Stories from Thursday, October 7, 2004

Dogs have long been called man's best friend. Otis, a 2-1/2 year old red bone blood hound, belonging to Leachville Police Officer Keith Evans, is not only a friend, but recently proved to be an asset to the law enforcement agencies as he tracked a suspect for several miles...

Arkansans will have an opportunity to come together and talk about how taxes and tax funded services affect them and how they can be a part of building a successful tax system through a program called Speak Up! Arkansas on Taxes. This program is through a partnership with the Arkansas Study Circles project and the Cooperative Extension Service, according to Bobby Hall, County Extension agent, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. ...

The Monette City Council heard representatives speak on the feasibility of city water fluoridation at the regular Monday, Sept. 27 meeting. Devane Baldridge presented a petition signed by 183 people who opposed fluoridation, and addressed the council about concerns...

William Edward Derryberry, 59, of Manila, died Thursday, Sept. 30, 2004, at Baptist Memorial Hospital East in Memphis. Born in Lepanto, he was the son of the late William Troy and Geraldine McGuire Derryberry and had been a Manila resident for most of his life. He was retired from the U.S. Army and attended Westside Church of God in Manila...

Mary Evelyn "Tommie" Griggs, 65, of Jonesboro, died Sunday, Sept. 27, 2004, at Rose Skill Care Nursing Center. Born at Morrilton, she lived in Lepanto and Des Arc before moving to Caraway where she lived for 34 years before moving to Jonesboro. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist belief...

Leon Owen Murphree, 75 of Manila, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004, in Jonesboro. He was born Aug. 13, 1929, in Pontotoc, Miss., the son of C.W. and Cleo Lancaster Murphree. He was employed as a farmer and an electrician and was a member of the Westside Baptist Church of God in Manila...

Raymond P. Owen, 28, of Brookwood, Ala., formerly of Manila, died Sunday, Sept. 26, 2004, due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He was born Aug. 16, 1976. He was a welder and truck driver. He is survived by two sons, Cameron Gage Lane Owen and Landen Lee Pacen Owens, both of Manila; former wife, Kimberly Ann Vassar, of Manila; his parents, Rick and Beverly Hinklin of Brookwood, Ala.; a brother and sister-in-law, Corey and Neva Palmer; a nephew, Cody Palmer, all of Brookwood, Ala.; his grandfather, Barney Lopez of Conroe, Texas; and a host of uncles and aunts.. ...

Louise Frances Spencer, 80, of Jonesboro died Monday, Sept. 27, at her residence. Born in Bono, she had lived most of her life in Jonesboro and was of the Pentecostal faith. Survivors include two daughters, Jean Mays and Mary Tounsand, both of Jonesboro; three brothers, Gene Cox and Robert Cox, both of Jonesboro, and Leslie Cox of Flint, Mich.; three sisters, Marie Spencer of Otwell, Versa Millsap of Jonesboro and Pauline Tidwell of Bono; three grandchildren, Jerry D. ...

Joe Charles Tippy, 50, of Osceola died Thursday, Sept. 30, 2004, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Osceola. A lifelong resident of the Osceola area, he was a construction worker and was of the Church of Christ belief. Survivors include a son, Joe Brandon Tippy of Osceola; a daughter, Bridgett Benentt of Seattle; his parents, Leroy and Joann Tippy of Wilson; two sisters, Nancy Duncan and Lisa Cook, both of Wilson; three brothers, Leroy Tippy Jr. ...

Wilma Bradford, 57, a lifelong resident of Blytheville, died Monday, Sept. 27, 204, at Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital in Oconomowoc, Wis. Born March 29, 1947, in Manila, the daughter of John Wade and Laura Mae Howard Bradford, she had been a registered nurse at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Blytheville for 33 years...

Betty Lee Barrett, 62, of Lake City, died Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2004, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born at Paragould, she had lived at Lake City for 10 years, formerly of Caraway. She retired from Basler Electric Co. in Caraway and was a member of Rivervale Baptist Church...

Foy Wisham, 91, of Caraway, died Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004, at Lakeside nursing Center in Lake City. He was affiliated with the Assembly of God Church, retired from Hytrol Conveyers and had lived in the Lake City and Caraway area 60 years, formerly of Poteua, Okla...

Marietta V. Wiginton, 85, of Lake City died Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004, at St. Bernards Medical Center. Born in Hamilton, Ala., she was a homemaker and lived in West Memphis most of her life. She attended the Assembly of God. Survivors include a son, Charles Wiginton, Sr., of Lake City; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren...

Robert Edward "Bobby" VanKirk, 54, of Lake City, died Monday, Sept. 27, 2004, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born in Indiana and lived most of his life in Lake City. He was a farm worker and attended the Liberty Full Gospel Church...

Flora May Tipton, 93, of Jonesboro, formerly of Manila, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004, at NEA Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born at Serra Godia, Tenn., she was the daughter of the late Will and Clidia Keith Stutts and had been a Manila resident for most of her life. She was the widow of Jack Tipton and was a retired school teacher. She was a longtime member of the Manila First United Methodist Church and had been a member of the First Assembly of God in Jonesboro for the past seven years...

Dwight "Ike" Adams, 60, of Jonesboro died Monday, Sept. 27, 2004, at NEA Medical Center. Born at Lake City, he lived in Black Oak before moving to Jonesboro in 1975. He was a cryogenic specialist for Air Gas Inc. of Jonesboro where he worked for 38 years. He was a member of Temple Baptist Church, the Jonesboro Bass Club and the Riverside Chapter of Ducks Unlimited...

Jim Fields and Debbie Hall of Circle Inn in Manila hold birthday celebrations for their senior citizen customers that are 60 and over. It is a tradition that has been going on for a long time. Monday was a "big" celebration honoring B.A. McCann on his 95th birthday and Gledis Hester on her 91st birthday. ...

There is no place like home -- unless there is a hurricane, and then Groomingdale's of Manila proved to be a great shelter for Bobo. Bobo is the seven year old German Shepard that has been living at the Manila kennel, owned by Dana Towell. Bobo has been a guest at Groomingdale's for two weeks...

Riverside's netters geared up for the upcoming district tournament by playing two tough matches last week. The Rebels traveled to Piggott on Tuesday and the boys lost a tough 4-3 match to the Mohawks. In singles play, the two teams split. The Rebels took the number one and two singles matches with Tyler Timms defeating Piggott's Daniel Parker, 6-4, at number one singles while the Rebels' Blake Barnes shutout the Piggott(s Shane Eslahi, 6-0, at number two singles...