Stories from Saturday, July 18, 2020

The Blytheville City Council’s committees met via Zoom on Tuesday afternoon, sending several items to the full council to be considered next week. During the Airport and Utilities Committee meeting, the board discussed a fine from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)...

Mississippi County’s local Health Unit, located at 1299 North 10th Street in Blytheville, will hold drive-thru COVID-19 testing from 12-6 p.m. Friday, July 24. There will be no  screening; tests will be given with/without symptoms; and there will be no out of pocket expense...

KIPP Delta Public School has announced the appointment of William Hill as executive director of the five-school charter school region. Hill, a native of Maryland, is going into his 18th year in education. The veteran educator has served as a teacher, principal, executive director, external partner, and other leadership roles at public and charter schools across the United States. ...

The Gosnell City Council repealed a 52-year-old ordinance Tuesday night, opening the door for alcohol sales in the city. Councilman James Haynes initiated the discussion to repeal Ordinance 8 and got the three other needed “yes” votes from council members Richard Brown, Josh Trapp, and Kurtis Payne...

On Thursday, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson issued an executive order mandating face coverings beginning on Monday. A violation would be a misdemeanor offense punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500. Exemptions from face mask mandate are those younger than 10 years of age; a medical condition or disability; voting, assisting voters, serving as poll watchers, or actively performing election administration duties...

The Mississippi County Quorum Court’s Energy and Property Committee met Tuesday to update the Quorum Court and the public on the Mississippi County courthouse renovation project. Justice of the Peace Molly Jackson, who chairs the committee, opened the meeting by explaining there was around a $40,000 expense not reflected in the budget that will remove all of the asbestos from the big courtroom. Jackson said the asbestos is in the glue...

A 44-year-old Memphis man is in critical but stable condition after an incident in the Blytheville Quality Inn pool Saturday evening, according to Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson. Family members pulled the man out of the pool and started CPR. Blytheville officers and firemen applied an automated external defibrillator (AED) and Pafford EMS continued giving him medical attention when they arrived, Thompson said...