Stories from Monday, March 2, 2009

Wilma "Sister" Ferguson, 79, of Etowah died Monday, Feb. 16, 2009. She was born to Andy and Rosalee Barnes, Oct. 30, 1929, at Macks. She was a homemaker and member of Etowah Baptist Church. She is survived by her husband, John Ferguson; daughter, Charlotte Williams of Batesville; nine grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren...

Charles Davis, 85, of Caraway, died Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009, in St. Bernard's Hospital in Jonesboro. He was an Army Veteran of WWII and of the Church of God faith. He was preceded in death by his parents William and Adaline Davis, three brothers and two sisters...

The Lepanto Police Department closed a burglary case with one arrest last weekend. Deanna Rodgers of 129 Oak Street in Lepanto reported on Feb. 11 that her bedroom window was broken and a computer keyboard, mouse and monitor were missing along with a stereo and CD's...

The Marked Tree Chamber of Commerce will be hosting their annual banquet at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 12 at the Marked Tree First United Methodist Church. There will be a silent auction and dinner prepared by the "Methodist Chicks."...

Lepanto First Baptist Church held a banquet Sunday, Feb. 22 in the Family Life Center in honor of the Lepanto firefighters. The church wanted to thank the firemen for aiding in the ice storm in Janurary. Bro. Jim Duffel presented each of them with gifts including the movie "Fireproof." (Tribune photo / Marissa Holiman)...

What do Tombstone, Ariz., Austin, Texas and New Castle, N.Y. all have in common with Tyronza? They were all part of the 23 new designations as Preserve America Communities. Tyronza was recently honored when former First Lady Laura Bush, Honorary Chair of the Preserve America initiative, designated it as one of the nation's newest Preserve America Communities. ...

Lepanto City Council members discussed the appearance of rundown houses throughout the city and heard a resident's complaints about the towns appearance at their regular meeting Tuesday, Feb. 17. The main property of discussion was a house on Woodrow Street owned by Carl Hendrix...

Over the weekend a friend and I enveloped ourselves in the beautiful terrain of the west while driving to Arizona. Nestled comfortably on the passenger side, I imagined cowboys and Indians wrestling for authority along the hillsides of New Mexico. The beautiful weather and the clear, azure skyline made me wonder if the very hands of God coasted our car along I-40...

After watching the 81st Academy Awards (Oscars) Sunday night, I was a bit disappointed. I understand that the academy cannot please everyone, especially all those losing nominees (sorry Meryl Streep with 15 nominations and running) but I can't help but be a little disappointed in the results. ...

It's funny how much our lives become intertwined and ingrained with those of another person. My husband Josh and I have been married five and half years and, in that time, we really haven't spent a lot of time away from each other. Of course there have been weekend trips here and there, but they are always few and far between...

Abby Jones, two, was the winner of the Tribune's Little Sweetheart Valentine's Photo Contest. Here she receives her $25 prize from Lisa Cavitt of First Delta Bank, the contest's sponsor. Her proud parents are Brad and Rene Jones of Osceola. (Tribune photo/Dan Brawner)...