Stories from Wednesday, July 27, 2005

It was more than just a hot, windy day for residents in the Tri-City area last Friday evening. Severe thunderstorms roared through the area shortly before nightfall Friday evening, leaving a host of damage in its wake. According to the National Weather Service in Memphis, the storm began in the boot hill of Southern Missouri and continued to gain steam as it headed south. The storm was producing winds in excess of 60 mph by the time it reached the Tri-City area...

Tribune Sports Staff This is the first in a series of articles highlighting the different areas of the Marked Tree and EPC football teams. This week's closer look will be the backfields of both the Warriors and the Indians. "We're fighting the numbers," Marked Tree coach Tim Branum said about the Indians' football prospects for the coming year. ...

Tribune Sports Staff As early as 200 B.C., iron plates or shoes were being nailed to horses, and mules, feet by Roman and Greek soldiers in the known world of the time. Then, somewhere during this era, it's believed, though no one knows exactly when, someone picked up one of these pieces of metal and threw it as a weapon during a military battle...

Vivian Lucille Branum, 90, of Trumann died Wednesday, July 20, at Rose Care Nursing Center in Trumann. Born at Poplar Bluff, Mo., she was a homemaker and of the Baptist belief. Survivors include two daughters, Georgie Dale of Payneway and Lee Hammock of Counts, Tenn.; three sons, Billy Branum of Iuka, Miss., Bob Branum of Marked Tree and Ron Branum of Black Rock; two sisters, Evelyn Tibbs of Poplar Bluff and Dorothy Lawson of Winona, Ill.; 23 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.. ...

Myerl R. Birmingham, 82, of Trumann died Thursday, July 14, at Trumann Health and Rehab Center. Born at Swifton, she lived most of her life at Trumann and Marked Tree. She was a homemaker and was formerly a seamstress and laundromat operator and was of the Baptist belief...

Eula Bell Hand, 83, of Marked Tree died Sunday, July 17 at her home. Hand was born May 16, 1922 in Alabama, the daughter of Ernest Greenhill and Callie Moore Greenhill. She lived in Marked Tree for the past 13 years, was a housewife and a Baptist. She married Leroy Hand in 1939, and he survives her along with six daughters: Francis Hall and Louise Livingston, both of Marked tree, Shirley Keeling of Forrest City, Faye Harrison and Brenda Nofzinger, both of Hunter and Connie Elmore of Las Cruces, NM; a brother, Charles Greenville of Huntsville, Ala.; one sister, Pearl Roak of Marked Tree; 38 grandchildren, 73 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.. ...

J.T. Covington, 65, of Marion died Thursday, July 21, at Crittenden County Memorial Hospital of West Memphis. A Baptist, he worked as a construction foreman. Survivors include his wife, Ann Covington of Marion; one son, Tracy Covington of Marion; two stepdaughters, Charlotte Arnold of Hardy and Chris Childress of Olive Branch, Miss.; one brother, Billy Covington of West Memphis; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild...

Due to the efforts of the players, parents and supporters as well as the generosity of the people of the Tri-City area, Team Arkansas is headed to Texas next week with their trip paid. Team Arkansas is a baseball team made up of players from the Little League-Major teams at Marked Tree and EPC who won the Arkansas Little League Championship last week...

Tribune News Staff According to the Marked Tree Police Department, Joseph Wright, age 30, was arrested July 18 on warrants charging him with two counts of rape and three counts of sexual abuse in the second degree. The charges stemmed from allegations that he had compelled his eight year-old stepdaughter to perform oral sex as well as other sexual contact...

Members of the Marked Tree Board of Education unanimously approved a bid for new awnings at the elementary school at its last regular meeting on Monday, July 18. The winning bid was accepted from Care-Free Aluminum Products, a Little Rock based company that specializes in the installation of awnings...

It was with big smiles that the children at Marked Tree Public Library greeted representatives of Airtex of Marked Tree last Wednesday as the company made a generous donation to the library. The company, formerly known as Midsouth Manufacturing, donated $1,000 to the Friends of the Library (FOL) an organization which raises funds for the library's operation...

The Church of God, 911 Balcolm Lane, will be honoring Reverend Gary Barker and family for 28 years of dedicated service to the Church and community. The Barker family will soon be moving to Pocahontas. All those who have been touched by their ministry through the years are encouraged to attend a Celebration of Service Reception beginning at 6 pm on Saturday, July 30 at the local church. Please, come show your appreciation to this special family...

Mae Mannon Miller, 82, of Harrisburg died Monday, July 18, 2005, at the NEA Medical Center in Jonesboro of natural causes. She was born in Etowah and had lived most of her life in Harrisburg. She was a retired cafeteria worker at Harrisburg High School and a member of the Shiloh Baptist Church She was preceded in death by two daughters, Valinda Fagan and Virginia Miller; her parents, Jim and Ruth Gann Mannon; three sisters and three brothers...

Richard James "Speedy" Marks, 61, of Trumann, died Friday, July 15, 2005, at the St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and lived much of his life in Arizona before moving to Trumann in 1988. He operated Speedy's Lawn Service in Trumann and was of the Protestant faith. He was an Army veteran, and was a member of the Trumann American Legion and the Trumann Masonic Lodge...

Ruby Jewell Clark, 86, of Trumann died Saturday, July 23, 2005 at St. Elizabeth's Place in Jonesboro where she had resided for the past several months. She was a native and lifelong resident of Trumann. She was a homemaker and member of the McCormick Baptist Church...

Kindergarten 4 boxes of Crayola crayons - 16 count 4 bottles of Elmer's Glue-All - 4 ounce size 2 pair of Fiskar scissors - blunt or pointed tip 2 boxes of Kleenex tissues 1 large box baby wipes 1 package of #2 pencils 2 packages of thin Crayola Markers...

Fifth Grade Spiral notebook Loose leaf paper Pencils -- no mechanical or ink pens Crayons Colored pencils Ruler with standard and metric markings 3 large boxes of Kleenex -- unopened 10 solid color, no black, paper folders with brads and pockets Do not write names or subjects on folders...

A student planner will be sold at Cedar Park and is recommended for grades 1 -- 4 at a cost of $3 Kindergarten Washable nap mat Pencils Crayons Blunt scissors Glue Large box Kleenex Large roll paper towels Large box baby wipes Primary writing tablets -- purchase at school...

The Poinsett County Sheriff's office received a call at approximately 8:17 p.m. on Saturday, July 23, reporting two fishermen who had found a body in Lake Poinsett. The body was later identified as Timothy Odom. Odom was pronounced dead at the scene by coroner Mark Davis...

Lonene Edwards and Fonda Condra presented the program to the Trumann Lions Club last Wednesday. Edwards, Poinsett Country Treasurer, spoke to the group about the responsibilities of the country treasurer. "I am responsible for custody and disbursement of funds," she said, "I have no control over spending."...

Carissa Renee Hicks of Trumann was among the graduates earning the Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy on Saturday, May 21. Carissa is the daughter of Charley and Janice Hicks and the granddaughter of Charley and Pauline Hicks, all of Trumann...

Senior High Football practice will begin at 10 a.m. Monday, August 1. Any new students to the district must have physical from their doctor stating they are physically fit to participate in high school activities. Trumann first game of the year is set for September 2 at Nettleton High School...