Stories from Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Can you have happy holidays without overspending? Yes, you can! America Saves (save@americasaves.org) has some tips that can help. Saving during the holidays doesn’t just mean saving by bargain shopping. It also means sticking to more long-term savings goals and avoiding new debt. Here are some tips to help you plan for a fun and fulfilling holiday season without sacrificing your savings goals.   ...

The Family Movie Night at The Melody Theater, 301 S. Main St, Leachville, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22. Theater manager Kevin Reagan said the distributor of this film does not permit them to announce the title in print, but they can tell you that it is an animated Christmas favorite. Call 888-7-MELODY (888-763-5639) for complete details...

Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol”, adapted by Charles Ludlam, will be presented live at the Melody Theater, 301 Main Street in Leachville. There will be four shows. Productions will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 15-17. A matinee will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday...

The Championship Wrestling will hold a Holiday Havoc Toy Drive Dec. 9 at the Leachville Gym. Doors open at 6 p.m. Santa will be there.

Black Hills Energy filed a rate review application with the Arkansas Public Service Commission requesting a base rate increase to recover the necessary capital infrastructure and operational costs required to deliver safe, reliable natural gas service for over 184,000 Arkansas customers...

Blytheville Ministerial Alliance recently sponsored the annual Blytheville Thanksgiving service. This event's purpose is to gather the churches and community together to offer prayers of gratitude to God while acknowledging that “He is the giver of all good gifts.”...

An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held at the Great River Medical Center, 1520 North Division St., Blytheville and at the Tyronza Senior Center, 135 S. Main St. Tyronza on Thursday, Dec. 14. The blood drive in Blytheville will be held from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The Senior Center blood drive will be held from 1:30-5:30 p.m...

The Manila Lions Club has hosted the annual pancake supper for over 60 years. It is a holiday tradition and proceeds from the event are given back to the community. The money raised helps fund the Goodfellow Christmas baskets each year. The club averages distributing 100 food baskets and toys to local families each year. ...

Bruce Allen McComas, 53, of Leachville, passed from this life Monday, Dec. 4, 2023, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born in Rockford, Ill., he was the son of the late Raymond and Rosina Ferger McComas and had been a Leachville resident since 1999. Bruce enjoyed spending time at the lake with his family and dogs and riding ATV’s. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, David McComas, and his sister, Madge McComas...

WILSON – The Rivercrest Colts sent Warren packing Friday, jettisoning the previously unbeaten Lumberjacks from the 4A State Playoffs with a 24-14 semifinal win. The victory earned the Colts (12-2) a spot in the state championship game against familiar foe Harding Academy and the Wildcats will be the second straight undefeated team Rivercrest faces. The two teams have met twice in the finals – 2010 and 2015 – with each holding a win in the series. Game time in Little Rock Saturday is 6:30 p.m...

BARTON - Rivercrest hit the road Nov. 30 for a game at Barton and the Lady Colts would come out on top by a 60-51 margin. Coach Ronnie Dye’s squad opened up a 12-6 lead over the Lady Bears after one period of play. Barton would outscore the Lady Colts 12-9 in the second period to get within three (21-18) at the break...

NORTH LITTLE ROCK - The Rivercrest Lady Colts improved to 3-3 on the season with a 54-23 road victory over Central Arkansas Christian Tuesday. The Lady Colts picked up their second road win of the season in impressive fashion. Rivercrest led 6-2 after one period of play and 21-14 at the break...

GAME PREVIEW Rivercrest won their eleventh game in a row Friday when they manhandled Warren 24-14 in the Class 4A semifinals at Cortez Kennedy Field. The final score is not indicative of the Colts domination in the game, the inability to finish drives which ended inside the Lumberjacks 10 yard line on two occasions kept the score from being one-sided...

EPC (12-2) fell behind 13-0 in the opening quarter and could never recover as Bigelow (14-0) went on to beat the Warriors 28-14 in the 2A State Football Championship game this past Friday at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Jacob Gaines returned the opening kickoff 13 yards out to his own 31-yard line for the Warriors' first possession. ...

Trumann (0-2) let an eight point halftime lead slip away as Maynard outscored the Wildcats 28-13 in the second half to take a 52-45 win in the opening game of the Williams Baptist University high school tournament last Monday (Nov. 27) in Walnut Ridge...

JONESBORO - Osceola remained winless on the season while losing three times in the Barry Pruitt Hurricane Classic at Jonesboro High school. The Seminoles lost in the opening round to eventual tournament champion Bartlett, Tenn. 78-34. Osceola then met West Memphis in the consolation bracket with the Blue Devils outlasting the Seminoles for a 56-48 victory. Osceola then met Cedar Ridge in the seventh place game Saturday, with the Timberwolves picking up a 63-56 victory...

WALNUT RIDGE - The Riverside Lady Rebels and Rebel boys basketball teams took part in the Williams Baptist University Basketball Tournament Nov. 29 in Walnut Ridge. The top-seeded Lady Rebels were upset by eighth seeded Pocahontas 44-41 in their quarterfinal matchup...

WALNUT RIDGE- The Riverside Rebels improved to 12-1 on the season with a 47-44 victory over the Sloan-Hendrix Greyhounds in the championship game of the Williams Baptist University Tournament Saturday. The win gave the Rebels the tournament title for the second consecutive season...

BLYTHEVILLE - Rex Farmer’s bucket with 1:22 to play Thursday catapulted Manila to a 56-53 win over Blytheville in day one action of the Chickasaw Classic. It was a little redemption for Farmer who had missed on a fastbreak attempt. He came up empty on a drive after stealing the basketball with 2:15 left in the game as the Lions trailed, 53-52...

Jonathan Perry Abbott of Blytheville and Mountain Home went to be with his Lord and Savior on Nov. 17, 2023. He was a 1961 graduate of Blytheville High School. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1964 and proudly served his country in the Army’s esteemed 82nd Airborne Division. ...