Stories from Monday, January 16, 2012

Martin Lilly will no longer be serving as Poinsett County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. District Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington said in a statement released last week that "it became necessary to terminate his appointment as a deputy prosecuting attorney. Since this is a personnel issue I will not elaborate further. "Poinsett County has a competent deputy prosecuting attorney in Jimmy Gazaway, and I have every confidence in his abilities. I will soon make an announcement as to who will fill the vacancy created, in that office, by my decision," Ellington said. "The citizens of Poinsett County can always trust I will make their safety and the integrity of my office my primary goal in serving them."

This is the schedule for winter meetings to be conducted by the Poinsett County Extension Service: 8 a.m. to 12 noon Wednesday, Jan. 11 -- rice/soybean production meeting, Rice Festival Building, Weiner. 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon, Friday, Jan. 13 -- cotton/corn production meeting, Dixie Gin (old Dixie Equipment building), Trumann. 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25 -- pesticide applicator training, Rice Festival building, Weiner. 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8 -- pesticide applicator training, Dixie Gin (old Dixie Equipment building), Trumann. 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22 -- pesticide applicator training, Harrisburg Annex building. CEU credits are available for the rice/soybean and cotton/corn production meeetings. All meetings are all open to everyone. 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. For more information contact the local Extension office at (870) 578-4490.

JONESBORO - Girl Scouts in the region will be ringing in the New Year by putting their entrepreneurial and leadership skills to work through the Girl Scout Cookie Program. January 2012 marks the beginning of the 100th anniversary of the organization, and Girl Scouts of all ages will be celebrating with cookies. Girls will begin taking orders for these "cookies with a mission" on Jan. 14 and continue through Jan. 29...

A Harrisburg man was killed in the early morning hours Dec. 31 in a one-car crash on Highway 163. According to Arkansas State Police, Bryan Price, 34, was driving northbound on Highway 163 when he lost control of his 1994 Chevrolet. Police say Price's vehicle ran off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree. Conditions were clear at the time of the accident. Police say the accident happened at 8545 Highway 163 at 12:26 a.m. on Dec. 31. According to the report, Price was not wearing a seatbelt.

The city of Harrisburg has partnered with CodeRED Weather Warning service. CodeRED Weather Warning is an opt-in only weather warning product that taps into the National Weather Service's storm based warnings. CodeRED Weather Warning automatically alerts affected citizens by phone in the path of severe weather just moments after a warning has been issued. Those who are signed up for this service will get a call when a thunderstorm warning, tornado warning or flash flood warning is issued for this area. Message recipients' caller ID will read either Emergency Communications Network or the number 800-566-9780. If residents miss the warning call, they can simply dial the number displayed on their caller ID to hear the last message delivered. This will offer residents an immediate replay of the message. "Since Harrisburg does not have sirens, we have been searching for a solution," said Mayor Randy Mills. "This is a product that will benefit even those outside the city limits who would never hear a siren. We are excited to offer this service at no charge to the citizens. We think this is a valuable and necessary service for our community." Those who wish to sign up for the service may simply visit the Harrisburg Area Chamber of Commerce website at www.harrisburgchamber.com and follow the link to the "CodeRED Weather Warning" page. It is recommended that all businesses register, as well as all individuals. Those without Internet access may stop by City Hall or call the Chamber office at 870-578-4104 Monday through Friday, (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.) to supply their information. Emergency Communications Network Inc. (ECN) provides affordable high-speed notification solutions capable of reaching millions of citizens in minutes. ECN's sophisticated network supports a web-based product suite featuring CodeRED, which enables local government officials to communicate time-sensitive, personalized messages via voice, email and text messaging. The city of Harrisburg has partnered with CodeRED Weather Warning service. CodeRED Weather Warning is an opt-in only weather warning product that taps into the National Weather Service's storm based warnings. CodeRED Weather Warning automatically alerts affected citizens by phone in the path of severe weather just moments after a warning has been issued. Those who are signed up for this service will get a call when a thunderstorm warning, tornado warning or flash flood warning is issued for this area. Message recipients' caller ID will read either Emergency Communications Network or the number 800-566-9780. If residents miss the warning call, they can simply dial the number displayed on their caller ID to hear the last message delivered. This will offer residents an immediate replay of the message. "Since Harrisburg does not have sirens, we have been searching for a solution," said Mayor Randy Mills. "This is a product that will benefit even those outside the city limits who would never hear a siren. We are excited to offer this service at no charge to the citizens. We think this is a valuable and necessary service for our community." Those who wish to sign up for the service may simply visit the Harrisburg Area Chamber of Commerce website at www.harrisburgchamber.com and follow the link to the "CodeRED Weather Warning" page. It is recommended that all businesses register, as well as all individuals. Those without Internet access may stop by City Hall or call the Chamber office at 870-578-4104 Monday through Friday, (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.) to supply their information. Emergency Communications Network Inc. (ECN) provides affordable high-speed notification solutions capable of reaching millions of citizens in minutes. ECN's sophisticated network supports a web-based product suite featuring CodeRED, which enables local government officials to communicate time-sensitive, personalized messages via voice, email and text messaging.

