Stories from Thursday, September 11, 2008

With the remnants of hurricane Gustav laying a nearly game-long mist on all the surroundings, Marked Tree visited EPC to renew their rivalry in junior high football last Thursday night. ...

Its football season and it has me reminiscing. I remember after the long games at Jonesboro High being thoroughly exhausted. Saturated in sweat and gasping for air, I was ready to enjoy the weekend to recuperate. ...

On Aug. 26 President Bush signed a Proclamation stating that September is National Cancer Awareness Month. It is also for awareness of for certain types of cancer such as ovarian/gynecological, prostate, childhood and thyroid.) October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.)...

Do you realize that in less than two months we will elect a new President of the United States? At least some of you will. I won't. That's because I'm going to vote for Obama, and I don't expect him to carry Arkansas, which will make my vote null and void...

I think I'm guilty of trying to over simplify politics. To me, you decide which issues are most important to you, and then you find the candidate who most closely matches your views on those issues. Are you pro-life or do you support abortion? Do you think the government should be less involved in our everyday lives or more involved? Should the government keep taxes low and find ways to cut overspending out of the budget or should they raise taxes to make up for budget shortfalls? Should we remain in Iraq and finish what we started -- no matter if you supported the war to begin with or not -- or should we pull out now, cut our losses and hope it doesn't come back to bite us in the butt. ...

Mr. and Mrs. Wilford Ballard are about to celbrate their fiftieth anniversary. The event will be located at The Elm Lodge in Marked Tree on Saturday, October 4, 2008 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. For more information contact the following people: Sheila Ballard, 870-487-2052, Danita Ballard, 870-358-3459 or Priscilla Townson, 870-764-2052...

All church choirs and individuals who sing and would love to honor American war heroes are invited to participate in a special concert for those who will be coming to Marked Tree with the famed Wall of Healing at the end of September...

Mr. and Mrs. Teddy Fires of Rivervale are proud to announce the upcoming marriage of their daughter Betsy to Eric Mahan of Lepanto. The bride-elect is a 2006 high school graduate of East Poinsett County High School and currently a junior at Arkansas State in Jonesboro...

Glorea White of Marked Tree is proud to announce the engagement, and upcoming wedding of her niece Christi D. Mitchell of Jonesboro, to Jammel D. McCuien. Christi is the daughter of Mary Mitchell of Jonesboro and Jerry L. Mitchell of Knoxville, Tenn...

Cancer is something that touches everyone's life in someway, either directly or through a family member or friend. The Marked Tree Rotary Club lost one of its own special members in 2005 when Peggy Bankston died of breast cancer. Shortly before her death, the members decided to host a walk/run in her honor...

Cynthia Ann "Cindy" Slack, 53, of Lepanto, formerly of Bondsville, died Sept. 6, 2008. Slack was born April 5, 1955 in Memphis. She was a homemaker, of the Christian Faith, an organizer of the Red Hat Club in Lepanto and a volunteer with the Regional Aids Interfaith Network...

Voters in the Tri-City area will head to the polls next Tuesday, Sept. 16 to cast their votes in local school board elections. Two seats are up for re-election in the Marked Tree School District. Incumbent Mike Dabney is challenged by Shane Glenn for the Zone 3 seat. Incumbent Vickie Green has no challenger for the Zone 4 seat...

Dallas Ray Foster, 77, of Wilson died Tuesday, Sept. 2, at his home. He was born January 19, 1931 in Corning to the late Pete David and Ona Ann Foster. He was a member of the Baptist Faith and a factory worker...

William Lawrence Russell, 57, of Proctor died Sept. 6 at his residence. He was a drywall foreman and a member of the Avondale Missionary Baptist Church in West Memphis. He is survived by his wife, Stella Russell; his mother, Lorene Russell of Marked Tree; four sisters, Zettie Croney of Maynard, Kathy Lucas of Conway, Kay Brashear of Marked Tree, Bonnie Frank of Marked Tree; two brothers, Mervyn Russell of Warrensville and Raymond Lee Russell of Marked Tree.. ...

Homecoming week is set for Sept. 22 -- 26 at Marked Tree Schools. The theme this year is "A Blast from the Past: Celebrating the 50's, 60's and 70's" Monday will be dress up day, and there will be a bonfire at 7 p.m...

The Marked Tree Indians opened the new season in Searcy last Friday with a new opponent, a lot of new faces and a relatively new outcome. Riverview (3A) was the new opponent, playing their first varsity football game in history. ...

I was sitting on the couch reading this past Sunday when the phone rang. It was about 9 a.m. "Hi Mark. This is mom." I thought at first, oh what an unexpected surprise. I didn't expect to hear from her. ...

Mayor Dixon Chandler of Marked Tree was the only scheduled speaker on the agenda of the September Quorum Court meeting Monday night at Harrisburg. Hearing Chandler's proposal were all the justices with the exception of Liz Schwarz and Larry Henderson...

Do you remember the old saying "one step forward and two steps back?" That describes my process of eliminating the cat population in my yard and in my house. Almost two weeks ago, I traveled to Jonesboro, along with the kids next door, Shania, Candace and Skip, to surrender four of the kittens we'd raised indoors. ...

I think I'm guilty of trying to over simplify politics. To me, you decide which issues are most important to you, and then you find the candidate who most closely matches your views on those issues. Are you pro-life or do you support abortion? Do you think the government should be less involved in our everyday lives or more involved? Should the government keep taxes low and find ways to cut overspending out of the budget or should they raise taxes to make up for budget shortfalls? Should we remain in Iraq and finish what we started -- no matter if you supported the war to begin with or not -- or should we pull out now, cut our losses and hope it doesn't come back to bite us in the butt. ...

When I was in high school, I could care less who won the football game. I never went to the games. I thought pep rallies were dumb. I wasn't in awe of the football players. In fact, I could take high school football or leave it. ...

Okay folks, I am at it again. I'm cleaning house and throwing things away. What better way to spend the Labor Day holiday than laboring around the house. I can think of a lot of things I would rather be doing. Before I got started I glanced through the book "Getting Organized" by Stephanie Winston. The book's cover states that it is "the easy way to put your life in order." Yeah, right...

EPC Lady Warriors basketball team will be having a Spaghetti Supper 5 p.m to 7 p.m. Friday before the EPC/Augusta football game. Meals will be served in the high school cafeteria, but take home boxes are also available. ...

I guess you could call it procrastination. I like to think of it as not having enough hours in the day to get it all done. However you label it, I awoke Saturday morning with a sense of anxiety and a realization that do or die, it had to be done...

Lepanto resident Cindy Slack died Saturday, Sept. 6 at the age of 53. Slack was a special woman to many local residents, many of which helped to raise funds to pay for her medical expenses since she was diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), a chronic nervous system disorder, last summer...