Stories from Wednesday, January 9, 2008

The trial of Fred Jones, 52, of Marked Tree is set to begin Monday, Jan. 14. Jones is facing attempted murder charges. The charges stem from an incident on April 19, 2007 when Jones allegedly stabbed his estranged wife Elizabeth Ann Jones multiple times and pushed her off a bridge into the river at Shawbridge Lane, just north of Marked Tree...

Tribune Sports Staff By the end of the 2007 NEA Tournament at the convocation center, EPC had outscored their three opponents by a total of 70 points, 179-109, and had won their second tournament championship in as many years. The run began with an easy win over a weak Harrisburg team, continued with a victory over a respectable Hoxie squad and ended with a championship performance against a dangerous Cave City group...

Roy Lee Thomas, 62, of Jonesboro died Sunday, Dec. 23, 2007. He was born Dec. 22, 1945, in Jonesboro to Felbert and Oleta Thomas. He grew up in the Mangrum Community and graduated from Caraway High School and Arkansas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology...

Brenda Sue Hodges Andrews, age 59, of Steele, Missouri passed away Saturday at her home. She was preceded in death by her parents, Leonard Ulysses Hodges and Earnestine Tacker Hodges; step-father, Dick McKnight; and sister, Charlotte Whatley. Andrews lived in Wynne until 1975 and had lived the last 20 years in Steele, Missouri. She was a minister's wife for 39 years. She was a graduate of Arkansas Institute of Ministry of Alma, Arkansas. Mrs. Andrews was a member of Pentecostal Church of God...

William Cloys Maddox, 64, of Lepanto died Dec. 21, 2007 at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born June 10, 1943, in Gideon, Mo. to Carlisle Maddox and Maybell White. He was a truck driver for 45 years and a member of the Etowah Pentecostal Church of God...

Kerry Thomas Richmond, 57, of Dyess died Monday, January 1 at his residence. He was a member of Red Oak Baptist Church, a member of Good Earth Organization and the National Sweet Sorghum Organization. He was preceded in death by his parents, Stonewall and Juanita Richmond and one brother, Donald Richmond...

Nettie Bee Brewer, 79, of Etowah died Saturday, Jan. 5 at Jonesboro. Born at Athelstan, she was preceded in death by her husband, Edford Brewer. She was a member of the Etowah Pentecostal Church of God. Survivors include six daughters, Barbara Welsh, Linda Sims, Judy Darnell, Geraldine Moore, Dorothy Brewer and Jeanitta Collin; three sons, James Brewer, Andrew Brewer and Jackie Brewer; several half-sisters and brothers; 23 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren...

Billie M. Hayden, 72, of Joiner entered into rest Monday, January 7. Born to the late Conus and Sylvia Hodge in Whitton, she was of the Baptis faith and a retired factory worker. She is survived by one son, Ricky Hayden of West Memphis; two daughters, Theresa Tucker of Marked Tree and Darnell Wood of Joiner; one brother, Stanley Hodge of Searcy; one sister, Genice Starling of Judsonia; four grandchildren and three great grandchildren...

Marked Tree is mourning the loss of native "picture man" Edward Lee Rogers. He died Sunday, Jan. 6 at his residence in Marked Tree. He was 86 years old. He was born Jan. 19, 1921, in Marked Tree and was a life-long resident. He was of the Methodist faith and worked at various jobs during his younger years including the soda fountain at Nyal Drug Store. He owned a taxi service and also delivered ice and wood to local residents...

John Jennings, 65, of Harrisburg was arrested on Jan. 3 and charged with rape. Jennings has held the office of Bolivar Township Constable since January of 2003. The Poinsett County Sheriff's office was contacted by Northeast Arkansas Hospital in Jonesboro on Nov. 13 in reference to the rape of a ten year old child. Following the initial report, the PCSO office of criminal investigations opened an investigation into the matter, along with the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Unit...

July 4 -- Dyess receives grant for $42,000 to renovate the historic Dyess Colony Administration Building; Marked Tree Church of God held a Celebration Freedom Service to honor veterans; Cara Pilgrim of Lepanto named All-American Scholar. July 11 -- Airtex Manufacturing of Marked Tree donated $5000 to the United Way of Northeast Arkansas; Trinity Baptist presents series on Depression; Tyronza Library hosts "Get a Clue at Your Library" summer reading program...