2011 marked the year many cities in Poinsett County saw a decrease in state aid due to population loss reported in the Census. Several mayors have said they are tightening up budgets for the coming year. Trumann Mayor Sheila Walters said some highlights of the past year included going to Savannah, Ga., and Washington, D.C., with Jackie Ross and Barbara Lewallen for National League of Cities conferences, where they heard speakers talk about assessment tools for cities, met with people from different states and discussed what the city needs. Mayor Walters also said city buildings have been assessed through Entergy's CitySmart program to make them more energy efficient. During the past year, city hall was remodeled, a new concrete pad was poured at the Sports Complex to help with festivals, a bid was accepted for a grant to put in sidewalks to help elementary students get to school, a lot of repairs were made to the water and sewer system, and city equipment was upgraded. Walters said the city is in the process of repairing the water tower on Oak Street and will work on the industrial park water tower next. "In May, the city was declared a disaster area," Mayor Walters said. "It wasn't nearly as dramatic as in '09. All that work is complete." Walters said the budget was tight this year, but "we finished the year with a little more money than we started with." The city also received free work through the Disaster Program, which provided workers to help clean up storm-related damage for 10 weeks. This saved the city $15,000. Walters also mentioned the death of Trumann police officer Jonathan Schimdt. "That has made an impact on everybody," she said. "We don't want to forget how important he was to the police department." Marked Tree Mayor Wayne Nichols said the past year was good overall despite a loss of revenue. "We had a decline in revenue for 2011 and less state turnback money. Sales tax is less because of the economy, but we didn't reduce services to the public because our employees chipped in and worked efficiently," he said. Mayor Nichols said he hopes to get the railroad spur for the Awesome Products plant completed this year. "What we'd like to do, if revenue is up, is do street work and get streets repaired," he said. "The railroad is another goal. We want to just try to provide the services we've been providing." Lepanto Mayor Steve Jernigan said the bulk of the problems that city has had over the last year involved stray dogs, garbage, brown water and drainage. The city was constantly repairing water leaks all over town, he said, and Lepanto now is in the process of looking for funding to replace 13,000 feet of galvanized water lines. Replacing the 80-year-old pipes will take about a year to get going, Jernigan said, but will help with the brown water problem, which is caused by rust. "That's one of our goals," he said. "It will take a year to get going, but it's a problem that's not going away." Mayor Jernigan said Lepanto saw an 11 percent population decrease, which means a decrease in state aid for the next 10 years. "It's going to affect everybody. The price of gas is kind of an unknown equation at this point. At some point you've got to decide what you'll do," he said. "Sales tax collections and revenue are down a little, but expenses are up," Jernigan added. "We'll have a tight budget this year. We have to try to find how to break even. There's a whole bunch of things to take care of. We just got to keep plugging."

Harry Joseph Webb, Jr., 61, of Marked Tree, formerly of Helena, died Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, in Baptist East Hospital in Memphis. He was a member of St. Norberts Catholic Church in Marked Tree. He was a longtime resident of Helena and Marked Tree. He was preceded in death by his father, Harry Webb, Sr., and one brother. Survivors include his wife, Judi Webb of the home; sons, Josh Webb of Jonesboro and Burke Webb of Southhaven, Miss.; daughter, Ann Marie Webb of Conway; mother, Jane Webb of Jonesboro, and sisters, Mary Jane Manning (Jim) of Crossett, Martha Mazingo (Larry) of Meridian, Miss., and Melanie Howard of Rogers. Visitation and Rosary was Monday, Jan. 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Norberts Catholic Church in Marked Tree. Funeral service was Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 11 a.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Jonesboro. Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to the charity of your choice.

FSA will hold two informational meetings for all area farmers to discuss the availability of farm Loan Programs. The meetings will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, at the University of Arkansas Experiment Station, 1241 West CR 780, Keiser, and 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, at the Crowley's Ridge Educational Co-op, 1606 Pine Grove Lane, Harrisburg. The meetings will be rescheduled in case of inclement weather. Persons may contact the Poinsett County FSA office, (870) 578-2444, extension 103, for more information.

