Stories from Thursday, February 5, 2009

The sound of chainsaws and generators filled the air last week throughout the county and on into this week as residents began cleaning up from last week's ice storm. The storm began Tuesday and before it was all said and done, there were some 600,000 customers without power before the storm moved from the state to equally devastate areas of Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee...

Mayor Shelia Walters said the city is doing its best to cope in the aftermath of last Tuesday's ice storm and the devastating loss of their friend, Police Chief Larry Blagg. "We've lost someone who was very important to all of us," Walters said. "Larry was the kind of person for Trumann that all people from Trumann ought to be."...

Madison Elizabeth Vaughn Wilson, one month old daughter of Eddie Joe Wilson Jr. and Amanda Sue Vaughn died Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009, at NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro, of natural causes. She was born Dec. 17, 2008 in Jonesboro. Survivors include her father and mother, Eddie Joe Wilson Jr. ...

Police Chief Larry Neal "Red" Blagg was born on Sunday, March 30, 1969, son of Luther Neal and Brenda Gail Halfacre Blagg. Blagg died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009 from injuries received during the ice storm in Trumann, at the age of 39 years 9 months and 28 days. ...

Mrs. Cora Lee Mangrum, 84, of Bay died Jan. 20, 2009, at Craighead County Nursing Center in Jonesboro. She was born in Amagon and had lived in the Jonesboro and Bay area since 1980 and was formerly of Payneway. She was a housewife and of the Baptist faith. ...

Mr. Kenneth Alan "Bucky" Walters, 32, of Trumann died Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009 at the family residence. Walters was born in Jonesboro, and had lived most of his lifetime in Trumann. He was an electrician. Walters was preceded in death by his father, Ray Walters. ...

Mr. William Loyd "Willie" Brown, 64, of Trumann, died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009, at St. Bernard's Medical Center. Born in Lepanto, he had lived in Trumann for the past 28 years and was formerly of Buttonwillow, Calif. He was a truck driver and an auto repair technician and was a Protestant. He was preceded in death by one brother, Theodore Brown, one nephew and his parents, Anderson and Cleve Brown...

Now that the federal government is under adult supervision, it's not nearly as fun to cover as it used to be, but fortunately there is an alternative. The Arkansas Legislature is in session down in Little Rock, and it's always a source of merriment. ...

The Bible says our speech should be an example to others (1 Timothy 4:12), our speech reflects our relationship with God (Colosians 4:6) and foul language is not fitting for a Christian (Ephesians 5:4).It also tells us that young people should be an example to others (1 Timothy 4:12) and let your light shine (Matthew 5:14-16)...

It's been a crazy week for most of us. The 2009 Ice Storm has left many of us in the dark. Hopefully, most of you have power back on, and if not please let me tell you I feel for you! My husband and I were wonderfully blessed to only be without power a day during this storm, but I still remember the ice storm my family went through in 1994 in Lake Village, my hometown in South Arkansas. ...

Willard Leroy Spray, 70, of Dierks, died Thursday, Jan. 29 at his home. He was born August 8, 1938 in Blackrock, to Audie and Racheal Fultner Spray. He was a night guard for the Federal Compress. Spray was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Ellen Authetta Goodwin Spray; two brothers, Leamon Spray and Ernest Spray; and two sisters, Joyce Link and Jewell Bateman...

Barbara Allbright Smith, 76, of Marion, formerly of Marked Tree, died Friday, January 30, 2009 at Methodist North Hospital in Memphis. Smith was a long-time member of Marion United Methodist Church, where she served as secretary for 17 years. She retired from Arkansas Power and Light Company in 1991, after years of service...

Ruthie Mae Morgan, 81, o0f Marked Tree died Feb. 2. She was a cook and of the Baptist faith. She was preceded in death by her husband, Milton May Morgan; two brothers, J.T. McCorkle and Glen McCorkle; and two sisters, Stella Wood and Goldie Brewington...

