News

By Rev. Adrian Jones Westside Ministries At a time when the nation is experiencing a season of Chaos and complete unrest,  I and my wife stand firmly in our confidence that God is in total control. As a black brother, pastor, leader and friend, I am disgusted to say the least at what  has once again taken place in this United States of America, with the inhumane treatment and death of an African American son, father, and brother...

By Rev. Bryant Whitted Greater Macedonia Baptist Church In the midst of the pandemic, we have another senseless murder of a black man by the police which has awakening not just the nation but the world. The killing of Mr. George Floyd has hurt the nation and it has spilled out, therefore we as people must be held accountable for our actions. We are a nation not of two laws we are nation of one law...

By Pastor Archie Thomas Living Word Cathedral In most cases, when there is injustice, if it’s not affecting you directly, it’s not injustice to you. But contrary, “Injustice Anywhere is a threat to Justice Everywhere.” We are taught in the Christian community, to be silent and pray about our circumstances. ...

An original “All American Red Head”, Osceola resident Katie Ingram picked up her weed eater this week and went to work on the entry and the median on Colonial Drive. She attracted a little bit of attention and on Tuesday she got a little help from friends Gary and Linda Bridges and the Arkansas Department of Community Corrections...

An Osceola woman has been arrested on an assault charge. Quinishia Nance, 23, has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault and robbery. The victim told police officers on March 13 he was assaulted and had property stolen. The victim stated he was walking down West Alicia when a green SUV occupied by Nance and her brother pulled up to him...

LITTLE ROCK – The U.S. Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that they have begun to release Economic Impact Payments in the form of prepaid debit cards, instead of the paper checks many were anticipating. In accordance with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the assigned amount of funds will be placed on prepaid debit cards and sent out to eligible taxpayers...

Truck traffic on Ermen Lane in Osceola has made headlines in local newspapers, televisions and Facebook during the past couple of weeks. Last month, the Osceola City Council unanimously adopted a city ordinance allowing trucks to travel on the city street...

Several Mississippi County farmers are among those facing fines from the state Plant Board for violation of the state’s seasonal bans on the spraying of dicamba. According to an article in the Democrat-Gazette, the Plant Board has offered to settle with Russell Thomason, of Osceola, for $175,000 on seven counts of spraying the herbicide after the May 26, 2019 ban went into effect and seven counts of failing to keep or provide records of spraying required by state and federal law. ...

Two lost their lives during an early morning head-on collision Saturday on Interstate 55 near Blytheville. According to the Arkansas State Police report, a 2013 Jeep was southbound in the northbound lane of I-55, at the 64 mile marker around 4:40 a.m. Saturday when it struck a 2017 Chevrolet, causing both vehicles to catch fire...

On Friday, the Mississippi County Quorum Court’s Finance Committee recommended the quorum court reduce the Blytheville courthouse construction appropriation by $3 million and have the Energy and Property Committee oversee forecasts of expenditures for the project moving forward...

The Arkansas Department of Health’s local Health Units across the state began offering COVID-19 testing Monday. Testing is encouraged for all individuals who believe they have had contact with or been exposed to a positive case as well as anyone who is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough or shortness of breath. Tests will also be offered to anyone with or without symptoms who lives in or has traveled to an area experiencing active transmission...

During Monday night’s monthly Osceola City Council meeting council member Tyler Dunegan motioned to add Mayor Sally Wilson’s veto of Ordinance 2020-05 to the agenda and then eventually motioned to override the mayor’s veto. Wilson’s veto states, “I, Sally Wilson, as Mayor of Osceola, veto Ordinance 2020-05, which purportedly amend the current Thru Truck Ordinance 2019-12 adopted by the City Council by a vote of 5-1 on December 16, 2019. ...

Mississippi County ranks fourth in the state for the largest average tax refund per receipt. A study conducted by SmartAsset compared the total amount of funds refunded in each county according to Internal Revenue Service data to the number of taxpayers receiving refunds. Those numbers were divided to come up with the average...

Ministers Adrian and Felicia Jones, of Westside Ministries, led a prayer group on the Osceola Courthouse Square Thursday evening. The group walked up Walnut Street from the courthouse to the old Gunn’s Supermarket parking lot and back... praying the entire way. The group hopes to ignite prayer in the community. Leading the walk was Rosie Willis...

Meeting via the GoToMeeting digital platform Tuesday, May 12 the Great River Economic Development Foundation recommended the Mississippi County Quorum Court fund an additional $800,000 in incentives for Nucor Steel Arkansas to hire locally during its expansion...

By Joseph Fondren Special to The Times The Mississippi County Insurance Committee met Monday afternoon, May 11, followed by a brief Planning and Development committee meeting in the courtroom at the courthouse in Burdette. The Insurance Committee discussed, then moved to join the other possible eight other counties-five counties in Arkansas and three in other states - in the pending lawsuit against Gerber over insurance claims...