A Harrisburg woman was shot and killed Sunday, Jan. 1, in what the man charged in the death described to police as "horseplay." Carlos Coronado, 28, told Poinsett County deputies he and 24-year-old Karrie Deshae Shadwick, who lived together at 6790 Mills Lane in Harrisburg, celebrated the New Year by discharging two firearms, a shotgun and a nine millimeter pistol. After the initial discharging of the weapons, he said, the two pointed the guns at each other "in a horseplay manner." Coronado said he thought the pistol was empty when it went off, striking Shadwick in the head and causing a fatal wound. Coronado was taken into custody and has been charged with manslaughter. A number of deputies responded to a call to the scene. Shadwick's body was discovered on the ground at the residence, located just west and south of Harrisburg. The body of the victim has been sent to the State Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy and the case is currently under investigation by the Poinsett County Sherriff's Office and the Arkansas State Police. The suspect's bond was set at $25,000 by District Judge Ron Hunter and he remains in custody at the Poinsett County Detention Center.

The Consolidated Youth Services at the Harrisburg Juvenile Treatment Center is looking for book donations to place in their newly built library. Last week the Harrisburg location held a book drive to fill their library and are still accepting all book donations. The books donated are available to the youth at the treatment center to use for both educational purposes and recreationally. Books that are donated should appeal to young men and can both fiction and non-fiction. Some suggested works include: the Harry Potter series, Bluford High series, How to Draw, Eragon series, Mary Higgins Clark books, autobiographies and Greek mythology. According to the CYS information pamphlet, "The goal of CYS is to provide treatment and intensive supervision for troubled youth in a safe, homelike environment. The Center uses a competency-based treatment approach focusing on assisting the youth to develop the life skills they need to live a law-abiding life." The target population of the center is for male youths who are between the ages of 14 and 18 and are chronic or serious juvenile offenders in the custody of the Division of Youth Services. According to a CYS study, "From July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010, of the 57 youth completing the program, 95 percent did not get recommitted during the six-month aftercare period." CYS provides many services to the local community, including working at the local food bank, highway cleanup and serving in local nursing homes.

A memorial ceremony was held Friday, Dec. 24, for the late Michelle Hurt with many of her family members attending. Ms. Hurt worked as Operations Support Specialist for Ritter Communications at the time of her death on March 22, 2011. To honor the memory of Michelle, a memorial bench was purchased by Ritter employees through various fundraisers and donations. The inscription on the bench reads, "Care, Give, Love... in Memory of Michelle Hurt." Friends and co-workers of Michelle shared poems, prayers and Michelle's New Year's Resolution. Many of Michelle's friends and family attended the memorial and released purple balloons as the ceremony ended in prayer. "Michelle was a very special person and was loved by all who knew her," said Sherry McMunn, Ritter Operations Support Administrator. (Courtesy photo)

On Dec. 15, just prior to Christmas break, the Gifted and Talented Program at Trumann held a Renaissance Festival, which was a fantastic success. "The Renaissance Festival was a very educational and creative experience for our GT students," said Kimberly Stevens, the new Gifted and Talented Trumann district coordinator. "The GT students at the intermediate level had to do a three page research paper with a reference page, create a poem about their chosen Renaissance character, incorporate it into a group power point presentation about the Renaissance andcreate a costume and a dwelling or house prop for the Renaissance village that was created in the front hall of the school." The Trumann cafeteria was turned into a castle and Mr. Benson and Mrs. Graham were named as royalty at the event. "We servedsmoked turkey, dressing, smoked pork tenderloin, smoked ham, rolls, pies and the finest Kool-aid available," said Stevens.

