Stories from Thursday, June 5, 2003

The roar of motorcycles were heard in Piggott as Thunder on the Byways officially made its maiden voyage Friday afternoon. The bikers were treated to a lunch at the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center. The event was sanctioned by the American Motorcycle Association and was sponsored by the Arkansas Delta Byways Association. Other bikers joined the group along the way...

Last Saturday was a memorable day for Piggott's Kevin Murray. Two old timer's games were played at the Paragould American Legion Park with the contending teams being made up of former Paragould American Legion players. Murray, who graduated from Marmaduke High School in 1985, pitched for the Paragould American Legion in 1984-85...

For those area residents who are interested in taking care of their body, shaping up, toning their muscles, or building up their cardiovascular conditions, a new facility loacted on the courtsquare in Piggott will be right up their alley. Main Street Fitness opened for business two weeks ago and offers a variety of health care needs including free weights, dumbbells, resistance machines, cardiovascular equipment, a co-ed gym, and a separate ladies gym...

June "Punkin" (Pickelsimer) Duncan, 64, of Freedom, Ca., formerly of the Rector area, died May 23, 2003, at her home in California. She was born May 08, 1939, in Clay County, Ark., to Virgil and Una Wilson Pickelsimer. She worked as a cook for restaurants during her life...

Three state allocations were approved for Piggott during this year's state legislative session the Piggott City Council learned during the regular utilties meeting Friday, May 23. The meeting was rescheduled from its original fourth Monday time slot due to Memorial Day...

The Piggott Municipal Airport has been approved for a $54,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct a master plan study as part of proposed improvements by the city's Airport Commission. Commission chairman Mike Yon said under immediate plans to be considered as part of the study are acquiring approximately 12 acres adjacent to the facility on the west side, constructing new commercial and private hangars and widening the runway...

Piggott Elementary School has received a high honor. Principal Joan Gossett recently announced that Piggott Elementary School has earned accreditation from the North Central Association - Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA-CASI) for the 2002-2003 school year...

BAY -- In his three years at Bay High School, Coach Mark Manchester helped to build the girls basketball and boys baseball program at Bay into a program that is respected by many in Northeast Arkansas. However, this fall, Manchester leaves coaching and goes into the private sector, with a job in Rector...

A quarter of a century ago local baseball players Kevin Reddick, Randy Rogers and Ricky Poe were mainstays of the Paragould American Legion baseball team. Last Saturday at the first annual Paragould American Legion Old Timers game, held at the American Legion Park south of Wal-Mart, these former teammates were united once again...

Hazel Marie (Jackson) Clayton, 89, of Paragould died June 3, 2003, at her home. She was born March 1, 1914, in Marmaduke to John Pointer and Nora Alice (Walters) Jackson. She married Merval Edward Claxton on May 29, 2000. Mrs. Claxton was a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses...

Mary Alice Fielder, 65, of West Memphis, formerly of Rector, died Monday, June 2, 2003, at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis. She was born June 27, 1937, in Rector to Frank and Lura Holifield Cooper. She was united in marriage to Rex D. Fielder on June 26, 1959, in Rector...

June "Punkin" (Pickelsimer) Duncan, 64, of Freedom, Ca., formerly of the Rector area, died May 23, 2003, at her home in California. She was born May 08, 1939, in Clay County, Ark., to Virgil and Una Wilson Pickelsimer. She worked as a cook for restaurants during her life...

Mattie Francis Midkiff, 88, died Sunday, May 18, 2003 at Crestmont Healthcare Center in Fenton, Mich. after a long illness. She was born Dec. 28 1914 in Rector to William and Paralee Pruett (Yancey). She was married to Charlie (Buck) Midkiff on Oct. on 1933 in Kennett. They moved to Fenton in 1951 and raised their 6 children there...

William E. (Bill) Chandler, age 70, of Fenton, Mi. died suddenly of a heart attack on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 at Genesys Health Park in Grand Blanc, Mich. He was born May 11, 1932 in Linden, Mich., to Theodore and Clara Chandler. He was a Korean War Veteran and served 4 years in the U.S. Navy...

Announcements of several public hearings and a special council meeting were items on a light agenda at Monday's monthly meeting of the Rector City Council. Mayor Ron Kemp told the council that two public hearings will be held on Tuesday, June 10, one at noon at the senior citizens center and the other at 7 p.m. at city hall. Both hearings relate to a grant application by the city with the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism...

The blast of "Born to Be Wild" greeted bikers as they rolled into Glen Sain GMC in Rector Friday afternoon on the first leg of Thunder on the Byways. One of the bikers was Shelby Woods of CJRW in Little Rock, the mid-south's largest advertising firm. He was presented with a framed copy of Rector's city logo by Mayor Ron Kemp and Glen Sain owner Danny Ford, who also serves on the Arkansas Parks and Recreation Commission...

"It's so wonderful to be in Clay County," Senator Blanche Lincoln said Thursday evening at the annual Rector Area Chamber of Commerce banquet. "You all are truly blessed to live in this community." Lincoln said Rector was one of the first stops she made after being elected to the U.S. Senate. The first classroom at Rector Elementary she visited was that of Rita Dortch...

In local baseball last Friday, the Rector Senior Babe Ruth team beat Paragould 15-0 in a game played at Paragould. Nathan Wyatt pitched all five innings for Rector to get the win. He fanned twelve, allowed three hits and walked no one. Derrick Parrish, Nathan Wyatt and Billy Scott each went three-for-four. Joseph Parrish, Brian Arnold and Justin Wright all went two-for-three. Brandon Blount was two-for-four and Dewayne White and Dustin Bets each was one-for-three...