Stories from Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Remember a few years ago when "Xmas" was becoming a popular abbreviation for Christmas? That's when someone came up with "Jesus is the reason for the season." I guess we won that one. You don't see Xmas much anymore. Well, they couldn't take Christ out of Christmas so now it would seem that now they are trying to take Christmas out of the holidays...

GREEN FOREST -- An Alpha course, a 10-week practical introduction to the Christian faith, will get underway on Thursdays starting on Jan. 26 at Green Forest United Methodist Church, according to Brooke Coffey, director of ministry. The course offers answers to key questions, and has been used by thousands who have found answers to their questions about life and God and how they relate, Coffey said...

Holiday Island -- Starting in January the Holiday Island Community Church, at 188 Stateline Drive, will offer classes to the public, free of charge, in the new Ellen and Herman Cook Center for Continuing Ministries. A six-week course, Basic Skills in Drawing, will be led by Elaine Ostroot starting Jan. 4. No requisite skill is necessary. The six classes will be held on Wednesdays, Jan. 4-25 and Feb. 1-8, from 10 a.m. to noon...

"Monday was the busiest mailing day of the year, with some 900 million pieces of mail moving through the system, or enough to circle the globe six times," according to an internal e-mail sent to all United States post offices. James Lucas, Berryville postmaster said, "It was unbelievable the amount of mail we received on Monday."...

GREEN FOREST -- More than 600 students, faculty members, and residents were immunized for vericella, also known as chickenpox, at the Green Forest old gymnasium last Tuesday and Wednesday. "We had about 200 on Tuesday, and then probably double that on Wednesday," said Sherri Plumlee, Carroll County Health Department...

charles william mathis, 78, of Florence, Ore., died on Nov. 2, 2005, in Eugene, Ore., after a long struggle with illness. He was the son of William Thomas Mathis and Helen Mathis. He was born in Eureka Springs on Aug. 8, 1927. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Agnes (Phillips) Mathis, two daughters, Ann Hill and Pat Maac, one granddaughter, four grandsons, and several great-grandchildren, all of Eugene, Ore.; a sister, Lela Mae Fancher of Rogers; two nieces and three nephews...

SANDRA M. BRINTON, a resident of Holiday Island, was born Dec. 5, 1938, in Goldsboro, N.C., a daughter of Rudolph and Charlotte Hargrove. She died Sunday, Dec.18, 2005, in Eureka Springs at the age of 67. Mrs. Brinton was a bookkeeper and was a member of the Rotary and Elks clubs...

SHIRLEY EILEEN FUNDABURG a resident of Holiday Island, was born April 27, 1928, in Ithaca, Neb. a daughter of Fritz and Sylvia (Wing) Holz. She died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2005, in Fayetteville at the age of 77. Mrs. Fundaburg was a secretary for Mutual of Omaha and was a member of the Holiday Island Community Church...

GARY LYNN BOHANNAN, 49, of Marble, Ark., died Dec. 16, 2005, at Berryville. He was born March 30, 1956, at Huntsville, the son of Howard Eugene and Sarah Kathern Tice Bohannan. He was a foreman for Floyd's Construction and a member of the New Home United Baptist Church at Lower Campground...

BERRYVILLE -- All contract employees at Berryville Schools received a $500 Christmas bonus earlier this week. The checks were dispersed after the Berryville Board of Education approved the measure at its Monday night meeting. Superintendent Mike Cox recommended the action, saying the district distributed bonus checks last year, using funds from the National School Lunch Act...

BERRYVILLE -- The Green Forest and Berryville seventh and junior high teams met for the second time this season on Monday, with the Bobcat junior boys turning the tables and taking a win this time for their first victory of the season. Coach Brent Compton's Junior Bobcats earned a 37-26 victory, making up for a 40-30 loss to the Junior Tigers on Dec. 6. Berryville is now 1-7...