Local optometrist Dr. Angela Howell spoke recently to the Trumann Rotary Club about her new clinic and gave information on glaucoma. Howell is a graduate of Southern College of Optometry in Memphis and has been in practice for over 15 years. Howell also works at two other locations in Piggott and in Paragould. Her office in Trumann is located at 807 West Main Street and she works Monday and Wednesday at that location. Along with Howell, Hayden Sowers, a board-certified optometric physician, also works at the Trumann location. "We opened in August and couldn't be happier here," said Howell. Howell stays busy with her clinic work, but also is a member of the Lions Club and has taken three trips, including two to Costa Rica to help deliver over 1,000 pairs of glasses to children. Howell also has two sons and currently lives in Piggott. Howell sees many eye problems in her line of work, but one eye problem she emphasized is glaucoma. Glaucoma is an eye disorder that leads to the damage of the optic nerve. Permanent vision damage can be sustained from glaucoma if left untreated. Howell said glaucoma is one of the major causes of blindness in people over 40 and that certain groups of people, such as those with a family history of glaucoma, those who are diabetic, African Americans and those who are nearsighted, have a higher chance of having glaucoma problems. She also said African Americans are four times more likely to go blind from their glaucoma problems. "Eighty percent of glaucoma problems occur because of the drainage system in the eye," said Howell. "Fluid in the eye drains too slowly, which builds pressure and damages the optic nerve." This form of glaucoma can normally be treated with pills or eye drops, which help with the drainage and pressure buildup, she noted. Conventional surgery also can be used if the less invasive measures do not work. Although there are treatments available, many do not use the resources simply because they do not know they have glaucoma. "It can go untreated at first because it is a gradual process," Howell said. "But once the damage is done it cannot be reversed. An eye exam is the only way to know. During the exam we check the patient's field of vision and the pressure level in their eye." Howell suggests that those who are 40 and over, especially those in the higher case groups, should have their eyes checked every one to two years. For more information on glaucoma, visit Dr. Howell's website at www.drangelahowell.com/eye_care/index.html or to make an eye appointment call 870-483-0096.

The Marked Tree police department is continuing an investigation into an early-morning break-in last week at the Marked Tree Public Library. According to Marked Tree police, one of the library windows was broken sometime between 2 and 3 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28. Police did not elaborate on what was stolen.

James Payton of Marked Tree may have just started gardening, but that doesn't mean he is starting out small. "I wanted to grow some big turnips, so I cleared an area and put about half a tablespoon of tomato fertilizer in," Payton said. "I watered it and babied it along." But by New Year's Day, one turnip surprised him. "We thought it was a basketball at first," he laughed. "I called my wife and she said, 'Lord, that's a turnip!'" They pulled it up because they were afraid it would freeze with the temperature drop predicted. Payton then weighed the turnip, which came in at nine pounds. Payton started his gardening hobby in the past couple of years to give him something to do during retirement. He retired five years ago after open-heart surgeries. His sister, who lives in Virginia, let him use her tractor to get started, with the promise that he lets her take some vegetables when she visits because she has no room for a garden. "It's just a big toy," he said. "It's something to keep me busy." Payton said that in addition to turnips, he has grown peas, corn, squash and few tomatoes. Since he grows too much for his wife and himself to eat alone, members of the community often drop by to gather some greens for themselves. "I didn't realize how big it had gotten," Payton said. "It's a wonder someone else didn't pull it." Initially Payton wasn't sure what he wanted to do with the turnip. "I don't want to cook it, and you can't preserve it," he said. "I want people to see it." In the end, he decided to put it on display in Clara's Midway CafÈ in Tyronza to show it off. "I'm going to try to grow another crop. If I do as good as this, I'll do good," Payton said.

Kathy Schmidt began her work at the Trumann Post Office on Oct. 18 1980 and has enjoyed it tremendously. Now though, she says it is time to retire. "I have worked under nine Postmasters and 11 Officers in Charge," said Schmidt. "Most of that has been as a Distribution Window Clerk, but at one time I was a Mail Clerk and carried mail." Schmidt graduated Central High as a valedictorian and has lived in Trumann all of her life. Before starting work at the Trumann Post Office, Schmidt worked at the Forrest City Memorial Hospital as a paramedic. She is married to Steve Schmidt and has a son named Logan, along with two stepchildren named Kristy and Courtney. Schmidt said that when she first began her job, she was the only woman at the post office. "All I heard was talk of football," laughed Schmidt. "For years I was the only lady and the men swear I didn't speak one word for 10 years. How could I, when all they talked about was football?" Schmidt began working at the old Trumann post office and relocated to the newly built one in 1998. Friday, Dec. 30 at 5 p.m. was Schmidt's last day at work. She said she had mixed feelings about leaving behind the Trumann Post Office. "I love working with customers here," said Schmidt. "My co-workers and I are like family and we mean a lot to one another. I'm looking forward to spending more time with my family and two granddaughters, but there are a lot of people I am going to miss."

The Lepanto municipal complex is receiving a new roof this week after sustaining storm damage in October. Mayor Steve Jernigan said the roof should be completed by the end of the week. (DT Photo/Corey Clairday)

The Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program season starts Feb. 1 and continues through June. The trap shooting sport is sponsored by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and is aimed at young people in grades 6 through 12 with grades 6 to 8 in the junior division and grades 9 to 12 in the senior division. Teams will compete at the district and state levels. A meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, at the Trumann Missionary Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. Anyone in grades 6 through 12 who is interested in competing is invited to attend and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Those who want more information may contact coaches Donny Rodgers (870-930-4769), Bro. Myles Evans (870-284-0810) or Joe Ussery (901-687-4711).

