News

The 2020 Football Preview Magazine is for sale at The Osceola Times office. The magazine features the Chickasaws, Seminoles, Pirates, Colts and Lions from Mississippi County. The magazines are 75 cents each. It is a readership service of the NEA Town Courier and The Osceola Times...

Mississippi County and the municipalities in the county will soon be receiving Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding. Under a plan approved by the Arkansas Legislative Council $75 million will be divided among the states municipalities based on state turnback and public safety funding for the counties...

The former fire chief of the Town of Dyess in under investigation by the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Department. The former chief is being investigated in connection to an incident in which he allegedly ran over a minor who was injured while riding four wheelers with his friends near Dyess Sept. 6...

A head-on crash caused the death of a Manila man and an Ash Flat man. The crash occurred at 8:05 p.m. Sunday at U.S. Highway 62, East of Agnos. William Hobbs, 79, of Ash Flat, was traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 62 in a 2003 Chevy Blazer. Hobbs’ vehicle crossed the centerline and struck a 2013 Ford Escape head-on...

The plea and potential jury trial dates for three of the four defendants in the shooting death of an Osceola man have been set. DeAnthony Poole is to make his plea on Oct. 21 and would go to trial the week of Nov. 2. Defendants Dennis Davis and Douglas Freeman are to make their plea on Dec. 21. Davis and Freeman would go to trial the week of Dec. 28...

Veteran Justice of the Peace Howard “Bubba” Norvell is asking voters to return him to his seat in the November election. First elected in 2016, Norvell said he has enjoyed serving the people of Mississippi County and would like to continue. “The main reason I ran in the first place was to save the Osceola Courthouse,” Norvell stated. ...

Art is a form of expression and for some it’s a natural born talent. Osceola native Greg Newsom fits in that category. A graduate of Osceola High School, Newsom was a member of the 2001 state championship basketball team. He has now returned to OHS to paint murals on the school’s walls. He will soon be painting murals in downtown Osceola...

The South Mississippi County Relay for Life event will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10. Due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19 and the safety of others, this will be a Drive-Thru event only for cancer survivors and their families. Participants may decorate their vehicles in honor of or in memory of their loved ones. ...

Manila High School grades seventh-12th will be learning at home for the remainder of this week, according to the schools and the Manila Police Department's Facebook pages. Unless a child has been contacted by the nurse directly, they are not quarantined. Quarantined students will be contacted by the nurse directly...

The Osceola School District has cancelled the upcoming junior high and senior high football games with Gosnell because of COVID-19. "Due to Covid-19 issues the Osceola School District has cancelled the junior high and senior high football games with Gosnell this week," Gosnell superintendent Bonard Mace said Wednesday evening...

MARION, AR – Second Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington announced Tuesday evening that a Crittenden County jury found Demarcus Donnell Parker, 27, guilty of murder in the first degree for the April 28, 2018 shooting death of Oliver Johnson, 25. ...

Due to COVID-19, which caused factory shut-downs and many people not paying their electric bills, the Osceola City Council has held two meetings to discuss ways to balance the budget by the end of the year. Financial director Melissa Brothers explained the Osceola Light and Power, thus far, has billed out an approximate $750,000 less this year than in 2019. ...

U.S. Magistrate Judge David Rush on Friday recommended the dismissal of criminal charges against three officials with Ride the Ducks Branson in the connection with the fatal duck boat accident, which occurred on July 19, 2018. Magistrate Judge Rush in court records recently released recommended the dismissal of charges against the boat’s manager, manager on duty and the boat’s captain. ...

Uncertainty seems to be the theme for 2020 and Arkansas ballot issues are no exception. Arkansas is one of 15 states where legislators and citizens have the right to place issues on the ballot for voters to decide. The legislature voted in spring 2019 on the three constitutional amendments they’re asking voters to decide, and citizen groups recently submitted more than 89,151 voter signatures collected across the state to qualify their proposals for the November ballot...

The Osceola School District will be hosting an event in conjunction with its Dropped Out, Drop Back In initiative, Friday from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. The event will be held at the intersection of West Semmes and Walnut. Look for the tent set up on the northwest corner of the intersection...

Mississippi County Quorum Court met Thursday afternoon approving four ordinances with one failing to pass. County Judge John Alan Nelson opened the meeting with all 10 justices present. The first ordinance approving a salary and benefit up to $2,500 to allow retired Martha Best to help with the upcoming election. The personnel committee had approved the request...

Osceola Mayor Sally Wilson called a special council meeting at noon Friday to take care of three proposed resolutions. First, the council unanimously approved a resolution giving the city permission to apply for an Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism grant to improve the Florida Park Tennis Courts...