Through attorney, Kimberly B. Dale, on Wednesday, Mississippi County Judge John Alan Nelson filed a lawsuit against Mississippi County justices of the peace in Mississippi County Circuit Court (Osceola District) regarding the move of the finance office under the county treasurer...

Laura Duck, 59, of Bassett, perished Monday morning when she drove her vehicle into Blue Hole, a tributary of the Mississippi River in Wilson. According to Mississippi County Coroner Mike Godsey, the Blytheville Emergency Squad recovered Duck’s body and she was pronounced dead at 10:08 a.m. Monday...

An Osceola man involved in a fatal crash in Blytheville on Tuesday, April 28 perished in a separate accident Wednesday afternoon, May 6 in Jonesboro which also claimed the lives of two other men with ties to the city. Racerrius Dequanne Wilson, 20, of Osceola, and Ekylun Ahmad Ramos, 18, also of Osceola, both lost their lives in a two-car crash on East Highland Drive in Jonesboro around 12:32 p.m., Wednesday. ...

Residents of all Osceola Housing Authority properties will have a reason to feel a little bit safer in the near future as the installation of the SkyCop System has been approved. OHA Executive Director Rob Collins told The Times Monday that the office of Housing and Urban Development in Little Rock (HUD) approved Collins’ request to modify OHA’s capital plan to incorporate funding for SkyCop...

Two Joiner men were arrested Saturday following a six-month investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine throughout South Mississippi County. Adam Meade, 36, and Tommy Brown, 50, were both arrested during a search warrant executed at Meade’s residence at 126 Magnolia Street in Joiner...

A Gosnell woman faces charges of attempted kidnapping and attempted false imprisonment after she allegedly tried to put a three-year-old and 10-year-old in the trunk of a vehicle Friday, April 24 in Gosnell. According to the court synopsis, about two minutes after receiving the call, Gosnell police arrested Stephanie Price who was reportedly intoxicated...

An Osceola man involved in a fatal crash in Blytheville on Tuesday, April 28 perished in a separate accident Wednesday afternoon, April 6 in Jonesboro. Racerrius Dequanne Wilson, 20, of Osceola, and Ekylun Ahmad Ramos, 18, also of Osceola, both lost their lives in a two-car crash on East Highland Drive in Jonesboro around 12:32 p.m., Wednesday...

A total of 16 Harris Healthcare residents have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to officials with HHC. The Arkansas Department of Health ordered the retesting of all those who tested positive and as of press time, six of the retests had come back negative. Officials with HHC are hopeful the other 10 tests will comeback negative as well...

By REVIS BLAYLOCK Special to The Times A special “council” called meeting was held outside of Osceola City Hall on Thursday morning to discuss the truck route, approve rules and regulations for the Osceola Bark Park, and approve a resolution removing residency requirements for the police department...

Senter Farms of Osceola has been chosen as the 2020 Mississippi County Farm Family of the Year. County winners for the 73rd annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year Program were released earlier this week. The county winners will be visited by a set of judges to determine eight district winners, to be announced June 16. The state winner will be announced on Dec. 6 at the Farm Family of the Year luncheon in North Little Rock...

Blytheville police have arrested a 72-year-old man in connection with the death of 33-year-old Deanthony Perry, the grandson of Gloria Perry, of Osceola. According to Blytheville assistant police chief Ricky Jefferson, on Wednesday, April 29 at approximately 4:20 p.m., John Lake was arrested in the 1200 block of Short Street and charged in connection with Perry’s death. Arraignment is pending at this time...

The annual Decoration Day ceremony will be held May 17 at the Newside Bassett Cemetery. The ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. with Earnest Brewer welcoming those in attendance. Raegan McCall will perform the National Anthem and C.J. Medley will speak. Steve Russell will recognized veteran’s in the Bassett Cemetery and Bill Shannon will recognize veterans in the Louise Chapel/Ashburn-Ronsavall Cemetery...

A bridge on Highway 77 over an unnamed creek near the intersection of County Road 1052 has been closed, according to Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) officials. A routine bridge inspection revealed structural deficiencies, resulting in the bridge closure. The bridge is approximately five miles south of Highway 14 near the town of Lepanto. Motorists should use Interstate 55 or Highway 14 as alternate routes...

By REVIS BLAYLOCK Special to The Times Osceola’s Community Improvement Task Force met on Thursday morning discussing grants, property clean-up/renovations, murals, and other projects underway. Shawn Chafin, chair, presided at the meeting. Mayor Sally Wilson said several grants have been written including a $2,500 grant from the Arkansas Community Foundation. ...

Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism Secretary Stacy Hurst announced on Wednesday, April 29 beginning May 1, campgrounds at Arkansas State Parks are reopened for RV campers with the following limitations: •Campers must use private recreational vehicles with self-contained bathroom facilities...

With the guidance of Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, the Osceola Community Center has re-opened to the public with limited access. According to OPAR Director Michael Ephlin Phase 1 of the re-opening does include several safety precautions and guidelines...

By STEVE KNOX Times Sports Editor Osceola’s first football game of 2020 features a return to “Saturday Night Lights.” The Seminoles are scheduled to meet the Class 4A Crossett Eagles August 29 at 7 p.m. at Seminole Stadium. The game will also include a return to Northeast Arkansas for new Eagles head coach Shawn Jackson. ...

Shelby County Fugitive Task Force arrested murder suspect Correy Crawford Wednesday in Memphis, according to Blytheville assistant police chief Ricky Jefferson. Crawford is a suspect in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Demarcus Daniels Saturday night in the 400 block of Tennessee...

A new COVID-19 testing location has been added. Curbside COVID-19 testing is now available by appointment only at the Mississippi County Primary Care Physicians in Osceola. If anyone has symptoms, or have suspected or confirmed exposure call 870-563-6504 to schedule a testing time...

The Arkansas Department of Commerce announced it will award $10-million to provide financial assistance to 27 rural hospitals in the state whose operations have been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The funds will be administered through the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s (AEDC) Community Development Block Grant program...

The citizens of Keiser are now under a city-wide curfew as the result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The council voted unanimously Wednesday night, April 22, to adopt an ordinance setting a curfew from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. each night of the week. Mayor Eddie Gardner had issued an “executive order” some three weeks ago setting the curfew, but was advised by the Arkansas Municipal League an ordinance was in order...

Keiser Mayor Eddie Gardner and Etowah Mayor Bo McCollum are concerned an action by the local postal system will cost their town dollars and cents. When the 2020 Census booklets were mailed to Keiser and Etowah they contained street addresses instead of box numbers. Since all citizens in these two towns get their mail at a post office box, the postal service apparently returned the booklets to sender...

By SANDRA BRAND Times Editor “Sometimes the little things make all the difference in the world,” according to Mississippi County Judge John Nelson. So just imagine what a new shiny $1.4 million copper dome will do for the historic 1912 Osceola Courthouse?...

The 2019-2020 basketball season was one fans in South Mississippi County are sure never to forget. Both Osceola and Rivercrest had memorable seasons which ended with a run to the state championship game. Fans, players, coaches and the community were poised for what was sure to be an epic game for the state title. ...

OSCEOLA— During the Osceola City Council meeting Monday night, April 20 councilwoman Sandra Brand asked Osceola Mayor Sally Wilson how many employees are in the Work Share program or had been reduced to part-time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wilson replied she didn’t know the exact number at the time of the meeting but she did state there were no police officers or firemen impacted...

Osceola native Kimberly Brown, the daughter or Larry and Rena Brown, works as a travel nurse. She is currently working on the front line of the COVID-19 Pandemic at a community hospital in Englewood, New Jersey. The following are her perceptions and those of others dealing with this virus on a daily basis...

Blytheville police are looking for Correy Crawford, 26, of Blytheville in connection with Saturday night’s slaying of 27-year-old Demarcus Daniels on Tennessee Street. According to BPD CID commander Capt. John Frazier, Crawford is wanted for capital murder and aggravated robbery...

As Blytheville officers were investigating a homicide on Elm Tuesday morning, they raced to a fatal accident at First and Highway 18 involving a dirt bike and an 18-wheeler. According to Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson, the 18-year-old female driver of the motorcycle perished from her injuries, while the male passenger of the dirt bike sustained serious injuries and was transported by ambulance to Great River Medical Center...

Arkansas Northeastern College executive staff are in communication daily and meet regularly to monitor the COVID-19 crisis and to plan for future operations of ANC and its classes. The safety and wellbeing of ANC students, staff, and the public are of paramount consideration...

By JOSEPH FONDREN Special to The Times Monday night, the Osceola City Council met via Zoom for its regular April meeting just days after a special meeting concerning a proposed curfew. No action was taken on the proposed curfew during Wednesday’s, April 15 special meeting...

Osceola native Kimberly Brown has worked in the healthcare field for many years. A travel nurse, Brown has worked for Select Nursing Staffing for 12 years. Brown, who now resides in Harrison, Ark., recently accepted an assignment working in New Jersey. There Brown is working on the front line of the COVID-19 Pandemic...

The Haven of Northeast Arkansas, Inc. continues to assist individuals who are fleeing domestic violence 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the shelter does have a need for the following items: masks, gloves, Pine Sol, Lysol spray, alcohol (white and green), hand sanitizer, liquid soap, bleach and paper towels...