Stories from Wednesday, June 18, 2003

BY CARIN MCCLUNG,Democrat Editor Trumann Police Department is searching for two men who robbed Mapco / Delta Express at gunpoint. At approximately 1:25 a.m. on June 16 two black males entered the convenience store, located at the corner of Hwy 463 and Melton, wearing hooded tops, ski masks and gloves. They then proceeded to rob the store clerk of an undetermined amount of money and her purse that contained $50 in cash and personal effects...

Mr. Thomas Edward Duggins of North Charleston, S.C., passed away Sunday, June 8, 2003, at Roper Hospital in Charleston, S.C. He was 66 years old. Mr. Duggins was born in Charleston, S.C., and had lived in Charleston for the past several years after moving there from Glendora, C.A. ...

Mrs. Dorothy Jean Thomas of Jonesboro, passed away Wednesday, June 4, at the family residence of natural causes. She was 70 years old. Mrs. Thomas was born on March 10, 1933, in Princeton, Ala., and had lived most of her lifetime in Trumann. She was retired from the Arkansas Glass Container Packing Department in Jonesboro, Ark., and was of the Baptist belief. Mrs. Thomas was preceded in death by her parents, Oscar William and Rendy Flora Eakes Jones...

Vaughn William Lansdell, Sr., 78, of Trumann passed away June 10 at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro of natural causes. He was born in Cleveland, Ark. and had lived most of his life in the Trumann area. He was retired from the Singer Manufacturing Co. of Trumann, a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the Pleasant Valley Baptist Church...

There will be a free health clinic for migrant farm workers and their families Sunday, June 29, 2003, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Riverside West Elementary School in Lake City. The school is located on Highway 18. Services offered: Medical, Dental, WIC, Immunizations, blood sugar and blood pressure screenings, utility assistance and haircuts...

Paul McAnally, Loan Officer for the Bank of Trumann recently completed the first year curriculum of Paul W. Barret, Jr. School of Banking. The school was held June 1 - 6 on the campus of Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn. The first of the three year program is designed to give commercial bankers a detailed examination of consumer lending and credit principles, financial statement analysis, real estate lending and bank operations, including regulatory requirements, operations risk, employee supervision, and selling bank services. ...

At the June 2 monthly Bay City Council meeting, several topics were reviewed. After approving the minutes of the May meeting the group discussed: - The possibility of turning the proposed $516,000 loan on a new water storage tank into a 20 year loan instead of a 40 year loan...

The Trumann School board added several new employees to the district at their June meeting. Michelle Sullivan was added as nurse for Central Elementary, Kimbery F. Johnson and Natalie L. Teague will be new Central Elementary teachers, Diane Osment will work as a playground aide and Erin Byerly was approved as a 7th grade English teacher...

BY CARIN MCCLUNG, Democrat Editor City employees and elected officials received a five percent increase to their paychecks. After a meeting of the finance committee, committee chairman Larry Henderson brought their recommendation to the council. Alderman Joe Hillis was against the raise as an across the board percentage. ...

Mrs. Mary Mabel West, of Trumann, passed away on June 10, 2003 at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro, Ark., of natural causes. She was 79 years old. Mrs. West was born in Athens, Alabama and had lived in Trumann for most of her life. She was a homemaker, and a member of the Pleasant Hills Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Grady C. West, one daughter, Mary Baney, and by her parents, Aaron and Leona Brooks...