Stories from Saturday, June 1, 2019

Mississippi County has received a $15,000 courtroom security grant for the Osceola courthouse, according to Wayne Reynolds of the Office of Emergency Services. During Tuesday night’s meeting, Reynolds told the Mississippi County Quorum Court that he has received the check, which will potentially fund part of the upgrades to the camera system at the Osceola courthouse...

Blytheville Mayor James Sanders has proposed that the city of Blytheville continue to pay the county a rate of $55 per inmate per day for municipal prisoners. In a letter to Mississippi County Judge John Alan Nelson, Mayor Sanders notes that state law allows the quorum court to set a daily fee in absence of an agreement, which is currently $55 per inmate per day...

On Tuesday night, the Mississippi County Quorum Court agreed to set up a Blytheville Courthouse Construction Fund in the amount of $15,252,847.39 and an Osceola Courthouse Construction Fund in the amount of $2 million. Mississippi County made history last Tuesday afternoon in Little Rock when County Judge John Alan Nelson and other elected officials accepted bond proceeds from Stephens Inc., totaling $17,252,847.39 to fund renovations for its courthouses in Blytheville and Osceola...

The Monette City Council re-confirmed the Zoning Committee report, approved two de-annexation requests and closed a city street during Tuesday evening’s meeting. Monette Mayor Bob Blankenship introduced a second request from GRK Property owner Tracy Gathright for rezoning property on the corner of South Reeves and Fisher street from R1 to R2 to allow construction of two duplexes. ...

OSCEOLA— US Senator John Boozman (R-Arkansas) was in Mississippi County Wednesday as he spoke at the Osceola/ South Mississippi County Chamber of Commerce luncheon and then toured Big River Steel afterwards with Mississippi County Judge John Alan Nelson...

Manila Mayor Wayne Wagner and council members discussed several projects and the estimated cost of each at a special called meeting Tuesday evening. City officials will be asking voters to extend a one percent sales tax which will allow the city to upgrade water department equipment, along with funding several other needed projects. The city presently has a 1.25 percent sales tax. The .25 percent will remain for park/pool maintenance and operation...