Stories from Wednesday, August 4, 2004

Tribune News Staff A dream came true last Saturday morning, as members of the Lepanto Fire Department were joined by public officials, area business leaders and residents in formally dedicating a new fire station in the community. The 46x90 building, designed by the Stacks Architectural Firm in Jonesboro will house the city's fire and emergency equipment and will feature a kitchen, meeting room, offices and storage areas for the department as part of its amenities. ...

Tribune News Staff In a hearing last Thursday morning in Little Rock, former Marked Tree High School coach and teacher Rob Jennings announced his intent to plead not guilty to a federal charge of taking a minor across state lines to engage in sexual activity...

Tribune News Staff After 36 years of service, county coroner Paul "Sonny" Thompson is retiring from his elected position. Thompson, 70, became coroner in 1968 after serving several years as deputy coroner. He grew up in the Trumann area and graduated from Trumann High School. After taking some courses at South West Missouri State, Thompson returned to Trumann and began working for his father at Thompson Funeral Home...

Preparations are underway for the 2004 Poinsett County Fair, to be held August 17 through 21, at the county fairgrounds in Harrisburg. Midway rides and entertainment will be presented by Miller Spectactular Shows. Armband nights will be Tuesday and Thursday, and on Saturday night. Armbands allow the wearer admission to all rides on those evenings...

We were happy to have Debbie DeRossitte for our nutrition program this month. "Importance of Exercise" was the title of our program. One of the most effective ways to preserve and protect our joints is through proper exercise. Exercise can strengthen muscles, increase joint flexibility and range of motion...

Donald Garriel Porterfield, 59, of Joiner died Thursday, July 29 at his residence. He was a store manager and a member of Wilson Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife, Sue Porterfield of Joiner; two daughters: Donna Richmond of Osceola and Denise Eaton of Searcy; one son: Randy Porterfield of Searcy; his mother: Edna Porterfield of Turrell; his grandmother: Lula Porterfield of Earle; one sister: Charlotte Yount of Memphis; three brother: Jerry Porterfield and Than Porterfield, both of Turrell and Wilton Porterfield of Wynne; and five grandchildren.. ...

Pearl Agus Rogers, 59, of Osceola died Monday, August 2 at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born in Bakersville, Calif., she was a retired factory worker and a member of the Pentecostal Church of God in Etowah. She was preceded in death by her father, Edford Brewer...

Martha Lucell Simmons, 53, of Lepanto died Sunday, August 1 at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis. She was a resident of Three Rivers Nursing Center and a member of Red Oak Baptist Church. She was survived by her husband, Clyde R. Simmons; one son, David Simmons and wife Jaelu Simmons of Lepanto; and one granddaughter, Casey Simmons of Lepanto...

John Leon Turner, 59, of Lepanto died on Monday, August 2 at his residence. A lifetime resident of Lepanto, he was a U.S. Army Korean War veteran and a retired Arkansas State Policeman. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Katie Turner...

The success of the Memphis Grizzlies last season has paid dividends for the 2004-05 NBA season, before it has even started. In an announcement Monday, the team announced its 2004-2005 schedule and its first at the brand new FedEx Forum. In the 82-game schedule, the Grizzlies face several of the toughest teams in the NBA early in the season. ...

The following is a list of stories from the world of sports, ending Aug. 2, 2004: Daly has trouble in PGA event: Former Arkansas Razorback John Daly had trouble Sunday as he missed a putt on the 14th hole to fall one stroke behind winner Vijay Singh of the 2004 Buick Open. In the tournament, held at Grand Blanc, Mich., Singh finished at 23-under par, one shot better than Daly and two shots better than Tiger Woods. For his first place finish, Singh walks away with $810,000...

Violet May Johnson, 85, of Etowah died on Sunday, August 1 at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was a homemaker and a member of West Ridge Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband: Robert L. Johnson; two sons: Ennis Johnson and William Johnson; and two daughters: Bonnie Fleming and Patsy Hammond...

Carrie Bell Gargis Hollins, 54, of Cooter, Mo. Died Sunday, August 1 in Cooter. Born June 1, 1950 in Braggadocio, Mo., the daughter of the late Willie and Isabell Oliver Gargis, she was a longtime resident of Cooter, a homemaker and of the Baptist faith. She enjoyed doll collecting, arts and crafts,fishing and hunting. She was very proud of her grandchildren and loved spending time with them...

Elenor Opal (Davis) Hicks, 88, of Marked Tree died Wednesday, July 28 at her home. She was a homemaker and a member of the Sneed Street Baptist Church in Marked Tree. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Reba Hicks Sloan and her parents, James Edward and Minnie May (Stropes) Davis...

Ethel Faye Edwards, 57, of Manila died Tuesday, July 27, at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis. Born at Manila, she was a homemaker and a member of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ at Carrolls Corner. Survivors include her husband, Freddie Edwards of Manila; a daughter, Andrea Stone of Manila; a son, Gary Edwards of Manila; five sisters, Mary Sue Lee, Linda Handcock and Cindy Childress, all of Manila, and Bertha Copeland and Joann Baugus, both of Osceola; a brother, Douglas Baugus of Gentry; and four grandchildren.. ...

Gladys "Louise" Counce, 80, of Marked Tree, died Sunday, July 25, at her home. Born at Deatsville, Ala., she was a homemaker. Survivors include three daughters: Virginia Dawson of Tyronza, Martha Mills of Harrisburg and Ruby Phillips of Mount Vernon, Ill.; four sons: Robert Hale of Marion, Billy Counce of Marked Tree, James Hale of Kansas City, Kan., and Charles Hale of Denver; one sister: Beatrice Rodgers of Tyronza; 22 grandchildren; and 45 great-grandchildren...

