Stories from Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Tribune News Staff Members of a Lepanto church celebrated their own Christmas miracle last Sunday as members of their church and Lepanto residents gathered for the formal dedication of their building. At the event, held at the Lepanto First Missionary Baptist Church, over 100 people first walked from their own church home located at the corner of Oak and McClellan to their new home, located just a few yards away at 443 Oak St. ...

An increase in water rates was the main topic of discussion at the Marked Tree City Council Meeting held on Monday, Dec. 13. The council unanimously approved a rate increase for city water to cover increasing maintenance costs. According to City Clerk/Treasurer Pam Wright, the rate increase is vital to help keep the water department operating without taking funds from other areas of the city's budget. ...

Tribune News Staff At its meeting last Tuesday night, the Tyronza City Council heard from Tyronza City Court Clerk Chasity Lucas about a problem with the software that is used by the court system. Tyronza Mayor Marion Bearden told the council that the current system is antiquated and cannot be backed up on any of the city's computers. ...

Christmas time just doesn't seem the same this year for the Crafts. The angel seems to sit just a lower on the tree, a few inches short of her usual lofty perch. The hands that usually hang the angel are not there. They are fighting for freedom an ocean away...

Oather Elmo Weathers, 72, of Etowah died Sunday, Dec. 19, in Steele, Mo., at his son's residence. Born in Benton, he was of the Baptist belief and a retired cotton ginner. Survivors include three sons: Dennis Weathers and Randy Weathers, both of Sheridan, and Mark Weathers of Steele; two sisters: Marelene Stokes of Etowah and Linda Freeman of Lepanto; five brothers: Merle Weathers, Carlon Weathers and Larry Weathers, all of Etowah, Donald Weathers of Eudora, and the Rev. ...

George Washington Wiyott, 82, of Caraway died Monday, Dec. 13, at his residence. Born in Grubbs, he was a retired Air Force veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars. He is survived by one granddaughter, Kristie Wiyott of Lobelville, Tenn. Graveside services were held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 16 at the Lake Side Cemetery in Des Arc, with Roy Kelems officiating. Burial was under the direction of Murphy Funeral Home of Lepanto...

Tribune Sports Staff Going into last Saturday's senior boys game versus Hughes, the East Poinsett County senior boys basketball team were coming off a big victory over Cross County last Monday, with Keun Joplin scoring a game-high 36 points to lead EPC to the win. However, the team went into the Hughes game shorthanded with guard Ked Madden out, due to a sprained ankle...

Tribune Sports Staff In its first round game last Saturday, the Marked Tree senior girls basketball team took a 2-0 lead just 32 seconds into the game. However, Tuckerman went on a 24-2 run in the first and second quarter to pick up a 56-22 victory over Marked Tree in senior girls basketball action at the NEA Tournament...

FAYETTEVILLE -That rotating bench of long arms and legs at Arkansas coach Stan Heath's disposal grew Thursday night. By about 6 feet and 6 inches. You know him better as the Hogs' all-time leading freshman receiver after he snatched 37 Matt Jones passes - including a team-best six for touchdowns -last season...

Larry Douglas Duvall, 60, Marked Tree died Friday, Dec. 17, at the VA Medical Center in Memphis. He was retired from the Air Force and of the Baptist faith. Survivors include two sons: John Duvall of Aurora, Ill., and Ekathai Thrangtrakul Jantawong of Washington; three sisters: Grace Morgan of Columbiaville, Mich., Doloris Young of New Boston, Texas, and Faye Wallin of West Memphis; a brother, Eugene Duvall of Brooksville, Fla.; and seven grandchildren...

Manila Tena Lyvonne Rinehart, 39, of Manila died Dec. 16, 2004, in a fire at her residence. She was born July 5, 1965 in Manila. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist faith. She is survived by her husband, William Reinhart of Manila; a daughter, Amanda Hood of Gosnell; and her mother, Lyvonne Butler of Manila; a sister, Penny Pasley of Manila; two brothers, John Eldon Tomblin of Manila and Vestal Tomblin of Manila; one grandchild, Ashley Hood of Gosnell...

Howell Lanier Vick, 73, of Lepanto died Tuesday, Dec. 14, at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Lepanto. Survivors include his wife, Corinne Vick of Lepanto; and a son, Bryan Vick of Osceola. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 17 at Murphy Funeral Home in Lepanto with Jim Duffel officiating. Burial followed in Potter Memorial Cemetery...

William Rufus Bishop Jr., 44, of Hardy died Friday, Dec. 17 at Mammoth Spring. Born in Osceola, he was a factory worker and of the Baptist belief. Survivors include two daughters, Misty Bishop of Dallas and Brittany Bishop of Slidell, La.; his mother, Ruby Bishop of Dell; two sisters, Barbara Ivey and Judy Baldeck, both of Memphis; a brother, Bobby Bishop of Pensacola, Fla.; and a grandchild, Damion Bishop of Dallas...

