Stories from Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Tribune News Staff After getting together earlier in the afternoon for a Christmas/yearend supper, the Poinsett County Quorum Court met in their final meeting of the year. A short agenda was scheduled, but the primary order of business was the approval of the 2007 budget. Among the line items on the budget were a 3% increase in pay for all county employees...

Tribune Sports Staff Marked Tree's Lady Indians were defeated by two teams last week which are known simply by their initials. Both BIC came to town Tuesday and handed the Lady Tribe a 54-31 defeat. This was followed Friday with CRA arriving Friday...

Tribune Sports Staff Both the Lady Warriors and junior Lady Warriors had winning weeks last week going 2-0 against Marmaduke and Brookland. The EPC's senior squad remains undefeated at 10-0 while the junior team improved to 3-5. Lady Warriors-46 Marmaduke-28...

Funeral services for Candice LeeAnn Sharp White, age 25, of Ozark, Mo. were held Friday, Dec. 1, 2006 in the First Baptist Church in Tallulah, La. with Rev. John Rushing officiating. White died at her home. She was born in Delhi, La. and grew up in Tallulah where she graduated from Tallulah High School. She was a children entertainment receptionist...

Michael Douglas Pipes, 43, of New Albany, Miss., formerly of Tyronza, died Dec.5 at Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo, Miss. Born January 3, 1963, he was a carpenter and a member of the Pentecostal faith. He was preceded in death by his father, Jappy Pipes; one sister, Pamela J. Moore; and one brother, Jerry W. Orr...

Jonathan Lewis (Jon) Tyler, age 31, of Lepanto died Tuesday, December 12. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Lepanto. He was preceded in death by his mother, Cindy Tuggle Tyler in 2001 and his paternal grandfather, Otis Tyler. He was an avid duck and deer hunter...

C.B. Hall, 66, of Trumann, died Dec. 3, 2006 at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born August 13, 1938, in Dundee, Miss. and was a state highway employee. He was preceded in death by his parents, Eddie Hall and Frankie Bass...

Elbert Richardson Blackwood, age 95, of Lepanto died Sunday, Dec. 10, at Three Rivers Nursing Center in Marked Tree. He was a farmer and a member of the Lepanto Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his wife, Thelma Hyde Blackwood. Survivors include four daughters, Martha Ford of Lepanto, Freda Armer of Scottsdale, Ariz., Patsy McClain of Lepanto, Faye Hill of Memphis; one sister, Elsie Blackwood Smith of Medon, Tenn.; fourteen grandchildren; thirty-three great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren.. ...

Special to the Tribune Three generations of the Goldie Ledbetter Kendall family were on hand last month to donate a copy of their ancestor's book, "The Story of Three Orphans," to the Marked Tree Library. On hand for the presentation was Kendall's daughter Sybel Lorene Ray of Jonesboro, Librarian Vicky Constant, daughter Goldia Geraldene Clark of Forrest City, great granddaughter Tashena Smith of Trumann and granddaughter Loralee Hart of Jonesboro...

Courtesy of the Modern News Every year the Poinsett County Department of Human Services collects gifts for the area's foster kids and Transitional Employment Assistance(TEA) kids. The DHS relies on donations from the community and local businesses to help purchase gifts and provide "a little better Christmas" for the kids in the system according to County Director Janice Griffin. She encourages everyone that is able to donate time, money, clothing or new toys for this special event...

Tribune Editor The main agenda item Monday night at the Marked Tree City Council meeting wasn't revealed until the end of the meeting when councilman Ritter Arnold presented outgoing Mayor Lawrence Ashlock, Jr. with a proclamation honoring his 18 years of service to the city...

Tribune Sports Staff It wasn't a good week for either the junior or senior Indians last week as they dropped two conference games, one each to BIC on Tuesday night then again to CRA on Friday. The losses put both teams at 0-4 for the season with the toughest part of the year yet to come...

Tribune Sports Staff "We played really well," coach Josh Hill said of his junior Warriors game with Paragould in the opening round of the boys Gerald Jennings Tournament last Monday night. The comment was something of an understatement since his team had just beaten the second seeded junior Rams 51-17 to advance to the second round...

Tribune Sports Staff EPC's Warriors traveled to Armorel for the boys Gerald Jennings Tournament last Tuesday and were knocked out of the single elimination competition in the first round by #2 seed Valley View, 83-56. "We did really good the first half against them," coach Josh Hill said later. "But then in the second half they got hot and they ended up blowing us out."...

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Pankey of Trumann will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a celebration from 2 to 4 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 16 at the Trumann Masonic Lodge on Hwy 463. Harold Pankey and the former JoAnn Hooker were married Dec. 21, 1956. They are the parents of two children, Sheila Jo Pankey McCarty of Trumann and Scot Pankey of Dallas, Tex. They have three grandchildren, Cameron McCarty of Boone, N.C., and Brandi and Brea McCarty of Trumann...

The Poinsettia Club met at Western Sizzlin' Steak House in Jonesboro for their monthly meeting and Christmas party. Treasurer Marsha Philips reported on the Tour of Homes. All the ladies were well pleased with the turn out. The club appreciates the people who opened their homes for the tour and all those who came out to make the tour in the cold weather. Without these attendees it would not have been a success...

Gary and Judy Whitaker of Flower Mound, Texas recently announced the college graduation of their son, Josh, from the University of North Texas on Dec. 16. UNT has over 32,000 students. Josh will graduate with honors with a degree in business administration with an emphasis in real estate. ...

