Stories from Thursday, December 27, 2001

Steve Roberts named as new ASU coach Steve Roberts was named Friday morning as Arkansas State University's 26th head football coach. The announcement was made in the rotunda in the Fowler Center at ASU by newly appointed athletic director Paul Griffin. Roberts has spent the prior two seasons at Northwestern State. Prior to his stint at Northwestern State, Roberts coached at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia. Roberts overall head coaching record is 49-33-1...

JONESBORO We are all familiar with the phrase, "Two out of three ain't bad," and after Friday night's Rector Lady Cougar versus Riverside NEA first-round tournament game at the Convocation Center in Jonesboro, Rector head coach Shane Robinson and Riverside boss Greg Rainwater agreed...

JONESBORO After winning their first round NEA Tournament game against the Black Rock Zebras last Thursday night, the Rector Cougars had the monumental challenge of having to face the top-seeded Turrell Rockets in the second round. Turrell's athleticism proved too much for the Cougars as the Rockets blasted off to a 16-2 early first quarter lead en route to a 65-26 win...

JONESBORO The top-seeded Marmaduke Lady Greyhounds had no trouble notching their first victory in this year's NEA Tournament in Jonesboro. The Grigsby twins, Beth and Brooke, paced the Lady Greyhounds right out of the gate leading the Marmaduke girls to a quick 18-2 lead over the Salem Lady Greyhounds in the first period of second round A-AA action. The Marmaduke girls received a bye in the first round...

JONESBORO Josh Bateman pumped in a game-high 24 points for the number three-seeded Marmaduke Greyhounds as they had no problem with defeating the Biggers-Reyno Buffaloes Saturday at the NEA Tournament in the Convocation Center at ASU. Marmaduke received a bye in the first round of the tournament that began on Thursday afternoon...

Mattie Oliver Keck, 89, of Imperial, Mo., formerly of Rector, died Thursday, Dec. 20, 2001, at the Festus Nursing Home in Festus, Mo. She was born May 27, 1912, in Rector, the daughter of the late Austin and Katie Loveless Bradford. She was united in marriage to George Keck. He preceded her in death in June 1969...

Clay County will receive $12,779 for the homeless and hungry as its part of $1,308,379 awarded recently to Arkansas communities by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program. Greene County will receive $29,637...

The Rector High School FFA won the first-ever opening and closing ceremonies competition at the Northeast Arkansas District FFA Leadership Contest Tuesday, Dec. 11, at Arkansas State University. The new event was created to introduce seventh through ninth grade FFA members to leadership competition activities...

After working at Sparks cattle ranch in Boydsville six days a week for 19 years, Charles "Sonny" Robinson of Rector now has retired to working only part-time for the ranch and sometimes working for a farmer in Piggott. Robinson says he now has more time for his favorite pastime, restoring Corvettes, but time never stopped him from restoring them before...

Although many memorable events occurred in 2001, none match the devastation and hope brought about by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America and subsequent anthrax infections. Both served as a wake-up call to our nation, and most agree our society will never again be the same...