Stories from Monday, December 8, 2003

Roger Howerton and the Ascension Quartet, based in Lebanon, Mo., will minister in song at Towering Oaks Church, U.S. Highway 62 West, Berryville, on Sunday, Dec. 14, in the 10:30 a.m. service. Howerton is from Oak Grove and was choir director for Towering Oaks Pastor Larry Montgomery before joining the group...

The crash of a single-engine aircraft at the Boone County Airport at Harrison killed two people and forced Lieutenant Governor Winthrop Rockefeller Jr. to return to Little Rock and miss the dedication of the Veterans of Foreign Wars park at Holiday Island...

A dozen state revenue offices that were slated to close as a cost-saving measure have the option of remaining open if the towns in which they are located are willing to pick up a portion of the cost. In Carroll County, the Berryville Revenue Office is unaffected. However, offices in Eureka Springs and Green Forest will close unless the towns step up and pay the price...

Four people have been charged with the murder of Richard Wesley Gerrard, Jr., 36, who was killed in the doorway of his trailer south of Green Forest June 4 by multiple gunshots to the head and chest. A fifth person was charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution, and one of the murder suspects, Brandon Lee Webb, 21, is still at large...

The Green Forest Tiger senior boys had a strong finish in their consolation game in the Omaha Border Classic, playing the St. Paul Saints tough until free throws did them in at the end in a 47-40 loss. The Lady Tigers were missing their post player, which allowed the Western Grove Lady Warriors' post, Jennifer Woods, to net 26 points, helping her team to a 63-31 victory over Green Forest...

The Jasper Pirates got a break when they came to play the Eureka Springs Highlanders on Tuesday night, as Eureka's leading scorer, 6-foot-6 Cash Covington, was out with the flu. It didn't matter, as the rest of the team turned on the jets and ran past the outsized Pirates 54-44 after leading 28-9 at the half...

The experience of the Huntsville Eagles coaching staff paid off Tuesday night when they hosted the Berryville Bobcat teams to open their season. Coach Tracy Jones' senior boys led by two at halftime, but a 26-point third quarter from Huntsville, fueled by five 3-pointers and a talk from Coach Jim Stafford, earned the Eagles a 66-48 opening-night victory...

HUGH A. COLLIER, a resident of Green Forest, was born Feb. 13, 1909, in Green Forest, a son of Alex and Emma (Fry) Collier. He died Sunday, Nov. 30, 2003, in Eureka Springs at the age of 94. Mr. Collier was a farmer. He attended the Green Forest Church of Christ...

ELIZABETH J. RYAN, a resident of Eureka Springs, was born Dec. 2, 1929, in Kansas City, Mo., a daughter of Leo and Helen (Faulkner) Reischel. She died Sunday, Nov. 30, 2003, in her home at the age of 73. Mrs. Ryan was an artist. She was a member of the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Eureka Springs...

JIM LESTER, a resident of Eureka Springs, was born Feb. 24, 1936, in Holland, Mo., a son of William Lawrence and Azzelle (McGee) Lester. He died Sunday, Nov. 30, 2003, in Rogers, at the age of 67. Mr. Lester was an investigator for the Arkansas State Police. ...

Dale Jirousek, formerly of First Lutheran Church of South Sioux City, Neb., begins serving the congregation of Community Lutheran Church (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) in Eagle Rock, Mo., this Sunday, Dec. 7. Pastor Jirousek served for almost 15 years with the church in South Sioux City. ...

Berryville First United Methodist Church MCJAMM children's choir invites the community to its Christmas program on Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Berryville Lower Elementary School auditorium at 5 p.m. They will be performing the musical, "Angel Band."...

BERRYVILLE ---- Melissa Crider of Eureka Springs has joined the staff of the Berryville Community Center as the new public relations and volunteer coordinator. Crider, 29, started last week, and said she already loves her job. "I am so impressed by this community and this center. I wanted to work where I felt I could be part of the community. I grew up here, but after I graduated from high school I moved to Los Angeles," she said...