Long wait for flu shot

Our mayor, John Gray, is now in rehab and getting along fine. This was the heartening news I got when I called City Hall to check up on him. We hope that he is feeling better and better every day. Our prayers and best wishes go out to him. You can send a get-well card to him, and address it to City Hall and someone will take it to him. We, at the center, all signed one and mailed it a few days ago. We hope it cheered him up. Maurine Lee and I were the only two from our center to get involved in the flu shot event at the Arvest ball park in Springdale. Cars were lined up as far as the eye could see.We got in one of the lines, and there were just as many cars behind us as there were ahead of us. We crept along for an hour or more before we got to where the shots were given. The people in autos did not have to get out of their car, and this meant pretty rapid service. However since we were in a van, we had to get out of it to get our shot. Was that wind ever cold! I felt sorry for the folks giving the shots beca - Thursday, November 20, 2008

DAR honors veterans

In observance of Veterans Day 2008, the Marion Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution placed flags on the graves of members’ families’ veterans buried in Washington County. Flags were placed on graves in McCord Cemetery, Elm Springs Cemetery, Dutch Mills Cemetery, Fairview and Bluff. Although requested to do so, the chapter was unable to place flags on several graves of veterans buried at the Fayetteville National Cemetery. The National Cemetery keeps the U.S. Flag flying over the entire park in accordance to the U.S. Flag code, thus honoring all who lie there 365 days a year. At the National Cemetery flags may placed on individual graves only in observance of Memorial Day. Honoring veterans with flags is a very small thing that can be done for those who gave so much. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a women’s volunteer service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving America’s history and securing America’s future through better education for c - Thursday, November 20, 2008

WANDERING THE OZARKS : Ruby Graf reveals more to the story of the hanging

BY VELDA BROTHERTON vebrotherton@gmail.com www.authorsden.com/veldabrotherton

Thursday night I was privileged to attend a reunion of sorts, at least a get-together of some 17 members of the Doss and Graf families. We gathered at Sky Vue for a delicious dinner, then I settled back to hear some stories. That’s always what happens when kin gather. They exchange stories. Ruby Graf, age 91, who journeyed all the way from California, and her sisterin-law Geneva Doss, who lives out around Black Oak off Sunset Road, sat beside me and we talked memories of the old days. Ruby, who has read my column for years, courtesy of Geneva, who clips and sends it to her, wanted to set something straight. I’m always ready for that, because from one story comes another, and that’s how folk tales are born. That’s how we set down our memories for everyone to read and enjoy. - Thursday, November 20, 2008

Lawyers see different pay rates from county

BY TRISH HOLLENBECK Northwest Arkansas Times

Two experienced lawyers paid by the county who work in the Washington County Public Defender’s Office will receive raises next year, but their salaries will still not equal the amount paid to a newly hired county-funded attorney in the 4th Judicial District Prosecutor’s Office. It means that one of the lawyers with the Public Defender’s Office who has 18 years of experience will be making about $ 7, 000 less than the new lawyer in the Prosecutor’s Office, which covers Washington and Madison counties. The pay issue came up September at a Washington County Quorum Court budget meeting, when the Public Defender’s Office asked to increase salaries for its two county-paid lawyers, Autumn Tolbert and Julie Tolleson. Tolleson had 18 years of legal experience before she went to the Public Defender’s Office. Tolbert recently passed the bar exam and was hired as an attorney with the office after she had been a law clerk there for several years. - Thursday, November 20, 2008

Celebrating survivors, remembering loved ones

BY VICKI SMITH White River Valley News

ELKINS -- Sit’n & Stitch’n Quilts in Elkins did its part to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month this year. Store owner’s Kathy Penrod and Mavis Smith decided to raffle off a beautiful quilt made by Penrod and to give all the proceeds of the raffle to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The quilt that was raffled off also won first place at the Washington County Fair this year. On Saturday, Nov. 15, the ladies had a quilt showing with many of their quilters displaying their own works of art. They also had Alison Levin from the Susan G. Komen Foundation on hand to present her with a check for their efforts. “We just wanted to support finding a cure for breast cancer and honor all of the ladies we know that have survived,” Penrod saidy. “We also would like to remember the ladies who were not as fortunate.” Before presenting Levin with the check Penrod named some of the survivors and honored the memory of the other loved ones. “I want to mention Linda Hinkle, Julia Hissom, Reva Thomas, and Wendy Morris -- these la - Thursday, November 20, 2008