Stories from Wednesday, February 12, 2003

The Piggott City Council approved an ordinance Monday night to increase the city's electric rates. The council completed the required second and third reading of the ordinance. The first reading was done at the utilities meeting two weeks ago. The ordinance sets rates for residential, small power and large power users. The increase will average six mills and will begin with the next billing cycle. An additional 1.3 mills will beadded annually for three years, beginning in January 2004...

The following is a list of postseason tournaments that will be played by teams in the Delta Life circulation area: (junior tournaments take place this week, senior high tournaments begin next week) EPC: Sr. Boys at Valley View (Number one seed, facing Harrisburg in first round); Sr. Girls at Valley View (seeding TBD) (Feb. 17-21); Jr. Boys at Trumann (Number three seed, facing Manila in first round); Jr. Girls at Trumann (Number four seed, facing Trumann in first round)...

Charles E. "Diego" Fuller, 62, of Piggott died Monday, Feb. 10, 2003 at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born Dec. 8, 1940, in Caraway, the son of the late Sammie Lee Fuller and Sylvia Irene Nelson Fuller. He was manager-operator of Lafe Rural Water, had lived most of his life in the community and was of the Baptist faith...

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...

Andrew Melland Wofford, 15, of Rector, a student at Piggott High School, died Monday, Feb. 10, 2003, at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. He was born Sept. 4, 1987, in Sacramento, Calif., the son of Dale and Tonnie Burns Wofford. He was preceded in death by a sister, Shala Wofford...

Sharon Edith King Wright was born July 5, 1947, in Highland Park, Michigan, and departed her earthly life on Feb. 10, 2003, at St. Bernards Hospital in Jonesboro. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Personal Savior on September 18, 1955, at the age of eight...

Nicky A. Marlar, 58, of Spring Hill, Ark., died Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2003, at his home. He was born Sept. 17, 1944, in Texarkana, Tx., the son of Auvelle and Mildred O'Rear Marlar. He was a poultry farmer with Tyson and retired with 12 years of service from International Paper Co. in New Boston, Tx. Mr. Marlar was a Baptist, the Assistant Chief of the Spring Hill Volunteer Fire Department, a member of Lewisville Masonic Lodge #14, F. & A.M., a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Shriners...

Junior and Barbara Harris are still very much in love after all these years. They married on March 5, 1951, and are coming up on their 52nd anniversary. Anyone who looks at this couple can tell they genuinely care about one another. When Mrs. Harris called him into the "Mohawk Room" of their restaurant, Outdoor/Indoors, for our interview she said, "She wants to see my favorite Valentine."...

"I would really like to see us join hands as a community, regardless of our political affiliations and become partners toward one common goal -- economic growth of our city," Mayor Gerald Morris said. Morris took over the post as Piggott mayor on Jan. 1 and has made economic development a priority for the city...

Bert Brownel Busby, 89, of Jonesboro died Mondayn Feb. 10, 2003, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born Sept. 10, 1913, in Rector, the son of the late Calvin and Beulah Paine Busby. He was a retired employee of Ark-Mo Power, a World War II veteran of the Army, and a member of Rock Hill Missionary Baptist Church...

BAY -- Bay's junior and senior boys' teams swept Rector here Friday night in what was homecoming games for Bay. The Bay Yellowjackets defeated the Rector Cougars 60-50. The Yellowjackets came out strong and held the Cougars 19-7 after the first quarter of play. The Cougars struggled getting the ball down the floor against the Jackets' full-court defense...

CARAWAY Heather Johnson blistered the nets for 26 points and the Grigsby twins left Riverside seeing double as Marmaduke rolled to an easy 72-50 win in 3AA North action Thursday night at Caraway. The powerful Lady Greyhounds scored inside and out as the Lady Rebels could find no answer in stopping Coach Matt Dean's juggernant...

A late fourth quarter surge, in a game by surges, enabled Buffalo Island Central (BIC) to beat the Rector Lady Cougars 55-44 in a make-up game played at Rector Friday night. Bic then woke up and salted the game away at the freethrow line. Two freethrows by Sara Walker at 3:23 made the score 45-42. ...

LAKE CITY It was Senior Night for the Riverside Rebels Friday night at Lake City but it was a senior from Marmaduke who stole the limelight. Josh Bateman poured in 33 points, including four treys and 13-13 free throw shooting, as the Greyhounds held off Riverside 65-53...

Charles E. "Diego" Fuller, 62, of Piggott died Monday, Feb. 10, 2003 at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born Dec. 8, 1940, in Caraway, the son of the late Sammie Lee Fuller and Sylvia Irene Nelson Fuller. He was manager-operator of Lafe Rural Water, had lived most of his life in the community and was of the Baptist faith...

Andrew Melland Wofford, 15, of Rector, a student at Piggott High School, died Monday, Feb. 10, 2003, at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. He was born Sept. 4, 1987, in Sacramento, Calif., the son of Dale and Tonnie Burns Wofford. He was preceded in death by a sister, Shala Wofford...

Jimmy Lee Lawrence of Rector died Thursday, Feb. 6, 2003, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born Aug. 14, 1934, in Rector, the son of the late Orville Pratt and Dora Gore Lawrence. He is survived by his companion, Eulene Hulse of Rector; one son, John Todd Lawrence of Spring Hill, Tenn.; two daughters, Kay Murray of Paragould and Sharon Toone of Rector; one brother, Earl Wayne Lawrence of Tampa, Fla.; two sisters, Willo Dean Wheeler of Rector and Jo Nell Hummert of Mascoutah, Ill.; five grandchildren, Brandy Lynn Murray, Chase Murray, Jessica Lee Ann Toone, Breanna Aliese Lawrence and Hannah Lawrence; and one great-grandchild: Garrett Burns.. ...

Margurette Pruett, 79, of Mandeville, La., formerly of Rector, died Feb. 7, 2003, in Mandeville. She was born Feb. 22, 1923, in Clay County, the daughter of the late Nathan Andrew and Mary Louella Ladyman Martin. She was a member of the Rector First United Methodist Church, the Order of the Eastern Star and the Fairview Extension Club...

Mrs. Dereta Palmer's Class: Mom, I love my mom because she tucks me in every night, and she cooks dinner for me. She also plays with me after we do all our work. I want to wish her a Happy Valentine's Day. Love, Sydney Travis Dear Mom and Dad, I love you because you took care of me for 9 years. You a special in many ways by feeding me, and for telling me that, you are special...

The Marmaduke City Council heard a report on FEMA reimbursement at Monday night's regular meeting. Mayor Nileane Drope and secretary/recorder Betty Jackson met with FEMA officials, and the paperwork has been completed. It is a federal and state reimbursement program that will cover the city's clean-up costs from the ice storm that hit in December...

School board members toured recent renovations to the Rector High School building Monday night. They saw the newly painted hallways and the remodeled bathrooms and took a ride in the new elevator. During the meeting, superintendent Kelly Scobey and high school principal Rob Louder discussed a few of the changes expected to take place due to the governor's proposed consolidation plan...

The following is a list of postseason tournaments that will be played by teams in the Delta Life circulation area: (junior tournaments take place this week, senior high tournaments begin next week) EPC: Sr. Boys at Valley View (Number one seed, facing Harrisburg in first round); Sr. Girls at Valley View (seeding TBD) (Feb. 17-21); Jr. Boys at Trumann (Number three seed, facing Manila in first round); Jr. Girls at Trumann (Number four seed, facing Trumann in first round)...