Stories from Friday, November 28, 2008

Just over 500 people casted votes in the runoff election for Trumann City Council Tuesday, Nov. 25. In the race for the Ward 1, Position 1 seat, Bonnie Winkles won 47 votes to defeat Carmack Johnson who received 37 votes...

Judy Ellen Burns Brister, 60, of Lepanto died Nov. 17 at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born on Feb. 27, 1948 in Luxora and worked in the factory. She was member of the Lepanto Revival Center. Brister was preceded in death by her parents, John and Mildred Segars Burns; one sister, Beverly McGill; and one brother, Kelly Burns...

Willie Mae Conatser, 96, of Marked Tree died Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008, at Three Rivers Nursing Home. She was born June 23, 1912, at Harrisburg. Preceding her in death were her parents, Luther and Nellie Sollis; husband, Perry Conatser; three children; four sisters; and two brothers...

Estalee LaJune Covey, 77, of Jonesboro passed away on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008, at St. Bernards Medical Center. She was born at Hoxie on June 6, 1931, to Noah and Victoria Lamb. Covey was a homemaker and a member of First Presbyterian Church...

Bobbie (Bob) Dollar, 75, of Lepanto died Friday, Nov. 21 in Memphis. He was born Aug. 6, 1933 at Montgomery, Ala. Dollar was a retired truck driver and a member of Baptist faith. He is survived by two sons, Ronnie Dollar of Etowah, Randy Dollar of Marked Tree; three sisters, Gloria Franks of Pine Bluff, Wynell Stacks of Conway, Charlette Jenkings of Carlisle; three brothers, Van Dollar of Lepanto, Calvin Dollar of Newport, Kenneth Dollar of Mayflower; five grandchildren and six great grandchildren.. ...

Eddalee Williams Keller, 87, died Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008 at St. Bernards Medical Center of complications following a fall. She was born September 18, 1921 near Caraway to the late John and Lula Williams of Rivervale & Lepanto. She was a mother, homemaker and a member of the Jonesboro Christian Church. She was a Jonesboro resident, formerly of Weiner...

Vera Faye Lacy, 88, of Lepanto departed this life Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008, at NEA Baptist Hospital at Jonesboro. She was born Nov. 24, 1919, at Pottsville to the late J.O. Staggs and Annabelle Tedford. She was a homemaker and a member of United Methodist Church of Lepanto...

Brian Matthew Stallings, 24, died Friday, Nov. 7, 2008 at his residence. He was born on May 7, 1984 at Paragould and lived in Jonesboro fot two years and was formerly of Caraway. He was a graduate of Riverside High School and attended ASU majoring in Physical Education and was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rio Fraternity. ...

Terry Dean Taylor, 52, of Joiner died Nov. 21. He was born July 31, 1956 in Memphis and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Joiner. He is survived by his wife, Janice Taylor of Joiner; one daughter, Patricia Abernathy of McComb, Ill.; two sons, Terry Taylor, Jr. of McComb, Ill., James Willyard of St. Louis, Mo.; one brother, Billy Taylor of Christopher, Ill.; and 4 grandchildren...

Caron Virginia Yarbrough, 88, of Tyronza died Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008, at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis. She was a member of Sneed Street Baptist Church and was preceded in death by her husband, O'Neal Yarbrough and a son, Gerald Thompson...

It's time for the Democratic Party to reevaluate its leaders. I'm not talking about Howard "The Scream" Dean. Under his leadership Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to get more than 50% of the vote since Lyndon Johnson...

Last week I attended the girls basketball game with my family. While wrestling with my three year old niece and trying to watch my little sister play ball, I found myself watching the kids around us...

My pastor preached a very challenging sermon last Sunday centered around Thanksgiving. Yes, his sermon was about the need for us to be thankful to God and praise him in all things. But, more than that, he challenged us to have a grateful spirit. Unfortunately, that doesn't always come naturally to me...

Lepanto resident Jacquele Smith Tyler waged complaints of police harassment at the regular meeting of the Lepanto City Council held Tuesday, Nov. 18. "I feel like I'm being picked on," Tyler told the council. "I've made several complaints to the mayor over the past several months and nothing has been done about them."...

Patricia Fay "Pat" DeBoard Presley was born on Fri., July 21, 1950, daughter of the late Ed and Faye Woolbright DeBoard. Mrs. Presley died Sunday, Nov. 23, 2008 at the family residence at the age of 58 years 4 months and 2 days. ...

Billy Joe Wiley was born on Tuesday, June 24, 1941, son of the late Dallas Polk and Jennie Clara Baker Wiley. Wiley died Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro, at the age of 67 years 4 months and 25 days. ...

Ruby Parker Willbanks, a resident of Harrisburg, departed this life Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008, at the St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro at the age of 87. She was born May 12, 1921 in Atkins, the daughter of Ira and Irma Stinson Parker. She married Roy Patton Willbanks...

Willis and Mallory Johnston of Jonesboro are proud to announce the engagement of their daughter, Lauren Grace Johnston to Matthew Merritt Davis, son of Lee and Marilyn Davis of Jonesboro and Michael and Leisa Reese of Trumann...

On Nov. 21 the Arkansas State Police and the Poinsett County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at the home of Jessica Walker at 410 West Estes Street in Harrisburg. The search was the result of an extensive investigation into the sale and distribution of illegal drugs from the home...

Trumann Parks and Recreation Committee members failed to submit a budget to the city during their Nov. 19 meeting. The city began its budgeting process on Nov. 20 and requested that all budgets be in by then to allow officials to get a handle on the figures in order to begin charting its financial course for the next fiscal year...

Lacy Staten posted a double-double Monday night to lead the senior Trumann Lady Wildcats to a 49-40 win at home over the Rector Lady Cougars. Staten scored 16 points and hauled in 11 rebounds for the Wildcats (3-1) who led 27-13 at the half. "We beat a real good team," said head coach Matt Dean. "Defensively, I thought we did a good job early. We didn't shoot well early and our defense kept us in it. Then we got going a little bit and the defense was good the rest of the night."...

Head coach Matt Mink came in with a simple game plan against Rector double-up on No. 42 (Allison Duncan) and cover No. 5 (Jessie Scott). The Lady Wildkittens held Rectors two best shooters each to under ten points and Jazyme Nixons 20 points helped power Trumann (5-1, 1-0) to a 35-29 home win Monday...

It takes a lot of phone calls to get the homes lined up for the annual Trumann Poinsettia Club Christmas Tour of Homes, but this year the ladies behind the event think they have found a nice mix residents will enjoy seeing and come away from with some exciting holiday decoration tips...

You know I can tell when Christmastime is upon us? Not by the lights and decorations or even the displays in the stores which seem to pop up the minute Trick-or-Treat is over...

My pastor preached a very challenging sermon last Sunday centered around Thanksgiving. Yes, his sermon was about the need for us to be thankful to God and praise him in all things. But, more than that, he challenged us to have a grateful spirit. Unfortunately, that doesn't always come naturally to me...

Trumann woman visits 'Venice of the North' By MARK RANDALL Democrat News Staff Barbara Lewallen had been to Paris, Venice, Rome and a few other of Europe's major cities before. But even she wasn't prepared for all the splendor she encountered when she stepped off the plane in St. Peterburg, Russia on a recent trip to visit her brother...