JaNiya Alyse Anderson was stillborn on Friday, Dec. 10 in Jonesboro. She is survived by her parents Nicotra Anderson of Marked Tree and Jeffery Moore of Mississippi; two brothers, Jarmaria Anderson and Jatavious Anderson, both of Marked Tree; and her grandparents, Alex McKinney of Memphis and Charlene Anderson of Marked Tree...

In its final meeting of 2004, the Lepanto City Council voted 7-1 to approve a three percent pay raise for all city employees, effective Jan. 1. Council members were also presented with a copy of the 2005 proposed operating budget for the city of Lepanto. However, no action was taken on the budget...

The Marked Tree Police Department announced Monday the arrests of three Marked Tree residents on criminal charges in separate cases. According to Det. Mark Robinson of the MTPD, on Dec. 2, 2004, Deputy Lisa Gean of the Poinsett County Sheriff's Department served a warrant and arrested Luther Pope, 49, of Marked Tree on two counts of Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Crack Cocaine). ...

Mack and Hervey Howington, both lifetime residents of Lepanto, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Thursday, Dec. 23. The Howingtons grew up together. Mack went away to Military School in the eleventh grade, and it was about that time when they first dated. Hervey finished high school in Lepanto at mid-term in the winter of 1942 and went to the University of Arkansas the spring semester of 1943 where Mack was also...

Mon., Dec. 13 Senior Boys EPC 68, Cross County 56 Jonesboro 65, Nettleton 36 Senior Girls Bay 66, Maynard 62 EPC 67, Cross County 39 Gosnell 46, Harrisburg 42 Rivercrest 80, Osceola 42 Riverside 60, Walnut Ridge 43 Trumann 52, Marianna 29 Junior Girls...

Tribune Sports Staff The Marked Tree senior boys basketball team braved the elements Tuesday afternoon to travel to Jonesboro to face the Swifton Pirates in the first round of the Northeast Arkansas Invitational Basketball Tournament on the campus of Arkansas State University...

Shawn Renshaw's second grade class enjoyed a family night in their classroom at Cedar Park Elementary. The students and their parents were invited for a time of sharing and fellowship. Refreshments were served and the students shared some of their written work...

The Trumann City Council passed resolutions of appreciation for five aldermen who will not be returning to the council in 2005. Those council members were Brad Parrish, Joe Hillis, Russell Cravens, Pam Daniel and Gerald Smith. Mayor Ronnie Harrison presented each with a framed resolution of appreciation and expressed the city gratitude for their service to the community...

Dear Santa, Hi how are you doing? I'm ok and for Christmas I want a bear that hugs you and plays piackabo with you. I want a now barbie house. I want a pretty dress. I want a desk at my house. I want a computer. I hope you have a nice time when its Cristmas...

Three young cancer survivors from Trumann were among 89 pediatric cancer patients and families visited by Santa at the annual CARTI Kids Christmas Party on Dec. 4 in the Scimitar Shrine Temple in Little Rock. CARTI kids attending the party ranged in age from one to 18, coming from across Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas for the celebration. Santa delivered presents to each child and his or her sibling with the assistance of his "elf for a day" Mrs. Arkansas 2004 Amanda Benton...

LITTLE ROCK -- In recent weeks, rapidly-circulating e-mails have warned of a new "cell-phone directory" being launched in January that could lead to widespread use of your wireless phone number by telemarketers. The e-mail urges recipients to sign up to add their wireless numbers onto the federal "Do Not Call" list as soon as possible. ...

Bernice Laverne Long Renshaw, 88, of Trumann died Friday, Dec. 17, 2004 at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. A Cherry Valley native, she lived all her life in Northeast Arkansas, residing the past 50 years in the Tulot community near Trumann. She was a homemaker and a member of Church of God of Prophecy in Trumann...

Imogene Timms Brown, 77, of Lake City passed away on Dec. 19, 2004 at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro of natural causes. She was born in Fiarview, Ok. And had lived in Lake City for the past 15 years and was formerly of California. She was a former Hospital Housekeeping Supervisor and of the Baptist faith...

Thelma Adams Sullins, 89, of Trumann, died Saturday, Dec. 18, 2004 at St. Bernard's Medical Center She is survived by one daughter, Kathy Parnell of West Memphis, two grandsons, Randy Parnell and Patrick Parnell, both of West Memphis; one sister, Jeroma Crain of Flagstaff, Ariz. and one brother, Burt Adams of Corpus Christi, Tex...

Trumann Elementary Basketball games are played at the Cedar Park Elementary in the gym on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights. A schedule of games is posted on the door of the gym. Everyone in Trumann is encouraged to come out and watch the children participate in youth basketball...

Jeff Smallmon, Arkansas District Four Little League Administrator, announced today that the youth baseball program operating in Brookland, Bay, Lake City, Leachville, Monette, Manila, Cardwell, Senath and Hornersville has voted to charter with Little League Baseball INC...