Stories from Thursday, July 18, 2002

Lepanto's Little River Bank welcomed Tommy Hargrove of Newport, as its new bank president on Monday. Hargrove offers the Tri-City area a wealth of banking expertise through his experience. He was previously employed in Newport with Union Planters Bank, headquartered in Memphis. He has also served the Warren Bank and Trust as executive vice president and chief operating officer, in Warren, Ark. and in Holly Grove, Ark. as bank president...

Marked Tree defeated Walnut Ridge 11-5 in a machine pitch tournament in Trumann Saturday. Marked Tree team members include: Taylor Wages, Jagger McCrary, Gunner Pitts, Zach Bond, Chase Burdette, Jerry Phillips, Bryant Anderson, Brayden Pharis, Thadious Moore, Dustin Laster and Brody McCrary. Coaches are: Tommy McCrary, Trey Pitts, Jeremy Bond and Dwayne Pharis...

The Marked Tree Indians are voted by 3AA conference coaches to finish second in the conference as stated in this year's Hooten's Arkansas Football magazine. The 448-page magazine is in its 10th year of publication and offers the most comprehensive preseason football coverage in Arkansas...

UCA Cheerleading Camp was at the Marked Tree High School on July 1 through 3. Lindey Sanders was the UCA Cheerleading Instructor. The cheerleader won eight first place ribbons and a first place trophy for performances in cheering, dancing and gymnastic stunts. They also won the "spirit stick" for their enthusiastic team spirit...

Herbert Skipper, Jr. of Tyronza died July 13, 2002 at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Tyronza, a veteran of the U.S. Army and a farm manager. The funeral was Monday, July 15 at the First Baptist Church in Tyronza. Raymond Routon officiated the ceremony. Place of interment was at Tyronza Cemetery. Murphy Funeral Home of Marked Tree was in charge of the arrangements...

Donald G. Hastings, 63, of Wilson died July 11, 2002 at Methodist Central in Memphis. He was born Nov. 29, 1938 at Carson Lake, was a mechanic and was of the Baptist faith. The funeral was July 14 at Wilson Funeral Home Chapel in Osceola. Charlie Covington officiated the ceremony. Place of interment was at Bassett Cemetery in Bassett. Active pallbearers were friends and family. Visitation was held...

There will be a fundraiser fish fry for Governor Mike Huckabee hosted by Doll Holloway at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 25 at the Marked Tree Elementary School Cafeteria at 700 Normandy Street. The keynote speaker will be Governor Mike Huckabee. For tickets and more information, call Holloway at 358-2195, Joy Grietens at 358-3714, Marion Dawson at 358-2431 or Carolyn Wages at 358-2833 in Marked Tree; Marion Traylor at 475-2707, Sally McMechen at 475-2594 in Lepanto and Glenda Anderson at 483-6913, Rick and Tonya McKenzie at 483-5626 or Wayne Schmidt at 483-7966 in Trumann.. ...

In its meeting Monday night, the Lepanto City Council voted 8-0 to authorize the conveyance of the Willie Lamb, Post 26 American Legion Hut from the city of Lepanto to the Legion Hut. The resolution, passed at the July meeting, will allow Mayor Dale Dunlap or City Clerk Tamara Wyatt to use a quick-claim deed to send the remainder of the 100-year lease to the Legion Hut. ...

Marked Tree defeated Walnut Ridge 11-5 in a machine pitch tournament in Trumann Saturday. Marked Tree team members include: Taylor Wages, Jagger McCrary, Gunner Pitts, Zach Bond, Chase Burdette, Jerry Phillips, Bryant Anderson, Brayden Pharis, Thadious Moore, Dustin Laster and Brody McCrary. Coaches are: Tommy McCrary, Trey Pitts, Jeremy Bond and Dwayne Pharis...

Mr. Samuel "Sam" Laverne Looney died July 11, 2002, at the family residence in Trumann, of natural causes. He was 71 years old. Mr. Looney was born on March 10, 1931, in Ravenden Springs, Ark., and had lived in Trumann for the past 12 years. He was formerly of Dallas, Texas. Mr. Looney was a retired mechanic for Park City Motors in Dallas and was preceded in death by one sister, Wanda Lee Ballard and his parents, Rufus James and Lorene Grimes Looney...

Melba Newson Byrd, 62, of Jonesboro died July 12 at her home of natural causes. She was born near Walcott and lived most of her life in Jonesboro. She had worked for Dr. Bobby McKee's vision center and was a member of the Jonesboro Worship Center. She was a graduate of Jonesboro Business College...

Margaret Marie "Canary" Addison, 61, of Marmaduke died on July 14 at Arkansas Methodist Hospital in Paragould of natural causes. She was born in Bay and had lived in Marmaduke for the past 11 years, moving there from Trumann. She was a housewife and of the Baptist faith...

Bay school has a new elementary principal. She is not new to the school but new to the position. Jacinda Prince accepted the position after the resignation of former elementary principal Arthur Jackson. Also present at its regular meeting Monday night was new high school principal Oliver "Chip" Layne. The board accepted handbook changes for the 2002-03 school year and also accepted a recommendation from Layne for an awards program in which the students would earn free time...

Virginia Hale, formerly of California, brought a piece of her previous address with her when she moved to Arkansas. She brought a tree. This tree isn't just any tree; it's a Californian Avocado Tree. Virginia and her husband moved to Trumann in 1995. She began growing what would become her avocado tree by planting it in flowerpot and nursing it for three years before transplanting it into the Arkansas soil...

The First United Methodist Churches of Trumann and Tyronza have a new minister. Rev. Jimmy D. Thresher, Sr. is serving as pastor for both churches. He is a 1963 graduate of Turrell High School, 1983 graduate of ASU and a 1987 graduate of Memphis Theological Seminary. He served in the military for two years serving as Medical Corpsman, ambulance driver / field medic in Germany. He was honorably discharged in December of 1968...

In their monthly meeting held on July 9 the Trumann City Council voted to give all city employees and officials a 4% increase in pay. The raise is retroactive to July 1. The finance committee composed of Ronnie Harrison, James Baker, Gary Darr and Larry Henderson reviewed the city finances and made the motion to give the raise. Joe Hillis seconded the motion. All aldermen voted for the raise and the motion was passed...

ASU football Coach Kevin Corless recently spoke to the Trumann Lions club about the upcoming Indian Football season. He brought Derick McPike, member of athletic marketing at ASU, and Alex Peoples, sophomore starting free safety, from Texarkana. Coach Corless stated that the coaching staff has three goals for their team and staff...