Stories from Saturday, August 1, 2020

My younger brother and I had a very moving conversation this week about the state of the world and whether or not there was any hope of real change in the next 50 years or so. One thing we discussed was the fact that we live in what most people have recognized as a “cancel culture” where once someone makes a seemingly morally corrupt decision or displays any sort of ignorance about a certain issue, they are then “cancelled” from society...

Eaker Air Force Base in Blytheville not only is part of the area’s history, it holds memories as a temporary home for many military personnel stationed in northeast Arkansas throughout a 50-year span. The base opened in 1942 and  closed in 1992. Several of the buildings and housing units are being utilized by companies and individuals. ...

Manila School Board members voted to re-elect officers at the Thursday night meeting. Remaining in office will be Jeremy Jackson, president; Tracey Reinhart, vice president; and Monte Middleton, secretary. Following a lengthy executive session, Superintendent Jason Evers recommended the board accept the resignation of elementary teachers, Richie Smith and Diane Johnson...

The Blytheville School District recently released its reentry plan, which is also known as the Ready for Learning plan. Director of Curriculum Sally Cooke called it an “active, breathing” document. “This plan is something required by the state but it is also an active, breathing document that we are making sure is ready for back to school,” Cooke told the Blytheville School Board on Monday. ...

In a short special called Quorum Court meeting on Thursday morning, three appropriation ordinances were approved and one was referred back to the finance committee for review. Justice Molly Jackson was elected to preside at the meeting with members Bill Nelson, Neil Burge, Rick Ash, Howard “Bubba” Norvell, Betty Hepler, Alvin Clay and JoAnn Hinton in attendance...

BIC board of directors met on Thursday evening to work through a short agenda involving hiring of two new teachers and accepting resignation of one coach. April McClelland was hired for the position of elementary special education teacher and will be working on her certification. ...

Pharmacist Kathy Rothrock Elliott, the third generation of the Rothrock family to own/operate Rothrock Drugs in Blytheville, was surprised last week when a gentleman on a bicycle came through the drive-thru with a bit of Rothrock memorabilia. The man told Kathy he had found the bottle, labeled with a Rothrock prescription, where the new overpass was built and thought she might like to have it...