Stories from Wednesday, September 22, 2004

Marked Tree lost one of its prominent and beloved citizens last Wednesday when Mike Everett died at the age of 56 after fighting a long battle with cancer. Born in Morton, Evertt was a graduate of Arkansas State University and served as the deputy prosecutor of the 2nd Judicial District in Poinsett County in the mid-1970s...

The Modern News The Poinsett County finance committee recently discussed options on how to deal with the county budget crisis. In a called session from John Johnson of Trumann shortly before regular quorum court was to begin, the committee began trying to find ways the county could afford its budget since the special election sales tax was voted down. The county currently pays nearly $130,000 a month in bills with most of the problems coming from the detention center and county landfill...

(Editor's note: The story of how Marked Tree received its name has been retold and printed many times. However, many newcomers may not know the tale. So, just in time for the Delta Cotton Pickin' Jubilee, here is the story as related on www.markedtreearkansas.org)...

Michael Everett, 56, of Marked Tree died Wednesday, Sept. 15, at his residence. Born at Morton, he was a graduate of Arkansas State University and served as the deputy prosecutor of the 2nd Judicial District in Poinsett County in the mid-1970s. He served in the Arkansas Senate from 1991-2002. During that time he served as chairman of the Judiciary Committee and was a member of the Joint Budget Committee and the Legislative Council and State Agency and Governmental Affairs Committee...

Delia Garner, 81, of Lepanto died Wednesday, Sept. 15, at St. Bernard's Medical Center. Born at Sulphur Rock, she was a longtime member of Lepanto Church of Christ. Survivors include two sons, Dennis Garner of Caraway and Jeff Garner of West Ridge; five daughters, Johnnie Adams of Collierville, Tenn., Allamae Ezell of Jonesboro, Wanda Kemp of Blytheville, Cynthia Willbanks of Tulsa, Okla., and Charlotte Garner of Etowah; one brother, Dale Harvison of Trumann; five sisters, Willene Garner of Lepanto, Vera Lewis of Redfield, Kathyrn Smart of Harrisburg, Leona Russell of Duck Hill, Miss., and Lillian Phillips of Jonesboro; 17 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.. ...

Mary Helen Holiman, 77, of Lepanto died Thursday, Sept. 16, at the Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock. Born in Memphis, she was a member of First Baptist Church, the Lepanto Art Chapter and the National Audubon Society. Survivors include two sons: Jake Holiman and Mark Holiman, both of Lepanto; one daughter: Charlotte Patterson of Lepanto; one sister; Doris Hamilton of Dallas; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren...

Mary Frances Fleming Murray,87, of San Angelo, Texas died Monday, Sept. 13. She was previously of Marked Tree and a graduate of Marked Tree High School. She and her husband were the first operators of the Travel Air Motel. She was a member of Quail Ridge Baptist Church...

Tribune Sports Staff After being on the road, with games in Little Rock and Salem the first two weeks of the season, the Marked Tree senior high football team returned home last Friday night to face the upstart Earle Bulldogs in the home opener at Don Lovell Memorial Field...

It was an all-around effort last Friday night, as the East Poinsett County senior high football team picked up over 500 yards on the way to a 46-22 victory over Cross County in senior high football action. At the game, held at Cherry Valley, the Warriors (2-0, 2-0 in the 3AA) scored in all facets of the game in the first six minutes of the game, taking a commanding 20-0 lead with 6:32 left in the opening quarter. ...

After wins over Marked Tree and Trumann in the past week, the East Poinsett County tennis team traveled to Jonesboro last week to face two of the top tennis teams in Northeast Arkansas, Class A Ridgefield Christian and Class AAA team Valley View. And EPC marked a check in the win column by defeating both Ridgefield Christian and Valley View last week...

Democrat Sports Staff After two games as the visiting team, the Rector Junior Cougars played their home opener against EPC last Thursday. An omen hung overhead in the form of a gray sky as action got underway. The Warriors from EPC started the game off at their own 35 after the kickoff went out-of-bounds. ...

