Stories from Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Tribune News Staff People have been working day and night at Marked Tree's gym to give the facility a fresh, new look for the regional tournament set to begin on Wednesday, Feb. 25. As guests arrive, they will be able to park on a newly-graded parking lot featuring new, brighter lighting. A raised sidewalk was poured, and the outside of the facility has been pressure-washed to make it look its best. Ticket windows will be open at either door...

Louise Byers Crum, 67, of Marked Tree, died Wednesday, Feb. 18, at St. Bernard's Medical Center. She was a homemaker and member of the Church of God. Survivors include four sons, Jim Crum of Marked Tree, Rick Crum of Trumann, Thomas Crum of Orange County, Calif., and Chris Crum of Payneway; one daughter, Fran Bell of Marked Tree; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren...

Annie Mae Dority, 86, of Luxora died Sunday, Feb. 15, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Osceola. Born in Durham, N.C., she was a retired cook and a member of Gospel Temple Missionary Baptist Church, where she served on the Mother's board. Survivors include four daughters, Earlene Smith and Shirley Huberins, both of Luxora, Jerlene Chew of Blytheville and Ethel Mae Downer of Detroit; five sons, Robert Smith of St. ...

He was a musician, an Army veteran, and of the Baptist faith. Survivors include two sons, Billy Dink Ford of Bono and David Fortner of Berlin, Germany; two daughters, Jody Mangrum of Memphis and Dee Angela Victory Ford of Tyronza; three sisters Dorothy Ford of Marked Tree, Georgia Goodin of Gosnell and Edna Ford of Berwyn, Ill.; and four grandchildren, Eric Flemming, Michael Flemming, Chris Flemming and Kayla Flemming...

Carolyn F. Hood, 44, of Trumann died Saturday, Feb. 21 in an automobile accident on Hwy 463 in Trumann. Hood was born April 2, 1959 in Union City, Tenn. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist belief. Hood was survived by her husband, Jimmy Hood of Trumann; her mother Robbie Montgomery of Trimble, Tenn.; two daughters: Stacy Mullins of Payneway, and Seena Mullins of Payneway; one sister: Mary Mullins of Newborn, Tenn; and four brothers: David Davis of Trumann, Chester Davis of Newborn, Tenn., Clydel Davis of Newborn, Tenn., and Charlie Davis of Newborn, Tenn.. ...

He is survived by his wife of forty-four year, Dorothy; two brothers, James Hubbard and Harold Hubbard; and stepmother, Doris Hubbard; five daughters, Faye Strange, Tonda Walker, Kelly Walker, Tabitha Foster, and Shannon Tucker; eleven grandchildren, Jaime Strange, Traci Johnson, Ashley Walker, Taylor Walker, Nicole Kelley, Zackery Tucker, Andrew Kelley, Chelsea Tucker, Olivia Walker, Grace Foster and Thomas Walker; and two great-grand children, Joseph Hale and Cody Strange...

Jim "Earl" Jackson, 87, of Blytheville died Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Blytheville. Born in Etowah, he was a lifelong resident of the community. He was a member of West Ridge Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon. He was a farmer and also drove a school bus for the Mississippi County School system for 24 years...

Verla Mae Ousley, 95, of Marked Tree,died Saturday, Feb. 21 at St. Bernard's Medical Center. Born in Kensett, she was a retired cafe owner and was of the Baptist belief. Survivors include one godson, A.J. McCuistion of Marked Tree. Graveside services were held at noon Tuesday at River View Cemetery at Marked Tree, with the Rev. Willie Brown officiating. Sims-Woodard Funeral Service in Marked Tree was in charge of arrangements...

Tribune Sports Staff It has been said that one play in a game can set the tempo for the remainder of the game and can crush another team's hopes. This happened last Saturday night as EPC had a strong second quarter to capture the 3AAA-South Senior Boys District Tournament with a 70-39 victory over the number three seed Osceola Seminoles...

VALLEY VIEW 55, EPC 43 East Poinsett County's Cinderella run ended when they fell to the second seeded Lady Blazers last Thursday night 55-43. The sixth-seeded Lady Warriors, who upset third-seeded Harrisburg Tuesday, led early but behind four double-figure scorers, Valley View secured its spot in the finals...

Tribune Sports Staff Going into the 3AA-South Sr. District Tournament at Earle last week, the Marked Tree senior boys basketball team battled down the stretch to get the number two seed in the tournament and with one win, get into the regional tournament on their own floor this week...

Tribune Sports Staff In a game that went back and forth all night, it was the play of the Earle Lady Bulldogs in overtime that helped to provide Earle with a 66-58 overtime victory over Marked Tree in the semifinals of the 3AA-South Senior District Tournament last Thursday night...

She was a member of the Buffalo Baptist Church. Survivors include her husband, Billy Ray Brown of Caraway; one daughter, Malinda Brown of Newark; and one brother, Ernest McKay of Shirley. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Talinda Brown; one son, Ronnie Ray Brown; her parents; and one sister...

