Stories from Thursday, September 29, 2005

It is time once again for the annual turtle races in Lepanto. Residents are gathering friends from far and wide to come enjoy the day of festivities which will be held this Saturday, Oct. 1. The Lepanto Volunteer Fire Department hosts the event and has planned a day packed with fun for the whole family...

Tribune Sports Staff Marked Tree (4-0) won its football game over Norphlet (2-2) Friday night, 28-15, while gaining over 400 yards on the ground. But the team which had the most impact on the game was the referees. On nearly 20 percent of the plays, a yellow flag was seen as the two teams were called 25 times for a total of 220 yards in penalties...

Inez Speights, 50, of Lake Jackson, Texas, died Wednesday, Sept. 21, at NEA Medical Center in Jonesboro. Formerly of West Memphis, she was of the Baptist faith. Survivors include two sons, Chris Speights of Victoria, Texas, and Scotty Speights of Richwood, Texas; a sister, Barbara Burch of Tyronza; two brothers, Ricky Furnish and Kenny Furnish, both of Hornlake, Miss.; and a grandchild, Carter Speights of Victoria...

Ogal Earl Pate, 79, of Marked Tree died Friday, Sept. 23 at NEA Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born in Caraway in 1926, Pate was a farmer. He was a veteran and a Pentecostal minister. Pate is survived by his wife, Rachel L. Pate of Lepanto; two daughters: Barbara Gossage of Mulberry and Linda Gossage of Payneway; three sons: Curtis Pate of Marked Tree and Johnny Pate and Kenneth Pate, both of Lepanto; one sister: Pearl Tucker of Harrisburg; 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren...

J.D. Nelson, 76, of Buffalo, died Sunday, Sept. 18, at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Springfield, Mo. He was a truck driver and an Army veteran of the Korean War. Surviving include one daughter, Tracy Dawn Nelson of Ponca City, Okla.; a son, Jerry Dewayne Nelson of California; two sisters, Evalena "Kate" Freeman of Columbus, Ohio and Ada Tucker of Elon College, N.C.; a brother, Henry "Doc" Nelson of Huntington, Ore.; a grandson, Briston Nelson; and two step-granddaughters, Kellee Odle and K.C. ...

John Earl Pritchett, 72, of Lepanto died Thursday, Sept. 22, at Veterans Hospital in Memphis. A retired cotton ginner, he was a Navy veteran of the Korean War and was a past post commander of American Legion Post 26 in Lepanto. Survivors include two daughters, Jennifer Patterson of Maumelle and Julia Ryals of Mountain View; a son, Terry Pritchett of Lepanto; a sister, Delma Pritchett of Marked Tree; five grandchildren; and a great-grandchild...

After three years and an untold number of hours of research, legwork and writing, the "Stories of Old...and Some I've Been Told" is finally complete. The historical project of the Lepanto Museum is just one of the many methods the museum has used over the years to fund their operation. By some accounts, it is likely one of the most ambitious...

Police coverage was the main subject of the monthly meeting of the Lepanto City Council meeting Tuesday, Sept. 20. In the August meeting, the issue of complete police coverage had been discussed at length. The contention was the lack of coverage at certain times of the week...

Improving literacy scores and enhancing the school's public image were top agenda items for members of the Marked Tree School Board when they met in regular session on Monday, Sept. 19. Both principals shared with the board about strategies the schools are implementing to improve literacy scores on required tests. ...

Tribune Sports Staff Ked Madden took the opening kickoff and raced 76 yards for the touchdown and East Poinsett County never looked back as the Warriors claimed a 38-15 victory over the Rector Cougars in 3AA Conference action Friday night at Rector...

Tribune Sports Staff East Poinsett County's Junior Warriors got big performances from Carson Tyler, Lando Bass, and Bucky Chamberlain Thursday night in a 23-12 come from behind victory over the Walnut Ridge Junior Bobcats at Lepanto. "We played pretty well overall," Coach Brian Weathers said after the game. "We ran extremely well. We only had one real mistake, a fumble, but we got the ball back and overcame it."...

Tribune Sports Staff Usually when one football team has more than double the plays of their opponent and almost doubles the other team in total yards, a victory is assured…..but not always. Such was the case last Thursday night as the Junior Indians traveled to Cherry Valley to take on the Junior Thunderbirds of Cross County...