Tribune News Staff Marked Tree Mayor Dixon Chandler announced last week that the City of Marked Tree is eligible to receive $225,000 in grant funding from the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Chandler said the amount is over ten percent of the state's $2 million pot offered to towns with projects meeting the grant's qualifications. Chandler made a presentation to a panel of Parks and Tourism in November...

Tribune Sports Staff "We had a huge second half," said coach Josh Hill of his Warriors' 82-73 win over the Brookland Bearcats last Thursday night at Lepanto. "We scored 54 points in the second half. You just don't normally see that in a high school game. We played very well."...

Many Trumann residents were treated to a little bit of holiday cheer from the Trumann Fire Department. Trumann resident, Rachael Poulson, who lives on Mulberry, said she was delighted when a fire truck rolled past her house with sirens and lights going and the firemen yelled, "Merry Christmas!" to her...

If you are a person who takes care of other people's children, or wants to learn more about caring for young children, you'll want to participate in The Best Care. Sometimes it is difficult to find appropriate classes that are close to home and affordable. ...

For many people dealing with their pet's bad breath is just a part of pet ownership. But, unfortunately, dogs with dental disease are at a higher risk for heart disease. Most of us understand the importance of good oral health for ourselves and visit our dentist at least twice a year. ...

Mark your calendars. It is time for our Winter Meetings. Below is a listing of Extension meetings we have scheduled. The Rice, Soybean, Cotton and Marketing Meeting are all open to everyone regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status. ...

There are many things about Trumann that I love. The people who live here, the sense of community, the shared history of the town. It's a shame that our history has not been written down and preserved for those who come after us. Many of the stories about Trumann and its history have been lost because all the people who knew what happened have passed on. It is truly a shame that no one took the time to put the history down on paper...

Some people just have notoriously bad luck, and my poor husband Josh is one of them. He's not completely unlucky, because he always wins raffles, bingos and that sort of thing. His bad luck mainly extends to the purchasing and assembling of new furniture, appliances, etc...

We would like to thank everyone who helped make our Trumann High School special education Christmas party a great success. The children were thrilled with their presents and with their special visit from santa. A special thanks to Jane Dunn. Mrs. Turney, Mrs. Hendrix and Mrs. Fritz...

Many people thing about planting trees and shrubs in the spring but actually the best time to plant trees and shrubs is between November and February. That means you need to get them in the ground before long if you want to give plants the best start possible. By planting in the winter it allows plants to form the roots they will need next summer. Below are a fews tips that may help you when planting trees and shrubs...

Gloria Nadine Johnson, 66, of Portland, Tenn., died Monday, Jan. 7, 2007 at Highland Manor Nursing Home in Portland, Tenn. of natural causes. She was born in Bradford on Aug. 5, 1941 to the late Dewey Daniel Walk, Sr. and Berldean Parrigan Walker. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Danny Walker and Roger Dale Walker...

Ruby Earline Waters, 94, died Monday, Jan. 7, 2008 at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born on Monday, November 24, 1913, the daughter of the late John Lewis and Elizabeth in Waterloo, Ala. She had lived most of her lifetime in Trumann. She was a retired timekeeper from the former Singer Company and a member of the Central Missionary Baptist Church in Trumann...

As the two teams met at the end of the third period Monday night, the driving strains of the battle music from Rocky suddenly blasted over the loudspeakers in the Wildcat gym. The music was appropriate because Valley View was in a battle and they knew it...

Trumann got back on the court twice following a short Christmas break and, while they put up a good fight in each game, fell short in both at the final buzzer. Highland 65, Trumann 53 Last Thursday the Wildcats traveled to Highland in hopes of starting of the final stretch run of the season with a win. The Rebels, however, had other ideas as they built a seven-point first quarter lead then did just enough in the three remaining periods to win, 65-53...

The original Pocahontas was renowned for being kind to people and animals. The Pocahontas team which rolled into Trumann last Friday night showed no such compassion as they decimated the Lady Wildcats to the tune of 55-16 in a 4A-3 contest. "We played horrible."...

Jeff Smallmon, Arkansas Little League Baseball District Four Administrator, announced that kids age 7-16 in the cities of Trumann, Harrisburg, Wiener and Jonesboro now have the opportunity to participate in the worlds largest youth baseball program,...

The more I watch tv and read my trashy celebrity magazines it is becoming increasing clear that it doesn't take much to actually be a celebrity. I was flipping through channels on my TV the other day and saw and advertisement for the upcoming season of Donald Trump's Apprentice. ...