Are You Prepared for an Earthquake? Did you feel the earthquake last Saturday? According to the United States Geological Survey, the 3.6 magnitude quake happened around 9:34 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29 in the Marked Tree area. It was felt in at least four states...

Wana Louise Jones, 80, died Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, at Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro, Ark. Wana was born to Curtis and Sybil Defoor Heath and was retired from American Greetings. The amount of love that Wana had for her children was unmeasurable. ...

Three Osceola High School students and a former student, Roderick Hale, Jr., have been arrested in conjunction with the Aug. 11 slaying of Demetrius Crawley, Jr., in Osceola. Dennis Davis, Jr., 17, Douglas Freeman, 18, DeAnthony Poole, 18, and Hale, 18, have all been charged with murder first, breaking and entering, theft, and violent group activity. Davis, Freeman and Poole appeared in Osceola District Court on Wednesday, Aug. 19 and received $100,000 cash bonds...

Andrew Lee McLaurin, Sr., “Max”, 37, of Osceola, lost his life when he was struck by an oncoming train. On Monday, Aug. 24, around 1:45 a.m., officers with the Osceola Police Department were dispatched “for a pedestrian struck by a train” at the old Washington Street railroad crossing...

A search warrant was executed at 314 South Broadway in Osceola on Aug. 18 where three Osceola residents were arrested by Special Agents of the Second Judicial Drug Task Force. Christopher Gibson, Tony Johnson and Vertell Fowler, all 26, were arrested and charged with trafficking a controlled substance-methamphetamine, simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm, possession of a firearm by certain persons and possession of drug paraphernalia...

Hoping to bring awareness to domestic violence, family and friends of Darian Talley have placed this banner in a yard on Keiser Avenue in Osceola. Talley lost her life to domestic violence on Sunday, Aug. 16. She was born September 12, 1993 in Blytheville. ...

The City of Osceola will hold fall sports including flag football, soccer and men’s softball. The recommendation was made on Thursday by the OPAR Committee with the nod of approval by the city council. Dance classes will also resume at the community center and all city parks will be opened back up to the public on Sept. 1...

A crop duster pilot lost his life in a plane crash in a field at Highway 181 and Lake Road near Gosnell, according to Capt. Rob Rounsaville of the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office. The FAA will investigate. More information will be released as it becomes available...

Due to COVID-19 the annual prayer walk will look a little different this year. A prayer time will be held for the Rivercrest School District on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 5 p.m. Those attending are asked to stay in their vehicles. Anyone attending can pray in the Rivercrest High School parking lot or in the Rivercrest Elementary School parking lot...

A Sunday afternoon shooting on Bard Street in Osceola has cost the lives of two residents. Aug. 16, at approximately 3:44 p.m.,officers with the Osceola Police Department were dispatched to 416 E Bard Street for “possible gunshot victims”. Upon arrival, officers found Anthony McLaurin and Darian Talley, who were both deceased...

The murder investigation of an Osceola man continues this week as the suspect remains at large. Demetrius Crawley, Jr., 20, was killed Tuesday, Aug. 11, around 12 a.m. Officers with the Osceola Police Department were dispatched to the area of South Main Street close to the intersection of East Keiser for “shots fired and a downed victim”...

During Monday’s Osceola City Council meeting, members tabled a resolution to apply for an Outdoor Recreation Matching Grant (50/50) from the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. The council discussed whether they would be able to combine the grant with a U.S. Tennis Association’s court reconstruction grant application...

Attorney Kimberly Dale, of Paragould, recently filed a “Petitioner’s Brief in support of motion for summary judgment” on behalf of Mississippi County Judge John Alan Nelson in the lawsuit against the Justices of the Peace and County Treasurer Peggy Meatte, a suit originally filed on May 13...

The cities of Birdsong and Dell were among 23 Arkansas counties and communities awarded Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC). The AEDC awarded $7,162,966 in CDBG grants. Birdsong received $200,000 for wastewater rehab and Dell received $200,000 for drainage improvements...

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson signed an executive order Friday extending the Public Health Emergency in the state for another 60 days. The emergency status will remain in place until at least October 13. This means residents must continue to practice social distancing and wear masks in public...

Special to The Times The Mississippi County Personnel Committee met Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 11 to discuss a position opening in the county clerk’s office. County Clerk Janice Currie stated that long-time employee Martha Best would be retiring next Friday. However, she’d like to be able to bring Best back for a maximum of three weeks during the election...

Special to The Times The Mississippi County Quorum Court’s Energy and Property Committee met Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 11 to discuss the courthouse projects with architect Aaron Ruby. Energy and Property chair Justice Molly Jackson stated she attended the Owner Architect meeting Tuesday morning and County Judge John Alan Nelson was present for the meeting; however, he was unable to attend the Energy and Property meeting...