Black Oak Baptist Church will be hosting a revival from August 8-12. Services will begin at 6 p.m. on Sunday and at 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Evangelist Frank Bufford will be speaking at the services. Pastor John Dillinger and the church congregation extend a welcome to everyone in the community to come and join in the services...

The Poinsett County Sheriff's Department announced last week the arrest of a Harrisburg woman on a drug charge, stemming from a traffic stop. According to Chief Deputy Kevin Molder, on July 25, at around 2:00 a.m., Dep. Justin Hooton arrested Julie Reddman, 37, of Harrisburg as a result of a traffic stop. ...

The Marked Tree Police Department announced Monday the arrest of two Marked Tree residents on drug charges, stemming from searches of homes in the area. According to Det. Mark Robinson of the MTPD, on July 30, 2004 at around 11:10 a.m., officers with the Marked Tree Police Department attempted a probation search of a residence on Elm St., at the residence of Gregory Deon Tribble, 23, of Marked Tree. ...

It seems like the summer is quickly passing right on by. We at TRNC are thankful for all the extra attention we have been getting from our many visitors and family members dropping in. Summer months are wonderful time for family get-togethers. Whether you come for a few moments or a few hours, those times are a treasure for our residents...

The pouring rain and overcast day did not stop a group from touring the Judd Hill Plantation and Tulot cemeteries. The group was made up of representatives from several state and local agencies, following the tour they all gathered at the Campbell Civic Center in Trumann...

Jeff Smallmon, Arkansas Little League District Four Administrator announced today that the youth baseball program in Blytheville Arkansas operated by the "Blytheville Baseball Boosters" voted to change their national affiliation to Little League Baseball INC. ...

Tony Dewayne Collins, 26, of Trumann passed away July 28 at a Memphis Hospital. He was a farmer and a member of the McCormick Baptist Church at McCormick. He was preceded in death by one brother, Jerry Lee Collins, Sr. He is survived by his parents, Roy Lee Collins, Sr. and Kathrin Medlock Collins; two brothers, Roy Lee "Junior" Collins, Jr. of Bono and Don Wayne Collins of Trumann; one sister, Tina Marie Collins of Trumann, several nieces, nephews and many relatives and friends...

Eathel Champlin, 87, of Bay died Friday, July 30, at Lakeside Nursing Center in Lake City. Born at Cleveland, she moved to Bay in 1936. She was a homemaker and was retired from Singer Corp. in Trumann. She was a member of Alsup Baptist Church. Survivors include two daughters, Margaret Ann Richie of Bay and Mable Buhrmester of Jonesboro; one son, John Champlin of Bay; four sisters, Effie Fletcher, Maxine Smith and Matie May Bobbitt, all of Jonesboro, and Willadean Matlock of Livingston, Texas; two brothers, Alton Pemberton of Jonesboro and Eulis Pemberton of Conway; 12 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and five great-great grandchildren.. ...

Dessie F. Knight, 92, of Bay passes away Sunday July 29 at NEA Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was a member of the Church of Christ and a native of Faulkner County. Her two great passions in life were caring for her family and sharing her Christian faith...

New student and kindergarten registration at Cedar Park will be from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. on August 5 and 6. Wee Cat Academy, for 3rd and 4th graders, registration is daily from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Beginning Aug. 4 the East Arkansas Area Agency on Aging, located at 2005 E. Highland in Jonesboro will be offering beginners line dance classes instructed by Ray and Patsy Wood. The classes will be each Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. during the month of August and are open and free to the public...

Trumann Junior High School is offering an orientation for all new seventh grade students. The orientation will be at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 17 at the Trumann High School Cafeteria. The orientation is for students and their parents or guardians, no family members please...

Cedar Park Elementary will be hosting a Parent's on Board night for each grade at Cedar Park. Each session of Parents on Board will begin at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 9 will be for kindergarten students, 1st grade on Aug. 10, 2nd grade on Aug. 11, 3rd grade on Aug. 12 and 4th grade on Aug. 16...

Her father was Joseph Henry Metcalf, who passed away June 10, 1940 when she was four years old. She does not know any of her Metcalf family and would like to get in contact with them. She is seeking information on Joseph L. Metcalf, Robert Metcalf, Cora Upchurch or Florence Smith...

The Rouse family recently enjoyed a family reunion at Craighead Forest Park in Jonesboro. This was the first reunion the family has had in several years. After enjoying a large potluck picnic family pictures were made and family members did a lot of reminiscing...

Ray Knight was honored at the July 15 meeting of the Trumann Rotary Club. Mayor Ronnie Harrison presented him with a plaque to Knight and declared July 15 be designated as Mr. Ray Knight Day at the Trumann Rotary Club. The plaque cited some of Knight's accomplishments such as being a charter member of the Trumann Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow with the Rotary International Foundation...

Barbara Miller, Information and Education Coordinator for the Barbara Miller Forest L. Wood Crowley's Ridge Nature Center presented a program last Wednesday to the Trumann Lions Club. Miller brought with her a guest that caused quite a stink. Stinky the skunk is a skunk that was purchased by the nature center. Miller said that Stinky runs around the office at the center, much like a cat. He travels from one office to another, visiting staff...

Soccer sign-ups for ages 4 and up have been extended. The next sign-up will be from 11 a.m. -- 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 7th, at the Trumann Recreational Complex American Legion Pavilion. Players must be 4 years old by July 31 to get to play soccer. Sign-up fee is $40 for youth sizes and $45 for adult sizes and will include shirt, shorts, socks, and kids will play more games than last year...