Stories from Wednesday, September 8, 2004

A 41-year-old Arkansas man suspected of sexually abusing a 10-year-old eastern Missouri boy is in custody after a month-long search. Melvin Steagal was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Paragould. He is charged with four counts of statutory sodomy from incidents involving the child from O'Fallon, Mo., in 1997 and 1998...

The PHS Mohawks Golf Team competed Monday, Aug. 30, at the Paragould Country Club against Crowley's Ridge Academy, Cross County, Walnut Ridge, and Ridgefield Christian. The Mohawks finished 3-1, losing only to CRA. The final scores of the day were Piggott 128, CRA 125, Walnut Ridge 130, Ridgefield Christian 142, and Cross County 189...

The Lady Mohawks opened their 2004 volleyball season on Thursday, Sept. 2, with a pair of wins against Walnut Ridge. The junior high team defeated the Walnut Ridge junior team in two games, with the scores being 27-25 and 25-17. The Senior Lady Mohawks won three games with scores of 25-17, 25-12 and 25-15. Caroline Ray led the way with 12 kills during the game, followed by Ashley Coleman and Erica Redman with eight kills each. Taylor Gregory had 25 assists...

On Aug. 30, the Piggott High School Tennis team began its season playing against Weiner in Jonesboro. The PHS boys team defeated the Weiner team with an overall score of 5-3. In the boys' single competition, it was Daniel Parker being defeated by Kyle Lawrence with a score of 2-6 and Anthony Pickering being defeated by Bo Hicks, with a score of 2-6. ...

"We're disappointed," coach Ken Shumate said about the season-opening loss of the Piggott Mohawks to the Portageville Bulldogs on Thursday night at Parker Field. "We didn't hold the quarterback or the running back, which is what we needed to do," continued Shumate, which led to the final score of 48-9 in favor of the Bulldogs...

The Piggott seventh grade football team began its season with a victory over the Walnut Ridge Bobcats on Thursday with a final score of 22-0. The Mohawks scored on all three of their possessions in the first half of the game. Fullback Taylor Woods scored with 16:20 to play on a 39-yard run. Quarterback Garrett Rice ran in for the two-point conversion...

The Piggott Junior Mohawks began their 2004 season with a double overtime victory over the Walnut Ridge Junior Bobcats on Thursday night at Parker Field. "We were exhausted, but the fans cheering and urging us on gave the team a boost of energy," coach Ken Shumate said...

Emry Palmer Johnson, 72, of Piggott died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2004, at his home. He was born June 22, 1932 in Piggott, the son of the late Dellveicho and Anna Eva Johnson. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Linda Kay Johnson; one son, Michael Shayne Johnson; one brother, Doyne "Biscuits" Johnson; and one sister, Eileen Johnson...

Lynn Wilson, 53, of Pollard, died Monday, Aug. 30, 2004, at the Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott. He was born Dec. 25, 1950, in Poplar Bluff, the son of Sydney Lomax Wilson and the late Lyman Theodore Wilson. He married Sharon Umfleet on Sept. 18, 1993...

Carrol Haywood, 72, of Senath died Friday, Aug. 27, 2004, at his residence. Born Dec. 14, 1931, in Holcomb, son of the late Herschel and Nora Miles Haywood, he was a U.S. Navy veteran, having served in the Korean War. He was employed as a supervisor at Emerson Electric Company...

Many people may be unaware that Paragould is home to the only landfill for Clay, Randolph, Lawrence and Greene counties. Landfill officials currently are stressing the importance of recycling throughout the district. Recycling will benefit everyone by extending the life of the landfill...

Three candidates will be seeking a position on the Piggott School Board in the Tuesday, Sept. 21, school election. Incumbent Robert Jackson, who is currently serving as the school board president, is being challenged by Roger L. McDaniel and Brian Nagy...

Last March, three members of the Piggott High School FCCLA, Heather Johnson, Kasey Rees and Crystal Chambers, attended the FCCLA Arkansas State Convention in Little Rock and brought home the Gold Award in the STAR Event. They represented the state of Arkansas at the National Leadership Meeting in Chicago last July. None of the girls, nor Mrs. Sandra Little, PHS FCCLA advisor, or her son, Larerick, had ever been to Chicago...

As the 2004 football season got underway for the Rector Cougars the presence of energy was everywhere. It was there in the stands, as the assorted parents, friends and supporters in general watched the only football team to wear the Cougar colors this season step onto the field. It was there during warm-ups and stretches. It was most certainly present during the first three quarters of action...

Lucy Pauline (Landrus) Reddick, 80, of St. Charles, Mo., a native of Rector and formerly of Marmaduke, died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2004, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. She was born Dec. 9, 1923, in Rector to the late Willis Edmond Landrus and Jessie Pearl Evans Landrus...

Dr. Roy S. Bucy, 76, a Rector native and a resident of Port Aransas, Texas, for the last 10 years, died peacefully at his home Monday, Aug. 30, 2004, after a long illness. He was born Jan. 14, 1928, in Rector, to Roy Smith Bucy and Aline Nance Bucy. ...

LITTLE ROCK -- Governor Mike Huckabee awarded $750,000 in Trails for Life outdoor recreation grants to 18 cities to assist in the development of local health and fitness trails in Arkansas during a ceremony at Murray Park in Little Rock on Aug. 11. Also attending the ceremony were State Senator Tracy Steele of North Little Rock; State Senator Shane Broadway of Bryant; Dr. ...

Politicians addressed the crowd Monday morning after the parade not only to ask for support this fall, but to express gratitude to the people of Rector as well. Attorney General Mike Beebe praised fellow elected officials State Representative Travis Boyd, Senators Tim Wooldridge and Blanche Lincoln and Congressman Marion Berry...

This Labor Day, reunions were held, families and friends visited and Rectorites long gone came home for the weekend. For one Rector family, however, a reunion seems a long way away. Even though they talk by phone at every opportunity and think of each other often, Joel Hayes has not been able to hug his wife, Kristie, or his son, Jacob, since March of this year. Joel has answered the call of duty and, as a member of the Arkansas National Guard, has been taken away from his home since November...

Many people may be unaware that Paragould is home to the only landfill for Clay, Randolph, Lawrence and Greene counties. Landfill officials currently are stressing the importance of recycling throughout the district. Recycling will benefit everyone by extending the life of the landfill...

Going into Saturday night's season opening game against the New Mexico State Aggies, the Razorback nation wondered just how good this new Hog team made up mostly of freshmen and sophomores would fare this year. After Saturday night, the 70,114 in attendance plus the thousands more that listened to the game over the airways have reason for high hopes as the Hogs scored early and often on their way to pounding their opponent 63-13...