Stories from Wednesday, June 9, 2004

The aroma of a delicious meal catered by Strawberry's and toe-tapping tunes were found by those attending the Clay County Arts Council's annual Celebration of the Arts on Saturday, June 5, at the Piggott Community Center. As patrons of the council entered the building they were greeted by Miss Teen Crowley's Ridge Byway Layla Phillips and Miss Teen Greater Jonesboro Katie Smart. Phillips and Smart are members of the council's student board...

The Sugar Creek Country Club 2-Lady Scramble was held Thursday, June 3. There were 27 teams participating. Winners were: Championship Flight 1-- Aleen Warden and Shirley Sorq, 72; 2--Betty Russell (Piggott) and Pat McCarroll (Cherokee Village), 73; 3 -- Bev Irby and Joan McCoy (Piggott), 73...

The second annual Golfers for God three-person tournament is scheduled for Saturday, June 12, at the Sugar Creek Country Club in Piggott. Again, this tournament is dedicated to the memory of Carl Sutfin. The tournament will begin at 8 a.m. with 30 teams participating. Goody bags will be distributes. Courtesy carts will be there for snacks and drinks in the morning and afternoon...

The Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) has team slots available and the deadline has been extended for their 4-person scramble that will be held on Friday, June 11, at Thunder Bayou Golf Links in Blytheville. The entry fee is $200 per team with possibilities of winning one of the great Hole-in-one prizes such as a Pontiac Sunfire donated by Carlock Chevrolet Nissan, a $5000 cash award, and several Pro Shop gift certificates...

Kalman Julius Katona, 77, of Barnhill Camp, Corning, died Saturday, June 2004 at the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born June 25, 1926, in Dearborn, Mich., son of the late Julius and Julia Katona. He is survived by a companion of several years, Dwila Pipkens of Corning, and other relatives and friends...

Joe Nichols Jr., 79, of Piggott died Tuesday June 2, 2004, at his home. He was born Aug. 5, 1924, in Piggott, son of the late Joe A. and Lora Lewis Nichols. He married Anna Lee Rodery on Nov. 20, 1948. They had two children. Nichols served as a master sergeant in the 101st airborne division in World War II. He was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church...

Jessie Denver Kitchens, 86, of Poplar Bluff, died Thursday, June 3, 2004, at his home. He was born June 22, 1917, son of the late Solomon James and Minnie May McFerron Kitchens in Leora, Mo. He was a sailor in the U.S. Navy and served in several stations, including Guantanimo Bay, Puerto Rico and Japan. He was in Okinawa when a Kamikaze pilot destroyed his ship. He retired from the John J. Pershing Medical Center...

Genevieve Goodrich, 82, of Kennett, died Tuesday, June 1, 2004, at her home. She was born January 18, 1922, in Marion, Ill., daughter of the late Guy and Virgie Latta Hayes. She was preceded in death by her husband, Luke Goodrich; one brother, Dewey Hayes; one granddaughter; and one great-granddaughter...

Vergilee "Vergie" Binkley, 78, of Flint, Mich., died Friday May 21, 2004, at Genesys Hospice Care Center in Goodrich, Mich. She was born in Piggott on Aug. 3, 1925, daughter of Riley and Lottie (Pardon) Book. She married James L. Binkley on October 31, 1942...

Heritage Park is a very important asset of the city of Piggott. It received its name because of the heritage of the old county home that was built on the property in the early 1900's. The home has long since been gone but the old cemetery remains. It was the first county home cemetery. The park is being nominated by the historic society for the Arkansas Historical Preservation Program in Little Rock because of the heritage this cemetery brings...

The Crowley's Ridge Byway has received an administrative seed money grant in the amount of $25,000 for the third year in a row according to Dr. Ruth Hawkins, Director of the Crowley's Ridge Byway. The funds will be used to to maintain the Corridor Management Plan for the byway. Hawkins explained that the plan helps maintain things up and down the byway and promotes it on the state and area level...

Delwin S. Mouser Jr., 57, of 515 West Third Street in Rector was arrested Tuesday, June 1, and charged with two Class C felonies involving child pornography. Mouser has been operating two businesses in Rector -- a lawn care service and a photography studio called Precious Visions. The photography business specialized in taking pictures of young girls wearing sleepwear, swimwear and underwear...

Keeping reading skills sharp throughout the summer months is the goal of the Piggott Public Library's Summer Reading Program. Mrs. Bethel Lambert of Pollard has been hired as program coordinator for the summer. The first program was held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 2. One hundred and eight children and 43 adults attended the session. The crowd was entertained with stories and songs. The special guest for the program was from the Corning fish hatchery...

