Stories from Wednesday, February 5, 2003

The issue of school consolidation continues to be a topic on everyone's mind as local legislators met with residents and local school officials Saturday morning in Piggott. State Sen. Tim Wooldridge and State Rep. Travis Boyd conducted a town meeting to discuss the consolidation issue as well as others currently before the state House and Senate...

PIGGOTT -- At the start of this basketball season, first-year Lady Mohawk head coach Jeff Priest had one goal in mind -- to make it to the Regional Tournament. Although the Piggott girls have had a bumpy season so far, Priest's goal is still withing reach...

PIGGOTT -- The Piggott senior high Mohawks succumbed to two 3AAA-North conference foes in boys basketball action last week. Last Tuesday night, the Mohawks (2-17, 0-10 3AAA-North) fell to the Highland Rebels by a score of 68-56. The Rebels led 18-10 at the end of the first period and 40-26 at the half. Highland extended their lead to 20, 60-40, in the third period...

Martha Sue Williams, 87, of Piggott died on Feb. 1, 2003, in the Arkansas Methodist Hospital in Paragould. She was born Oct. 19, 1915, in Adair, Ky., the daughter of the late William S. and Nancy Bryant Harmon. She was united in marriage to Louis Williams on June 8, 1931. To this union six children were born...

Thomas Andrew Miller, 43, of Idaho Springs, Colo., and formerly of St. Charles, died Jan. 9, 2003, in Colorado. He was born Feb. 3, 1959, to Paul and LaVerne (Arnold) Miller in St. Louis. Mr. Miller was an ironworker and foreman with Parkers Steel Co...

Orval Ray Heathcock of Campbell died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003, at Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott, at the age of 80 years, four months, and 20 days. He was born Sept. 9, 1922, in Booneville, Ms., the son of the late George W. and Minnie M. McCoy Heathcock...

Sarah Mae Estes, 69, of Piggott, died Monday, Jan. 27, 2003, in the Three Rivers Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born Feb. 17, 1933, in Greenway, the daughter of the late Charles Frank and Cora A. Frederick Bratcher. She was united in marriage to Leborn Estes on Sept. 18, 1948, to this union four children were born. She was a member of the Church of Christ in Greenway...

Arwilla Dodd of Dexter, formerly of Malden, died Monday, Feb. 3, 2003, at Cypress Point Healthcare in Dexter at the age of 91. She was born Aug. 12, 1911, the daughter of James Randle Lacy and Lula Bell McElyea Lacy. She was united in marriage to James Orville Dodd on Dec. 8, 1929, in St. Louis. To this union one son was born...

Mary Annie Dees, 87, of Piggott, Ark. died Friday, Jan. 31, 2003, in the Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott. She was born Feb. 1, 1915, in Pollard, the daughter of the late Warren and Pearlie Keith Causey. She was united in marriage to Ebert Dees on Oct. 20, 1928. To this union five children were born...

The Harlem Entertainers will appear at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Piggott High School gym. Pre-game activities begin at 6 p.m. The event is being sponsored by the Piggott Area Chamber of Commerce, and all proceeds will benefit the Piggott Community Center...

The Piggott High School choir has had a very good year, including a successful holiday performance season. Choir member Jeremy Edwards will be auditioning for the all-region choir on Friday. Choir director Sandra Routszong said the group is comprised of 13 members from grades seven through 12. Band director Tracy Meadows assists with preparation for the holiday season...

Margaret Anne "Maggie" Edwards, 61, of Russellville, sister of Nancy Kemp of Rector, died Monday, Jan. 27, 2003, at Community Medical Center in Fresno, Calif., after a courageous battle with cancer. An artist and a homemaker, she was born Aug. 30, 1941, in Dardanelle to the late Jack and Ava Dean Partridge...

Charles William Duffel, Sr., 58, of Doniphan, Mo., died on Jan. 27, 2003, at Three Rivers Healthcare in Poplar Bluff. He was born June 15, 1944, in Rector. He worked as a Brakeman for the Union Pacific Railroad and was of the Baptist faith. He is survived by his wife, Juanita Duffel of St. ...

