Stories from Thursday, June 15, 2006

Company officials with AirTex of Marked Tree met with employees and city officials Monday and Tuesday to announce cutbacks in the plant which would begin taking place by the end of the month. AirTex, according to the company's website, supplies water and fuel pumps to the automotive aftermarket as well as to original equipment manufactures. ...

More than 2,400 voters returned to the polls Tuesday to make their choice in the runoff election for state representative, District 56. Buddy Lovell received 1,576 votes to beat his opponent Jimmy Carter who received 847 votes. Because there is no Republican opposition, Lovell will assume the office in January when incumbent Wayne Nichols leaves office due to term limits...

The East Poinsett County School Board handled several personnel issues when it met Monday night in regular session. They discussed several topics including the hiring of new teachers and classified personnel, reassigning faculty and hearing from each principal about test scores...

Tribune News Staff The last twelve months have been very eventful for Dr. Tommy Wagner of Wagner Medical Clinic of Manila. A year ago next month, Wagner opened his clinic at 434 Hwy. 18 Bypass. Then less than two months later he, along with four of his colleagues from other areas, loaded up as many supplies as they could garner and headed to New Orleans to help in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort...

Lillian Crockett, 35, of Marked Tree died Friday, June 2 at the NEA Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born January 3, 1971 in Memphis and was a factory worker. A member of Jefferson Memorial Church in Butler, Ark., she was preceded in death by her father Person Anderson, Sr...

Billie Jean Johnson, 90, died at her residence on June 1, 2006. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Johnson; her parents, Oda and Oscar Johnson; a niece, Mary Lou Patton; and a nephew, Brian Cole. She is survived by two sisters, Clara N. ...

Freda Herndon Toy, 84, of Jonesboro died June 12 at the NEA Medical Center. She was a retired teacher and member of First Assembly of God Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ben; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.F. Hendron; eight brothers and six sisters...

By NATE ALLEN Special to the Tribune SACRAMENTO, Calif. - They've come in various colors and sizes from various countries, yet in some respects they all seem so much alike. The All-American great distance runners of John McDonnell, starting with Niall O'Shaughnessy who helped the Arkansas coach win his first championship in Southwest Conference cross country in 1974 through the likes of Frank O'Mara, Paul Donovan, Joe Falcon, Reuben Reina, Niall Bruton, Seneca Lassiter, Godfrey Siamusiye, Daniel Lincoln and Alistair Cragg not only proved themselves great runners, but great people.. ...