Stories from Friday, August 21, 2020

The Blytheville School District has modified its first week of school plan. "After several meetings with the Governor, Secretary Key, and other officials from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, it was decided that it is in the best interest of our students and teachers to pivot to a slow rollout based on high numbers of COVID in our school district boundaries," Blytheville superintendent Bobby Ashley said late Friday afternoon. ...

Barbara Eileen Duncan Krutz, 78, of Blytheville, passed from this life on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, at her home. Born to Luther E. and Minnie Cook Eubanks in the Coleridge Community, she was a lifelong resident, retired clerk for the Associated Natural Gas Company and member of the Coleridge Baptist Church. ...

One year ago this week, police discovered the body of 23-year-old Kevondre Williams, who was shot in the head and found lying in a ditch concealed in a blanket and carpet on South Elm Street in Blytheville. On Thursday, Jervontae Cox was found guilty of his murder in Mississippi County Circuit Court...

As of Friday, according to the Arkansas Department of Health, there have been a total of 1,216 positive cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi County, 191 active cases, 1,009 recoveries, 8,609 negative tests and 16 deaths. During Wednesday’s COVID-19 update, Blytheville Mayor James Sanders stressed the importance of filling out the 2020 Census as the city of Blytheville held a 46 percent response rate...

Gov. Asa Hutchinson was in Blytheville on Tuesday visiting Arkansas Northeastern College. He met with community leaders, educators, county and city officials, hospital leaders, members of the business community and others before delivering  his daily press conference on the ANC campus. Also in attendance was State Rep. Johnny Rye...

A crop duster pilot lost his life in a plane crash in a field at Highway 181 and Lake Road near Gosnell, Friday afternoon, according to Major Robb Rounsavall of the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office. Pilot John Addison, 55, of Dyersburg perished in the crash, which occurred around 2:41 p.m. when he was spraying a field. At 5:45 p.m., Friday, the FAA was en route to investigate. More information will be released as it becomes available.