Stories from Wednesday, January 7, 2004

Looking back at the year 2003 continues with months July through December. July: The 76th annual Fourth of July picnic is held with State Senator Tim Wooldridge serving as grand marshal. Charles Gregory wins the 2003 GMC truck given away by the Piggott Cemetery Association...

It was a good week for the juniors and not so good for the seniors in Piggott boys basketball action. The senior team dropped road games to Highland on Friday and Corning on Monday to see their overall record fall to 1-10 for the season. On the other hand, the Junior Mohawks won a couple of exciting games to boost their record for the year to 9-3...

The Junior Lady Mohawks gave Coach Jeff Priest and themselves a late Christmas present when they brought home the first place trophy on Dec. 30 after defeating Valley View 36-35 in the finals of the Junior Nettleton Shootout held at Nettleton High School on Dec. ...

Lucy M. Elkins, 66, of Piggott, died Saturday, Jan. 3, 2004, in the Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born Aug. 20, 1937, in Pollard, the daughter of the late Lonnie and Edith Ann Brown Elkins. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Shelly Odell Elkins and Norman Elkins; and one sister, Zora Sullivan...

Mary Ann Myers, 70, of Marquand, Mo., died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004, at the Madison Medical Center in Fredericktown, Mo. She was born on July 12, 1933, in Campbell, a daughter of William Wallace and Eva Bell Pierson Alderson. On Sept. 27, 1956, in St. Louis, she was married to Marvin Basil Myers who preceded her in death on Dec. 9, 1994...

Jewel Causey, 73, of Senath, Mo., died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004, at his residence in Senath. He was born April 21, 1930, in Piggott, the son of the late James R. and Addie Keith Causey. Mr. Causey was married to Virginia Wagster on Feb. 10, 1950. He married Drenda Wilson on July 22, 1972, in Senath...

Doyle Allen "Hot" Blackwell, 52, of Poplar Bluff died Monday, Dec. 29, 2003, in the Three Rivers Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born Sept. 6, 1951, in Poplar Bluff, the son of the late Doyle and Cora Francis Ollis Blackwell. He was united in marriage to Kelly Ann Merritt on Oct. 3, 1981, to this union two daughters were born...

Piggott Elementary School student Nathan Gookin, the son of Mike and Cheryl Gookin and Tammy Higdon, has received a letter from the person who found the balloon he released during the annual Red Ribbon Rally at the school. Nathan, who is a student in Mrs. Laura French's kindergarten class, received a letter from John in early December of 2003. John lives in McEwen, Tenn., where he serves as a pastor. The balloon was found in some woods. McEwen in 60 miles west of Nashville...

The Piggott Community Center was the hub of activity on Monday as citizens of the city signed up to take part in "The 10,000 Step Challenge". Registration for the program was held from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the center. Walkers returned to the center between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. that night to walk in the multi-purpose room...

The maneuvering continues in the Arkansas General Assembly as legislators face major decisions on educational reform in the state. Gov. Mike Huckabee won a major victory and then suffered a setback in two important votes in the House on Monday and Tuesday...

Late turnovers pushed the Marmaduke Greyhounds to a 69-65 defeat by the Earle Bulldogs at Earle Monday night. Coach Steve Richey remarked, "We had a two point lead with 20 seconds left and then we turned the ball over twice. They hit threes following each turnover."...

The Lady Greyhounds beat the Lady Bulldogs of Earle 58-54 Monday night on the road. Lady Hound Coach Matt Dean said, "We didn't shoot very well. We just held on at the end. We did play pretty good defense." Heather Johnson scored eight points in the first quarter and the Lady Hounds led 15-13 at its end...

Despite a strong effort by the Rector Cougars they fell 54-42 on the road last Friday night to the Corning Bobcats. The first quarter was a seesaw affair that featured seven lead changes. Zack Prater got the Bobcats on the scoreboard first when he made a driving lay-up at 7:37...

