Stories from Friday, February 22, 2019

A bedridden Blytheville man was found to be dehydrated, malnourished and covered in feces in the 3700 block of Debra, according to a report from the Blytheville Police Department. The report said on Friday, Feb. 15, police learned that the victim, Jeffery Jones, is 100 percent bed confined because of a stroke and his wife, Sue Jones, is his primary care giver...

BROCKWELL— The Armorel Lady Tigers’ (2-24) season ended Wednesday night in the 1A-2 Regional tournament at ICC. The Lady Tigers were defeated, 61-23, by the top-ranked Norfork Lady Panthers. The Lady Tigers kept the game close early as they trailed 15-13 after the first quarter but the Lady Panthers outscored the Lady Tigers by 21 points in the second quarter to lead 40-17 at the half...

Lisa Diane Rupp, 46, of Jonesboro, former longtime Manila resident, passed from this life Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born at Manila, she was the daughter of the late David Yancey, Sr. and Patricia Andrews Carter and had attended Manila Public Schools. She was a certified nurse's aide and a member of Milligan Ridge Baptist Church. Lisa enjoyed going to yard sales, but her greatest joy was spending time with children, especially her grandchildren...

Monette Zoning Committee rejected a request Thursday evening from GRK Properties owner Tracy Gathright requesting that property on 208 S. Reeves Street be rezoned to allow new construction of two duplex structures. During the public meeting, Committee Chairman Shawn Nance reviewed the rezoning request for the 112’x150’ lot on Reeves to be rezoned from R1 to R2 classification allowing construction of multi-family R2 duplexes. ...

GOSNELL— The Gosnell City Council called a special meeting Tuesday night to decide between two backhoes, ultimately choosing the 2006 Komatsu from F&L Equipment. The first backhoe discussed was a 2018 Case from Heartland Equipment, which originally cost $81,000. However, the company would take the previous backhoe for $9,000, which would drop the expense to $72,000. This option had a warranty...

Water covers the road in Barfield on Friday. “We have been in contact with our OEM Director Wayne Reynolds this week and discussed flooding issues along the Mississippi River,” Mississippi County Judge John Alan Nelson said. “Currently, at Osceola, the river is 36.6 feet and is forecast to reach 39.5 feet on February 27 of next week. ...

Steven Rimer has been serving as Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge Manager for three years and said the recent high water is not abnormal. “It is a product of the location,” he said. “With all the ditches draining and the water from the Missouri Bootheel, it all comes here to Big Lake.”...

School board filing ended on Wednesday. According to the Mississippi County Clerk’s office, there were no challengers in any positions in the county. Within the school districts in Craighead County that are covered by The NEA Town Courier, there are also no challenges. Districts listed below had positions open and all were filed by the incumbent only...

The 4A-3 champion Blytheville Chickasaws are one win away from adding a 4A East Region Tournament title to their resume. Already having earned a spot in the Class 4A State Tournament, the Chicks held off Little Rock McClellan, 60-58, in the 4A East Region semifinals on Friday night...