Stories from Friday, April 20, 2012

Mrs. Norma Jean Hulen, 87, of Warm Springs Ark., died Sunday, April 15, 2012, at Pocahontas. Born Sept. 22, 1924 in Warm Springs, she was the daughter of the late General Lee and Sophie Cook Stout and had been a long-time area resident. Mrs. Hulen was of the Baptist faith and enjoyed gardening and quilting...

Gary Ray Blagg, of Turrell, died April 13, 2012, at his home at the age of 61. He was born in Missouri. Mr. Blagg worked in concrete and construction. He is survived by his wife, Linda Kay Blagg; sons, Jeff Blagg of Turrell and Scotty Blagg of Marked Tree; sisters, Sheila Robertson of Huntington, Tenn., Glenda Bloodworth of Crawfordsville and Brenda White of West Memphis; brothers, Bobby Blagg of Wilson and Dennis Blagg of Duvalls Bluff, and three grandchildren, Anna, Leslie and Lane Blagg...

Mrs. Eunice Doris Farmer, 71, died Friday, April 13, 2012, in Rose Bud, Ark. She was born in Caraway and had lived in Trumann since 1994. She was a homemaker and a member of the Apt Community Church in Jonesboro. Mrs. Farmer was preceded in death by her husband, James R. "Jim" Farmer; two sons, Terry Farmer and Michael Gibson; two brothers, and her father, Elmer Kelems...

Mr. Raymond A. Wilson, 74, of Trumann died April 15, 2012, at the family residence. He was born in Blytheville to Raymond and Ethel Powers Wilson. He had lived in Trumann for the past six years after living in Lafayette, La. He was a security guard for Securitas in Jonesboro, a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the Providence Baptist Church...

There's a new face in town. Chad Henson took the oath of office Monday as Trumann's new police chief. Originally from Marmaduke, Henson has 15 years of experience in law enforcement. He has been a narcotics investigator in Blytheville, was chosen to be an air marshal in Chicago on 9/11, worked for the United Nations as a peacekeeper in Kosovo, and, most recently, was a narcotics investigator with the Jonesboro Prowl Unit...

Trumann native Gary Foley is working on getting an ambitious idea off the ground. He's putting together an event called "Musicians of Trumann," a live benefit concert honoring musicians, past and present, who performed in and around Trumann throughout history...

John Thurston, Commissioner of State Lands for Arkansas, presented to Poinsett County officials last week a $127, 007.94 check representing the combined turnback funds collected in Poinsett County in 2011. These funds result from the redemption and sale of tax delinquent properties certified to the Commissioner of State Lands office...

Dustin McDaniel, Attorney General of Arkansas, was the guest speaker Wednesday, April 11, at the Trumann Lions Club meeting. Over 100 guests, including elected officials, law enforcement officers and candidates for the upcoming election, were present to hear him speak...

Michele Reba, PhD, PE spoke Wednesday, April 11, at the Marked Tree Rotary meeting. Reba, a Research Hydrologist with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Jonesboro, reflected on her stay in Antarctica as an assistant surveyor following her graduation from college...