David Lynn Jones and Friends will perform in KASU's Blue Monday concert at 7 p.m. Jan. 16 at the Red Goose Restaurant, 100 South Pruett Street, in Paragould. There is no charge for admission, but KASU will pass the hat for the band. KASU 91.9 FM is the public radio service of Arkansas State University, Jonesboro. Born in Bexar, Ark., (Fulton County) in 1950, Jones began performing locally while in his teens. After unsuccessful tries at selling his songs in Nashville during the 1970s, he was working as a session player in Houston when he sold the song "Heart Don't Fail Me Now" to Randy Cornor, who made it a country hit in 1976. Merle Haggard, Pirates of the Mississippi, Joe Cocker and Randy Travis are some of the artists who have recorded songs by David Lynn Jones. His song "Living in the Promiseland" became a number one country hit for Willie Nelson in 1986. Between 1987 and 1994, Jones released four Nashville studio albums of his own songs. "Bonnie Jean" and "High Ridin' Heroes" (with Waylon Jennings) were produced as music videos that became popular on cable network TNN. Several years ago, Jones moved back to Fulton County, where he produces recordings for other musical artists in his home studio. Jones performs many of his songs and other pop and country favorites throughout the eastern Ozarks with a band that includes: Dennis Horton, lead guitar; Jerry Bone, bass guitar; Chuck Young, rhythm guitar, and Ila Jones, conga. Blue Monday on Jan. 16 will mark the band's first appearance in the Paragould-Jonesboro area. KASU station manager Mike Doyle said, "Once again, as in December when we hosted Gary Gazaway and his band, Blue Monday will feature an original talent from the Ozark foothills of Arkansas, one who is widely known and respected in music circles. This will be a night for listening to mesmerizing songs from masterful songwriter David Lynn Jones and his friends, who will captivate the Blue Monday audience." KASU Radio, MOR Media and Bibb Chiropractic present the Blue Monday concerts free of charge every third Monday night at the Red Goose Restaurant, beginning at 7 p.m. Those who want more information on KASU's Blue Monday concert series or any other concert series sponsored by KASU 91.9 FM may contact Mike Doyle (mdoyle@astate.edu), KASU station manager, at (870) 972-3486.

Copies of the cover and binding of a new book chronicling Poinsett County history have been sent by the publishing company and will be examined by the Poinsett County Historical Society and Book Committee in a meeting at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, at the Harrisburg Senior Citizen Life Center. The book will be published later this fall. The primary content of the book will be family histories. Each Poinsett County family has been asked to write an historical sketch not exceeding 600 words.The book also will include a general county history. Other possible inclusions will be histories of various organizations, businesses, schools, churches, landmarks, veterans, and etc. The hardbound library book will be published by Acclaim Press, a company which has published hundreds of county history books nationwide.The company and Sylvia Evans will be assisting the group and county residents throughout the project. A list of all persons involved in the project from each township and other counties soon will be released. "We need at least two representatives from each community in Poinsettto volunteer to help with the book," said Evans, director of the Poinsett County Book Committee. "We also need people from sister counties such as Cross, Crittenden, Craighead, Lawrence, Greene, Jackson, St. Francis and Mississippi. We also are accepting family histories from the counties above that have ties to Poinsett County." Evanswould like to find other county residents who can volunteer to lend their talents to the compilation of the histories. Douglas Sikes, owner of Acclaim Press,has submitted $54.95 as the book's presale price. The historical book will be available only on a presale basis.Checks should bepayable to: Poinsett County History Book. "It will be necessary to collect orders in advance ofthe publications," Evans said."All money will be held in escrow at the First National Bank of Harrisburg for paymentto the publishing company later. There is no charge for having your history printed and photograph published in the book." Meetings for the Poinsett County History Book will be on the third Sunday of each month. "Come and see all of our projects we have started, including The Verser Clinic, which is being put on the Historical Register," Evans said. "We are in the steps of making it into The Historical Museum of Poinsett County, Ark. Come andgive us your input and ideas and help us make this a landmark for everyone to enjoy.We will be helping anyone who needs help in writing their family history." Information about the book and future projects of the Society will be announced in this paper. Readers may look weekly for the new genealogy finds, family historiesand tidbits that will be in the newspaper about Poinsett County. Histories, photographs and book orders may be sent to: Poinsett County History Book, P.O. Box 504, Harrisburg, AR72432; Attn: Ms Sylvia