Broadway Community Outreach and Living Word Cathedral Church of God in Christ will hold a Back to School supply drive-thru Saturday, Aug. 22. The drive-thru supply event will begin at 10 a.m. at Living Word Church (503 W. Semmes, Osceola. It is asked everyone stay in their vehicle. Students must be present in the vehicle to receive supplies...

Blytheville police are looking for 31-year-old Jeremy Reed of Blytheville who is suspected in Sunday's slaying of 52-year-old Willie Wright of Blytheville. "Reed should be considered armed and dangerous," Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson said...

Rivercrest High School has announced a step up day on Wednesday, Aug. 19 for seventh grade students only. Seventh grade students will have an opportunity to tour the building and ask questions. Students are asked to fill out a form to schedule an appointment time. Students are to go to bit.ly/rhs7stepup...

On Tuesday, Aug. 11, at around 12 a.m., officers with the Osceola Police Department were dispatched to the area of South Main St, close to the E. Keiser intersection for shots being fired with at least one victim. The victim was located and transported to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis, Tenn. for treatment...

The Mississippi County Juvenile Probation Office will host its fifth annual Party in the Park at Walker Park in Blytheville on Friday, Aug. 14. The event will be held from 12-3 p.m. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the event has been adjusted to have parents and students receive back-to-school supplies via drive-thru...

Osceola STEM Academy has announced it will hold a Chromebook Distribution on Monday, Aug. 17 for students who will be going virtual for the start of the school year. The distribution will be held in the circle driveway of the STEM gymnasium. Fifth and sixth grade students and their parents may pick up their Chromebooks between 11 a.m.-12 p.m...

LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson issued an executive order Friday which allows Arkansans to vote absentee if they are concerned voting in person may be a risk to their health or the health of others because of COVID-19. Executive Order 20-44 also allows election officials to start processing the absentee ballots a week earlier than usual to allow for an anticipated increase in the number of absentee voters...

A crew from the Arkansas Highway Department is pictured making a long awaited repair to Highway 158 just east of Highway 77 North. A bridge across the highway had been washed out earlier this year and a temporary repair had been made to the road. Monday a new box culvert was installed under the roadway and the road was paved over the new culvert...

Corporal Justin Faulkner recently went beyond the call of duty for the citizens of Osceola. The police officer responded to a call of a snake in a residence. He searched the premises and removed a snake from the kitchen stove. The snake was later released in “a more suitable location.”...

Resurfacing work on Interstate 55 will require temporary lane closures between Exits 34 and 44, according to Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) officials. Weather permitting, crews will intermittently close a single lane of both northbound and southbound traffic between Exit 34 and Exit 44. These closures will allow crews to resurface this section of I-55 and is expected to last approximately 12 weeks...

By SANDRA BRAND Times Editor When the historic Violet Cemetery in Osceola began to grow up with tall grass and weeds, residents took to social media and began to complain. Former Osceola Mayor Dickie Kennemore decided to spearhead an effort to mow the cemetery and keep it maintained. ...

The City of Wilson and Walnut Ridge Family Medical Clinic will be holding a drive thru COVID-19 testing Thursday, Aug. 20 in Wilson. Testing will be done from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.on Hampson Drive behind the Hampson Museum. Those wishing to be tested are asked to enter off of Lake Drive...

Carroll Smith Elementary School's Open House has been converted to a video which will be posted to the school's Facebook page this evening. A schedule will be released in a few days so parents may schedule an appointment with teachers and administrators...

South Mississippi County Municipal candidate filings as of Tuesday, Aug. 4 are listed below. Filing closed Wednesday at noon. Look for a complete list in next week’s edition of the Times. Bassett City Council Pos. 1 - Susan Coburn - I Pos. 2 - Tina E. Russell - I...

By Alfred Hogan Osceola Superintendent Osceola School District is committed to providing a safe and caring learning environment for its students, faculty, and staff. During this pandemic, we began preparing for the start of this school year in the spring by labeling and tagging Chromebooks to provide 1-1 tablets as well as obtaining hotspots to guarantee internet service for our students in Osceola. ...

The filing period for municipal offices began at noon Wednesday and will remain open until Wednesday, Aug, 5 at noon. The Osceola City Council Wards 1-3, Position 2 up for election, according to the Mississippi County Clerk’s office. As for city council positions, incumbents Linda Watson (Ward 1), Sandra Brand (Ward 2) and Tyler Dunegan (Ward 3) informed the NEA Town Courier that all three plan to file for reelection...