Stories from Wednesday, September 10, 2003

The annual Piggott School District election will be held Tuesday, Sept. 16. Incumbent school board member Shawn Parker is being challenged by Phil Daffron, also of Piggott. Also, the district's voters will be asked to consider a tax levy of 35.44 mills, a 6.24 increase over the current millage. The proposed millage includes a state-mandated 25 mills for maintenance and operation and 10.44 mills for debt service...

The Mohawk Booster Club along with several local businesses are sponsoring the second annual halftime "Kick for Cash" contest. This event will take place each night at halftime of the senior high Piggott Mohawk games. For a $1 donation, contestants will have the opportunity to win the jackpot by kicking a field goal from the 2- yard line. If the kick fails, the chosen contestant will win a $25 consolation prize...

The Piggott junior high Mohawks dropped their season opener on the road last Thursday to Corning, 28-22. "We were just out-manned and over-sized," said coach Ken Shumate. "The boys played extremely hard and were in position alot of times, especially defensively, but we were arm-tackling and they (Corning) had some big, strong boys and they just broke right through. We'll get better with our tackling, we're going to work on that this week."...

HIGHLAND After defeating Rector, 27-0, in a preseason two-quarter scrimmage on Sept.16, the Piggott Mohawks were dealt a surprisingly hard blow last Friday in the regular season opener at Highland. Losing by a final score of 32-0, The Highland Rebels scored quick and early to take a 22-0 lead midway through the second period...

Gerdean "Gerry" Bess Williams, 83, of Piggott died Thursday, Sept. 4, 2003, at her home in Piggott. She was born Oct. 23, 1919, in Piggott, the daughter of the late Dr. John Harvey Bess and Josie Lettie Crawford Bess. She was united in marriage to Carlus Williams on April 8, 1939. To this union four daughters were born...

Geneva "Ginny" Mariann Langley Brady, 83, of Union, Ore., formerly of Piggott, died July 26 at Grande Ronde Hospital following a short illness. She was born Nov. 28, 1919, in Piggott, the daughter of Eugene and Elizabeth Langley. She was the youngest of seven children...

Arvel "Dick" Neely, 95, of Greenway died Sunday, Aug. 31, 2003, in the Rector Health Care in Rector. He was born June 28, 1908, in Rector, the son of the late Robert and Minnie Cheatham Neely. He was united in marriage to Myra Aladine Watson on Feb. 15, 1931. To this union three children were born...

Tommy Ray White, 47, of DeSoto, Mo., died Aug. 20, 2003, at his residence. Mr. White was a retired sheet metal worker for Custom Guttering in DeSoto. He was a member of Life Christian Church in DeSoto. He was born Apr. 23, 1956, in St. Louis, the son of Luther and Patricia A. (Gray) White of DeSoto...

An inmate, who escaped from the Clay County Detention Center on Sunday, Aug. 31, was capured by the Clay County Sheriff's Department near Rector Tuesday, Sept. 2. According to the sheriff's department, Ivran Newcom was taken into custody at approximately 7:25 p.m. at a trailer about five miles northwest of Rector. The trailer had been in use as a deer cabin...

The Piggott School Board held its annual public meeting Monday evening in the high school cafeteria. Elementary principal Joan Gossett told those in attendance that her two main goals at the elementary campus in the upcoming year is to raise test scores and have better attendance figures...

Piggott School District voters are being asked to consider a millage increase on the Tuesday, Sept. 16, school election ballot. Voters will decide whether to approve a 6.24 mill increase to bring the district's property millage to 35.44. Currently, the Piggott district needs 10.19 mills to meet the state-mandated 25 for maintenance and operations, according to Supt. Barry Scott...

Two candidates will be seeking a position on the Piggott School Board in the Tuesday, Sept. 16, school election. Incumbent Shawn Parker of Piggott, who is currently serving as school board president, is being challenged by Phil Daffron, also of Piggott...

Two candidates will be seeking a position on the Piggott School Board in the Tuesday, Sept. 16, school election. Incumbent Shawn Parker of Piggott, who is currently serving as school board president, is being challenged by Phil Daffron, also of Piggott...

It's time for the Marmaduke Upward Basketball season to kick off. Commissioner of the Upward program Janet Stone said that this year's season will start Saturday Morning the 13th of August at the Marmaduke First Baptist Church. Mrs. Stone said, "So far we have 174 kids on 24 different teams this year. ...

The Corning Bobcats scored touchdowns on each f their first four possessions as they defeated the Rector Cougars 30-8 at Rector last Friday night. After the slippery start the Cougars righted themselves and played much better --outscoring the Bobcats in the second half...

Superintendent Jerry Don McIntosh informed the Marmaduke School Board at Monday's monthly meeting that the current school enrollment is 777. This is the same enrollment Marmaduke had at the close of the last school year, and it is eight students above the three-quarter mark of the previous school year...

The Rector City Council heard proposed requests and improvements for the Rector Fire Department from fire chief Houston Bowden and fireman Russ Gamblin during at its monthly meeting Monday night. The number one priority on the list of items requested is a repeater for the department. ...

An inmate, who escaped from the Clay County Detention Center on Sunday, Aug. 31, was captured by the Clay County Sheriff's Department near Rector Tuesday, Sept. 2. According to the sheriff's department, Ivran Newcom was taken into custody at approximately 7:25 p.m. at a trailer about five miles northwest of Rector. The trailer had been in use as a deer cabin...

New civic signs greet visitors passing through Rector. The signs are for the GFWC Woman's Club, Dannelly Lodge 300 and Rector Lions Club. The signs were created by Sign-Tech and were erected by Mike Farley of NATCO in Rector. Russ Gamblin of the Rector Lions Club said 100 flags were put up throughout the community for the Labor Day holiday. The task was formerly done by the VFW members, who have turned it over to the Lions Club...

At the Marmaduke City Council meeting Monday night, aldermen approved an ordinance regulating dangerous dogs and potentially dangerous dogs. Dogs deemed to fall under these two categories must be placed in a proper enclosure or restrained by a substantial chain or leash under the physical restraint of a responsible person...

Playing one of their toughest opponents of the year the junior Cougars fell 20-0 to Cross County Thursday night at Rector. A two-yard run by Michael Cook would give CC a 6-0 lead at the 3:40 mark of the first quarter. In the second quarter the little Cougars had moved the ball to their own 42 yard line for a first down, when on the next play Craig Walker ran back an interception for a touchdown at 6:38to push the CC lead to 12-0. ...