Stories from Wednesday, May 7, 2008

The Marked Tree City Council decided in a special meeting Wednesday, April 30 to table the approval of a contract to buy three pieces of land from E-Ritter and Company. Council members asked Mayor Dixon Chandler to renegotiate the terms of the contract with Ritter to ensure the city is only committed to buying the first piece of land...

An F-2 tornado came through the Tri-City area Friday, May 2 causing damage to the Etowah community outside of Lepanto. The tornado was estimated to be 150 yards wide with winds in excess of 130 mph. According to the National Weather Service in Memphis, a trained spotter saw the tornado at 2:50 p.m. about four miles Northeast of Lepanto. The same storm was spotted by law enforcement at 2:54 near Highway 77 in Lepanto. At 2:57 p.m. the storm tornado touched down just south of Etowah near the Garden Point Community and moved Northeast to Carroll's Corner.

It's time once again for the Tyronza Stars and Stripes Jubilee. The event is set for Saturday, May 17 in downtown Tyronza. Things will kick off at 10 a.m. with a three on three basketball contest and a horseshoe contest. Arts and craft booths along with food vendors will be open for business at 10 a.m...

There will be a meeting for everyone in the surrounding cities interested in participating in the Tyronza Farmers Market at 7 p.m. May 12 at Tyronza City Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to receive the rules for the market and to discuss opening day. Craig Allen will also be there to inform the growers of the free services provided by the Poinsett County Cooperative Extension Service...

The Brad Godwin Memorial Catfish Dinner will be held at 5 p.m. Friday, May 9 at the Marked Tree Elementary Cafeteria. The cost of a plate is $10. Dine-in of carry-out plates are available. Brad Godwin was the Marked Tree High FFA teacher for seven years. ...

Carolyn Wages of Marked Tree announced this week that she is withdrawing from the Poinsett County Treasurer race. "My reasons are very personal," Wages said. "Please respect my decision." Wages said she enjoyed visiting with all the wonderful people of Poinsett County, and wants to thank everyone who worked so hard on her campaign...

Two years of hard work has finally paid off for the city of Marked Tree. The city has completed the requirements for certification as an Arkansas Community of Excellence (ACE). Marked Tree's certification came as part of the "Our Plan" program, a pilot program developed through Arkansas State University which an outline of the process and a guide for the city to follow through the steps in becoming ACE certified... ...

Two local flower shops in Trumann were recently combined to create a new business and Misty Osment found the career she was looking for in her home town. Last Wednesday Arabella Blooms held its grand opening. The business located in a new building at 1214 Speedway, built by Osment's husband Jeremy, came together in a short time...

Rebecca Long is a young business owner with a lot of energy. Only 22, she has owned and operated her own business for 14 months. In August of 2007 she opened Flip-Flop Fitness in Trumann. She also operated a second location in Jonesboro. She recently closed the Jonesboro location to concentrate on her classes in Trumann...

Kindergarten registration for Cedar Park Elementary is set for 6 to 9 p.m., Thursday, May 8. The child does not need to be present to register. Parents or guardians must have child's birth certificate and social security card to begin the registration process...

Scholarship winners were Kelsey York, Whitney Richardson, Christin Guthrie and Rachel Brooks. Seth Osment was not present at the banquet. (Democrat photo/Carin McClung) Lions Club scholarship winners The Trumann Lions Club sponsored their annual Senior Night Banquet, Tuesday, April 29 at the high school cafeteria...

The 57th Annual National Day of Prayer was celebrated in Trumann last Thursday, May 1 with a program at the Trumann Recreational Complex on Pecan Grove. A crowd of approximately 100 was present for the noon service. Citizens from throughout Poinsett County attended the event...

The eight Honor Students of the Trumann High School Class of 2008 and their families were honored Monday night, April 28, by the Trumann Chamber of Commerce with a dinner at the Trumann Country Club. The eight students comprise the top 10% academically in the senior class...

From left -- Ray Glidewll, Louise Schmitz, Irene Benson, Jimmy May and Ronald Clement all participated in the Senior Olympics. Not pictured is Daniel Clement. Ronald Clement won first place in bowling singles and dominoes and second place in pool and checkers. Daniel Clement won first place in dominoes abd Jim May won first place in men's washer pitch and horseshoe and third place in softball accuracy throw. Irene Benson won first place in prediction walk. (Democrat photo/Carin McClung)...

