Stories from Thursday, October 25, 2001

Local area law enforcement officers began finalizing what had been a yearlong covert operation against drug trafficking in Poinsett County with several drug arrests on Thursday, Oct. 18. Lt. Bobby Walker, commander of the Criminal Investigation Division Company F of Arkansas State Police Troop C of Jonesboro and a Marked Tree native, headed the operation...

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management met on Oct. 23 the Harrisburg City Hall to discuss emergency assessments and preparedness for the county. Some 32 county and city professionals joined in the group discussions to plan for the emergency needs of the county and the equipment needed to service those needs...

Lyn Alexander, EPC head basketball coach, has been placed on standby status for the military and has been serving every other weekend since the Sept. 11 incident that alerted war in America. Along with his teaching job, Alexander is currently a first lieutenant in the Air Force National Guard, 64th Medical Personnel Unit stationed at Jacksonville Air Force Base, Jacksonville, Ark. ...

Burton was the first of the night, Thomas Williams of Jonesboro rolled a score of 300 shortly afterward, giving JBC two 300 bowlers for only the second time in its 24-year history. According to Chris James of JBC, Burton was the second bowler to bowl 300 this season. The season began Aug. 1 and runs through Jan. 31...

Marked Tree locked up a playoff spot Friday night after thumping Walnut Ridge 38-18. "It was a big conference win that set up a big game for us this week with Earle," Marked Tree head coach Tim Branum said. "If we win, we will at least have a share of a tie for first in the conference."...

In a plan announced Thursday, October 18, the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) announced the conference assignments for member schools for the 2002-2004 school year: CLASS AAA FOOTBALL 3AAA: East Poinsett County, Gosnell, Harrisburg, Jonesboro Westside, Osceola, Piggott, Rivercrest, and Trumann...

EPC's Cortney Brown, Brandon Fortenberry, and Marcus Monk provided the punch Friday night, as the EPC Sr. Warriors made it two in a row, with a 36-16 victory over Corning in senior high action. The three each provided EPC (5-3, 2-3) with 517 combined yards in total offense and all had a role in every EPC score...

Thelma Henson, 75, Marked Tree died Oct. 22, 2001 at Baptist Hospital East, Memphis, Tenn. Funeral services were at Murphy Funeral Home Chapel, Marked Tree on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at 2:00 p.m. with Bro. Nolan Glover officiating. Interment was at Marked Tree Cemetery and Murphy Funeral Home was in charge of services...

Sam Story, Sr., 77, of Three Rivers Nursing Home, Marked Tree, formerly of Harrisburg and Lepanto, died Oct. 18, 2001 of heart failure. The funeral was Oct. 20, at 1:00 p.m. at Murphy Funeral Home Chapel and Bro. Bill Jordan officiated. Interment was at Potter Memorial Cemetery, Lepanto and Murphy Funeral Home was in charge of services...

Annie Mae Crawford, age 85 of Marked Tree died Tuesday Oct. 23, 2001 at Three Rivers Nursing Home in Marked Tree. She was a housewife and a member of the Church of Christ Faith. She was preceded in death by her husband the late Lawrence Crawford, her mother and father the late William Laster and the late Sylvia Beebe Laster one son Paul William Hendrix, two brothers the late John Thomas Franklin and the late John Franklin. ...

The members of the Marked Tree Band Program are raising money to purchase new equipment. Because the band has grown so much in the last three years and will continue to grow even more, the need for more equipment has become critical. "Band instruments of good quality costs alot of money. ...

Superintendent Gary Masters discussed the appeal of the distressed designation status of the Marked Tree Schools on Oct. 22, as an update to the public. He is very optimistic that in the immediate future, that designation would be lifted. "I have every reason to believe that the distress status will be lifted for the 2002-2003 school year," he said...

Some 40 clients of First Delta Bank were treated to an appreciation lunch and pheasant hunt on Oct. 23. The event, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the bank and gratitude for some of the people who made it possible, was well attended and planned...