Stories from Wednesday, April 7, 2004

Tribune News Staff With the deadline for candidates to file for the May 18 primary and November 2 election already passed, many political experts have stated that there is a lack of contested races in the state of Arkansas. However, local numbers and races prove otherwise...

An NFL lineman who has had a stellar career in the NFL for almost 20 years will appear in Blytheville April 23 at a banquet that will honor coaches and players in Northeast Arkansas. Detroit Lions offensive lineman Ray Brown, a Marion native played football at Arkansas State University, where he started on both sides of the football will be the guest speaker at a banquet, sponsored by Sports Promotion Group of Blytheville...

A six-run second inning provided the difference as the EPC Lady Warriors softball team defeated their counterparts from Marked Tree 17-5 last Wednesday afternoon in high school softball action. On a cold, blustery day in Marked Tree, the EPC bats warmed up as the Warriors scored three runs in the first inning and six runs in the second inning off Marked Tree pitching. ...

As was the case in their earlier meeting, it was the play of Marked Tree in the late innings that provided the difference in a 9-2 Marked Tree victory over EPC in high school baseball action last Thursday afternoon. In the game, played at Marked Tree, Marked Tree overcame a slow start to score three runs in the fourth and sixth innings to pick up the win. ...

Eddie Bell Morris, 81, of Osceola died Thursday, April 1, at her residence. Born at Nodena, she was a homemaker and a member of the First Baptist Church in Joiner. Survivors include five daughters, Ethel Hopewell and Ada Brown, both of Osceola, Martha Musgraves of Blytheville and Joann Sauls and Louise Williams, both of Kansas City, Kan.; one son, Albert Morris of Osceola; four stepdaughters, Annie Goodlow, Stella Morris, Eddie Bedford and Nola Morris, all of St. ...

Roosevelt Woodson Jr., 66, of Osceola died Thursday, April 1, at Osceola Baptist Hospital. Born in Marion, he was a mechanic and a member of St. John Missionary Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife, Bessie Hampton; five daughters, Omasha Woodson and Caretta Woodson, both of Osceola, Beverly Robinson and Darlene Tucker, both of Blytheville, and Hollie Jones of Tulsa, Okla.; eight sons, Julian Woodson and Russell Woodson, both of Blytheville, Courtney Woodson and Marlon Adams, both of Osceola, Anthony Woodson of Tulsa, Ronald Woodson of Kennett, Mo., Ervin Woodson of Conway and Brian Woodson of Memphis; two sisters, Bonnie Rabb and Geraldine Rasco, both of Indianapolis; two brothers, Ardell Woodson and Logan Woodson, both of Blytheville; 30 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.. ...

Rosie Lee Washington, 73, of Joiner died Friday, March 26 of heart failure at Baptist Hospital in Osceola. Washington was a homemaker and a member of the usher board at First Baptist Church in Joiner. Survivors include seven daughters: Lula Lanier of Blytheville, Myra Smith of Joiner, Doris Washington of Osceola, Linda Washington of Joiner, Sandra Merritt of Osceola, Joyce Washington of Wilson and Shirley Coleman of Osceola; three sons: Alfonza Washington of West Memphis, Michael Washington of Joiner and Reginald Washington of West Memphis; two sisters: Ida Bell King of Kansas City, Mo. ...

Thomas James Johnson Jr., 39, of Gosnell died Tuesday, March 30, at his residence. Born in Osceola, he worked as a heating and air electrician and was of the Baptist belief. Survivors include his wife, Charline Johnson of Gosnell; a daughter, Jessica Johnson of Gosnell; two sons, Thomas Johnson and Aaron Johnson, both of Gosnell; 10 sisters, Betty Boone of Blytheville, Phyllis Moore and Teresa Houston, both of Harrisburg, Judy Johnson and Connie Thompson, both of Osceola, Mary England of Wilson, Lisa Butterworth of the Lost Cane community, Rhonda West of Burdette, Tina Evans of Luxora and Vicky Johnson of Manila; five brothers, Mack Johnson of Burdette, Billy Johnson of Poway, Calif., Kenneth Johnson of Dell, Randy Johnson of Gosnell and Scott Johnson of Orange Park, Fla.. ...