Hazel E. Elrod, 85, of Melbourne died Friday, Sept. 17, at Calico Rock Community Hospital. Formerly of Joiner, she was of the Jehovah's Witnesses belief. Survivors include four sons, Cecil Elrod and Jerry Elrod, both of Melbourne, Larry Elrod of Marked Tree and Roy C. Elrod of Osceola; a daughter, Rebecca S. Wilkins of Marked Tree; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren...

Barbara Ann Blumenauer, 61, of Spring Hill, formerly of Marked Tree, died Thursday, Sept. 16, at her residence. She was a member of Freedom Christian Fellowship at Adrian, Mich. and was a choir member. Survivors include her husband, Tim E. Blumenauer of Spring Hill; one son, Todd Jeffrey Blumenauer of Tecumseh, Mich.; one daughter, Amy Lynn Craft of St. Petersburg, Fla.; her mother, Thelma Louise Turner of West Memphis; one brother, Edward James Turner of Eureka Springs; and five grandchildren...

The Marked Tree Board of Education met in regular session Monday night to discuss curriculum and benchmark test scores. Superintendent Gary Masters told the board that he believed a mistake had been made in calculating the high school's place on the school improvement list. ...

Tribune News Staff In its meeting last Tuesday night, the Tyronza City Council discussed several issues dealing with the city, including the possibility of a study into the issue of annexation. In the meeting, held at the Tyronza District Courtroom, the council heard from Richard Spellac and Rob Middleton of the East Arkansas Planning and Zoning Committee. ...

County officials know that terrorism is a real threat, even to the small communities of Poinsett County. That is why Merle Williams, Office of Emergency Management director, organized an exercise earlier this month to test the county's preparedness for an outbreak of smallpox...

Tribune News Staff In a relatively short meeting, the Lepanto City Council voted 7-0 Monday night to approve a series of increases for inspections of properties and structures in Lepanto. In the meeting, held at the Lepanto District Courtroom, the council voted to increase fees for inspecting a house, commercial buildings, additions to existing houses and other home-related work. ...

Special to the Tribune In 1914, the Black Oak Road was graded. Previously, all cotton that was grown more than a mile or two past the school building was ginned in Earle because there was no road to Marked Tree. There was a school built in the Black Oak Community in 1917. ...

Tribune News Staff With a family pedigree that is synonymous with athletics in the state of Arkansas, ASU Head Men's Basketball Coach Dickey Nutt spoke at last week's joint meeting of the Marked Tree Lions and Rotary Clubs. Nutt, who is beginning his tenth season as the head coach at the Sun Belt school, spoke to the nearly 50 in attendance, talking about his early life and how the season looks for ASU this season. ...

Calvary Baptist Church in Lepanto will be holding its homecoming on Sunday, Oct. 3. Pastor Mike Gonzales invites everyone to enjoy the services. Sunday school will be at 10 a.m. and worship service will be at 11 a.m. with lunch to follow. Brother Rick Stevens from First Baptist Church in Caraway will bring the message...

The Girl Scouts of Crowley's Ridge Council, Inc. will be holding registration at the First United Methodist Church Pavilion in Marked Tree from 5 pm to 7 pm on Thursday, September 23 for any girls, ages 4- 17 yrs interested in joining the world's largest organization for girls (more than 3 million girl members strong)...

William W. "Bill" Gregory Sr., 76, of Trumann died Wednesday, Sept. 15, at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. Born in Memphis, he was retired from the Air Force and was an ordained minister. Survivors include his wife, Katie L. Gregory; a son, William W. Gregory Jr. of Franklin, Tenn.; one stepson, Larry Rodgers of Trumann; one sister, Elizabeth Ann Embery of Sheridan, Texas; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren...

Milval Johnston, 91, of Trumann died Saturday, Sept. 19, at Trumann Health and Rehab Center. Born at Cardwell, Mo., she had lived in Trumann since 1940. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church in Trumann. Survivors include two sons, Sidney Johnston of Dallas and Woodrow Wilson of Houston, Texas; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren...

