Stories from Wednesday, February 18, 2004

Law enforcement officials announced last Thursday that Marked Tree resident Curtis Kent pled guilty to a charge of manslaughter in the shooting death of his wife, in the fall of 2002. In a session, held in Greene County Circuit Court in Paragould, Circuit Judge David Laser accepted the plea of Kent, who had been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Betty Kent on Oct. ...

Tribune News Staff Sister-in-laws Vickie Green and Amy Deckelman know all about good home cooking. Referred to as "Two Girls Cooking," the duo serves up meals for the Marked Tree Rotary Club, the Marked Tree Lions Club, and Wednesday night meetings at First United Methodist Church in Marked Tree. Members of all the groups look forward to the delicious food and creative presentation the women provide...

(Editor's Note: The following is part two of a series of excerpts from a book written by Lepanto resident Malcolm Patterson. Patterson wrote about his adventures, serving in the United States Coast Guard during World War II at a base in Maine.) "At the Southwest Harbor Base, there were at least four of these small boats. ...

Becky Barnes,31, uses her hands and her creativity to make the little girls and women of the Tri-City area smile with delight. Her dress creations are worn in pageants, proms, and weddings all over the state and beyond. Barnes is the new owner of Etta's Fashions in Lepanto...

FFA, a youth development organization devoted to preparing students for leadership and career success through agricultural education, will celebrate National FFA Week, February 21-28. The 2004 National FFA Week theme is "FFA…Living the Legacy." Created in 1928 as Future Farmers of America, the organization's name was changed to FFA in 1988 to better represent the growing diversity of agriculture. ...

State Representative Wayne Nichols announced his re-election bid for District 56 Poinsett County in the democratic primary. Nichols is serving his second term in the Arkansas House of Representatives. He is presently serving as chairman of the Judiciary-House Juvenile Justice and Child Support Subcommittee; House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development; House Rules; House Judiciary; Legislative Joint Audit; Legislative Joint Audit State Agencies; Alternate on Legislative Council; and is a non-voting member of Insurance and Commerce.. ...

Tribune News Staff In its meeting last Tuesday night, the Tyronza City Council discussed an issue that its counterparts in Lepanto discussed last month: the issue of funding dispatcher service for the community. In the period, where other business was discussed, members of the Tyronza City Council inquired from Mayor Marion Bearden about a plan, under consideration that Lepanto, Marked Tree and Tyronza combine dispatcher services for police and fire service. ...

Tribune News Staff Several parents were present at the Marked Tree School Board meeting on Monday to express their concerns about the school's efforts to improve scores in math on the benchmark test. The school implemented a plan for students in grades seven to 12. ...

Poinsett County Circuit Clerk, Claudia Matthews, releases the following names drawn as prospective petit jurors for the February 2004 session of Poinsett County Circuit Court Criminal/Civil Division. Judge David Laser of Jonesboro and Judge David Burnett of Osceola will be presiding...

Harold Blackwood of Tyronza announced Monday that he will seek another term as Justice of the Peace, District 11, which consists of Tyronza and areas around the city. Blackwood, who is employed by the Northeast Arkansas Regional Juvenile Program as a part-time employee, served seven years with the program as its program monitor. ...

Special to the Tribune Marked Tree seemed to have things going their way but then Rivercrest Colts coach Rick Wilson went and threw a wrench in their plans. Playing a deliberate-style offense, the Indians forged to a 26-23 halftime lead but a little full-court pressure went a long way as the homestanding Colts rebounded to win 65-56 over over a 'Brad Jones-less' Marked Tree last week...

Tribune Sports Staff In a game that went back and forth all night, it was the play of EPC's seniors that made the difference in a 61-57 EPC victory over Altheimer last Friday night. Both teams entered the game with many of the so-called experts, thinking that the team that shot the ball well and held up on turnovers would win the game. ...

Mary Alma Muse Bell, 81, of Marked Tree, died Thursday, Feb. 12, at St. Bernard's Medical Center. She was of the Baptist belief and worked as a retail merchant. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ross Bell, a step-son Joe Bell, her parents, and one brother...

Herbert Hayes "Bo" Carter, 58, of Sweetwater died Sunday, Feb. 8, at his residence. Born in Mississippi County, he was a farmer and was of the Baptist belief. Survivors include four daughters, Judy Gonzalez and Penny Pilgrim, both of Sweetwater, Karen Goins of Athens, Tenn., and Sherry Carter of Trumann; a son, Jerry Carter of Trumann; three sisters, Francine Stacks of Heber Springs, Imogene Smith of Jacksonville and Gertrude Hunt of Beebe; three brothers, Otto Carter and Teddy White, both of Lepanto, and Billy Carter of Heber Springs; 14 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.. ...

Jimmie Freeman, 78, of Groveport, Ohio passed away Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2004 at Mt. Carmel East Hospital. Freeman was retired from Federal Glass where he served for 28 years and was a member of the Pentecostal Church of God. Freeman was proceeded in death by his parents Carl and Callie Freeman. ...

(Editor's Note: The following is a culmination of stories written by Black Oak resident Johnny Rye, Sr. about his early life in Tyronza and the people who lived there during his early years.) Johnny Rye, Sr. and his family have a long history of being residents of the Tri-Cities area and Tyronza since the 1930's and Rye has met a lot of people in his years as a resident in this area. ...

Monday, Feb. 9 Senior Boys Bay 59, Weiner 53 EPC 66, CRA 39 Manila 56, Riverside 44 3AAA-South Jr. District Tournament at Valley View Junior Boys Osceola 53, Harrisburg 30 Rivercrest 60, Manila 33 Trumann 46, EPC 28 Valley View 34, Gosnell 29 3AA-North Jr. District Tournament at Walnut Ridge...