Stories from Friday, June 27, 2003

Law enforcement and emergency officials were busy Thursday, as they went to the scenes of two separate plane crashes in Poinsett and Mississippi counties. According to Trooper Tony Bowman of the Arkansas State Police, last Thursday at around noon, the ASP and other agencies converged to a field, four miles north of Dyess where a plane had crashed into a field. ...

The Arkansas Activities Association recently announced that the following individuals have received All-State honors, in sports for the 2002-2003 season: Baseball: Brett Hogan, Davey Webb (Bay) Boys Basketball: Brandon Ballard (BIC), Marcus Monk (EPC), P.J. Lacy (EPC), Josh Bateman (Marmaduke)...

Four area athletes participated this past weekend in the 2003 Arkansas High School All-Star Games, on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. In the baseball game, held Wednesday night at Baum Stadium, the East and West split a doubleheader, 11-1 and 13-8. ...

The East Poinsett County Jr. Babe Ruth team battled three competitive teams this past week and was on both ends of the win-loss spectrum. On Friday, June 13, EPC returned home to face Manila at Warrior Park. After picking up a 6-2 lead after two innings, EPC's pitching fell apart as Manila scored 12 runs in two innings to pick up a 14-8 victory. ...

John Thomas Wallin, 68, of West Memphis died Friday, June 20, 2003 at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis. A Navy veteran, he was a Mason. Survivors include his wife, Ann Wallin of West Memphis; three sons, Tommy Wallin and Paul Wallin, both of Harrisburg, and Michael Elrod of Jonesboro; five daughters, Belinda Smith of Harrisburg, Sheri Foster of Marion and Melissa Elrod, Jerri Lyn Wallin and Jessica Wallin, all of West Memphis; four brothers, James Wallin and Bill Wallin, both of West Memphis, Harold Wallin of Dacula, Ga., and Jerry Wallin of Memphis; and nine grandchildren.. ...

Wanda Kellough Owens, 76, of Tulsa, Okla., formerly of Lepanto, died Tuesday, June 17, 2003 while hospitalized in Tulsa. She was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Andy Kellough. Wanda grew up in Lepanto, attending school there and membering The Church of Christ. She was very popular and garnered a host of friends with her pleasant personality and easy going manner...

Ruby Inez Nichols, 83, of Keiser, Ark., died June 22, 2003. A retired school cafeteria manager, Nichols was a member of the Osceola Church of God and was formerly the church secretary and treasurer. She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Nichols; two sons, Norman Earl Nichols and Carl Leon Nichols; one grandson, Norman Earl Nichols, Jr.; and sone son-in-law, Jimmy Raper...

J.D. Miles, 62, of Lake City died Wednesday, June 18, 2003 at St. Bernard's Medical Center. Born in Alabama, he was a resident of Poinsett County for more than 30 years. He was a farm worker and a member of Red Oak Baptist Church in Lepanto. Survivors include his wife, Glenda Miles of Lake City; five sons, Shawn Miles of Osceola, Jay Dee Miles of Eupora, Miss., and Joshua Miles, Willard Miles and Larry Miles, all of Lepanto; three daughters, Betty Sue Wright of Lake City, Brenda Manning of Eupora and Sarah Thacker of Lepanto; three sisters, Helen King of West Memphis, Olar Faye Mattingly of Jacksonville and Mary Anne Miles of Bear Creek, Ala.; six brothers, Millard Miles of Lepanto, Joseph Miles and James Miles, both of Marked Tree, and Hollis Miles, Oscar Miles and Howard Miles, all of Haleyville, Ala.; and eight grandchildren.. ...

Arline May, 56, of Leola died at her home on Wednesday, June 18, 2003. She was born in Manila on May 4, 1947 and was a homemaker. Survivors include her mother, Christine May of Leola; two sisters, Mary Johnson and Nadine Davis of Osceola; and two brothers, Dewayne May of Manila and Franklin May of Poyen...

Lori Beth Fountain, 18, of Proctor, Ark., died on Monday, June 16, 2003 in Proctor. She was a cook at Bonanza in West Memphis and a member of Calvary Baptist Church. Survivors include her parents, Robert and Sherry (Simmons) Fountain and brother James Fountain of the home; grandparents, R.L. ...

George R. Cotner, 62, of Shreveport, La. died on Friday, June 20, 2003 at his home. Cotner is a veteran of the US Army. Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Tony (Melissa) Leal of Tampa, Fla. and Mrs. Michael (Julie) Sinkule of Bossier City, La.; one son, Christopher Cotner of Bossier City, La.; one sister, Mrs. Frank (Carolyn) Bizzell of Little Rock, Ark.; and one grandchild...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had just declated homeowners in Poinsett and Craighead counties eligible for federal disaster relief from storms occurring May 2 - June 10, 2003. Homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage during storms...

Crowley's Ridge Development Council's energy assistance program is continuing to accept applications from qualified customers for utility payment assistance funds at its offices throughout the eight-county service area. Through the Crisis Intervention Home Energy Assistance Program (commonly referred to as LIHEAP) services, qualified applicants may receive help in paying the high utility bills that come with the seasonal temperatures of winter and summer. ...

A curly haired orphan delights audiences as she outwits evil Miss Hannigan and endears herself to billionaire Oliver Warbucks. Annie, the Foundation of the Arts 2003 Summer musical, will be performed at the Forum Theatre, 115 East Monroe in downtown Jonesboro, on June 27 and June 28 at 7:30 p.m., June 29 at 2 p.m. and June 30 at 7:30 p.m. Admission prices are $15 ground level, $12 balcony level and $5 for college students and children High School age and under...

Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge will be accepting applications for quota archery deer hunts during the period of July 1 through 12 noon on August 15. There will be two separate hunts, one for the month of October and one for the month of November. Thirty quota permits will be issued for each month. A fee of $12.50 will be charged for each permit. To apply for either hunt, complete the following:...

SHERWOOD, Ark. - Help is just a phone call away for individuals and business owners affected by the severe storms, flooding and tornadoes from May 2 through June 10. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) officials are offering options to the road to recovery. ...

The Marked Tree Senior Center hosted a special workshop on Alzheimer's Disease, with guest speaker Priscilla Pittman, Program Coordinator for Alzheimer's Arkansas. Pittman told the group that approximately 56,000 Arkansans have Alzheimer's Disease...

During a special called meeting, the Marked Tree Board of Education held two open expulsion hearings, as requested by the students and their guardians. In the first hearing, Superintendent Gary Masters furnished the board with a statement regarding the incident which occurred May 14, 2003 involving Kandace Moore. Masters informed the board that it is a State mandate that the District expel a student for the term of one year in the event that student brings a weapon onto school campus...

The following is a list of sports items that may have fallen through the cracks, for the week ending June 26, 2003: Hartwig wins U.S. vault championship: Last weekend, Jeff Hartwig defeated several athletes to win the 2003 U.S. Pole Vault Championship. In the tournament, held at Stanford University, Hartwig cleared 18 feet, 8 1/4 inches to pick up the crown. The 2003 championship marks the fourth time in the last five years that the Jonesboro resident and former ASU athlete has won the title...