Stories from Friday, September 16, 2005

Arson is the apparent cause of three fires set in the early hours of Thursday, Sept. 1. The blazes were each set independently of each other. Marked Tree Fire Department Chief Danny Johnson said that two of the fires began in the houses' utility rooms. The third fire went out just after it was set...

Prior to commencement of the annual monthly meeting of the Poinsett County Quorum Court Monday, the finance committee held a meeting to attempt to make a recommendation concerning the salary and benefits of District Court Judge Steve Inboden. The issue had been before the court for a number of months, producing considerable controversy from both city and county offices...

Trash was once again a heated topic of discussion at the regular meeting of the Marked Tree City Council held Monday night. Several concerned citizens from the east side of town expressed their concerns about trash in their neighborhoods. "It looks like hell on that side of the tracks," said council member Cleo Johnson, Jr. "The grass is all grown up and there's stuff stacked up in people's yards."...

The annual school board election will be held Tuesday, Sept. 20. The polling site will be the Delta Area Museum meeting room. Polls will open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. The at-large position will be the only race on the ballot. Robert Boxley is running for re-election for a second term to the board. He is opposed by Carolyn Wages...

Many movies have been made of vacations which have turned into nightmares for one reason or another. Some have been humorous while others have been horrific. The recent vacation Tri Herndon had would fall into the later category. The reason is that Herndon, along with his girlfriend Amber Wyatt, found themselves stranded in the French Quarter of New Orleans the night and morning Hurricane Katrina came to town...

Tribune Sports Staff Before Friday's game with Salem (0-2, 0-1) Marked Tree (2-0, 1-0) coach Tim Branum said he was concerned about whether his team was mentally prepared to take on the Greyhounds. "If we aren't ready to play mentally," Branum said. "It'll be a real long night. Last year we went up there and they beat us late in the game. If we hadn't lost to them, we would have made the play-offs. We would have been second in the conference instead of fourth."...

Shady Vickers, 55, of Trumann died Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2005 at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro of natural causes. He was born in Fresno, Calif., was a carpenter and veteran of the U.S. Army. He is survived by one sister, Judy Rust of Kansas City, Mo. and two brothers, Greg Vickers of Trumann and John Vickers of Leawood, Mo...

Johnnie Myrl Taylor, 90, of Turrell died Tuesday, Sept. 6 at her home in the Heafer Community. She was a member of the Tyronza Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Thomas Taylor, Sr. Survivors include five daughters: Betty Kelley of Earle, Joyce Gilbert of Marked Tree, Janice Young and Carol Tacker, both of Tyronza and Kay Blagg of Turrell; and seven sons: Jimmy Taylor of Flushing, Mich., Allen Taylor of Turrell, Morris Taylor of Lepanto, Howard "Cotton" Taylor of Howe, Ind., Jerry Taylor of Lepanto, Donnie Taylor of Tyronza and Ronnie Taylor of Lagrange, Ind.; 29 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and one great-greatgrandchild.. ...

Keaton Lee Pilgrim, infant son of Brandon Pilgrim and Cynthia Gaddis of Lepanto, died Friday, Sept. 2. In addition to his parents, survivors include a sister, Courtney Benton of the home; his grandparents, Harry and Regina Long of the home, Gail Baine of Heafer, Lee Gaddis of Tyronza and Tim and Becky Hill of New Albany, Miss.; and his great-grandparents, Estylee Pilgrim and Maggie Wirth, both of Lepanto, and Johnnie and MaryLou Sanfratello of Horseshoe Bend...

Jack Kyle, 69, of Fort Smith died Thursday, Sept. 8. He was born in Poinsett County and was the plant manager for the H.J. Baker company and a member of Abundant Life church in Sallisaw, Okla. He was a former cotton plantation manager at Hughes, gas plant manager in Nacogdoches, Texas, and retired from Tyson Foods in Van Buren in 2002...

Bertha Mae Hudson, 95, of Marked Tree died Wednesday, Sept. 7, at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born at Tyronza, she was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church in Marked Tree. She was also an active part of the Marked Tree Senior Life Center...

Edna Louise Hatley, 61, of Marked Tree died Wednesday, Sept. 7, at her residence. She was a homemaker and a member of Church of God in Marked Tree. Survivors include her daughter, Elizabeth Ann Harris of Marked Tree; two sons, Eric Wayne Harris of Memphis and Keith Allen Harris of Marked Tree; three brothers, Bobby Hatley of Jonesboro, Tommy Hatley of Marked Tree and Charles Hatley of Marked Tree; a sister, Barbara Easton of Marked Tree; and five grandchildren, Ashley Williams, Layne Harris, Emily Harris, Addison Harris and Jessica Cockrell.. ...

O'Neal Halsey, age 84, of Marked Tree died Sunday, Sept. 11 at St. Bernard Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was a member of Central Baptist Church in Marked Tree, the owner and operator of a restaurant in Payneway and a volunteer at Three Rivers Nursing Center...

By TRENT FLETCHER Tribune Sports Staff Earle worked the old single wing offense along with their great speed to perfection as the Bulldogs came to Lepanto and surprised the East Poinsett County Warriors 44-34 Friday night in 3AA Conference play. The 'Dogs (2-0, 1-0) overcame a 22-6 EPC lead to go ahead 30-22 at halftime and held on in the second half to claim a big conference victory. ...