Stories from Tuesday, August 5, 2003

Heirline Trio will be in concert at Towering Oaks Church, 1159 Highway 62 West, Berryville, Saturday, Aug. 9, starting at 6 p.m. One of today's most sought-after gospel groups, Heirline continues to gain popularity in the hearts of people throughout the United States, according to Pastor Larry Montgomery. Their dynamic way of spreading God's word in song is energetic, spirit-filled and sincere, he said...

Increased property appraisals ---- it's an annual event in the county assessor's office, but this year it's worse than usual. So said Assessor Zelah McCullough, regarding the recent mailing of some 11,000 appraisal notices, many of which reflected valuation increases in excess of 30 percent for homes and land. As with any pocketbook issue, the notices prompted a flood of telephone calls and visits to McCullough's office in the county annex building in Berryville...

Jennifer Bassett will be the new girls' volleyball coach at Green Forest this year, but she already has put several weeks into the job. Bassett graduated from Arkansas State University-Mountain Home in May with a degree in math and science, but spent two weeks working with the Lady Tiger volleyball players before school was out last spring after accepting the job...

RONALD DENNIS WEBSTER, 54, of Shell Knob, Mo., died Saturday, July 19, 2003, at his home. He was born April 29, 1949, in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Willie and Florence (McFadden) Webster. On Aug. 21, 2001, in Eureka Springs, Ark., he was united in marriage to Diana Marie Widhalm, who preceded him in death on Dec. 27, 2002. He was also preceded in death by his parents...

FRED D. ELLIS, 72, of Western Grove, Ark., died at his residence on Friday, July 25, 2003. He was born Nov. 19, 1930, at Berryville, the son of Roy T. and Grace I. (Stacey) Ellis. He was a lifetime resident of this area, a member of the First Baptist Church of Wesstern Grove, served with the 25th division of the Army during the Korean conflict and worked at Flexsteel in Harrison...

JOHN SPENCER BROWN, a resident of Whittier, Calif., died June 25, 2003. He was born Aug. 6, 1940, in Eureka Springs Ark., the son of Weslie and Alice (Hatcher) Brown. He is survived by half-brother Weslie Brown, Jr., of Fayetteville; two aunts, Agnes Hatcher Johnson of Eureka Springs, and Maxine Brown of Rogers, Ark.; and uncles Elveh Brown, Victor Brown, Richard Brown and Paul Brown...

Bikers will convene at the Berryvile Burger King on U.S. Highway 62 West starting at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 10, to depart at 10:30 for 10:45 services at Grandview Baptist Church, located one mile north on Highway 143 between Berryville and Eureka Springs...

The Great Passion Play will host an open house for artist Jack Dawson in the Sacred Arts Center on Saturday, Aug. 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. Dawson has been designing, painting, and sculpting for more than 30 years. His experience ranges from painting in watercolor, oils and acrylics to sculpture. ...

GREEN FOREST ---- Rep. John Boozman, R-Arkansas, told local farmers, poultry industry representatives and local business and community leaders that he will do everything he can to protect the agriculture industry in Northwest Arkansas from the latest threat to farming here ---- new restrictions on phosphorous levels in the Osage Creek and Kings River...

Holiday Island developer Tom Dees announced Wednesday he is looking at the possibility of bringing jobs to Holiday Island in the form of light manufacturing or assembly. "We are not going to do anything that will destroy or harm the quality of life we have at Holiday Island," Dees was quick to say...

Despite a potential precedent-setting legal question regarding erroneous facts alleged in an appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court, the insurance company for Bank of Eureka Springs has paid both compensatory and punitive damages to Madison County developer Carroll Evans...