By Judy Bishop Mountain View resident Paul E. Miller, soon to have his 102nd birthday, recently talked about his long and active life. Surrounded by his books and papers, his white beard neatly trimmed, he seems decades younger than his years. Paul was born in White County, in the Bethlehem community near Judsonia, on July 4, 1916, to cotton and strawberry farmer Joe Henry Miller, whose forebears came to Ar ...

An old Christmas card signed by Clifton Irma Juanice and Danny Holland was among those discovered in a box stored in an old smokehouse. By Renee Rushing Carr A few years ago my father, Rodney Rushing, and I poked our heads inside the old smokehouse at the Clarence & Winnie (Rushing) Hinesley place. He had acquired the old home place at Rushing which spans the Stone/Van Buren County line on Highway 9. Th ...

“Do a good turn daily” is the slogan of the Boy Scouts of America. Kaleb Tangen, 15, of Fairfield Bay did just that on Saturday when his Eagle Scout project culminated in the installation of a Little Free Library for the Fox community. The project took Kaleb much longer than a day to complete, including pitching his project, finding a design, making a materials list, pricing the materials, recruiting and di ...

A new quilt block with striking yellow features on a turquoise background was installed recently in Mountain View, bringing to 17 the number of quilt blocks on the Stone County Quilt Trail. The painted quilt block is located at The Mountain View Meeting Place, a red building behind the Wildflower Bed & Breakfast on the northeast corner of the square. The property has been owned since 2015 by Chris and Shell ...

Having just celebrated his 100th birthday, Lonnie Richardson continues to amaze folks with his good health and steadfast ways. Not only did he have three celebrations over the weekend, but he attended the visitation for a friend’s funeral Saturday and took in a musical on the courtsquare Saturday evening. He still lives on his own for the most part, but will spend evenings with family members and return hom ...

“As long as you have ‘little willie’ in your pocket, you can do it.” This favorite saying of Edna Thatcher is a reference to willpower, something she credits for her life’s accomplishments, which now include turning 100 years old. With a sweet smile and a hug for everyone who stops by to visit, Edna has enjoyed being surrounded by her family and friends who gathered to celebrate her birthday over the weeken ...

For nearly 62 years Pat Balentine was the pianist at Fifty Six Baptist Church. She recently resigned from the position, making way for another piano player. Pat never played to be seen or praised by others, but because there was a need, and she was the only one in the community to fill the position. “I always enjoyed it but realized it was time to quit.” She explained, “When you get old, the notes all start ...

Above, Shawn Ellis hands out souvenir bracelets at the watch party. Shawn Ellis’s secret is out. He’s a Forged in Fire Champion – winner of The Kachin Dao knife making challenge which aired on the History Channel Aug. 1. A full-time knife maker for the past two years, Ellis participated in the network’s original competition series in the spring, and was required to keep the results confidential until the ep ...

Ten years ago Jose German (pronounced Her-MAHN) of Mountain View decided to start the process to become a United States Citizen, and after years of waiting, studying and taking tests, his dream came true on July 14 when he was sworn in as a United States Citizen. In Dec. 1987, Jose began his journey to the United States from El Salvador with a neighbor and three cousins. They traveled to Mexico where they j ...

While a big percentage of able-bodied men were overseas fighting during World War II, many women on the home front worked in defense plants building planes and equipment to help defeat the enemy. Doris Burrell, 91, now living in Mountain View, was one of the young girls putting rivets in B29 airplane wings until the war ended in 1945, making her a “Rosie The Riveter,” an American cultural icon representing ...