Trumann Assist Fire Chief Earnie Link visited the Trumann Lions Club last Wednesday to share some winter fire safety tips. A furnace flue should be inspected regularly. A furnace gives off not only heat, but carbon monoxide gas as well. Carbon monoxide gas is described as a silent killer. It was given this name because it is colorless, tasteless and gives off no smell, making it difficult to detect until symptoms of poisoning have already occurred...

Mr. and Mrs. William Earl Penna announce the engagement of their daughter, Tracy Beth Penna, to Jason Alan Jones, son of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Jones of Brandon, Miss. The couple will exchange vows on March 15 at Meadowbrook Church of Christ in Jackson...

It's not every day that a walk to your mailbox provides an opportunity to shape the future of the agricultural industry. But for farmers across Arkansas, that opportunity soon will become a reality. The 2007 Census of Agriculture, the only source of consistent and comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the nation, is currently being mailed to farmers across the United States...

Town hall meetings are being held across the state this month for individuals interested in becoming state troopers. Interested applications may visit the recruiting section of the Arkansas State Police website at http://www.asp.arkansas.gov/divisions/as_recruiting.html...

Dec. 2 -- 3:04 a.m., 223 Flossie Drive, reference to assist person who had fell, 20 minutes. Dec. 3 -- 8 p.m., Eastside Baptist Church, smoke smell, 30 minutes. Dec. 4 -- 12:10 p.m., vehicle fire, 20 minutes. Dec. 4 -- 6:44 p.m., 208 Sawyer Lane, dryer caught on fire, 16 minutes...

Holly Parker Kirksey, 513 Plaza Street, was arrested on Dec. 31 by Ptl. Kevin Holt and charged with possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) and six counts possession of drug paraphernalia...

Farmers will soon have the opportunity to set the record straight about the issues that affect them--and to help ensure that policies and programs are based on accurate, real-world data. This is the goal of the annual Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS), conducted by the U.S. ...

Some people believe that is more dangerous to drive in the winter in the northern states but it can be just as perilous to drive in the cold in the south. The southern states present unique winter driving dangers because people are not as experienced or knowledgeable about driving in the frigid temperatures...

During the 2007 legislative session, the Arkansas Legislature again raised the income limits for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship to $65,000 or less for a family of four, making thousands more families of high school students eligible for the four-year scholarship to any approved Arkansas college or university...

Week of Jan. 14 -- 18 Monday -- chili, crackers, corn, strawberries and milk. Tuesday -- steak fingers, rice and gravy, peas and carrots, wheat bread, diced peaches and milk. Wednesday -- bar-b-que sandwich, french fries, baked beans, mixed fruit and milk...

The Pregnancy Care Center of Trumann (PCCT) is the first of its kind in Poinsett County. They are a faith-based non-profit organization whose goal is to extend God's grace to those facing crisis pregnancies. They can help answer the tough questions and provide accurate information about all of the available options. Their services are totally confidential and free of charge...

Joseph Miller, 220 South Maple, Bay, was arrested on Jan. 5 and charged with possession of controlled substance with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia. According to Deputy Mark Robinson's report, he observed a 2001 four door Suzuki Esteem stopped in the roadway beside a red Ford van on Tulot Road. He observed Miller urinate in the road as a male got out of the van and into Miller's vehicle and a female got out of Miller's vehicle and into the van...

July 4 The Trumann High School class of 1997 will hold its reunion July 13 at the high school pavilion. They will also meet Saturday night, July 14 at the Trumann Country Club. Mayor Sheila Walters said last week her primary duty as mayor is overseeing the financial status of the city of Trumann. Citing high gasoline prices and rising utility bills, plus a dwindling of surplus funds, she insists some tightening of the city budget is needed...

John Jennings, 65, of Harrisburg was arrested on Jan. 3 and charged with rape. Jennings has held the office of Bolivar Township Constable since January of 2003. The Poinsett County Sheriff's office was contacted by Northeast Arkansas Hospital in Jonesboro on Nov. 13 in reference to the rape of a ten year old child. Following the initial report, the PCSO office of criminal investigations opened an investigation into the matter, along with the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Unit...

Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie and Karen Adams of Trumann are proud to announce the engagement of their daughter, Deanna Marie Adams of Kansas City, Mo., to Sgt. John David Neldon, formerly of Jonesboro, currently stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He is the son of Diana Neldon and Don and Mirinda Neldon of Jonesboro...

On Feb. 1, 2008, Trumann Water Works will cease offering payment extensions on monthly bills. The City Council finance committee, which also oversees the operation of Trumann Water Works, decided in November to cease offering extensions on water and sewer bills...