Stories from Friday, June 1, 2007

EUREKA SPRINGS -- To help working parents, the Eureka Springs Ministerial Association has announced three back-to-back Vacation Bible Schools during June, and a fourth one in July, giving children a fun, educational and Christian environment while school is out, according to association secretary Caren Holiday...

GREEN FOREST-- The North Arkansas Kings traveling team swept the 10th grade boys division at the Prime Time Basketball Tournament last weekend at the All Star Sports Arena in Springdale. Ten teams competed in this division, with the Kings skinning the Bentonville Cats on Friday evening, and Saturday whipping up on the Arkansas Cardinals and the Springdale Central Team...

ELAINE SIMMONS WAFFORD, a resident of Holiday Island, was born Feb. 17, 1922, in Dallas, Texas, a daughter of Eldred Porter and Lucile (Davis) Simmons. She died Sunday, May 27, 2007, in Springdale at the age of 85. Mrs. Wafford was a homemaker and Realtor and attended Holiday Island Community Church...

VELMA CLAIR SHUEY, following a lengthy illness, died at Carroll County Nursing and Rehab in Berryville on May 18, 2007. She was born on Dec. 10, 1917, in Morning Sun, Iowa, to the late Thomas Russell Bras and Sylvia Hope Bras. Velma married Gifford L. Shuey on Aug. 11, 1936, and to this union, two children were born...

SUE OWENS QUICK, a resident of Reeds Spring, Mo., daughter of Junior and Hazel (Hayes) Owens, was born March 20, 1947, in Springfield, Mo., and died May 19, 2007, in her home at the age of 60. She was raised in Berryville and was a 1965 graduate of Berryville High School. ...

GERALDINE PORTER, 73, of Berryville, was born April 30, 1934, in Carroll County, the daughter of Rossetta Keeland and Thomas L. McClain. She died Wednesday, May 23, 2007, at Circle of Life in Springdale. Geraldine, also known as Jeri, was a woman of God who loved Jesus, her church and her family. She loved to cook, and loved being a wife, mother and grandmother. She was a member of the St. John's Hospital Auxiliary...

PATRICIA "TRISH" PENNEBAKER, a resident of Green Forest, was born Dec. 27, 1951, in West Point, Miss., a daughter of William Durwood and Mary J. (Gordon) Gray. She died Wednesday, May 23, 2007, in Green Forest at the age of 55. Mrs. Pennebaker was a nurse...

Leona Elaine Midkiff, 64, died on Wednesday, May 23, 2007, at her home in Golden, Mo., following a lengthy illness. Mrs. Midkiff, daughter of Eugene Perigen and Jewell Lela (Williams) Perigen, was born on Aug. 22, 1942, in Sholten, Mo. She grew up in Aurora, Mo. and worked as a dietary assistant in the food and customer service industry...

CHARLES FRANK KESNER, of ?Berryville, was born July 3, 1933, in Kingston, a son of Charlie W. and Donnie (Mitchell) Kesner. He died Sunday, May 27, 2007, in Eureka Springs at the age of 73. Mr. Kesner was a paint and body mechanic and gun maker. He also managed the Luther Owens Gun Range Park for more than 20 years and attended the Eureka Springs Church of Christ...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Administrative staff of the Eureka Springs Schools will be moving into a new office building, according to Superintendent Reck Wallis. Speaking at the school board's May 17 meeting, Wallis praised the building trades students of Larry Wicker, who have put in many hours on the building. They "saved us a bunch of money, and we got excellent quality work done," the superintendent said...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- A two-and-one-half-hour town hall meeting Tuesday night revealed discrepancies between a copy of an ordinance that had been on the city's Web site concerning the City Advertising and Promotion Commission and reality. A proposal from Mayor Dani Wilson's Economic Advisory Committee states that a study of the business licenses issued by the city shows that the current CAPC retail tax creates unfair competition, with businesses which are not required to collect the tax increasing, while those that do are dwindling.. ...

BERRYVILLE -- Construction of the new grade school building on the west campus at Berryville Schools is expected to begin soon. Dirt work has been underway and bids for construction of the facility are set to be opened at 4 p.m. on June 20. Project architect Gary Jackson, with Hight, Jackson and Associates, met with school board members Tuesday and received their approval to let the grade school building go out for bid...

GREEN FOREST -- Zion Hill Cemetery Association, located southeast of Green Forest, will hold its annual memorial service on Sunday, June 3, at the old school house. Services will start at 10 a.m. with gospel music and visiting with family and friends. A sermon will be preached at 11 a.m., and at noon a potluck dinner will take place...

For the 22nd year in a row, plans for the Berryville Ice Cream Social 5K and One Mile Run and Walk are well underway, according to race director Kristy Noble, who is pleased to announce the addition of several new events. "We're excited to add a corporate challenge this year, along with ice cream at the finish line -- and a pre-race party sponsored by Geraldi's Italian Restaurant, located on the square," stated Noble...