Stories from Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Manila junior high baseball finished an outstanding season winning the District championship and ending the season with a 17-1 overall record. The District Tournament was held in Walnut Ridge May 10-12. The Manila Junior Lions received a bye in the first round and defeated Pocahontas 9-1 in the second round on the way to the championship...

Manila City Council had no objections to Mayor Wayne Wagner looking into a USDA loan or a bank loan to purchase a Ditch Witch. Mayor Wagner said the equipment is needed to help survive the sewer system problems the city is experiencing. He said the city of Leachville has been very gracious in allowing Manila to use their vacuum truck...

Lake City Council heard an update from Harold Barker, chairman of the planning and zoning committee, at the regular meeting held May 21. He said there were four members present at the May 10 meeting. The vote was unanimous by the Committee to re-zone 408 feet of the frontal property across Highway 18, belonging to the Bowers family, from R1 to C1. No further action was needed at this time...

Winner in the 2018 Lake City Spring Fest Car Show People's Choice was Martin Steed and Carson Nance. (photos provided) Jim Mills' 1968 Camaro won the Mayor's Choice. The Ladies' Choice award went to David Cobb. John McGee received the Kids' Choice at the spring car show in Lake City...

A drop-in reception was held Thursday afternoon, May 24, at the Manila High School auditorium for Superintendent Pam Castor. Mrs. Castor has served the Manila District as teacher, principal and superintendent for 39 years. Among the well wishers were teachers, retired teachers, school staff, family members, friends, superintendents from neighboring schools, members of the Nabholtz team, board members, and former board members...

Monette City Council choose an alternate line route for transporting sewage from the City of Black Oak to the new Monette treatment facility during the city council meeting Monday, May 21. Black Oak Mayor Eddie Dunigan and Project Engineer Wayne Menley met with the Monette City Council on April 23 to discuss potential sewer line routes for laying pipe from Black Oak to the Monette sewage treatment plant, east of the city. ...

Nancy Lee Crain Balton, 82, of Memphis passed away on May 24, 2018. Nancy was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend who served others humbly, with compassion, and filled with grace. She was strongly devoted in her faith and a lifelong member of the Wilson United Methodist Church where she played the organ for many years...

Katherine Ruth Westbrook Dobson of Little Rock passed away peacefully on her 88th birthday, with her family by her side at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock. Katherine was born in Jonesboro and moved to Blytheville with her family as a young girl. She worked in their family shoe stores “Westbrook Family Shoe Store” and “Paul’s Bootery”. ...

Wilma Jean “Jeanie” Canamore, 83, of Blytheville, passed away Friday, May 25, 2018 at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Jeanie was born in Ripley, Tennessee to Ray and Margie Wilson Ashmore. She was retired from Randall Company as well as the Blytheville School District where she was a bus driver. Jeanie loved music, playing piano and gardening. Jeanie was kind hearted and was a loving mother and grandmother...

C.J. Parks, 92, of Blytheville, passed away Sunday, May 27, 2018 at Gosnell Therapy and Living Center. C.J. was born in Rector, Arkansas to Ira and Fannie Parks. He was a retired mechanic and Littrell-Ozier Ford Company and later at Littrell Ford Company. He was a very active member of First United Methodist Church. He served as the communion steward and treasurer of Pathfinders Sunday school class for many years...

Ray Dean McLaurin, 51, of Blytheville died May 20, 2018 in Blytheville. He was a steel mill worker and a member of Eagle Wright MB Church in Butler. Mr. McLaurin was born July 11, 1966 in Osceola to Lennie and Frances Davis McLaurin. He was preceded in death by his father Lennie McLaurin, one brother Larry McLaurin and one sister Ethel McLaurin. ...

The following are reports from the Blytheville Police Department. — Police arrested Brandon Clark, 37, on charges of failure to appear and resisting arrest in the 400 block of South First Street. — Officers took a theft report (phone, computer tablet) in the 1000 block of South Division...

At approximately 5 p.m. Monday night, a power outage occurred that affected a large portion of Blytheville residents. The outage occurred due to the breaking of an electric pole believed to be cause by storm damage. The power was restored to a large portion of the area at approximately 9 p.m. Monday...