Stories from Thursday, August 29, 2002

Two of the best basketball players to ever come out of Clay County, fierce rivals in high school, have become summer team-mates. Former Piggott Mohawk Darren McCrillis, now playing college basketball at Harding University in Searcy and former Rector Cougar Matt Mills, now playing college basketball at Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, have become team-mates on a summer mens league team...

Richard Meadows Mitchell, Sr., 83, of Paragould died Sunday Aug. 25, 2002. He was born Sept. 6, 1918, in Paragould to the late Randal and Lucy Wyatt Mitchell. He was owner of Mitchell Funeral Home, a member of Second and Walnut Church of Christ, former member of the Paragould Jaycees, served on the Arkansas Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors from 1968-1973, past President of Arkansas Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors; Arkansas Funeral Director of the year, 1975-76, Past President of Arkansas Funeral Directors Association and Board member of Memorial Insurance Company of America.. ...

James Lewis Qualls, 58, died March 9, 2002, at the Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Fla. He is buried in the West Shiloh Baptist Church Cemetery in Stantonville, Tenn., and in the same town and family has held their yearly family reunion for the past 50 years. He had a very fast growing brain tumor...

Keith Albert Gilliam, 36, of Marmaduke died Wednesday Aug. 21, 2002, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born April 28, 1966, in Paragould. He was a factory worker with Emerson Electric and a member of the First Baptist Church in Marmaduke...

Clois Wan Butler, 87, of Rector, prominent farmer and a retired director of Clay County Electric Cooperative of 47 years, died Friday, Aug. 16, 2002, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. Mr. Butler served as secretary-treasurer, vice-president and president during his terms as director. ...

Imogene Murray, 80, of Rector died Aug. 24, 2002, at Rector Healthcare in Rector. She was born Aug. 22, 1922, in Rector to the late T F Guthrie and Lela (Sanders) Guthrie. She married Alvin Murray May 16, 1942. He preceded her in death Jan. 9, 1998...

Filing for municipal offices in the November General Election opened Saturday, Aug. 17, and will close at noon Friday, Sept. 5. As of Tuesday morning, those filing for Rector city offices were incumbent alderman Lavern "Mac" Manchester, west ward, position two; incumbent alderman Steve Ward, east ward, position two, and incumbent Mayor Ron Kemp...

Culminating many months of work, the City of Rector will receive official ACE (Arkansas Community of Excellence) certification at the Labor Day Stage on Monday. Gov. Mike Huckabee will present a certificate to mayor Ron Kemp and another one to Rector Chamber of Commerce president Ron Benson...

"All roads lead to Rector on Labor Day," former State Rep. Richard Simmons says proudly. With his wife, Shirley, by his side, Richard will serve as this year's Rector Labor Day Parade grand marshal, continuing a longtime Simmons family tradition of volunteer work at the event...

It will be a red, white and blue centennial for the annual Rector Labor Day Picnic. This year's patriotic theme will be spread throughout the town, including houses and businesses. Festivities are planned over four days, Friday through Monday, and include something for all ages. All proceeds benefit the yearly maintenance of the beautiful Woodland Heights Cemetery...

Two of the best basketball players to ever come out of Clay County, fierce rivals in high school, have become summer team-mates. Former Piggott Mohawk Darren McCrillis, now playing college basketball at Harding University in Searcy and former Rector Cougar Matt Mills, now playing college basketball at Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, have become team-mates on a summer mens league team...