Willie Palmer Montville died Sept. 12 at her home in Detroit. She was born in Baldwyn, Miss. and attended School in Bay. She resided in Trumann until 1953. She was a retired cosmetologist. Survivors include one son, Danny Pemington; one sister: Mauvolene Taylor of Trumann; two brothers: Ben Scott of Bay and Paul Scott of Hickory Valley, Tenn.; and one granddaughter, Lauren Pemington...

Two big plays by Paragould, one opening up the game and the second on Paragould's first possession of the second half, were all the Rams needed in posting a 21-8 win over the Trumann Wildcats Friday night at Trumann. Bruising running back Seth Mitchell took the opening kickoff 75 yards to the Wildcat 10 -yard line and scored on the Ram's first play from scrimmage, giving Paragould a quick 7-0 lead before Trumann ever touched the football...

Kyle Barker was a one man wrecking crew as he led the Trumann Wildkittens to a 40-6 thrashing of the Westside Junior High Warriors Thursday night at Trumann. Barker threw for three touchdowns while rushing for one more as the Wildkittens had little trouble disposing of the Warriors...

Winford Joe "Dude" Wilcockson, 87, of Trumann died Saturday, Sept. 4, at his residence. Born at Lorado, he lived in Trumann for the past 67 years. He was a retired supervisor for the Singer Co. in Trumann, a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, a member of the Disabled American Veterans and of the Methodist belief...

Juanita Saunders, 67, of Trumann died Thursday, Sept. 16, at St. Bernard's Medical Center. Born at Marked Tree, she had lived in the Trumann and Lepanto areas most of her life and was a retired teacher's aide, having worked at Lepanto and Tyronza schools for more than 22 years...

The Trumann Fire Department will have its annual fire prevention week October 3 - 9 to raise awareness of fire safety. This year's theme is "Do your part, be fire smart." The fire department will be at this years Wild Duck Festival on October 9 to pass out brochures on fire safety in the home and hats and stickers for the kids. Sparky the Fire Dog will be there also...

The following individuals were arrested by the Trumann Police Department for the week, ending Sept. 21, 2004:...

The Modern News The Poinsett County finance committee recently discussed options on how to deal with the county budget crisis. In a called session from John Johnson of Trumann shortly before regular quorum court was to begin, the committee began trying to find ways the county could afford its budget since the special election sales tax was voted down. The county currently pays nearly $130,000 a month in bills with most of the problems coming from the detention center and county landfill...

Democrat News Staff It does not take one long to discover Mrs. Nina Morrison's passion in life. A brief conversation with her will reveal that all she does is centered around her love for Jesus Christ and her desire to serve him. Morrison recently celebrated her 90th birthday with a party attended by over 150 of her friends and family. The celebration was held at Bay First Baptist church, the church that Morrison has attended since she was 17 years old...

Democrat News Staff Tempers flared at the Sept. 14 meeting of the Trumann City Council during a discussion of property belonging to Jay Parnell located in the 100 and 200 block of Davis. City Inspector James Ruffin, informed the council that the city had received many complaints regarding the approximate eight acres due to the tall grass and weeds...

Nearly 600 voters went to the polls yesterday to decide between three school board candidates vying for a five year term in the position two seat. Candidate Taylor Morgan received 333 votes, Russell Cravens received 31 votes and Robert Hendrix received 216 votes...

The Trumann netters rallied from a four match deficit to earn a tie with the Riverside boy(s tennis team 4-4 Tuesday afternoon at Lake City. The Rebels took the first four singles matches as Tyler Timms defeated Blake Wright at number one singles, 6-1; Zac Reynolds outlasted the Wildcats Clay Jones 7-6 at number two singles; Blake Barnes edged Trumann's Dustin Jones at number three singles 6-4; while Rebel netter M..J. Emery defeated Wildcat Merritt Davis 6-3...