The Marked Tree City Council tabled discussion last month of an ordinance providing rules and regulations for keeping dogs and other animals so they would have the chance to review the ordinance. At the January meeting, many of the council members expressed reservations about various sections of the ordinance, such as limits on animals people are allowed to keep outside and regulations regarding spaying and neutering animals, and the meaure failed with a 6-2 vote. Mayor Wayne Nichols suggested council members review the ordinance and write down the areas where they disagree. Changes will be discussed at the next meeting. Jackie Ragan, who has been serving as dogcatcher, said, "We just need something in place so we can hold people accountable for their actions." In the mayor's State of the City statement, he said revenue has continued to decline because of reduced state turnback and less sales tax being collected. "We did not reduce services to the citizens of our city," he said. "We did change the way some services are handled, however. For example, we now have a place citizens can bring their hard items to dispose of for a very minimum fee. We are using this small fee to help defray the landfill cost." Mayor Nichols said in the statement the railroad spur for Awesome Products should be installed this year and that the city will continue to be frugal with taxpayers' assets. In other business, the council: * Approved a new four-year lease contract with St. Bernards for the Senior Center building. * Approved getting insurance for construction related to the Burlington Northern lease. * Approved raising sanitation fees eight percent to cover costs now that landfill dumping fees have increased by about 15 percent. * Went into executive session to discuss hiring a new police officer. Upon coming out of executive session the council voted to table the matter until next month.

Parker Homestead's second annual Valentine's dinner is scheduled for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 11. For $75 a couple, guests will be treated to a gourmet dinner with drinks and a dozen roses served in a log cabin in front of a roaring fireplace. There will also be a few spots available to spend the night in one of the bed and breakfast cabins. This is a limited seating, exclusive event. Reservations are required.

Trumann school superintendent Myra Graham and assistant superintendent David Rutledge both received two-year contract extensions in a meeting Monday, Jan. 9, of the Trumann school board. The extension will be for the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 school years. In other business, the board accepted the resignations of Elwanda McAnally and Renee Tyree, who both worked in the high school cafeteria.

While most children unwrap new socks and plastic goodies that are soon forgotten after Christmas, the students at Marked Tree Elementary School unwrapped the gift of new books of their very own thanks to a First Book grant. Both Kristy Hister, elementary school librarian, and Jessica Lange, sixth grade teacher, submitted a grant to First Book in the fall. While both hoped to provide at least a few new books, they never imagined how many books they would eventually receive -- over 1,600 new books to distribute throughout the elementary. "We did our best to match students with a book that was interesting and on their level," said Lange. "Each student walked away with at least one new book." First Book's mission is to provide access to new books for children in low-income communities. To date, First Book has distributed more than85million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from low-income families throughout the United States and Canada. First Book is transforming the lives of children in need and elevating the quality of education by making new, high-quality books available on an ongoing basis.

If you are a person who takes care of other people's children or wants to learn more about caring for young children, you'll want to participate in The Best Care. Sometimes it is difficult to find appropriate classes that are close to home and affordable. The University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, in partnership with the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Association, is offering training for early childhood professionals. Classes are offered free of charge and provide verified training through the Traveling Arkansas' Professional Pathways (TAPP) and support the Better Beginnings Program. The Poinsett County Cooperative Extension Service has available a new, free set of classes for early childhood professionals and others interested in learning more about young children. These classes are part of The Best Care program. Ten hours of lessons will be provided on topics such as Retirement Planning; Building Your Resume; Grow It! Like It! Try It! Part I & II; Giving Medicine to Children Wisely Part I & II; Everyday Transitions; Do, Re, MiÖThe Importance of Music; Helping Children Develop Compassion, and Managing Stress: Turning Challenges into Blessings. For more information about The Best Care classes for early childhood professionals, contact Sharon R. Lowery or call (870)-578-4490. This program is open to all interested persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information should notify the county Extension office as soon as possible prior to the activity.

Open Arms Ministry has reopened its doors in Trumann after a brief shutdown. Johnny Barns, director of the program, said Open Arms Ministry is open to anyone in the community who is experiencing addiction and would like help dealing with their addiction. "We meet every Tuesday night at seven," said Barns. "And anyone who has an addiction of any kind, whether drug or alcohol, is welcome to attend. The meeting is set up like a support group." The meeting takes place in the fellowship hall at the Church of God of Prophesy, located on Christy Street Extended. The meeting is lead by pastor Larry Treble. "We want to help restore people to a life without addiction," said Barns. "Our principle is to teach that God is always first and family always comes next."

