Stories from Friday, September 21, 2001

In the week after one of the world's worst disasters with over 200 confirmed dead and 5,400 still missing, youth from three churches in Marked Tree meet at 7 a.m. Wednesday at the high school flagpole and at the Marked Tree elementary map. Twenty high school students and 32 elementary students, parents, teachers and administrators met for a student-initiated, student-organized and student-led national prayer event...

DO3 issued its 76 employees bad news Friday -- effective Nov. 4, the Marked Tree plant will officially close. The notice read "Notice of plant closing Do Group-Marked Tree, Arkansas. Due to the changes in business strategy related to refocusing the enterprises efforts toward its core competency, lightweight, durable consumer good, and pursuant to the notice requirements of the Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification Act of 1988 (WARN Act), Do Group will be terminating its operations, located at Marked Tree, Ark, effective Nov. ...

Voters defeated the Marked Tree School District's proposed 1.5 millage increase 189 to 153 during Tuesday's school election. The election had a light voter turn out to with only 343 registered voters casting ballots to decide the fate of the millage increase...

John Roland, 76 of Bellingham, Wash., died Friday Sept. 7, 2001, at his home in Washington. Preceding him in death were his father, Robert Roland Sr., mother, Joyce Roland, and sister, Linda Pierce, all of Marked Tree. Survivors include his wife, Mary Roland of the home (she is a retired schoolteacher); one daughter, Julie Roland; one son, David Roland both of Bellingham, Wash.; several grandchildren; one sister Virginia Diaz of Marked Tree; three brothers Robert Roland Jr. ...

Emily Marie Tolliver, 89, of Lepanto died Sept. 11, 2001, at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. The funeral was held at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 14, at the Murphy Funeral Home chapel with William Piercy as officiating clergy. Interment was in the Potter Memorial Cemetery, Lepanto...

Services for Mack Crow will be at 2p.m., Friday, Sep.21, at the First United Methodist Church in Marked Tree. Mr. Crow was born in Magness, Ark. March 8, 1907, and died Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2001. Mack Crow was a farmer by occupation, but his hobby was making life better for the people in his community, county and state...

BY MICHAEL WILKEY Tribune Sports Staff The potent EPC offense hammered out almost 400 yards in total offense Friday night, as they defeated the McCrory Jaguars 53-12, in high school football action. With 261 yards on the ground and 120 yards passing, EPC controlled the line of scrimmage against McCrory, who had 122 yards total offense...

It was the Josh Stromire show Thursday night, as the Gosnell defeated EPC 39-12, in junior high action. The Gosnell quarterback threw two touchdowns and ran for one, as Gosnell defeated EPC in the district opener for both schools. In the first quarter, Stromire threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Matt Bell, with 2:15 left in the quarter. The two-point conversion by Mario Young was good, and Gosnell led 8-0...