Stories from Friday, June 3, 2011

TRUMANN - Mrs. Betty B. Costley Cook, 77, of Trumann, died Thursday, May 26, 2011, at the family residence. She was born in Trumann, Ark., and had lived her lifetime in Trumann. Mrs. Cook was owner and operator of Trumann Hardware, was formerly employed by the Singer Co., and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Trumann. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Roben Cathleen Cook; one son, Kerry Verlon Cook; two sisters, Mildred Hooker and Peggy Strange; two brothers, Byram Costley and Adren Costley, and her parents, Claude and Fannie Belle Thomas Costley. Survivors include her husband, Billy V. "Bill" Cook of the home; one son, Timothy Vaughn of Proctor, Ark.; one daughter, Elizabeth Leanne Mitchell of Trumann, Ark.; two brothers, Claude Costley of Cherokee Village, Ark., and Lee William "Bill" Costley of Searcy, Ark.; three sisters, Irene Campbell of Tuckerman, Ark., Claudette Eitel of Hardy, Ark., and Kimberly Mason of Greencastle, Ind.; seven grandchildren, Monica Ray, Amber, Jodie and Dustin Cook, Misty Sample, Jordan Heavener and Kirsten Mitchell, and six great-grandchildren, Hannah, Brianna and Matthew Ray, Kaylabeth Sample, Landon Heavener and Makynley Robinson. Funeral service was Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Trumann, Ark., with Dr. Tad Rogers officiating. Burial followed in Oaklawn Cemetery in Jonesboro, Ark., under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home in Trumann. Active pallbearers were Jordan Heavener, Dustin Cook, Wayne Mitchell, Frankie "Peanut" Ray, Bobby Huskey and Danny Bivens. Honorary pallbearers were Virginia Ruffin, Diane Milligan, John Lee Cook, Jason Cook, Gary Cook, Eric Cook, Charles Edward Cook, Larry Wayne Cook, Elish Neece, Jeff Ruffin, Dale Taber, James Ruffin, Randy Craig and Eddie Penna. Visitation was Saturday from 5 until 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church. An online guest book can be signed at www.thompsonfuneralhome.net.

Dorothy Louise Powell, 81, of Marked Tree, died Saturday, May 28, 2011, in her residence surrounded by those who loved her. She was a member of Marked Tree Central Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, Wayne and Nellie Carlton; her husband, William David Powell; brother, Billy Carlton, and a special aunt, Myrtle Hamm. Survivors include sons Ken Powell (Jackie) and Bill Powell (Sandra), both of Jonesboro; daughters, Dottie Arnold (Don) and Kathy Worthey (Ronnie), both of Marked Tree; brother, Wayne Carlton of Oklahoma; sister-in-law, Mary K. Sisk, and four grandchildren, Donna Arnold Overton, Seth, Lauren and Lindsey Powell. Visitation was Monday from 6 to 8 in Central Baptist Church. Funeral services were Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the church with Chad Stoddard officiating. Burial followed in Marked Tree Cemetery.

The Festival on the Ridge is a Harrisburg annual event and one of the largest attractions to the city. It will take place Saturday, June 4, and will include vendors from around the area, gathering at the courthouse. Mark Weston, who is helping with festival efforts, said, "We've just had four new vendors sign up and this year we have a lot of good vendors. They are mostly food this year, but we do have some merchandise vendors as well." Overall there will 58 vendors attending the festival this year, with 20 food vendors, 12 merchandise vendors and 13 vendors geared toward kids. "One vendor coming is Build-A-Pal," which will be housing a 35-foot mobile home," Weston said. "Kids will have the opportunity to build themselves a stuffed animal." There will also be information booths, like the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce and Lake Poinsett State Park. "All four sides of the courthouse will be covered in booths," said Weston. The festival also will include a helicopter, pony rides for children and a horse and buggy. At 8 a.m., a 5K walk/run will be held. There will be race day registration near the courthouse downtown. Registration will start at 6:45 a.m. and continue to 7:45 a.m. or participants can sign up online. There will be a horseshoe tournament at 11:30 a.m. and those who wish to participate can sign up online or at the festival. A crawfish eating contest will take place at 5:30 p.m. with a $15 entry fee. There will be a $50 award given to the crawfish king. The soapbox derby will have time trials beginning at noon, and the derby will be at 2 p.m. Music includes "Down Home String Band," "Immortal Soul and the Remnants," "Jackie DeLoach Band" and "Sonny Burgess and the Legendary Pacers." Also attending the Festival on the Ridge will be BMX Bicycle Stunt Show, from Oklahoma, the Trumann Fire Department's smokehouse and Cow Patty Bingo, a fundraiser run by Harrisburg FCCLA students to raise money to go to nationals. "We're looking forward to a great lineup," said Weston. "We're expecting clear skies and warm weather." The festival begins with a senior citizen country breakfast starting at 7 a.m. and will end at 9:30 p.m. with a fireworks finale. The Festival on the Ridge is sponsored by Past Times Bar and Grill in Harrisburg, Jordan's Kwik Stop, Greenway Equipment and Delta Environmental. For a full schedule of the day's events or to sign up for the events, go online to www.harrisburgchamber.com/festival-on-the-ridge.htm.

