of Russellville, passed away Wednesday, August 03, 2017 at her residence. Ann was born August 28, 1947 in Arkansas. MeMaw, as she was affectionately known to her family, was a strong woman, a great mother, and a loving grandmother. She loved working with her hands, in the gardens, with roses, cross-stitching, sewing, making candy, and so much more. More than anything she loved her family, especially her grandchildren...

The 30th Annual Kids Day is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Williams Park. Organized by Shannon “Duck” Sims, local students receive free school supplies at the event, as well as a chance to win prizes such as bicycles. Food and drinks will be provided...

The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. — Police chased a man with an active warrant in the Ruddle and Main area. — Police arrested Troy Richardson, 38, on charges of possession of a controlled substance (marijuana), a battery warrant and carrying a prohibited weapon in the 200 block of East Main...

The Armorel School Board met in a special session on Tuesday and accepted two student transfer requests. “Both of them already have two siblings that go to our school,” Barbaree said. “These are entering kindergarteners and the parents, both, were under the assumption that if these kids were already in our school due to school choice that the new one enrolling would automatically be ‘grandfathered in’, so they did not apply for school choice. ...