Jewel T. Duckworth, 76, of Mesa, Ariz., formerly of the Rector area, died Sunday, Jan. 4, 2004, in Hospice of the Valley in Mesa. Funeral arrangements are incomplete with Irby Funeral Home of Rector.

Nina Parks, 76, of Blytheville, a native of Kennett, Mo., died Monday, Jan. 5, 2004, at her home. Born Nov. 19, 1927, in Kennett, the daughter of Frank Sr. and Nellie Hendrix Collier, she was a longtime resident of Blytheville and of the Baptist faith. She was a homemaker who enjoyed reading...

Mary L. Daniels, 33, of Paragould, died Sunday, Jan. 4, 2004, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. A homemaker, she was born Sept. 27, 1970, in Paragould to Leroy Cobb and the late Viola Cobb. She was a member of the Seventh and Mueller Church of Christ. She also was preceded in death by a brother, Larry Cobb...

Rebecca Mitchell, the 16-year-old daughter of Sara Henderson of Rector and the late Robert Mathewson, has received a high honor by being selected to take part in the 2004 Presidential Classroom Feb. 28 through Mar. 6 in Washington, D.C. Mitchell is scheduled to take part in the Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program. ...

Looking back at the year 2003 continues with the months from February to May. February: Debris cleanup at the Wise Company site is completed...the Rector Woman's Club continues fundraising efforts for its Rector Community Museum project...Ron Benson is named a vice president/commercial loan officer with American State Bank...Rector High School's Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) hold a "safety first" program for Rector kindergarten classes...Reorganization efforts begin for a Little League baseball program in Rector...Cam Cate opens Comfort Control, a new heading, air conditioning and refrigeration business, in Rector...Fire destroys the home of Tim Stokes on South Fordyce street in Rector...the Rector Fire Department Wives Auxiliary plans its first annual "Tops Hats and Turnouts" firemen's ball to raise funds for new equipment for the department...Eighth grader April Pendergraff wins Rector's 2003 school spelling bee...Rector junior high cheerleaders win a second place trophy in the 3AA division of a regional cheerleading competition held at Jonesboro High School...Rector fifth and sixth graders take part in the American Heart Association's "Jump Rope for Heart" fundraising program...A poem written by Rector third grader Emilea Vangilder is accepted for publication in the Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans...Lethal Attitude Wrestling hold a special benefit event for Jared Green of Rector...the Rector Junior Lady Cougars take the runnerup position in the 3AA North District Tournament and finish as 3AA North conference runnersup with a record of 17-7...Rector High School principal Rob Louder is hired as new superintendent of the Rector School District...Rector's FFA has a successful farm auction despite cold rainy weather...Rector's Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) participates in district competition at Jonesboro, with Ryan Carpenter, Kay Hall, Tara Robertson and Lyndsey Bell advancing to state competition at Little Rock...Nash Logan McCrory, 19-month-old son of Tommy and Jeri Dawn McCrory of Marmaduke, is chosen as the Paragould/Greene County WalkAmerica 2003 Ambassador Child...Floyd Young and Jerlene Fowler are crowned as the BRAD Valentine King and Queen.. ...

A new position has been created within Rector's Parks and Recreation Department to govern the use of the sports complex. Nita Bowden, chairman of the Rector Parks and Recreation Commission, addressed the City Council during its monthly meeting Monday night at City Hall...

The maneuvering continues in the Arkansas General Assembly as legislators face major decisions on educational reform in the state. Gov. Mike Huckabee won a major victory and then suffered a setback in two important votes in the House on Monday and Tuesday...

Rector's senior girls lost a tough one Monday night at Walnut Ridge as the Lady Bobcats' Kenna McEntire hit a bucket at the buzzer to push her team to a 39-37 victory. Rector led in the early going, posting quarter leads of 14-8 and 23-18 before Walnut Ridge came back for a 29-28 third-period advantage...