Stories from Wednesday, August 20, 2003

High school football, with its multi-dimensional excitement, will soon be upon us again. Here at Rector in recent years halftime has seen no lessening of the rapt attention reserved for the game itself. That's because each Friday night home halftime has been another opportunity to watch the talented Cougar majorettes in action...

In 1990 students encountered an unusual sight as they spotted Mrs. Lynda Dickinson outside her room dressed as a Ninja Turtle on the first day of school at Marmaduke Elementary School. Mrs. Dickinson, now entering her 33rd year in education, has made dressing up on the first day of school a tradition as part of her theme for the year...

The impact of the Rector School System on the local community was stressed by superintendent Rob Louder at Tuesday's luncheon meeting of the Rector Lions Club. Louder, who is in his first year in the position after having served as high school principal, said the district has 100 employees, 55 five of them certified staff...

Food donations are needed for a noon meal to be served in the Rector Community Center during Rector's 2003 Labor Day Picnic. Kitchen chairman Neda Sain said donations of whole kernel corn, blackeye peas, green beans and Trio instant potatoes (all available at Harp's in gallon containers) may be taken to the community center or, if they are bought at Harp's, can be left at the supermarket for storage...

Tickets now are available for the Rector Labor Day Picnic $1,000 drawing. Tickets are $1 each, six for $5 and 25 for $20. The $1,000 drawing will follow the Miss Rector pageant Monday night, Sept. 1, at Rector Memorial Park. The winner need not be present to receive the prize...

All parties with interest in Arkansas Western Gas' (AWG)natural gate increase proposal have reached a compromise with the exception of the state attorney general's office. In an Arkansas Public Service Commission (PSC) hearing held last Thursday evening in Piggott, PSC general staff attorney Susan D'Auteuil said the commission supports the proposed settlement and has deemed it a "reasonable compromise."...

An account has been established at Union Planters Bank in Rector for Shane and Jamie Lamar, who lost their home to fire recently. Household and clothing items for the couple and their five children are being collected by Pam Chandler, who may be reached at 566-8810...

Robert E. Householder, 86, of Trumann, formerly of Rector, died Aug. 14, 2003, in Rose Care Nursing Home in Trumann. He was born Oct. 16, 1916, in Clay County, the son of the late Henry Householder and Stella (Freeman) Householder. He was a grain elevator operator and a farmer and was of the Methodist faith...

Gordon Arlen Nutt, 61, of Rector died Friday, Aug. 15, 2003. He was born Aug. 6, 1942, in Blue Earth, Minn., the son of the late Gordon Nutt and Dolores Nutt. He married Karen Marie Hardin July 4, 1975 in Caruthersville. He was a retired machinist and a member of the First United Methodist Church in Rector...

Miles Edward King, 75, of Ash Flat, formerly of Rector, died Saturday Aug. 16, 2003, at Eastern Ozarks Regional Health System. He was born Sept. 1, 1927, in Rector, the son of the late Marie and Jewell King. He was a retired riverboat worker and was retired from the railroad. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and of the Baptist faith...

Randell Neal Little, 52, of Rector died Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2003, at his home. He was born June 22, 1951, in Rector, the son of Bob and Ellene Dudley Little. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, John and Ella Dudley and Ben and Effie Little. He was a rural mail carrier and was of the Pentecostal faith...

A summer sojourn of Rectorites to Cooperstown, NY during the Baseball Hall of Fame ceremonies week seems to be an ongoing thing. Whereas six Rector residents made it to Cooperstown last summer, ten Rectorites made the twenty-two hour drive to witness the ceremonies this summer...

The Piggott Mohawk tennis teams will begin their season with a road match against Ridgefield Christian on Aug. 26. A tri-match is scheduled for Sept. 8 against Trumann and EPC.

Football fans will have a chance to get their first look at the 2003 version of the Piggott Mohawks Tuesday night at Rector as the junior and senior high teams will each play two quarters against the Cougars in a scrimmage slated to kickoff at 7 p.m. The junior high teams will face each other in the first half with the senior high squads taking the field for the nightcap...

As usual in typical Arkansas fashion, once the high school gridiron athletes break out the helmets and shoulder pads and fan anticipation rises for the upcoming season, the mercury also begins to climb. For the past several days temperatures in northeast Arkansas has been in the upper 90s with heat indexes over 110...