Poinsett County is one of four Arkansas counties designated to receive state and federal disaster assistance as a result of the storms, tornadoes and flooding that struck the state beginning April 23, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said Friday. Poinsett, Arkansas, Lee and St. Francis counites in eastern Arkansas join 26 other counties around the state that have been designated for federal Individual Assistance under the presidential disaster declaration and subsequent amendments. "This area of Arkansas was hit hard by flooding following the storms, so we're pleased to be able to get state and federal assistance out to individuals and families there," said State Coordinating Officer David Maxwell. "Arkansans in these newly-designated counties should register with FEMA as soon as possible," said Federal Coordinating Officer Nancy M. Casper. "The state and FEMA are already geared up and ready to help eligible survivors in these areas." Arkansans in any of the 30 counties now designated for Individual Assistance under the disaster declaration should register with FEMA. They can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov, via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585. Information about FEMA's Individual Assistance program is available at www.fema.gov/assistance/process/assistance.shtm.

This summer six sewing day camps have been scheduled during June. One project will be completed at each day camp. Youth may participate in one or more of the day camps based on their interest and age. Twelve 4-H students may participate in each day camp. If more than 12 4-H students wish to participate, an additional camp for that project may be scheduled. Those who wish to register for the sewing day camps may complete the registration form and send camp fees to the Poinsett County Cooperative Extension Service at least one week before the camp begins. Registration forms are available at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Poinsett-Co-4-H-ProgramsU-of-AR-Coop-Extension-Service/152411521450424. Dates for the sewing day camps include: June 2 -- 3 to 6 p.m., ages 5 to 8, at the Marked Tree Library. June 10 -- 9 a.m. to noon, ages 9 to 12, at the Harrisburg Community Building. June 10 -- 2 to 4 p.m., ages 13 to 19, at the Harrisburg Community Building. June 17 -- 9 a.m. to noon, ages 5 to 8, at the Harrisburg Community Building. June 23 -- 9 a.m. to noon, ages 9 to 12, at the Marked Tree Library. June 24 -- 11 a.m. to noon, ages 8 to 19, at the Weiner Library. The camp for 5 to 8-year-olds will include instruction on the basics of sewing and Saori weaving, which originated in Japan. Children will learn the sewing machine parts and about fabric grain. The cost is $5. Yarn, needles, scissors and looms will be provided. There are no prerequisites for this class. In the class for 9 to 12-year-olds, children will learn the basics of sewing and how to make a Mayan shirt. Some of the skills that will be taught include learning the sewing machine parts, learning about fabric grain, and using an iron and measuring tape. The cost for this class is $5 and yarn, pillowcases, beads, pinking shears, rulers, needles, scissors, fabric glue and thread will all be provided. There are no prerequisites for this class. The 13 to 19-year-old camp will be taught on the basics of sewing and how to make recycled T-shirt bags. Teens will learn sewing machine parts, fabric grain, using an iron, using a seam ripper and using a measuring tape. This camp is $5 and includes the use of sewing machines, a T-shirt to recycle, one yard of fusible tricot interfacing, four yards of cording, scissors, rulers, thread and a large eyelet kit. There are no prerequisites for this class. The deadline for returning the application to the Poinsett County Cooperative Extension Office is one week before the camp date. Each participant will receive a letter with further instructions after application is received. Those who want more information may contact Sharon R. Lowery at 870-578-4490 or by email at slowery@uaex.edu. These camps are open to all youth between the ages of 5 and 19 without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender or disability. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (large print, audiotapes, etc) should notify the county extension office as soon as possible prior to the activity.

A public auction for the sale of tax delinquent land in Poinsett County will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, at the Courthouse in Harrisburg, according to John Thurston, Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands. Registration will begin at 1:30 p.m. The Commissioner of State Lands Office provides a Catalog of Tax Delinquent Lands, which contains the rules and regulations governing the sales. The catalog also includes dates, times, location and pertinent information regarding the parcels being offered. It is available by calling 501-324-9422 or may be viewed on the Commissioner's web site at www.cosl.org. "Owners of property sold at auction have 30 days to redeem the property following the sale," said Commissioner Thurston. He added they may call the Land Office at 501-324-9422 to request a Petition to Redeem or go by his office in Room 109 of the State Capitol in Little Rock.