She was a homemaker and a member of Corner Chapel Baptist Church in Payneway Survivors include her husband, Oscar Williams of Payneway; two sons, W.O. Kincade and Ron Kincade, both of Mountain Home; a sister, Ople Foley of Vancouver, Wash.; and three grandchildren, Shannon Kincade, Jeff Kincade and Jason Kincade; and three great-grandchildren...

Tribune News Staff The Arkansas State Police announced last week that they are currently looking at evidence from the crime scene and other items in the investigation of a 1994 double murder in the city of Lepanto. In an interview with the Tri-City Tribune, Special Agent Phil Carter of the Arkansas State Police stated that the agency is looking into the grisly Sept. ...

Tribune News Staff Lepanto mayor Dale Dunlap dedicates his talents and time to improving a city he takes pride in calling his own. Dunlap, 62, has been involved with city government in Lepanto since he became a city council member in 1977. Dunlap moved to Lepanto from Marked Tree in 1956. ...

Tribune News Staff Poinsett County Circuit Court Judge David Laser announced Tuesday morning that Marked Tree resident Curtis Kent has been sentenced to ten years of supervised probation, along with a $10,000 fine in connection with the 2002 shooting of his wife, Betty Kent...

The Arkansas State Police were busy this weekend, as they investigated two accidents in Poinsett County. Last Friday, at around 1:50 p.m., they were dispatched to a two-vehicle accident about a half-mile from the Poinsett-Craighead County line on U.S. ...

Tribune News Staff In a meeting where the only item on the agenda was a plan to raise garbage rates to pay for increased landfill issues, it was the discussion after that that got the most attention last Tuesday night at the Lepanto City Council meeting...

The Poinsett County Sheriff's Department is taking part in a national $50 million grant funded by the Department of Justice to obtain free gunlocks to protect children from accidental shootings. Nearly 20 million gun locks will be distributed in all 50 states, the five U.S. territories and the District of Columbia...

The citizen of the year will be announced at the Marked Tree Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet to be held on Thursday, March 11. The ballot for citizen of the year can be found on page ? of this week's edition. Ballots may be delivered to the Tribune office at 15 Elm St. or may be mailed to P.O. Box 490; Marked Tree, Ark. 72365...

A recent graduate of Arkansas State University, he was a member of the Library Street Church of Christ. Survivors include his parents, Norman and Johnnie Sage of Marked Tree; two brothers, Jonathan Ray Ashlock of Little Rock and T. Ford Ashlock of Cordova, Tenn.; three stepbrothers, Jason Sage and Aaron Sage, both of Clarksville, Tenn., and Joel Sage of Nashville, Tenn.; and his maternal grandmother, Gertrude Ford of Bentonville...

Helen Maxine Tacker, 73, of Odessa, died Tuesday, February 17 at Hospice House. She was born in Adamsville Tennessee and attended high school in Marked Tree. She was active in both Girl and Boy Scouting with her children and husband, a member of Parkview Church of Christ, and a strong advocate for the Children's Miracle Network...

Mr. James "Jim" Thomas, 84, a native of the Lepanto/Marked Tree area, and a 52 year resident of Madera passed, away at Hinds Hospice in Fresno on Friday, Jan. 30. Jim was a veteran of World War II, having served in the US Army in the European and African Theatres. In Madera he was a member of the VFW Post #1981. Jim was a retired cotton ginner, retiring in 1982 after 27 years with The Madera Cotton Gin Co-Op...

Arnetta Waterford, 74, of Joiner died Saturday, Feb. 14, at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis. Born in Little Rock, she was a retired cook and a member of Mount Pisby Church in Chelford. Survivors include two daughters, Betty Jean Rogers of Osceola and Johnnie Mae Brown of Joiner; six sons, Howard Waterford of Blytheville, Augustus Mitchell of Waynesboro, Miss., Gary Mitchell of Joiner, Larry Mitchell of Hazlehurst, Miss., and Charles Mitchell and Freddie Mitchell, both of Indianapolis; two sisters, Dorothy Green and Evelyn Lewis, both of Indianapolis; two brothers, Lee Moore and Tommy Moore, both of Indianapolis; 30 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; and several great-great-grandchildren.. ...

With the district tournaments out of the way, area teams now turn their attention to their respective regional tournaments this week at sites throughout the state of Arkansas. As for area teams, both the Marked Tree and EPC boys and girls basketball teams will play in regional tournaments this week at Riverview and Marked Tree. ...

Monday, Feb. 16 3AAA-North at Pocahontas Senior Boys Corning 63, Piggott 57 Senior Girls Piggott 55, Hoxie 38 3AAA-South at Rivercrest Senior Boys Manila 66, Trumann 50 Valley View 66, Harrisburg 63 (OT) Senior Girls EPC 69, Osceola 49 Manila 58, Trumann 43...