Friends of the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus Foundation arrived Monday, Jan. 9, in Trumann in a van set up to screen residents for glaucoma and other eye problems. Dr. Angela Howell was present, along with a technician and driver Brian Daniels with the foundation, based in New York. Howell helped screen locals who wanted to have their eyes checked for possible glaucoma problems. This is the first time Friends of the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus Foundation has made free screening rounds in Arkansas. The van will be in Lepanto on Saturday, followed by Augusta. Friends of the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus Foundation contacted Howell and the Trumann Lions Club to help out with the project. Howell is a graduate of Southern College of Optometry in Memphis and has been in practice for over 15 years. Howell also works at two other locations in Piggott and in Paragould. Her office in Trumann is located at 807 West Main Street and she works Monday and Wednesday at that location. Glaucoma is an eye disorder that leads to the damage of the optic nerve. Permanently vision damage can be sustained from glaucoma if left untreated. It can occur when clear fluid that flows in and out of a small space at the front of the eye begins to drain too slowly. This causes pressure to build up, which damages the optic nerve. The effects of pressure on the optic nerve differ from person to person and some may have damage at a lower pressure than others. Millions of people have glaucoma, but some are at a higher risk, including African Americans over 40, anyone over the age of 60, anyone suffering from diabetes and those with a family history of glaucoma. Glaucoma can normally be treated with pills or eye drops, which help with the drainage and pressure buildup. Conventional surgery can also be used if the less invasive measures do not work. Although there are treatments available many do not use the resources simply because they do not know they have glaucoma. "It can go untreated at first because it is a gradual process, but once the damage is done it cannot be reversed," said Howell. "An eye exam is the only way to know. During the exam we check the patient's field of vision and the pressure level in their eyes." Howell suggests that those who are 40 and over, especially those in the higher case groups, should have their eyes checked every one to two years. Some symptoms of glaucoma include side vision failure, field of vision narrowing and blindness. More information on glaucoma can be found at www.glaucomafoundation.org.

Mayor Wayne Nichols congratulates Glenda Drace after swearing her in on the Marked Tree Board of Education. Drace will replace Robert Boxley, who moved out of the district. (Photo provided)

Carl Wilson of Trumann won $56,104 playing an Arkansas 50/50 ticket in the Arkansas Scholarship lottery. The ticket was purchased at ASL retailer Mapco Express #7334 in Trumann.

Youth Outreach Ministries in Marked Tree held an open house and dedication last week to celebrate opening officially to serve the city's young people. Before the open house, Renell Woods spoke at the Marked Tree Rotary Club meeting about City Youth Ministries in Jonesboro, the program which served as a mdoel for Youth Outreach. Woods is executive director for City Youth Ministries, which is a faith-based organization that offers spiritual, recreational and educational programs for kids after school. Woods said they served an average of 80 to 90 elementary kids, 30 to 40 high school kids and around 250 to 300 kids in the summer. City Youth is going into its 14th year, and Woods has been with the organization for eight years. Woods also congratulated Bill Craft and other volunteers for getting Youth Outreach Ministries off the ground and running. "I have to take my hat off to Bill Craft and all the people you've brought together," Woods said. "It has to be volunteer driven. The cohesiveness is the glue, and you guys have made it happen. "It's amazing to see the heart and passion in this youth movement. When you're able to come together, put aside your differences, and support kids, that's the miracle. This is the opportunity that allows for a child to come back 20 years down the road and do so much good. It's not easy. It's sacrifice. It's all about service above self," Woods said. Craft also spoke about the progress made in readying the Youth Outreach building for operation. "If you saw the building when we started, you'll be amazed," Craft said. "It's been amazing the help we've had. I'm real pleased."

Poinsett County Judge, Charles Nix, was welcomed back to the monthly Quorum Court meeting on Monday, Jan. 11. "I'm very glad I'm getting to spend the night with all of you," said Nix. Nix was hospitalized for heart related problems back in November and after surgeries, has been recovering and attending rehab to build his strength back. "My plan is to be back in my office by next week," he said. "I'm so glad to be back and appreciate everyone who has helped out over the past few months, especially with the budget and thanks to Johnny Johnson for leading the meetings." Also at the meeting the board approved the financial report and minutes from last months meeting.