Denver Gray Rosamond, 64, of Caraway died Saturday, April 3, at his residence. He was a farmer and was of the Baptist belief. Survivors include his wife, Linda Timbs Rosamond; one son, Michael Gray Rosamond of Manila; two daughters, Priscilla Avery of Blytheville and Melissa "Missy" Price of Belton, Texas; five sisters, Evelyn Pascall of Germantown, Tenn., Gwen Forrester of Henderson, Sara Jo Lindsey of Waterloo, Ill., Mary Roy of Booneville, Miss., and Gail Coats of Rivervale; three brothers, Guy Rosamond of Parkin, Ronnie Rosamond of Mandlay and Johnny Rosamond of Rivervale; and eight grandchildren.. ...

Alma Jean Sikes, 51, of Blytheville died Tuesday, March 30 of heart failure at her home. Sikes was born in Luxora and was a housewife. Surivors include her companion, Danny Timms of Blytheville; her daughter, Marion Sikes of Dade City, Flo.; her son Larry Sikes of Dade City, Flo.; seven sisters: Alice Mathina of Pocahontas, Glenda Wade of Blytheville, Peggy Crouse of Blytheville, Ethel Warren of Fort Myers, Flo., Mary Bachuss of Pocahontas, Jane Cox of Gonsell and Marie Murphy of Blytheville; and one brother: David Murphy, Jr. ...

The Crowley's Ridge Development Council (CRDC) Board of Directors will meet in regular session at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 15, at the CRDC Head Start Complex, 213 North Fisher Street in Jonesboro. Board members from the eight-county CRDC service area will gather at that time to act on matters affecting the numerous community service programs supported by the agency...

Paragould Daily Press PARAGOULD -- Customers beware: a check scam has reared its ugly head in Greene County. According to Ron Stephens, president of Unico Bank, a few individuals from Paragould have fallen prey to a fraudulent scheme coined the "Nigerian Check Scam."...

There will be a fish fry at the Marked Tree Elementary Cafeteria at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 16 to benefit the Brad Godwin Memorial Scholarship fund. Two scholarships in the amount of $500 will be given this year and two for each subsequent year are planned...

Col Douglas Moore was inducted into the Dedicated Unhesitating Service to Our Fighting Forces (DUSTOFF) Hall of Fame on Feb. 21. The DUSTOFF Association is a nonprofit organization for Army Medical Department enlisted and officer personnel, aviation crewmembers, and others who are or were engaged in, or actively supported in any capacity, Army aeromedical evacuation programs in war or peace...

Tribune News Staff Ruby Jean Boxley is dear to the hearts of people of all ages in Marked Tree. Mrs. Boxley is loved for her contributions to the town as an educator, as a mother and as a friend. Boxley grew up in Memphis. She graduated from Treadwell High School in Memphis in 1946 and went on to receive a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Memphis in 1946...

Tribune News Staff Many young girls dream of being a girl scout. Thanks to the dedication of a few hardworking mothers, girls in Marked Tree are given the opportunity to fulfill that dream. Millie Walton of Marked Tree started Girl Scout Troop #208 three years ago. Walton said she was a girl scout as a young girl and she wanted to give her daughter, Kendale, the same wonderful experience. Kendale is a third grader at Marked Tree Elementary School...

The Tyronza Police Department announced this week the arrests of two individuals on separate DWI charges. Police Chief Curtis Swan told the Tri-City Tribune that on March 26, 2004 at around 11:00 p.m., Officer David Hotchkiss observed a suspicious vehicle sitting in a vacant business parking lot in the community. ...

The Marked Tree Police Department announced Monday the arrest of two area individuals on criminal charges. Det. Mark Robinson of the Marked Tree Police Department told the Tri-City Tribune that the MTPD arrested a Jonesboro man, formerly of Marked Tree on a warrant, stemming from last year's multi-agency drug investigation...

LITTLE ROCK - Biologists from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission today presented their proposals for this year's deer season at the agency's monthly meeting in Little Rock. The commission will study the proposals and make a decision at their April 15 meeting in Hot Springs. ...