Stories from Wednesday, December 20, 2006

The Trumann City Council met last Tuesday without Mayor Ronnie Harrison. Harrison was unable to attend the meeting due to a medical procedure. Alderman Larry Henderson led the meeting. The meeting was packed with city employees anxious to hear if they would receive a Christmas bonus. A $150 bonus for all full time employees and a $50 bonus for all part time and volunteer / auxiliary employees was passed...

"I thought we finally put together four quarters of basketball," coach Gary McClung said following his Wildcats 57-49 victory over Weiner (10-8) Friday night at Trumann (1-5). "It was a balanced game." As the 'Cats have in their first five games this year, they started out with a blast as Marcus slammed a dunk home for a 2-0 lead. Trumann then got up by as many as six points before ending the first period in front by 12-11...

Robert Smith Jr., 48, of Marked Tree died Dec. 14, 2006 at the VA hospital in Memphis of cancer. He was born Nov. 13, 1958 in Marked Tree and was a Marine and a member of the Christian faith. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Smith Jr.; one son, Robert Smith III and two brothers, Harold Lacy and Lawrence Smith...

Goldie Leffie Short, 87, of Trumann died Sunday, Dec. 17, 2006 at Trumann Health & Rehabilitation Center in Trumann Born in Marked Tree, she had lived most of her lifetime in Trumann and was of the Pentecostal faith. She was preceded in death by her parents, Wheeler and Nora Miller Short...

Mattie Lou (Clem) Lewis, 93, of Trumann died Thursday, Dec. 14 at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born in Ripley, Tenn., and had lived most of her lifetime in the Trumann area. She was a housewife and a member of the Eastside Baptist Church in Trumann...

Brett West, 20, of Trumann died Saturday, Dec. 16, 2006, at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born in Jonesboro and had lived his lifetime in Trumann. He was a 2005 graduate of Trumann High School and a member of the Maple Grove Baptist Church...

Bradley Bishop of Trumann graduated Thursday, Dec. 14, 2006 from Black River Technical College in Pocahontas. He received an associates degree in business administration. Bishop is a 2003 Trumann High School graduate. Bishop made the Dean's List his senior year with a 3.5 grade point average...

Santa sent his special recipe for reindeer food to the Trumann Democrat for all the boys and girls to read and make for his reindeer, because they get hungry on such a long trip from the North Pole. ½ cup oatmeal ½ cup sugar ¼ cup red or green glitter...

The Maple Grove EHC met Dec. 11 in the church fellowship center with ten members and one visitor present for their annual Christmas party. A delicious Christmas brunch was enjoyed by Clara Heathcock, Carnell Henley, Doris Henley, Mary Johnson, Dorothy Lafarlett, Willie Jo McGirr, Wylma Parrish, Jo Ann Pankey, Sherry Shaw and Lorene Sadler...

Ridgefield Praise Band Concert will be playing Christmas/Christian Music at 7 p.m., Thursday Dec. 21 at the First United Pentecostal Church, Temple Street and Christy Street in Trumann. Admission to the concert is free. Band members are Jackie Mullins, Kari Mullins, Randall Curtis, Joseph Curtis, Clinton Curtis all of Trumann, Paul Pierce, Vic Loftus, Dr. McLin all of Jonesboro and David Gammill of Whitton...

Cedar Park Elementary Students of the Month for December are: Kindergarteners (bottom row, from left) Spencer McCorckle, Christian Conde, Payton Jones, Daly Taylor, Benton Stallings and Zach Stevens. First grade (second row, from left) Brent Simpson, Jessica May, Kyle Bell, Samantha Semelsberger, Baylee Bowers and Cody Maggard. Second grade (third row, from left) Gage Raymond, Tyler Harrell, Jessie Burns, Jody Cook, Tiffany Harvey, Starlasia Simmons and Micaela Riley...

Gary P. and Judy L. Smith of Flower Mound, Texas announces the college graduation of their son, Josh, from the University of North Texas on Dec. 16. UNT has over 32,000 students. Josh graduated with honors with a degree in business administration with an emphasis in real estate. Josh graduated from Flower Mound High School in Flower Mound, Tex. in 2002...

The Board of Directors and Wayne Honeycutt, President/CEO of Craighead Electric Cooperative announces the refunding of $679,728 in capital credits to its members. This refund represents the members' share of the remaining revenue less the cost of operation for the years 1976 and 1977. ...

Larry Matney, 12757 Buffalo Lick Road, was arrested on Dec. 12 by Ptl. Erik Willbanks and charged with DWI 4, driving on suspended driver's license and refusing BAC. According to reports, Matney was stopped on a traffic stop and had an odor of intoxicants coming from his person. He failed a field sobriety test then refused the BAC test...

The Trumann Police Department is doing their best to make this Christmas a drug free one. Chief Larry Blagg challenged his officer's with a little Christmas themed motivation to arrest drug dealers. On Dec. 15 he started a promotion called the Ten Days of Christmas. He challenged the officers to arrest ten drug dealers by Christmas Day. As of press time, one had already been arrested on an intent to deliver charge...

When a fireman begins he shift, he never knows what the day will bring. There could be a huge fire, an automobile accident, an emergency medical call or nothing at all could happen. Firemen have to always be prepared for the unexpected and two Trumann firemen were prepared and responded to an emergency last Wednesday that saved a small child's life...

As is so often the case, free throws at the end spelled the difference between winning and losing as the Wildkittens (0-6) dropped a heartbreaker, 39-37 to Weiner Friday night at Trumann. "Needless to say, it was a tough loss," coach Jason Durham said after the game. "We played pretty well and fought hard, but it came down to two fouls and free throws."...