Stories from Monday, October 31, 2005

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Phil Wilson, pastor of First Christian Church in Eureka Springs, was voted the Pastor of The Year by participants in a Clergy Appreciation Month project sponsored by area retailers. There were 988 votes tallied. Wilson was out of town when the votes were counted. ...

ST. PAUL -- The Highlander senior boys earned two wins this week in the St. Paul Classic, a 49-36 victory over host St. Paul on Monday, and a 58-55 win over Hartford on Wednesday. That moves the Eureka boys record to 2-1 on the season, with their next game Nov. 1 at Valley Springs...

AMANDA LAKE MURRAH, of Eureka Springs, was born Sept. 1, 1951, in Dallas, Texas, a daughter of Ray Shelton and Dorthy Maude (Duncan) Murrah. She died Friday, Oct. 21, 2005, in Bentonville at the age of 54. Amanda was a homemaker. She is survived by her son, Avery Arnold, of Pineville, Mo.; a daughter, Amber Holly, of Purdy, Mo.; her brother, Michael Murrah, of Carlsbad, Calif.; a granddaughter, Hailey Moore, of Purdy, Mo.; two nieces, Morgan and Michaela; many other relatives and a host of friends.. ...

CLEO B. STOCKTON, a resident of Holiday Island, was born Nov. 26, 1914, in Sparks, Okla., a son of Lonie G. and Grace (Collier) Stockton. He died Monday, Oct. 24, 2005, in Fayetteville, at the age of 90. Cleo worked for Johnson's Sheet Metal in Hutchinson, Kan. He was a 32nd degree Mason. He attended the Holiday Island Community Church...

KENNETH WAYNE WOOD a resident of Green Forest, was born Oct. 18, 1947, in Newton, Iowa, a son of Orviell and Crystal (Smith) Wood. He died Sunday, Oct. 23, 2005, in Berryville at the age of 58. Mr. Wood was a Tyson team member for 17 years. He was a member of the Wild Flower Church in Eureka Springs, the Christian Motorcycle Association and the Light Brigade...

LORENE PEDEN, a resident of Friendswood, Texas, formerly of Oak Grove, was born April 9, 1917, in Marshall, Ark., a daughter of Silas Wayne and Irene (Willingham) Reece. She died Monday, Oct. 24, 2005, in Friendswood, Texas, at the age of 88. Lorene was a homemaker and was employed by Tyson Foods. She was a member of the Christ Tabernacle Church in Blue Eye...

HOLIDAY ISLAND -- "This is a status quo operating budget," District Manager Kevin Crosson told the Holiday Island Suburban Improvement District Board of Commissioners Oct. 24. "There are no projected rate increases in this first pass." That might be good news to property owners who are frustrated with increases in assessments and amenity fees, but expenses keep going up, and the district is projecting an operating loss of $120,757 next year, as opposed to $101,136 this year...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- A positive report on the Ozark Folk Festival dominated a relatively brief meeting of the City Advertising and Promotion (CAPC) meeting Wednesday night. Total income from the event, according to organizers Charlotte Buchanan and Jennie Wagget, was $39,169.40, which included $35,168 in ticket sales. Of $10,000 budgeted by CAPC for advertising, $9,241.50 was spent,...

BERRYVILLE -- Concerns that the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to write a TMDL (total maximum daily load) document for Osage Creek might undercut efforts of the Kings River Watershed Partnership (KRWSP) to develop a localized watershed plan for the Kings River appear unfounded...

Donita K. Paul is a professional storyteller at her church, but the Christian message of DragonQuest is not obvious, compared to classic Christian fabulist C.S. Lewis and his "Chronicles of Narnia" series. Still, there are moral messages of friendship, courage and faithfulness in this fantasy of life on a continent peopled by seven widely-varied races...

ST. PAUL -- The Highlander senior girls played twice this week in the St. Paul Classic, Monday against host St. Paul, a 41-30 loss, and Wednesday against Hartford, a 52-49 loss. The Eureka girls fell to 1-2 on the season and play again at Valley Springs on Nov. 1...