Stories from Wednesday, October 29, 2003

RONNIE HARDIN Democrat sports staff Back in the fourth grade Jessica Hill made a decision that she has never regretted. She said, "I was a basketball player and a cheerleader at the same time and my grades started to drop. I had to choose between one or the other. Since I love basketball so much my decision was pretty clear."...

The Woman's Club of Rector met at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 16, 2003, at the Rector Community Center with 12 members and two visitors present. Mrs. Jane Holifield introduced Dr. Richard Lochner, who lives in Rector, and is associated with the Family Care Clinic of Rector. He presented a program on home life. He also gave an overview of his life before he became a medical doctor and a very informative talk on preventive medicine followed by a question and answer period...

Planning is underway for the fourth annual free Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day which will be Thursday, Nov. 27. The meal will be held from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the Rector Community Center and is open to anyone in the Rector and Marmaduke school districts...

Goldie L. Elam, 85, of Memphis, formerly of Rector, passed away Oct. 24, 2003 in Memphis. She was born June 4, 1918 to the late John and Bertha Patten, and was a 1937 graduate of Rector High School. A long time resident of Rector, she moved to Memphis in 1967 and was employed by Ace Appliance Company for 23 years, retiring in 1990. She was a member of Central North Church in Bartlett, Tenn...

The Walnut Ridge Bobcats beat our Cougars 36-0 here at Rector last Friday night. Neither team did anything on their first possession. On their second possession starting from their 38-yard line, the Bobcats took the lead on a five yard touchdown run by Chae Bellah at 6:19. The scoring drive took four plays. Walnut Ridge also connected on the try for two and they led 8-0...

The Rector Jr. Cougars lost a heartbreaking 20-16 decision to Parkin last Thursday night on the road. Coach Nathan Henderson said, "We came out and got an on-sides kick to start the game. We drove to their 30 yard line. We then fumbled the football, they picked it up and ran 70 yards for a touchdown. ...

RONNIE HARDIN Democrat sports staff Both Marmaduke senior high teams won games against Poyen at Leachville and stand 2-0 for the young season. Thursday evening the girls beat Poyen, the defending Class AA state champion, 68-57. The ladies had quarter leads of 14-10, 28-25 and 49-36...

The Rector Lions Club will holds its' first annual Fall Festival from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at the National Guard Armory in Rector. Games at the event will include the football toss, a basketball shoot for adults and kids, toilet paper throw, pick-up ducks, face painting/tattoos, candy bar walk, putt putt golf, and spin the wheel...

Clay County farmers, if the weather remains dry this week, can complete a successful harvest of a late cotton. Farmers continue harvesting cotton and beans, while the rice crop is nearly gone, along with corn. Andy Vangilder, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Agent for Clay County, said the local cotton crop is late but looks like to be a great one. ...

The Piggott Mohawk youth football programs are sending two teams to this year's Super Bowl Saturday. Both the Piggott sixth and fifth grade teams have earned a berth in their respective season-ending championship game to compete for the Northeast Arkansas Youth Football League championships. The games will be played this Saturday, Nov. 1, at Trumann...

The Piggott junior high Mohawk football team traveled toGosnell last Thursday night and lost a hard-fought battle, 46-20. Piggott got on the scoreboard first after T.J. Harris returned a Pirate punt 40 yards to inside the Gosnell 10-yard line. Two lays later, Harris broke through the Gosnell defenders for a touchdown and the first score of the game. On the conversion, Piggott quarterback Logan Ballard rolled right and hit Brian Seal in the corner of the end zone for an 8-0 lead...

The AAA state tennis tournament hosted by Piggott High School (the first state event hosted by PHS in any sport in school history) at Ridge Pointe Country Club in Jonesboro last week was rated a huge success by coaches around the state plus by the Ridge Pointe staff. Tennis pro Jason kane said he would like to see Piggott host the tournament again next year. However, this may not happe due to Piggott dropping down to class AA next year...

Piggott Elementary School held its' 16th annual Red Ribbon Week Rally at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27. Principal Joan Gossett welcomed the students, parents, teachers and community members to the rally. Special guests were Patrolman and D.A.R.E. Instructor Sam Williams, Mayor Gerald Morris, Shawn Parker and John Rodery of the Piggott School Board, Officer Bill Alstadt, Sheriff Ronnie Cole, Tracy Meadows and members of the Piggott High School Band...

State Banking Commissioner Bunny Adcock challenged an overflow crowd to do better than anyone else at last Tuesday night, Oct. 21, Piggott Area Chamber of Commerce fall banquet. Adcock said changes in the business work forces companies to do that in order to compete. For example, he said the banking business has changed in the past 30 years, going from small local banks to financial institutions owned by large companies...

Ray Lovell Magee, Jr., 34, of Piggott died Monday, Oct. 27, 2003, at his home in Piggott. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, 2003, in the Hoggard and Sons Chapel with Richard Akins officiating. Burial will be in the Piggott Cemetery...

Lena Chloe Book, 87, of Conway, formerly of Malden, died Friday, Oct. 24, 2003, at her home in Conway. She was born Feb. 2, 1916, in Bernie, Mo., to the late Marion and Florence Cross Mills. She was united in marriage to Horner Book on March 10, 1940, in Piggott. He preceded her in death on May 21, 1990...

Eulas Long, 75, of Piggott died Friday, Oct. 24, 2003, at his home in Piggott. He was born Feb. 25, 1928, in Piggott, the son of the late Benjamin Frank and Mary Ellen Jackson Long. He was united in marriage to Martha Virginia Harris on April 8, 1950...

The Piggott Lady Mohawk senior high volleyball team captured the 3AAA-North district tournament championship Saturday evening with a five-game match win over rival Crowley's Ridge Academy. With a 21-4 overall season record and the district tournament title under their belts, the squad left Monday afternoon for Harrison to compete this week in the AAA state tournament...

For the second time in three weeks, the Piggott senior high Mohawk football team played the role of homecoming spoiler Friday night holding off the Trumann Wildcats in Trumann for a 19-8 3-AAA conference victory. Several offensive changes were made by the Piggott coaching staff last week in an attempt to open up the field. Joe Blascoe took over the quarterbacking duties while Jake Jones moved to split end. Kaleb Beutel and John Midkiff assumed the flanker position...

Members of the Piggott City Council placed a solid waste pickup ordinance on third reading Monday night during the utility meeting at Piggott City Hall. Aldermen will consider passage of the ordinance at the next meeting, Monday, Nov. 10. That meeting will begin at approximately 7 p.m. Mayor Gerald Morris and members of the city council will attend the Piggott school board meeting, which starts at 6:30 p.m., to discuss setting an electric rate for the school district...

Clay County farmers, if the weather remains dry this week, can complete a successful harvest of a late cotton. Farmers continue harvesting cotton and beans, while the rice crop is nearly gone, along with corn. Andy Vangilder, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Agent for Clay County, said the local cotton crop is late but looks like to be a great one. ...