James Edward Hensley, 77, of Lepanto died Saturday, Jan. 24 at the NEA Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro. He was born May 2, 1931 in Cord, Ark. Hensley was a truck driver and a member of the Air Force. He was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel Milton and Dora Lee Milton...

Robert "R.B." Buchanan, 76, of Clarkesdale, Miss., died Wednesday, Jan. 21 at the Northwest Regional Hospital in Clarkesdale, Miss. He was born May 15, 1932 in Robinsville, Miss. He was a farm worker, a Mason and a member of the Baptist Faith...

Police Chief Larry Neal "Red" Blagg, 39, was born Sunday, Mar. 30, 1969, son of Luther Neal and Brenda Gail Halfacre Blagg. He died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009 from injuries received during the ice storm in Trumann...

In a special called meeting Monday night the Marked Tree School Board heard an update on the 10 year master facilities plan. Roofing projects for the high school vocational and cafeteria buildings were included over the next two school years. Additionally renovations at the elementary school and two tornado shelters are included in the ten year plan...

Marked Tree High School was among only 36 schools in the state to receive the "Bronze Award" from U.S. News & World Report. The award is based on the key principles that: a great high school must serve all its students well, not just those who are bound for college, and that it must be able to produce measurable academic outcomes to show that the school is successfully educating its student body across a range of performance indicators. ...

The Marked Tree Chamber of Commerce is offering its annual awards: the Golden Apple Award, Community Spirit Award, and Indian Chief Award. The Golden Apple Award is given to an educator who has made a tremendous effort and influence in their students' scholastic abilities. ...

Lepanto's first city council meeting of the new year began with Poinsett County Justice of the Peace swearing in members of the council for the 2009 legislative year. Among other business discussed, Jake Holiman and several other concerned citizens appeared to voice concerns over Mayor Kevin Wright's car wash on Hwy. 140 N...

Two Marked Tree families traveled to Washington, D.C. last month to witness the inauguration and swearing in of President Barak Obama. Polly Wooten Norman of Marked Tree and her daughter Vearlene Wooten Williamson of Marion traveled by bus to the nation's capitol along with Winnie Ruth Johnson of Marked Tree. ...

Coming from the Northeast I'm used to snow, but my home state doesn't usually get the bad ice storms that Arkansas gets. This winter, a few weeks before Christmas, they got hit back home with a storm similar to last weeks ice storm...

The Bible says our speech should be an example to others (1 Timothy 4:12), our speech reflects our relationship with God (Colosians 4:6) and foul language is not fitting for a Christian (Ephesians 5:4).It also tells us that young people should be an example to others (1 Timothy 4:12) and let your light shine (Matthew 5:14-16)...

Last week's ice storm was devastating to many families, especially to Larry Blagg's family in Trumann. Police Chief Larry Blagg gave his life in the line of duty Tuesday night. He was out doing his best to "serve and protect," an oath he took seriously, when he was struck by a falling tree limb and killed...

WEST MEMPHIS -- More than 90 Mid-South Community College students, including Bernice Jackson of Trumann, have been named to academic honors lists for the Fall 2008 semester. Jackson earned Honors List recognition at MSCC for compiling a semester GPA of 3.5-3.8...

The sound of chainsaws and generators filled the air last week and on into this week as residents cleaned up downed limbs and tried to get their lives back to normal following last week's ice storm which blanketed counties in Northeast Arkansas and three other states leaving thousands in the dark without power...

Hundreds of mourners paid their respects Saturday at First Baptist Church to Trumann's fallen police chief, Larry Blagg. Tributes by Rev. Ronnie Dye and Trumann Police Department chaplain Anthony Patterson painted a portrait of a man who brought laughter to his friends and colleagues, and who loved helping his fellow citizens and the city he loved and served for 17 years...

Members of the Parks and Recreation Committee are calling on the city council to remove one its members who they claim is undercutting the city's youth baseball program. Chairman Scotty Spence called an emergency meeting of the board last Friday to ask Ronnie Haynes to step down after he helped facilitate signups for Little League in Trumann...