Marked Tree's Rotary Club had two guest speakers at last week's meeting, Wayne Hinds of the Poinsett County Drainage District and Frank Kraft, Poinsett County Office of Emergency Management Coordinator. Hinds spoke briefly about drainage in Poinsett County and the levees. He said the St. Francis west levee is nine miles long. The water that flooded Payneway was the result of water flowing north around the south end of the levee from the St. Francis spillway because the Mississippi was so high and the water was backed up, he said. Hinds said that people ask, "Why not extend the levee south?" The reason the levee cannot be extended south, he said, is because there is nothing to tie it into. "I don't know of anything to do down there except put another pump in," Hinds said. Hinds also estimated it would take a week and a half for water to leave the floodway if there is no more rain. Kraft said between 100 and 150 homes in Payneway were damaged and that 54 houses had minor damage, which is considered 8 to 10 inches of water. Kraft spoke about the importance of being prepared for disasters, though he cited the tornadoes in Joplin and said that sometimes no matter how prepared you are, it is never enough. He said one of the major concerns in this region is the New Madrid fault. "But we get it all here," he added. Kraft said it is important to prioritize in the event of a disaster. "First thing: check on your family, then your neighbors, then shelter, then food, then housing," Kraft said. He said people are often told that if an earthquake occurs they should be prepared to be on their own for three to four days. "But people should actually prepare for three to four weeks," he said. He recommended having a satchel prepared for disasters with important documents, cash, medicine and hiking clothes. "If there's a 7.7 earthquake, most of the roads will be gone," Kraft said. "It will be a cash-only society if there's a major disaster." Kraft also talked about the National Level Exercise, a recent earthquake drill in which eight states participated. "We did sheltering for Poinsett County, though I spent most of my time in Payneway," Kraft said. "There's a misconception that I'll step in and organize everything in the event of a disaster. The local, state and federal governments organize everything, and if you need something, you call me, and I see if I can get it for you." He said Community Emergency Response Teams are looking for more volunteers in Marked Tree. In addition to providing handouts about how to prepare for disasters, Kraft noted that ready.gov, fema.gov and redcross.org also have information on disaster preparedness.

Casey A. Cravens of Trumann was arrested Wednesday, May 25, on one count of breaking and entering, seven counts of forgery and seven counts of theft of property. The arresting officer was Erik Willbanks. On Monday, May 23, a complaint was made to the Trumann Police Department that some business checks had been stolen from a resident's mailbox and that the suspect had passed several checks within the city of Trumann. The man whose checks were stolen listed Cravens as the suspect. Three local businesses gave statements saying they had received forged checks from Cravens, using the victim's account. All of the checks were written between May 21 and May 25. On Wednesday, Cravens was confronted with evidence by Trumann police and admitted to stealing the checks from the victim's mailbox, forging the victim's name and passing them on to local businesses. District Judge Ron Hunter has set Cravens' bond at $25,000. Cravens' court date is scheduled June 27.

Three Rivers Healthcare and Rehabilitation of Marked Tree was honored at a recent Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC) Quality Conference where the facility received a Quality Award for excellence in healthcare. Three Rivers won an Innovator Award during AMFC's annual Quality Conference held May 10-11 in Little Rock. The Innovator Award is given to nursing homes that have engaged community resources to improve patient safety, continuity of care, and care coordination. Among Three Rivers' projects during the last year were three large community projects. Three Rivers partnered with the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas to sponsor 10 seniors in the community. Staff delivered weekly boxed lunches to the seniors which met their physical needs, gave them a chance to socialize and gave staff the opportunity to monitor the seniors' overall well-being. Three Rivers also partnered with Schmieding Home Caregiver Training Center and Northeast Arkansas Center on Aging. This partnership provided training for staff and residents families to increase knowledge about Alzheimer's disease. Staff and residents also participated in a local memory walk, which raised almost $3,500. Three Rivers also formed an Alzheimer's Support Group for family members, caregivers and others in January. The group meets once a month and features guest speakers and time for group members to share their experiences and offer support. The group meets the first Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. Three Rivers also held a Virtual Dementia Tour for staff and family members to help give them a better idea of what people suffering from dementia go through. To support culture change, Three Rivers also teamed up with the community to host several activities where residents could celebrate the days of their youth. These included a Roaring 20s event with theme-related dress and music, a Swinging 40s event with military-inspired dress and a community car show in the parking lot, and a Rocking 60s event with an older Elvis concert and flower power dress. Three Rivers also hosts a community Easter egg hunt, a Red Cross blood drive and a barbecue cook-off.

Residents of Trumann gathered together to hold a Memorial Day Remembrance in honor of the heroes of our city, state and nation. The event took place at the intersection of West Main and Highway 463 at the Trumann Memorial Park. Local war veterans spoke and some traveled as far as from Newport to respect our nation's heroes.

