Stories from Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Mississippi County Roads and Bridges committee members approved moving forward naming Highway 120, Jimmy Hart Memorial Drive. The committee met on Friday afternoon for a short meeting with Justice Rick Ash presiding. Justice Reggie Cullom said he received a call from Sen. Dave Wallace (R-Leachville) about the change, and he had been informed the name change has to be approved through the county...

New Blytheville School District curriculum director Lauren Starks and new school improvement specialist Ebony Wells Brown are working on a plan to ensure staff members are licensed. Addressing the Blytheville School Board Monday night, Starks reported there are “quite a few teachers” utilizing Act 1240 waivers, and they have identified novice teachers — those licensed and non-licensed who have three years or fewer experience in the classroom...

Sen. Dave Wallace (R-Leachville), who represents District 22, said the Census numbers will require some redistricting. He said each Senate district should have 86,000 to 90,000 people with each House seat representing 28,000 to 30,000 people. Currently, the redistricting can be done no earlier than Sept. 30 and no later than Dec. 31...

Monday night, the Blytheville School Board voted down a plan to provide staff members $200 additional pay to be vaccinated, with some board members contending the amount should be higher. Board member Michelle Sims recommended increasing the rate to $750, and interim superintendent Jennifer Blankenship agreed to meet with finance director Jennifer Johnson to determine how much ESSER (Covid relief) funding is available...

Newly-found family members were welcomed to the Willmuth family tree as siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles met in the Vassar home in Manila on Saturday, Aug. 14. The home of Jerry and Connie Willmuth Vassar has long been the gathering place for both of their families and it was the natural location for Melinda Miller of London,Ky., and her son, Nico Cagliuso from Pennsylvania, to start the getting acquainted process on Thursday...

Blytheville Chickasaw Athletic Department has 15 boxes available for purchase, in the box seat section, for all Chickasaw home football games. Each box contains four seats for $50 each or $200 per box. In order to sit in the box seat section, you must have a box seat ticket, which you will show at either of the two entrances to the section...

The host Gosnell Pirates will kick off the regular season Aug. 27 with a matchup against the Brookland Bearcats. Brookland made their first playoff appearance in program history last season and are hungry for more under second year head coach Eric Munoz.For the Pirates, last season ended in the second round of the state playoffs...

Head coach Greg Ruffin and the Blytheville Chickasaws will look to start their journey on the right foot Aug.27 as they host the Nettleton Raiders. The Chicks lost a nailbiter in last year’s season opener against the Raiders and will look to return the favor this season at Haley Field...

Mrs. Lula Mae (Pollard) Burton, 82, of Blytheville, transitioned to her heavenly home on Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021, in Houston, Texas. She was born in Joiner on Dec. 8, 1938, to Clarence and Willie Mae Fair. Mrs. Burton was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Robert Pollard, Sr. ...

Melanie Marcelle Thomas, 52, of Blytheville, passed away Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, at Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro. She was born in Blytheville in 1968 and was adopted by Wally and Melva (Mel) Thomas, who raised her in the Blytheville area where she spent most of her life...

Ricky Wayne Pilgrim, Jr., 25, of Keiser passed away Aug. 20, 2021, at his home. He was employed at Consolidated Grain & Barge in Osceola. Ricky was born Nov. 6, 1995, in Blytheville to Ricky and Lore Bell Pilgrim, Sr. He is survived by his parents, Ricky and Lore Bell, Sr. ...