A local seep water project will receive $500,000 through federal appropriations to combat a levee seepage problem in the Piggott area. U.S. Rep. Marion Berry made the announcement during a meeting in Piggott Monday morning. He said the Big Slough Project will also receive appropriation funding...

The Piggott City Council heard a review of a sewer rate analysis during a special meeting held Friday. Alderman Tommy Risinger was absent. Harry Niewald, Jr., of Schultz Engineering said the issue was first discussed in July 2002. At that time, he said the council was satisfied with the water rate analysis but not with sewer. He said it had been tabled while the city implemented an electrical rate increase...

All parties with interest in Arkansas Western Gas' (AWG) natural gate increase proposal have reached a compromise with the exception of the state attorney general's office. In an Arkansas Public Service Commission (PSC) hearing held last Thursday evening in Piggott, PSC general staff attorney Susan D'Auteuil said the commission supports the proposed settlement and has deemed it a "reasonable compromise."...

Roger Clay Nettles, 67, a resident of Poplar Bluff since 1994, died Monday, July 28, 2003, at Three Rivers Healthcare-North Campus. His death was sudden and unexpected. Mr. Nettles was born Jan. 22, 1936, in Detroit, Mich. By the time he was school age, his family had moved to Piggott. ...

Mary Ann Reed, 48, of Festus, Mo., died Aug. 13, 2003, in St. Louis. She was born Aug. 29, 1954, in Piggott, the daughter of the late John and Margaret Bean Belle. Mrs. Reed worked as a lead packer at Indeeco Industrial Engineering and Equipment in St. Louis...

Roy (Trey) Grantham, III, 19, of Crossett, died Saturday, Aug. 16, 2003, at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. He was born Sept. 13, 1983, in Flint, Mich. He was a resident of Crossett for all of his life. He graduated from Crossett High School in 2002 and was a member of the Pine Forest Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Grantham was an avid hunter and fisherman and he loved water skiing...

Bobby Hendon, 64, of Dyess, Ark., died Aug. 18, 2003, in Memphis. He was born Sept. 27, 1938, in Keiser, Ark. The son of John S. and Ollie Hendon. Mr. Hendon was a farmer and a lifelong resident of Mississippi County. He was a member of Central Baptist Church in Dyess, Ark. He was also a member of the South Mississippi County Sportsman Club...

Larry Eugene Lane, 52, died Sunday, Aug. 10, 2003, in Lubbock, Tx. Mr. Lane was born Nov. 2, 1950, in Ranger, Tx., to Roy and Ernestine Lane who preceded him in death. He was a graduate of Eastland High, Home of the Mavericks, and was an associate with Wrigley Gum Company for many years...

Frances Virginia Sanders Biles, 82, of Salem, Ark., daughter of the late Hyman and Nettie Sanders, was born Dec. 25, 1920 in Piggott. She died Friday morning, Aug. 15, 2003 at Mari-de-Villa Retirement Center in St. Louis. She was united in marriage to Owen Harris Biles on June 15, 1944, in Piggott...

Raymond W. Braman, 82, of Sulphur Springs, Texas, formerly of Rector, died Monday, Aug. 11, 2003, at Hopkins County Memorial Hospital in Sulphur Springs. He was born May 18, 1921, in Clay County, the son of the late Ernest and Pearl Kitchen Braman. He married Christine Poppe on July 6, 1942...

Geletza Langford, 81, of Piggott died Sunday, Aug. 17, 2003, in the General Baptist Nursing Home in Campbell. She was born June 29, 1922, in Piggott. The daughter of the late Clarence Frederick and Nettie Emmaline Vaughn Jaggers. She was united in marriage to Lavelle Rieves in 1942, he went down with his ship in the South Pacific Ocean on July 6, 1943. She married Morris Langford on Dec. 15, 1945. To this union three children were born. He preceded her in death on May 28, 1989...

With the 2003 high school gridiron season merely two weeks away from kickoff, preseason practices are currently in high gear. Since last Tuesday, the Piggott Mohawks have been out on the practice field working on conditioning, going through drills and learning a new system under new head coach Ken Shumate...

The Piggott School Board will hold a special meeting Monday, Aug. 25, in the high school cafeteria to answer any questions regarding the upcoming millage increase election. The board is seeking a 6.24 mil increase which will generate $3 million in revenue. ...