Stories from Wednesday, April 24, 2002

The Rector Cougars closed out their regular season in fitting fashion this past week posting wins and outscoring their opponents 29-2. "W're really playing well right now," head coach Jason Lance said Monday. The younger guys are really stepping up and playing good. We've been practicing nearly every weekend and the effort is now paying off."...

Did you ever wonder what life was like 50, 60 or even 80 years ago? Like many other communities, Marmaduke has a number of older citizens who can readily tell what life was like in the past. The Clay County Democrat recently tapped this priceless treasure by interviewing some of them. Their quotes and comments vividly recall another time long gone...

There were lots of smiles and lots of tears when Jessie Malin was honored Sunday afternoon as the Rector Woman's Club's 2002 Honored Lady of the Year. A large number of friends and family members were on hand to offer their love and congratulations to Mrs. Malin, and to share in the Rector Public Library's celebration of National Library Week...

Top graduating seniors from Rector and Marmaduke were among students honored when Peoples Bank held its seventh annual Academic All Star Banquet Tuesday night, April 16, at the Paragould Country Club. Rector seniors honored included Nicole Beacham, Cassie Palmer and Nichole Sears. Honored Marmaduke seniors were Cody Ashby, Tiffany Wallace and Valerie Keene...

Democratic candidates met with the Clay County Central Democratic Committee Tuesday, April 16, to draw for positions on the May Primary ballot. Democratic nominees from the May Primary will face Republican and independent candidates in the November General Election...

Betty Sue Walker, 71, of Marmaduke died Tuesday, April 9, 2002, at her home. A homemaker, she was born Dec. 10, 1930, in Greene County. She was of the Church of Christ faith. Survivors include seven sons, Larry Walker, Terry Walker, Billy Walker and Jimmy Walker, all of Marmaduke, Allen Walker of Rector, and Danny Walker and Clinton Walker, both of Paragould; five daughters, Patsy Phillips, Joella Carter and Barbara Bryant, all of Marmaduke, and Paula Rogers and Nancy Storms, both of Paragould; one brother, Clyde Stricklin of Grand Blanc, Mich.; one sister, Ruby Chamberlain of Rector, 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.. ...

Glen B. Stokes, 81, of Warren, Mich., a native of Rector, died Sunday, April 7, 2002. He was born Oct. 1, 1920. He was reared in Rector and worked many years in Michigan. He is survived by his wife, Betty; granddaughter, Sara; one sister, Marie Powell of Rector; one brother, Joe Stokes and wife of Sterling Heights, Mich., and lots of nieces, nephews and friends...

A masterful pitching performance by Andrew Mitchell and a clutch fifth inning RBI by Chris Winn enabled Action One to defeat American State Bank in the finals of the Marmaduke Pre-Season Little League Tournament Saturday morning. This, the 17th and final game of the tournament that started Monday April 15, began play just before 11:00 p.m. Friday night, but was not completed until Saturday morning...

The Rector Lady Cougars finished their slow pitch season last week splitting a doubleheader with the Corning Lady Bobcats. The Lady Cougars won the afternoon's opening game, 8-3, and dropped the nightcap, 4-1. Danielle Rose was the winning pitcher in the first game and also suffered the loss for Rector in the second game...

Alltel customers are having a difficult time using their wireless service in and around Rector, and many want to know why. Jason Rupert, vice president of general management at Alltel in Jonesboro, says that the company currently is taking the steps necessary to greatly improve service...

Piggott took an easy win Monday in fast pitch softball defeating Manila 18 -3. Lauren Watson picked up the pitching victory for the Lady Mohawks. Piggott's catcher Krista Winchester pounded out three triples with four RBIs. Mandy Cale and Stephanie Hoggard each had two singles with Hoggard picking up two RBIs. Lauren Watson's single scored two RBIs in the win...

Cancer does not discriminate in its choice of victims. Nine-year-old Kegan Burdin of Piggott is an example of this as he has battled brain cancer that robbed him of his eyesight. He will serve as this year's honorary chairman of the Clay County Relay For Life, which will be held Saturday at Heritage Park in Piggott, will lead the survivor's walk around Heritage Park Lake...

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Paris wedding of Ernest Hemingway and Pauline Pfeiffer, the Arkansas State University Museum and the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center will present two special events in May. The featured speaker for both will be Cornelia Powell of Atlanta. ...

The Piggott City Council heard the Southwestern Power Administration has completed its power repayment study for fiscal year 2002. During Monday night's utility meeting, utilities administrator Ted Bellers said the study indicates a 5.6 percent increase is needed in gross revenue...

Democratic candidates met with the Clay County Central Democratic Committee Tuesday, April 16, to draw for positions on the May Primary ballot. Democratic nominees from the May Primary will face Republican and independent candidates in the November General Election...

Jesse James Cullum, 92, of Piggott died Tuesday, April 16, 2002, at Piggott Community Hospital. He was born Sept. 30, 1909, in Bee Branch, Ark., the son of the late William Jasper and Lura Mae Lunsford Cullum. He married Imogene Hooks on Nov. 17, 1934. To this union two children were born...

Opal Hanna, 82, of St. Francis died Friday, April 19, 2002, at Piggott Community Hospital. She was born May 16, 1919, in Carryville, the daughter of the late Thomas and Effie Mae Hardin Moore. She married James B. Brawner on Aug. 11, 1936. To this union four children were born. He preceded her in death...

The Piggott Lady Mohawk tennis team came away with the 3AAA-North Ditstrict Championship by edging Highland 9-8 in team points. The team finishes the regular season with a 9-4 record. In singles play, Meagan Swann was the top seed and received a first round bye. ...

PIGGOTT For the third time since 1993, Piggott head tennis coach Paul Seegraves has been named as coach of the year. In addition, coach Seegraves has also been nominated to sit on the state's seeding committee for his fourth consecutive year. Seegraves was named the district coach of the year in 1993, 1999 and 2002...

The fourth annual Clay County Relay For Life will kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday with the survivor's walk at Heritage Park in Piggott. The ceremony salutes cancer survivors and is sponsored by Piggott State Bank and Hoggard and Sons Funeral Home. Registration begins at 9 a.m. at the survivor's hospitality tent...