Stories from Saturday, September 16, 2023

The class of 1986 Blytheville High School Chickasaws will hold a 37th class reunion on Saturday, Oct. 7. According to organizer Selaih Lewis-Nguessan, the high school class of 1986 will continue its mission of giving back to the Blytheville community by honoring former school teachers...

In conjunction with Sickle Cell Awareness month in September, the Blytheville Sickle Cell Warriors will host a blood drive on Sept. 22, followed the next day by a rally and walk. The blood drive will be held at the Greyhound Bus Station, 108 North 5th Street in Blytheville, on Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Lunch will be provided for all donors...

The Manila Chamber of Commerce will hold a city-wide tailgate event starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22. Businesses and organizations will set up outside the football field next to the gymnasium. For more information contact Samantha Drewett, 870-243-2341 or email...

On Wednesday, Sept. 13, local legislators were on hand in Little Rock to receive the "Champion of Trucking Award" from the Arkansas Trucking Association. The award was presented to legislators who supported the Arkansas Trucking Association, during the 2023 Arkansas General Assembly. ...

GOSNELL— The Gosnell Pirates have got off to a hot start as they enter the 2023 bye week undefeated at 3-0 with impressive wins over Piggott (42-6); Brookland (32-18); and Osceola (28-6).  The latest victory over the county rival Osceola Seminoles led to sophomore defender Asarias Gonzalez to hold a school record and rank second for most sacks in a single game in the state of Arkansas as he sacked Osceola sophomore quarterback Tyler Bell six times...

Several ex-high school stars from the area are now playing sports at the collegiate level. This week we will take a look at where a few of those athletes are playing now, how they got there, and the impact they are having at that school. KAMRON TURNER -...

God’s Holy Temple Church held its annual 2023 Stop The Violence Prayer Day on July 22. Various topics included ten things children can do to stop violence. Blytheville Chief of Police Ross Thompson stated that even though sometimes a woman will call the police because of violence against her - there is a possibility she may also get arrested for trying to protect herself if there are cuts and bruises on the other person...

In a closely contested match between the Osceola Jr. Seminoles and the Manila Jr. Lions, both teams exhibited their strengths and determination on the field Thursday night. The Manila Jr. Lions emerged victorious with a final score of 16-8. Both teams displayed remarkable skill and determination throughout the game, making it an excit-ing and hard-fought contest. See complete coverage in Wednesday’s Sports Connection. (Photo By Kadan Newson)...

Did you know Thursday, Sept. 21, is the annual World Gratitude Day? I discovered the day by accident while looking for something else. This day aims to remind us of the importance of expressing gestures of thanks and appreciation. I dare to say, that showing gratitude seems to be a lost art in the world we live in today. ...

Kalpana Chawla was an American astronaut and the first woman of Indian origin in space. She first flew on Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator. In 2003, Mrs. Chawla was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster when the craft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. She was a hero who spent her life working to achieve her dreams. And, she had some great advice...