Stories from Saturday, April 11, 2020

Manila Mayor Wayne Wagner, council members  and city clerk held a phone conference on Thursday touching base on several issues. All council members were on the line but no action was taken as they discussed items to be placed on the agenda for the April meeting. They are planning to have the regular April meeting at 6 p.m.  Monday, April 20, in the large auditorium of the Airport Community Center...

Gosnell Superintendent Bonard Mace announced this week that due to Governor Asa Hutchinson canceling on-site educational instruction for the 2019-2020 school year that the prom and Junior/Senior Banquet have been canceled. According to a letter sent out by Mace, the 2020 Graduation has been postponed...

Manila School Board held a Zoom meeting on Thursday, working through personnel issues, reorganizing the district into a two school configuration, approving the classified salary schedule and changing bus route pay scales. Present for the meeting were Superintendent Jason Evers and board members Jeremy Jackson, Johnny McCain, Danny Robbins and Monte Middleton...

Manila Chief of Police Christopher Hill received notice from Scott Ellington, 2nd Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney, that Officer Michael Shively’s use of force in the officer involved shooting on March 3, was justified and no prosecution will follow. The case will remain open until any outstanding lab reports are completed...

At Wednesday’s press conference, Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson said that an officer is out with an illness. The officer has been tested for COVID-19 and the results of the test are pending. In the meantime, the officer has been quarantined...