Ashley Sue Brown Reed, 20, of Kennett died Wednesday, June 2, at her home in Kennett. She was born Oct. 26, 1983, in Kennett to Ricky and Suzie Edwards Brown. She married Chad Lee Reed on April 24, 2004, in Kennett. Mrs. Reed was a member of the Kennett High School Class of 2003...

Bessie Faye Tarpley, 94, of Lafe died Thursday, June 3, 2004, in Paragould. She was born Feb. 4, 1910, in Knob to the late John Thomas and Arzella Lucy. She was a homemaker and of the Methodist faith. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Tarpley, and several brothers and sisters...

Frances Oveda Allen, 77, of Newport, formerly of Rector, died Thursday, June 3, 2004, in Newport. She was born July 1, 1926, in Rector to the late Willard and Claire Williamson and was married in 1946 to Dewitt Talmadge Allen Jr., who preceded her in death in 1991. She also was preceded in death by a brother, Michael Williamson...

The high school All-Star game which pits East and West squads of 2004 graduates against each other in various sports is almost upon us. Rector High School is represented by Jessica Hill, who will be a member of the East All-Star Softball Team when they meet the West All-Stars in a doubleheader on June 16 at Fayetteville's Lady Razorback softball field...

The Rector junior Little League 13-14 year old team was defeated in a slugfest 19-16 by Piggott Thursday night at Rector. Piggott scored three runs in the top of the first inning to go up 3-0. Rector came back with eight runs in The Rector junior Little League 13-14 year old team was defeated in a slugfest 19-16 by Piggott Thursday night at Rector...

Even though they have not yet completed their pre-season tournament, Mike Taylor has high hopes for the Marmaduke 13-14 Little League team that he coaches. Coach Taylor said, "We intended to play and complete our pre-season tournament before starting league play and, when our regular season is concluded, we intended to end the season with our post-season tournament...

Approximately 15 people attended a servicemen support meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, June 7, at the Rector Community Center. Mrs. Ruth Wimberley, who is spearheading the effort, expressed disappointment at the low number attending, but said the group is pushing forward with the project...

Rector native Michael Smith, an Elvis impersonator, is staging a comeback show in Rector after recovering from a major automobile accident. Smith said he and his wife, Debby, were driving home from Scott City, Mo., on Jan. 3 of this year. The last thing either of them remembers is discussing where they were going to stop for supper. While traveling on U.S. Highway 60 outside of Sikeston near Morehouse, Mo., another driver pulled out in front of their 1983 Cadillac Sedan Deville...

A familiar face will not be in the halls of Rector Elementary School this fall as teacher Nina Dooley after 35 years teaching at the school. Except for two of those years she taught second grade. Prior to her time in Rector, she taught for three years in Corning...

Keeping reading skills sharp throughout the summer months is the goal of the Rector Public Library's Summer Reading Program. The theme for this year's program is "Discover New Trails At Your Library". The first program was held at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 2. Wiley the Magician was the special guest. One hundred and thirty-two children and 50 adults along with eight children in the Charlie May Simon program...

The aroma of a delicious meal catered by Strawberry's and toe-tapping tunes were found by those attending the Clay County Arts Council's annual Celebration of the Arts on Saturday, June 5, at the Piggott Community Center. As patrons of the council entered the building they were greeted by Miss Teen Crowley's Ridge Byway Layla Phillips and Miss Teen Greater Jonesboro Katie Smart. Phillips and Smart are members of the council's student board...

The Crowley's Ridge Byway has received an administrative seed money grant in the amount of $25,000 for the third year in a row according to Dr. Ruth Hawkins, Director of the Crowley's Ridge Byway. The funds will be used to to maintain the Corridor Management Plan for the byway. Hawkins explained that the plan helps maintain things up and down the byway and promotes it on the state and area level...

Delwin S. Mouser Jr., 57, of 515 West Third Street in Rector was arrested Tuesday, June 1, and charged with two Class C felonies involving child pornography. Mouser has been operating two businesses in Rector -- a lawn care service and a photography studio called Precious Visions. The photography business specialized in taking pictures of young girls wearing sleepwear, swimwear and underwear...

The Rector City Council elected David Freeman to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of alderman Steve Ward. Ward resigned due to his moving from the east side of the city to the west. Electing Freeman unanimouisly to the position at Monday's monthly meeting were aldermen Mac Manchester, Cam Cate and Glenn Leach...

Cody Hagar's two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning gave Rector Subway a hard earned 5-4 win over Marmaduke's American State Bank (ASB) in Little League action at Rector Friday night. Hagar also was the winning pitcher in this entertaining game that had several dramatic shifting of gears...