For most, the cost of medicine is a burden. But according to Ruth Ann Terry of the Crowley's Ridge Rural Health Coalition, it doesn't have to be that way. "We have a program that helps anyone that is uninsured or has no medicine coverage," said Terry...

Carolyn Wages of Marked Tree announced this week that she is withdrawing from the Poinsett County Treasurer race. "My reasons are very personal," Wages said. "Please respect my decision." Wages said she enjoyed visiting with all the wonderful people of Poinsett County, and wants to thank everyone who worked so hard on her campaign...

Charles K. Childs, 83, of Trumann passed away Thursday, May 1, 2008 at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. Childs was born in Pocahontas and was a lifelong resident of Trumann. He was a graduate of Trumann High School and Arkansas State College. ...

Rachel Hill, 83, died Monday, April 28, 2008 at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born on Wednesday, March 18, 1925, daughter of the late Robert and Emma Bruce Ishmael. She was born in Trumann and had lived in Harrisburg and LaPorte, Ind., before moving back to Trumann in 1997. She was a pattern maker for a furniture company in LaPorte...

The Trumann Post Office is sponsoring the Stamp Out Hunger food drive on Saturday, May 10. There are two ways to donate food. Participants may put non perishable food items in a bag and place it by their mailbox for the letter carrier to pick up, or participants may take the items to the post office on Saturday, May 10...

"We played terrible," said coach Brian Haynes of the season-ending 10-3 loss his Lady Wildcats experienced against Heber Springs in the 4A East Regional Tournament at Lonoke Saturday. "When you get to the regionals you can't make errors and other mistakes. We had seven errors which all resulted in runs and then on the offensive side we only got three hits for the game."...

Brett and Cynthia Acree are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Lily Virginia Acree. Lily was born April 27, 2008 at St. Bernards Birthcare Center. She weighed eight pounds and five ounces. She has one big brother, Gavin, who is four...

Mr. and Mrs. Sam Lawson of Germantown, Tenn. are pleased to announce the approaching marriage of their daughter, Sarah Ashley, to Brandon Tyler Harvell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Harvell of Corinth, Miss.

Fred Davis Watson, 57, of Little Rock died May 1, 2008 at the V.A. Hospital in Little Rock. He was born May 2, 1950 in Tyronza. He worked in the factory, a member of the Army and a member of the Baptist Faith...

James Louis Starr, 74, of Victorville, Calif. and formerly of Joiner, died April 21, 2008. He was born November 23, 1933 at Dean's Island. He was a retired factory worker and a member of the Baptist Faith...

Frances C. O'Flinn, 80, of Osceola died April 30, 2008 in Blytheville. Born Oct. 31, 1927 in Guntown, Miss., Frances was a homemaker and a member of the First United Methodist Church of Osceola. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Lewis O'Flinn; her parents, Cliff Cannon and Mary Ruth Brown; and one sister, Peggy Cannon...

Chester Aaron Perkins, 91, of Marked Tree passed away Saturday, April 19, 2008, at Three Rivers Nursing Center in Marked Tree. He was born July 9, 1916 in Tyronza to the late Charles Oliver "Charlie" and Minnie Everett Lillard Perkins. He had lived in the Black Oak Community all his life...

Stanford "Buddy" Neal, 58, of Lepanto died Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at his residence. He was a member of Lepanto First Baptist Church where he was a loyal choir member. He was preceded in death by his father, Ted Neal...

Charles Clarence Willbanks, 83, of Keiser died May 3, 2008 in Oscoela. He was a retired civil engineer, an Army World War II veteran and a member of Brinkley Chapel Baptist Church. Willbanks was preceded in death by his parents, John W. Willbanks and Nancy Belt, five brothers and one sister...

Robert Roy Mattingly, Sr., 72, of Jacksonville passed away Sunday, May 4, 2008 at Baptist Springhill Hospital in North Little Rock. He was born June 12, 1935 in Mt. Vernon, Ind. to the late William Chester and Elizabeth Ann Stone Mattingly. ...

Charlie Anderson, 95, of McKenzie, Tenn., formerly of Marked Tree, died Thursday, May 1. He actively served at Anderson Chapel Missionary Baptist Church before his health prompted his move to Tennessee...