Stories from Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Personnel issues and reviewing the proposed budgets were major topics of discussion at the East Poinsett County School Board of Education meeting last Monday. The board also heard from Superintendent of Schools, Michael Pierce, about the need to purchase a new mower. Pierce told the board about the pricing he had received from John Deere and the possibility of a demonstration before making a decision...

Tribune Sports Staff As any sports fan knows, motocross, with its high-flying jumps and free-style acrobatics is a staple of ESPN, Fox Sports and other sports television programming. To get to the point where a rider is able to compete on a national level, however, requires years of practice, as with any sport...

Tribune Sports Staff Over the past few weeks, the people of Marked Tree might have noticed some work being done on and around the high school baseball field. Anyone passing by could have seen the outfield fence ripped up and suddenly lying along the road. The outfield itself almost overnight looked as if it was ready for...

Tribune Sports Staff The Marked Tree Senior League All-Stars, made up of a contingent of 14-17 year-olds from Marked Tree and EPC, won the Region Four Championship by beating the Trumann Wildcats, 9-5, Sunday in the Tournament final at Trumann. The All-Stars, who went 4-1 in the double elimination tournament, had to defeat the Wildcats twice in a row to be crowned champions...

Johnny Frederick Taylor, 34, of Marked Tree died Sunday, July 10, 2005, at Methodist Healthcare Central Hospital in Memphis. He was the son of Bill Taylor of Marked Tree and the late Geneva Taylor. He is survived by two sisters: Joanie Lindley of Marion, and Kelly Battles of Horn Lake, MS; two brothers: Robert J. Taylor, of Osceola, and Billy Wayne Taylor of Hoxie...

Joshua Taylor McClain, 24, of Lepanto died Friday, July 8, at the Med in Memphis. He attended Miliam Chapel Pentecostal Church of God at Heafer. Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Lisa Taylor and Stephen Graves of Heafer; his father, Michael McClain of Lepanto; his grandparents, Allen and Eula Taylor of Turrell and Wilma McClain of Lepanto; and a great-grandmother, Johnnie Taylor of Heafer...

Billy "Punk" Gill Jr., 47, of Brookland, died Thursday, July 7 at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. Gill was employed by Roadway Express Trucking Co. and attended Cornerstone United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Jennifer Gill, and his grandparents...

From church to chamber, Bill Stanley is no stranger in the Tri-City area. He began notching a place for himself in the community the moment he moved to Marked Tree in 1966. Stanley, 71, grew up in the Conway area. He graduated from Conway High School and went on to further his education at Arkansas Tech where he completed two years of study. ...

Appropriations and transferring funds was the one agenda item Monday night as the Poinsett County Quorum Court met in regular session in Harrisburg. The transfer order concerned money received from Gallagher Bassett insurance for equipment damage and patrol car damage in and appropriated to the Sheriff's office to Codes 531 and 594 for $1,267.32 and $10, 777.97 respectively. ...

This has been a wonderful year for the 13-14 year old All-Star Team. They placed runner-up in the 2005 Arkansas District 4 Junior League and will be going to state July 15 in Springhill, AR. They won games with NEA West, Razorbacks, NEA East, and Blytheville to make it to State. ...

The 9 year old Little League District Tournament was held this past weekend in Mountain Home where the South Eastern District All Star team placed third in the tournament behind Mountain Home, winning team, and Walnut Ridge, 2nd place winners. The team is a combined team of the All Star Players from both Trumann and Kaiser and will play in the state competition held this coming weekend in Blytheville. ...

The Trumann High School graduating class of 1980 is holding their class reunion from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 6 at the Trumann Community House in Trumann. It will be a potluck dinner. Evening festivities will be at Sidelines in Trumann. For more information contact Sherry Madden Baker at sherrybaker@pilotspeak.com or by phone, 812-737-2977...

A Vacation Bible School will be conducted July 25 through July 29 at the Church of Christ at Melton Ave. in Trumann. The VBS starts each evening at 6:30p.m. and dismisses at 8:30p.m. There will be Bible classes for all ages. All materials are free and there will be no collections. Everyone is invited. Come and bring your family and friend's. The theme for VBS 2005 is All Things Bright and Beautiful. If you need a ride or more information, please call 483-5506 or 483-2214...

Girl Scout Troop #255 will be sponsoring a Blood Drive at the First Baptist Church in the Christian Life Center on Thursday, July 28 from 3pm until 8 pm. The drive will benefit Morgan McPherson, a 12 year old girl scout from Paragould, who has been diagnosed with Leukemia. Troop 255 is made up of girls age 11-13 and led by Peggy Rathbun...

Megan Ashlye Heilman of Trumann, Arkansas, a senior at Trumann High School, has accepted a Dean's Scholarship to attend Arkansas State University in Jonesboro next fall. During high school, her achievements and activities included: Varsity swimming, THS Who's Who Most Dependable, Who's Who Among High School Students, Science Club, Student Council, Varsity Choir, Delta Kappa Gamma-Alpha Chi Chapter Scholarship, Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, and Trumann Leadership Development...

When Naomi Collins was diagnosed with Myeloma Bone Cancer in February of 2005 she knew that surgery was her best option despite the cost. The first surgery conducted in June resulted in over $45000 in medical bills. Medicare and money she had saved up offset the cost of the surgery and her four month stay in Little Rock, but now faced with a second operation Collins is working to raise money with her family and friends...

Jack Coggins, retired pharmacist and former Trumann mayor, works hard at being a good person. "I have always tried to be a genuine and good person," Coggins said. "It was always my feeling that you are how you treat other people; hopefully I've treated people well."...

Jennifer Simmons and her family have been spending their evenings sorting through the over eight thousand books donated to the citizens of Bay for a new public library. "I started this with a project for school and it has turned into a pretty hefty part time job," Simmons a 29 year old graduate student at ASU said...

Army National Guard 1st Lt. Rusty N. Fontenot participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom at a forward-deployed operating location overseas. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the official name given to military operations involving members of the U.S. armed forces and coalition forces participating in efforts to free and secure Iraq. ...

The Trumann Parks and Recreation summer sports programs have concluded. This year program included 7 T-ball teams. The Trumann Drug Diamondbacks, coached by Jerry and Julia Goff, the Pagan Heat and Air MadCats coached by Scotty Spence, the Bilco Rockies coached by James Evans, Sr., The Shop Tigers coached by Stephanie Stuart, the Signbuilders of Arkansas Pirates coached by Taylor Morgan, the Splash Carwash Braves coached by Jonathon and Andrea Schmidt, and the Lowery's Landscaping and Nursery Cardinals coached by Eric Lowery. ...