Stories from Thursday, September 30, 2004

It is said that Paul Pfeiffer often purchased quilts from the women of Piggott, no matter how well or how poorly they were made, in an effort to help the locals help themselves. The role of quilts in the history of the Pfeiffer family and the art of quilting are celebrated each year in "A Celebration of Quilting" at the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center...

Piggott resident Kenneth Renshaw has embarked on a new journey which is a by-product of his passion for astronomy. Renshaw was appointed as a Solar System Ambassador for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in January of this year. Recently, he was appointed as one of four volunteer representatives in the state for the Saturn Observation Campaign...

Five people were arrested by the Clay County Sheriff's Department on Friday, Sept. 17. The department executed a search warrant at approximately 7:04 p.m. at 940 Highway 62, just east of Corning by the Black River Bridge. A large methamphetamine manufacturing lab was found on the property in a camping trailer...

Train rides, finger-painting and a dunking booth will be a few of the attractions at Piggott Elementary's Fall Festival this year. The school has held its Fall Festival since the elementary moved from the hill seven years ago. The seventh annual Fall Festival will be held from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30. The festival date was chosen due to the students being out of school on Oct. 1, which is a COE (Creating Opportunities for Excellence) day for teachers...

Poll workers have been announced for the school board runoff Election on Oct. 12. Workers are as follows: South St. Francis Precinct (Piggott): Charlene Pollard, Jennie Blake and Betty Moody. North St. Francis Precinct (Piggott): Thomas Sneed, Una Pollard, Steve Beaver and Lonnie Harmon...

(Editor's note: Robert Franks, son of Coach "Ickey" Franks, recently submitted the following article to The Piggott Times following a letter to the editor by L.T. "Hoot" Gipson about the beginning of night football in Piggott. A photo of the 1939 team is available in this week's print edition.)...

The PHS tennis teams saw action Monday, Sept. 20, at Pocahontas. The Piggott boys team advanced their overall record to 6-2 by shutting out the Pocahontas boys team. In singles division play, Daniel Parker defeated Michael Guthrey, 6-4, and Shane Eslahi beat out Terry Green, 6-2. The PHS team of Anthony Pickering and Zach White won in doubles play against the team of Guthrey and Green, 6-0, and Chet Vaughn and Austin McDaniel defeated the team of Guthrey and Green, 6-0...

The seventh grade Mohawks lost a hard-fought football battle against the Salem Greyhounds on Thursday, Sept. 23, at Parker Field. The final score was 8-6. It was a very hard-hitting game for the Mohawks, as evidenced by the score of 0-0 at the half. The struggle to score continued into the second half. The Greyhounds scored with three minutes left to play and were successful in their two point conversion...

On Monday, Sept. 20, the seventh grade Mohawks were on the road to Greene County Tech where they lost a close game to the Eagles with a final score of 14-8. Tech scored first in the game near the end of the first half on a long pass play of 65 yards. The Mohawk defense had a chance for the interception, but the ball bounced out of the Mohawks' hands and into the receiver's hands...

The Lady Mohawks were in action at the PHS gymnasium on Tuesday, Sept. 21, where they were playing the Lady Mustangs of Hoxie. The Junior Lady Mohawks beat the Junior Lady Mustangs with scores of 25-24 and 26-24. The Senior Lady Mohawks then took the court and easily won the first game 25-12. The Lady Mustangs took over the next game, defeating the Lady Mohawks in a close match of 24-26. The Lady Mohawks rallied and won the next two games 25-10 and 25-18...

The PHS Tennis Teams played at home on Tuesday, Sept. 21, at the Sugar Creek Country Club, taking on tough Ridgefield Christian teams. Both girls and boys teams were defeated. According to head tennis coach Paul Seegraves, "Ridgefield Christian is currently the top team in both boys and girls tennis in our conference." This loss brings the boys division overall record to 6-3 in the conference. ...

The Piggott Mohawks suffered a tough conference loss to the Cross County Thunderbirds on Friday at Parker Field in Piggott, falling 47-20. "We gave it all we had," Piggott coach Ken Shumate said after the game. The Mohawks were first on the scoreboard, which brought the fans to their feet. ...

The Piggott Junior Mohawks advanced their record to 2-2 with a 32-6 victory over the Salem Junior Greyhounds last Thursday at Parker Field in Piggott. The Mohawks got on the board first with 3:49 to play in the first quarter. Daniel Baldwin hit Chuck Rice for a 26-yard touchdown pass. Brian Seal kicked the extra point, bringing the score to 7-0 for the Mohawks...