Poinsett County Sheriff Larry Mills spoke Wednesday, Jan. 4, to the Trumann Lions Club, noting the county budget is now in "good shape." Mills, who is starting his 16th year as sheriff and his 31st year in law enforcement, said each county department has watched spending. "That is the reason for the success we have," he added. Mills said there currently are between 50 and 60 inmates at the jail. The meth problem is getting a little better, he said, with all county agencies working to get the problem under control. Mills did note there has been an increase in burglaries and thefts, adding the holiday season contributes to the increase. Asked about gaming machines in the area that are paying out cash, Mills said the locations which have the gaming machines are supposed to be paying winnings with store merchandise. During closing comments, Mills told club members he does plan to seek re-election.

Alderman of the Trumann City Council passed four resolutions pertaining to a community development grant. All of the grant money acquired will go towards a pond project on Mulberry Street. Some work has already been completed on the project said Mayor Shelia Walters, such as the entry and exit way. The pond will provide help with some of the flooding problems in the area. The first resolution passed will allow Walters to apply for the grant. Currently the council is unsure of the exact number the grant will ask for, as some of the work has already been completed, but Walter estimates that the groundwork cost to be several hundred thousand dollars. In addition to the first resolution, the council also passed a resolution for EAPDD to provide administrative services for the Community Development Grant. A small percentage of the grant money received to work on the pond development will go towards paying for administrative overview. The council also approved a resolution that firmly establishes a policy prohibiting the use of excessive force by law enforcement agencies with the city against individuals engaged in non-violent civil rights demonstrations. Walters said that the city already has laws established through the police department, but in order to apply for the grant, the council needed to provide documentation of a resolution passed by the city. Following the same reasoning, the council also passed a resolution for residential anti-displacement and relocation assistance plan. This resolution insures that the city of Trumann will replace all occupied and vacant occupiable low and moderate income dwelling units demolished or converted to a use other than as a low or moderate income housing as a direct result of the activities assisted with funds provided under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. Walter assured the council that no housing would be demolished or converted for this project, as the council already has the land set aside for the pond and the resolution is simply a formal requirement for grant application. In other news the council: *voted to appoint Mike Sullivan to fill councilman James Evans seat for Ward 4. Evans recently moved out of his district to a new home. Sullivan will remain as councilman until December 2012. *approved an ordinance to amend Ordinance Number 551 -- the 2011 Municipal Budget to reflect the actual spenditures the of the year. *approved the use of a roadblock to be held for the Make a Wish Foundation on Feb. 10. *voted to donate the Trumann Fire Department's Stage cascade compressor to the Central Fire Department. *agreed to accept bids for leasing the summer sports concession stands starting Feb. 7. *agreed to accept bids for sales several pieces of property owned by the city including land and a home on 412 N. Ozark St., five lots on Short St., and properties at 520 Smith St. and 148 Melton Ave. *agreed to accept bids to repair the roof at the Trumann mayor's office *tabled an ordinance for a possible one-cent sales tax increase

Though some parts of the building are unfinished, Bill Craft said during an open house and dedication last week that Youth Outreach Ministries is complete enough to open and serve the children of Marked Tree. Youth Outreach Ministries opened officially Monday and offers a faith-based after-school program for kids which provides tutors to help with homework, recreation, a non-denominational devotion and a hot meal. The program is modeled after City Youth Ministries in Jonesboro and will be offered on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Craft wanted to start the program after he woke up one morning years ago to a big commotion behind his house. He found that some kids were crossing the railroad track when an approaching train blew its horn. All the kids got off the track except for one 11-year-old boy who stuck his fingers in his ears and kept walking. Ever since, Craft has wanted to do something to help kids and give them hope. At the open house, Craft said, "We're proud of this place, and it's due to the volunteers. If I tried to tell who all was involved in this, we'd be here all night." Though Youth Outreach is officially opening this week, it did offer a nutrition program during the summer that Craft said was very successful. Craft thanked Soozi Williams for running the summer program, City Youth Ministries executive director Renell Woods for his help, and Gary Still, director of God's New Life. "Gary's people have helped tremendously," Craft said. "I think of Gary as Jiminy Cricket on my shoulder giving me advice." Mayor Wayne Nichols congratulated Craft and the other volunteers who put the program together. "I know there are children who don't get the attention they need," Mayor Nichols said. "Hopefully this will help. It will help the school. They can't do it all. And it will help the parents who don't or can't help the children. I know this has been a dream of Bill's I've heard him talk about for years." "According to the Bible, we need to take care of widows and orphans," Craft said. "Widows go to the Senior Center and Marked Tree doesn't have many orphans, but we do have social orphans. We've got to take care of them. Kids don't get food stamps. Their parents get food stamps, but sometimes parents don't shop wisely. And all children aren't hungry, but we want it to be available. Our goal is to lead children to Christ."