Recently the Poinsett County Conservation District made a $100 contribution to the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA). The SSSA is working with the Smithsonian Institution to plan a soils exhibit as part of their Global Links Gallery at the National Museum of Natural History. The museum, located in Washington, D.C., charges no admission fee to view their exhibits...

Courtesy of the Modern News Every year the Poinsett County Department of Human Services collects gifts for the area's foster kids and Transitional Employment Assistance(TEA) kids. The DHS relies on donations from the community and local businesses to help purchase gifts and provide "a little better Christmas" for the kids in the system according to County Director Janice Griffin. She encourages everyone that is able to donate time, money, clothing or new toys for this special event...

Esta Imogene Dickens Dame, a lifetime resident of Trumann, died Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2006 at the family residence in Trumann at the age of 70. She was born on Tuesday, March 31, 1936, in Trumann the daughter of the late Dennis Devoe and Pauline Elliott Hawkins. She was a housewife and a member of the Freer Baptist Church...

Rev. Virgil Elmo Tackett of Trumann died Friday, Dec. 8, 2006 at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro at the age of 86. He was born in Lunsford on Saturday, July 31, 1920, son of the late Ithmer John and Clara Marie Moore Tackett. He lived most of his lifetime in Trumann and was a retired minister, farmer and a member of the Church of God of Prophecy...

Syble Janice Martin, 83, of Trumann, died Saturday, Dec. 9, 2006 in Trumann. She was born Nov. 14, 1923 in Thola, Ark. and she was a homemaker and member of the Walnut Grove Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Martin; one son, James Martin; her parents and four sisters...

After defeating Brookland 56-42 Saturday in the consolation game of the Pre-Holiday Tournament, the Lady Wildcats still hadn't "gotten their legs back under them" as coach Vickie Bowers said when they met Highland at Trumann last Monday night. The result was a 63-30 loss to the Lady Rebels...

The Church of Jesus Christ, Hwy 14 W. Payneway, is having a free community Christmas dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Dec. 16 in the fellowship hall inside the church. Pastor Ruth Wade says "come as you are, everyone is welcome." For more information call 870-483-5470...

When the Rose Bowl is played January 1, 2007 between USC and Michigan, it will mark the 105th anniversary of the oldest football bowl game in the country. Three weeks ago on Thanksgiving day, the oldest (known) bowl in Poinsett County, the Owens Bowl, was played for the 38th consecutive year...

The Trumann's mayor race came down to the luck of the draw last Friday when mayoral candidate Shelia Walters was declared the victor in the tied race for mayor. The race ended in a dead tie when the Poinsett County Election Commission opened three military ballots at their meeting last Friday. ...

11-2 -- 1:47 p.m., 207 A Redwood, assist unit #83, three men, 43 minutes. 11-2 - 4:05 p.m., Flash Market, motorist assist, two men, 10 minutes. 11-2 -- 6:09 p.m., 215 Redwood, grass fire, five men, eight minutes. 11-5 -- 6:55 p.m., 142 Poplar, truck fire, five men, 35 minutes...

Brittany Michelle Hardin, 400 Oak Street, was arrested on Dec. 2 by Ptl. Corey Overstreet and charged with possession of a controlled substance, hydrocodone. According to police reports Hardin was being arrested on a contempt of court warrant and she had the pills in her possession...

It took local fire fighters more than 24 hours to put out a fire last week at Dixie Gin. The seed house at Dixie Gin caught fire last Tuesday, Dec. 5, and burned well into Wednesday. According to the Trumann Fire Department, firefighters from the department responded to a call at Dixie Gin at 9 a.m. Tuesday and didn't leave the location until 1 p.m., Wednesday...

Trumann Police Department PFC Gary Henry was recently named Officer of the Year. PFC Henry was presented with his award at the department's annual Christmas party by Chief of Police Larry Blagg. "I was surprised," PFC Henry said. "I had no idea I was going to get it."...

The Trumann S.W.A.T. team (Safe Workers Analysis Team) had a celebrate success event for Columbia Forest employees. Since they implemented their behavior based safety process they have had over 20,000 conversations relating to safety. The mill invited the Trumann Fire Department to help teach them about home safety during a recent gathering of mill employee's and their families. The TFD brought Sparky the Fire Dog and did a presentation for the kids...

District Court Judge Steve Inboden visited the Trumann Lions Club last Wednesday. He spoke to the group about the consolidated court system and how the courts are trying to help alleviate the meth problem facing Poinsett County and Arkansas. Judge Inboden said the meth epidemic was vastly different from any other type of drug usage and sales because all the ingredients for making meth are available at nearly every store...

Maple Grove Baptist Church Music Ministries would like to invite everyone in the Trumann community to their annual Christmas musical. This year's musical is called "In the Fullness of Time." It is a Christmas celebration of Emmanuel's coming. The musical was created by Richard Kingsmore with dramatic scenes by Nan Gurley...

After getting together earlier in the afternoon for a Christmas/yearend supper, the Poinsett County Quorum Court met in their final meeting of the year. A short agenda was scheduled, but the primary order of business was the approval of the 2007 budget. Among the line items on the budget were a 3% increase in pay for all county employees...

When a #1 and a #8 seed meet in a basketball tournament, more times than not the games ends in a blowout for the higher seed. It would be nice to say that the Wildcats went against the grain as the #8 seed in the Pre-Holiday Tournament in Rector last Tuesday. Unfortunately, this was not the case as...