Marked Tree High School students put on a benefit concert Monday night to help those affected by the Payneway flooding. Jake Lung, Brayden Smith, Sloan Dawson and Blaine Teague raised over $700 with their Beatles tribute group, Yesterday. Pattie Lovins, business teacher at Marked Tree High School, said some of the band members had played songs from the 60s in talent shows the past couple years. The Beatles Tribute band was put together a couple of months ago. "It's a little band we put together at school," Lung said. "We originally wanted to do a free concert, but then the flood happened. A lot of our friends were affected, and we wondered what we could do to help. There were a lot of other benefits going on. Putting on a benefit concert seemed like a pretty good idea." Lovins said some of the students who helped set up were affected by the flood. The band performed Beatles songs for an hour to a crowd of around 75.

Corner Chapel Baptist Church in Payneway has been the anchor for the community over the past weeks of flooding. Regina Stacy, of Trumann, has been volunteering almost every day at the church with Sandra Cook and Sandra Myers. "We've been serving up three meals a day," said Stacy. "And they're good meals too. We normally have sausage, eggs, biscuits and gravy." Many of the residential homes in the area use septic tanks, leaving many without the basic need of a restroom. Corner Chapel has set up porta potties on the grounds for use. "The tap water is safe to drink now, which is great," said Stacy. "We've had so many donations from people in the area. It's unreal. Brother Hurst and Brenda Hurst have done so much to help. Jay Paul Woods has led us as director and he has done an amazing job." The church had to bring in two extra refrigerators and one freezer to hold all of the food donated. Volunteers have helped feed local residents throughout the past few weeks. "We couldn't have done it without people working together," said Stacy. "So many churches helped us. We want to thank the correctional facility and the men who came to help us sandbag. There were so many volunteers." One story of giving told by Stacy was of a woman who was driven down to Payneway by a friend. She brought $10 with her, saying that was all the money she and her husband had saved, but she wanted to help out the community of Payneway. Sandra Myers, who has helped cook for many of the residents and is a member of Corner Chapel said, "There has been an outpouring of resources from the surrounding communities. The volunteer spirit was overwhelming. We had to cancel our annual revival, but we ended up having the best revival we could have had. It has been a great opportunity for us to witness." Cody Roark was at the church, taking a break from working in his community. His home was lost in flooding. "We fought the good fight," said Roark. "When one house went under, we moved on to help our neighbor. Mine went first, so I went to help my neighbor save his, and when his flooded, we moved on to the next house. We lost a lot of them." Jean Sterngs was also at the church. "I have eight inches of water in my home. My grandson asked me if I was mad about it and I asked him, 'What can I do about it?' There's not much you can do about it." Many residents will begin to clean up soon and will need help from volunteers. The Health Department has cautioned residents that all of their sandbags used to hold back floodwaters are contaminated and should be handled with gloves and masks. Anyone with asthma or respiratory problems should not help with the clean-up process. Also, residents should be sure to keep children and pets away from all floodwater. "Red Cross, the National Guard and FEMA have all been here, but FEMA is here this week just to survey the damage of the area," said Stacy. "Residents can fill out a claim online, but we can't really do anything at the church." As of last week, Payneway still had not been declared a disaster area, but the more people who call or sign up online at www.fema.gov, the better. Also if anyone would like to donate to the cleanup process, please send a check to Corner Chapel Baptist Church in Payneway, specifying that it be for Payneway clean up. If you would like to volunteer with the clean up the community, call the church at 593-2112.

Patty Lee of Iberia Bank saw several surprised, shocked and grateful faces Thursday afternoon. She was out at the gas station across from Bill's Fresh Market in Marked Tree where she paid for $10 worth of gas for 10 random customers on behalf of Iberia Bank. It was part of Iberia Bank's Random Acts of Kindness Day. The idea is to perform random acts of kindness to stay in touch with the community by treating random people to an unexpected treat. Given the steady increase in gas prices, Iberia Bank thought purchasing the first $10 of random people's gas would be much appreciated. And it was. "We've done this for three years now," Lee said. "People were kind of scared the first year we did it." And several people were shocked this year as well -- but very happy. One man said, "I've never won anything in my life." In addition to the gas, Lee handed out goody bags that contained chips, bottled water, candy and brochures. "We do this in all our Arkansas markets," Lee said. The gas blitz Thursday took place in all of Iberia Bank's markets in Northeast and Northwest Arkansas, including Marked Tree, Hardy, Hoxie, Imboden, Jonesboro, Lake City, Newport, Pocahontas, Paragould, Tuckerman, Walnut Ridge, Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville and Bella Vista. Iberia Bank has a total of 34 offices across Arkansas, all of which participated in the gas blitz.