Celia Taylor, 96, of Rector died on Jan. 28, 2003, at Twin Rivers Medical Center in Kennett. She was born on March 8, 1906, in Dunklin County, Mo., the daughter of the late William and Mary Reigert Halter. She was united in marriage to Edd Taylor. She was a member of the Church of Christ in Nimmons...

MARMADUKE -- The Marmaduke Lady Greyhounds, still ranked second in the state in class AA improved to 30-1 on the year with a 67-40 over the Lady Cougars of Rector in a game played at Marmaduke Friday night. A driving layup by Beth Grigsby at 7:49 gave the Lady Hounds a 2-0 lead. After Beth Grigsby scored inside again Brooke Grigsby followed suit and the score was 6-0. When Brooke Grigsby hauled down a rebound and fired a long pass to Keena Graham who hit a layup the score was 8-0...

The 3AA-North junior high Districts will e hosted this year by Rector. The week-long tourney begins next Monday with finals scheduled for Saturday. First round boys action will begin Monday at 4 p.m. with games at 4, 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45. Girls action commences on Tuesday with the same time schedule...

Ellen Covenia Ramer, 88, of Paragould died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003, at the Paragould Nursing Center. She was born Aug. 4, 1914, in Marmaduke, the daughter of the late Pat and Murtie Wyatt. She was a former employee of Uniroyal Plastics in Mishawaka, Ind., a member of Ramers Chapel Methodist Church, and a past member of the Eastern Star...

Celia Taylor, 96, of Rector died on Jan. 28, 2003, at Twin Rivers Medical Center in Kennett. She was born on March 8, 1906, in Dunklin County, Mo., the daughter of the late William and Mary Reigert Halter. She was united in marriage to Edd Taylor. She was a member of the Church of Christ in Nimmons...

Charles William Duffel, Sr., 58, of Doniphan, Mo., died on Jan. 27, 2003, at Three Rivers Healthcare in Poplar Bluff. He was born June 15, 1944, in Rector. He worked as a Brakeman for the Union Pacific Railroad and was of the Baptist faith. He is survived by his wife, Juanita Duffel of St. ...

Cletes Wilburn Reagans, 67, of Rector died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born July 9, 1935, in Mounds. He was of the Baptist faith and worked for Lay's Trucking in California. He is survived by his mother, Della Morgan Russell, and one brother, Wayne Reagans, both of Rector...

Clarence Melvin Boone, 89, of Marmaduke died Friday, Jan. 31, 2003 at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born Sept. 29, 1913, in Marmaduke, the son of the late James and Thresa Boone. He was Marmaduke school custodian, a deacon at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church, where he was a longtime member...

Lions Club members and officers from several Arkansas towns were on hand Saturday night for a Charter Night dinner at the Rector Community Center to help launch the new Rector Lions Club. In a lively night of both ceremony and fun, Lions from Paragould, Jonesboro, Piggott, Wynne, Russellville, Pocahontas, Quitman and Searcy joined new Rector Lions...

Debris clean-up at the Wise Co. site on Highway 49 has been completed, and the Rector City Council authorized Mayor Ron Kemp Monday night to advertise for bids, in conjunction with the architect, on construction of a new industrial building. Ross Farm Trucking of Kennett, the debris removal contractor, finished the job in just over three weeks, well ahead of the March 15 deadline set by the council at last month's meeting...

Rector native Bill J. Ford of St. Louis, who served 11 years as Arkansas's state bank commissioner, died Thursday, Jan. 23, 2003, after a brave battle with lung cancer. He was 78. Ford was born March 4, 1924, in Fredericktown, Mo., to the late Tom and Lula Ford. He grew up in Rector, where his father owned the Ford Theater. He and his four sisters took turns working there during their high school days...

The City of Rector received $190,192 for construction of a new senior citizens facility during a ceremony Tuesday, Jan. 28, at the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock. "Our entire community appreciates very much the receipt of this grant and the strong partnership we have with the Arkansas Department of Economic Development," said Rector Mayor Ron Kemp. ...

MARMADUKE -- A fast start was the key to the Greyhounds' 78-45 victory over the Cougars Friday night at Marmaduke. In a November game the Cougars had jumped on the Hounds early and stayed with them for a while. This game was to be much different. The Hounds struck quickly as Kenneth Barnham scored inside at 7:57 for a 2-0 lead. ...