Gerald G. Reed, 64, of Rockford, Ill., died on Monday, Sept. 20, 2004, at Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora, Ill. He was born on June 1, 1940, in Piggott, the son of Edgar and Mildred (Arehart) Reed. He was united in marriage to Barbara Spurlock on Aug. 12, 1962, in Rockford, Ill...

Cecil Wiseman, 88, of Knobel died Thursday, Sept. 23, 2004, at Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott. He was born Aug. 12, 1916, in Beech Grove, Ark., the son of the late Wilson "Banty" and Callie (Clark) Wiseman. He was united in marriage to Elva Loraine Green, she preceded him in death on Feb. 17, 1986. He was then united in marriage to Classena Johnson. She preceded him in death on March 27, 1995...

Patricia Evans, 50, of Corning died Saturday, Sept. 25, 2004, at her home in Corning. She was born January 24, 1954, in Fagus, Mo., the daughter of the late Dallas Doyle Dunlap and Josie Powell. She was united in marriage to Richard Evans on Sept. 15, 1970...

Max Rogers, 76, of Piggott died Monday, Sept. 27, 2004, at the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born Feb. 16, 1928, in Crockett, the son of the late Clarence Earl and Grace McBride Rogers. He married Dorothy L. Waldo on May 23, 1947. They had three children...

Truman Brawner, 88, of Piggott died Friday, Sept. 24, 2004, in the Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott. He was born April 8, 1916, in Pollard, the son of the late John Henry and Florence Crocker Brawner. He was united in marriage to Mary Lee Rogers on March 10, 1934. They had five children...

Annetta Louise (Whitehead) Hearn, 66, of Licking, Mo., formerly of Rector, died Monday, Sept. 20, 2004, at Christian Healthcare in Lebanon, Mo. She was born March 7, 1938, in Rector, to the late Sidney Whitehead and Laverne (Walker) Whitehead. She was a homemaker and of the Methodist faith...

Violet Rebecca Poe, 74, of Marmaduke, died Monday, Sept. 13, 2004, at Paragould Nursing Center. She was born March 19, 1930, in Childress, Ark., the daughter of the late Rev. John Markin and Gracie Pearl (Pruitt) Markin. She was a homemaker and had lived most of her life in this community. She was married to Burl Poe Oct. 19, 1946...

Hazel Johnson, 96, of Flint, Mich., formerly of Rector, died Sept. 9, 2004. She was born in Rector to the late Tobe and Addie Edwards. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Johnson; and one son, Douglas Johnson. Survivors include five children, Wylodean Tinker of Kissimmee, Fla., Max Johnson of Howell, Mich., Betty Milburn of Boydsville, Carolyn Swift of Linden, Mich., and Marilyn Glasco of Grand Blanc, Mich.; two sisters, Martha Kennedy of Rector and Lavern Price of Senath; 17 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren; and 14 great-great-grandchildren.. ...

Martha Jean Poppe, 76, died Aug. 6, 2004, at her home in Dearborn, Mich., after losing a battle with cancer. She was born Feb. 21, 1928, in Leonard, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Ira G. Woodward. She was married to Victor Poppe after graduating from Rector High School...

The Rector City Council took a major step toward significant water and sewer system improvements in the city with the passage of a bond refinancing ordinance in a special meeting Monday night at city hall. The refinancing will provide a $652,000 construction fund which will be used for a variety of projects, including new sewer lines, infiltration improvements, drainage improvements, a new telemeter to regulate the water tower water level and generators for emergency use...

The start of the 2004-2005 school year saw an increase in enrollment for the Marmaduke Public Schools and a slight decrease in the number of students in the Rector Public Schools. According to Marmaduke Superintendent of Schools Jerry Don McIntosh, the district started the 2003-2004 school year with 755 students enrolled. ...

Five people were arrested by the Clay County Sheriff's Department on Friday, Sept. 17. The department executed a search warrant at approximately 7:04 p.m. at 940 Highway 62, just east of Corning by the Black River Bridge. A large methamphetamine manufacturing lab was found on the property in a camping trailer...

The festivities of homecoming and the resulting boost from the crowd were of little help to the Rector Junior Cougars as they hosted the Rockets from Turrell last Thursday night. Turnovers plagued the home team all evening. Three fumbles and two interceptions hung a dark cloud over the Cougar offense...

The Cougar golf teams were in action on Sept. 16 and 20. The Cougars played in the district tournament at Paragould on Sept. 16. The boys team finished fifth overall. Nathan Wyatt scored first among the Cougars, posting a 54. He qualified for the regional tournament with his play on this occasion...