Stories from Wednesday, August 23, 2023

The Osceola City Council adopted two ordinances Monday which carves a path for quality of life improvements. The two ordinances place two measures on the November ballot asking Osceola voters if they’re willing to support an additional one cent sales tax. The revenue generated would be earmarked for recreational activity. If voters decide in favor of measures, it would increase the city sales tax to two cents on the dollar...

The extremely hot temperatures forecast for this week have caused schools to make changes in their athletic practice and game schedules. The Arkansas Activities Association issued an extreme heat warning Monday and implemented their “Wet Bulb Globe Thermometer” protocols for heat and humidity monitoring during practices. Those protocols limit the amount of time and break requirements mandated during extreme heat events...

For Ann Smith, a longtime resident of Blytheville, her llamas give an exotic feel to her farm. Both of her llamas are female and older, but they are alert and Smith describes them as cat-like in their reflexes. Smith's llamas named Tweenie-Weenie and Springtime live in the pasture behind her home. Several large fans cool the llamas during the day so they can survive the ongoing heat advisory warnings...

On a beautiful night for football, two of the area’s best teams met in the Arkansas Activities Association benefit game on Cortez Kennedy Field in Wilson. In the end, the host Rivercrest Colts defeated the East Poinsett County Warriors, 57-26, in a battle between teams expected to contend for the state title in both Class 2A and 4A...

NETTLETON - In a thrilling match-up that kept spectators on the edge of their seats, the Osceola Seminoles faced a formidable challenge against the Class 5A Nettleton Raiders at Raider Field. While the scoreboard may have displayed a 48-26 loss for the Seminoles, the game was a testament to their unwavering determination...

By STEVE KNOX Osceola Times Osceola and longtime Jackson County rival New-port will square off in the 2023 season opener for both squads Friday at 7 p.m. at Greyhound Stadium in Newport. This will be the second meeting between the two schools in as many seasons. Newport head coach Brian Reardon’s squad claimed a 34-28 victory in Week Zero last season at Seminole Stadium...

GAME PREVIEW THE LIONS WILL HAVE TO CONTROL THE GAME, BUT THAT WOULD MEAN THEY WILL HAVE TO CONTROL THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. The Manila Lions and Rivercrest will meet to kickoff the 2023 season Friday at 7 p.m. at Cortez Kennedy Field in Wilson. The teams met in last year’s season opener at the Lions Den in Manila with the Colts coming out on top 42-12...

By COSMO COSSEY Poinsett County Democrat Tribune Trumann hosted Brookland Tuesday (Aug. 15) in high school and junior high football preseason action at RMC Stadium. In the junior game, Brookland got on the board with a touchdown pass and added the two-point conversion to go up 8-0. The score stayed the same at halftime...

“We made a lot of mistakes, but it's all fixable stuff. The main thing is I thought they played hard. The defense flew to the ball like I thought they would. We played a lot of kids tonight and now we can get a look at them on film and go from there. ...

The Riverside boys and girls tennis teams each had a perfect week, both improving their records to 3-0 on the season with wins over Piggott, Cedar Ridge and Ridgefield Christian. The defending Class 2A state champion boys doubles team of Seth Couch and Harrison McAnally lost on four games while winning three matches on the week...

The Harrisburg Hornets will host the Cross County Thunderbirds in the season opener for both teams this coming Friday at Jordans Stadium. The T-birds beat Harrisburg 15-14 last season. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. Harrisburg is coming off a 2-8 season going 0-7 in the 4A-3 conference. The Hornets will have a new head coach in Austin Jar-rett in his first year as a head coach. Cross County finished last season with a 2-7 record going 1-6 in the 2A-2 conference...

Trumann's Cobey Riddle fired a 37 and Macey Powell carded a 58 to earn medalist and co-medalist honors in their golf matches this past Thursday at Wynne. Gavin Greenwell added a 39, Jake Osment finished with a 40 and Carson Smith shot 47 in the play four count three format for a team total 117 to give the Wildcats first place over Wynne's 129...

WEST MEMPHIS – Obviously the outcome wasn’t what the Blytheville Chickasaws wanted. However, there were moments in the 29-22 loss to 6A West Memphis which gave first-year head coach Gerrett Howard some optimism for the season to come. “It was a good evaluation to see who can play, see who can do what,” Howard said. “We’ll have some compliments to give out, but some of these guys we’re gonna have some tough talks with.”...

The Blytheville City Council unanimously approved an ordinance establishing a civil penalty for false alarms during their Aug. 17 meeting at the Justice Complex. All council members were in attendance excluding council member Jacquin Benson, Jr. The ordinance reads, "that six or more false alarms within any fiscal year of the city are excessive and a public nuisance."...

Constance Smith, M.D. of Blytheville has been serving Mississippi County and the surrounding area for 27 years. She is happy she chose Blytheville as her home and practice. She is pleased to announce that Dr. Desirae Brinkley will be assisting in her practice several days a month. She also has Steven Williams, M.D., with the Mid-south Retina Associates seeing patients one day a month at her Blytheville office. Dr. Williams has been coming to Blytheville since 2018...

Sylvia Gayle (Leasure) Cannon, 81, of North Little Rock, passed away on Aug. 19, 2023. She is preceded in death by her husband, William A. Cannon (Bill); son, William K. Cannon (Kendall); and her parents, Lloyd Leasure and Juanita (Trawick) Leasure of Searcy...