Stories from Tuesday, April 12, 2005

"The Awakening: An Unpredictable Adventure" is the theme of a 2005 Promise Keepers (PK) conference to be held June 10-11 at Razorback Stadium on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville. Promises Keepers is a Christian men's organization that was founded in 1990 to ignite and unite men to become passionate followers of Jesus Christ through effective communication of seven promises to God, fellow men, family, church and the world...

A boating accident last Saturday in Missouri claimed the lives of two men, including 33 year-old Jason Merriman, the son of Linda Alford of the Bobo Community, in southeast Carroll County. According to the Missouri State Water Patrol, Merriman, of Kimberling City, Mo., was boating with two others, Lelan Purdom, 40, of Branson, Mo., and Ernest Stiffler, 47, of Forsyth, Mo., on Bull Shoals Lake at the mouth of Bee Creek when the accident occurred at 3:45 p.m...

HARRISON ---- Steve Gerard Willard, 44, of Lakewood, Wash., became Carroll County's first internet child predator to be convicted during federal court proceedings Tuesday. Appearing tearful, Willard entered into a plea agreement negotiated by his attorney, Cindy Baker, of Berryville, and U.S. Prosecutor Kyra Jennings. The agreement dismisses four counts of interstate transport of child pornography via computer...

EUREKA SPRINGS ----The first hurdle toward recognition of the Eureka Springs Historic District as "nationally significant" was easily cleared Wednesday as the Arkansas State Review Board approved the nomination application. The Eureka Springs application was presented to the board in Little Rock by Sandra Taylor-Smith, preservation consultant and historian for North Little Rock...

GREEN FOREST ---- Berryville Bobcat coach Freddy Penka and the team kept momentum gained during last weekends tournament in Harrison rolling Monday when they bombed the Green Forest Tigers 18-4 for their first 1AAA win of the season. The visiting Bobcats (2-9, 1-3) found their bats last Saturday against Richmond, Mo., then racked up 18 runs on 13 hits with no errors Monday against Green Forest...

CARROLL COUNTY ---- Four senior athletes from our schools are going to continue their athletic careers when they enter college next fall. Green Forest's Neil McCutcheon, Cody Parton and C.J. Matthews were all members of the Tiger record-setting football team that went 12-1 and into the Elite Eight of the Class AAA State Football playoffs...

EUREKA SPRINGS ---- The Highlander baseball team traveled to Mountainburg on Monday, scoring five runs in the final two innings against the Dragons but taking an 11-5 loss. "We didn't field the ball well," Coach Aaron Hall said, "but we haven't had a team in three years. It was base running that hurt us. We had five make outs on mistakes on the bases. We are hitting the ball better."...

EVELYN RASOR, 87, a resident of Berryville, died at Eureka Springs Hospital on Monday, April 4. She was born at Chicago, Ill., on Oct. 26, 1917, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Freel. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Kenneth C. Rasor...

EDD GRISHAM, 82, of Green Forest, died April 2, 2005, at his home in Green Forest. He was a son of Jim and Gertie Smith Grisham, born July 5, 1922, in Compton, Ark. He was a life-long farmer of dairy, beef, chicken and pigs. He was a member of Osage Baptist Church...

CLEO DAVISON, a resident of Eureka Springs, was born April 20, 1911, in Eureka Springs a son of William and Bertha (Reed) Davison. He died Tuesday, April 5, 2005, in his home at the age of 93. Mr. Davison was a veteran having with the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a 50-year-plus and lifetime member of the American Legion. He was a cattle farmer, truck driver and a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Eureka Springs...

ERBY O. SMITH, of Green Forest, died April 3, 2005, in Berryville, at the age of 80. He was born Aug. 5, 1928, in Berryville, a son of Joseph Ernest and Walcie (Herd) Smith. He was a farmer. He was preceded in death by his parents, and three brothers, Nathaniel, Gale and Menford Smith...

JANICE (HELLE) MILLS a resident of Holiday Island, was born Dec. 29, 1937 in Galesburg, Ill., a daughter of Walter and Alice (Williams) Helle. She died Monday, March 28, 2005, in her home at the age of 67. Mrs. Mills was a member of the Holiday Island Community Church, Daughters of the American Revolution, and Alden Kindred of America. ...

It has been 26 years since the world witnessed the selection of a Pope, and as Pope John Paul II's funeral is held today, the College of Cardinals is making plans to start the conclave to elect his successor on April 18. The pageantry and tradition of papal succession dates back almost 2,000 years, but this time there will be some small changes. ...

BERRYVILLE ---- Enforcement of the city's junk vehicle ordinance and the future of the old First Baptist Church building were concerns expressed Tuesday night at the Berryville City Council meeting. Don Henson, a Morse Avenue resident, addressed his concerns about inoperable vehicles on the one block-long street. "I have fought this and fought this and fought this for 18 months," and added that nothing had been done by the city...