Stories from Thursday, October 21, 2004

The history of the Native Americans of Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri was the focus of a special program at the Matilda and Karl Pfeiffer Museum and Study Center from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16. As patrons arrived at the gate, they were asked to sign in and were given the opportunity to sign-up for several give-aways at the conclusion of the event...

The PHS boys' tennis team suffered narrow losses in the district tournament at Jonesboro to miss out on its 12th consecutive trip to the state tournament The team was defeated by co-champions, Ridgefield Christian (8-6) and Walnut Ridge (8-6). The boys team also lost to Weiner (7-6), but managed to defeat Riverside (6-5). The boys team finishes the season with an overall record of 10-6...

On Tuesday, Oct. 5, Piggott peewee football team faced off against the Kennett Indians with hopes to avenge a hard loss the Mohawks received at the hands of the Indians earlier in the season. The fourth grade Mohawks began the night with a game against the fourth grade Indians. ...

The PHS girls' tennis team won the 4AA District Championship on Tuesday, Oct. 12 at Allen Park in Jonesboro. The Lady Mohawks defeated the heavily-favored Ridgefield Christian Academy, 13-7, to win the championship title. The PHS team also left Riverside (13-1), Walnut Ridge (13-0), and Weiner (13-0) by the wayside on their trip to the championship. The PHS girls team now has an 11-5 record...

The Piggott Mohawks will be facing the Earle Bulldogs this Friday at Earle in a must-win situtation for the Mohawks if they are going to make the playoffs this season. Earle is a very talented team. "They are probably the fastest team, both receivers and running backs, that we will play all year," coach Ken Shumate said...

The Lady Mohawks traveled to Walnut Ridge to battle the Lady Bobcats in conference action on Monday, Oct. 11. The Junior Lady Mohawks took the court first to take on the Junior Lady Bobcats, winning the first duo of games, 26-24 and 25-18. Kristin McCluskey went 11/11 in service and had 13 digs and seven kills. ...

The Piggott Junior Mohawks fell 44-6 to the Earle Bulldogs on Thursday at Parker Field in Piggott. The Mohawks got on the scoreboard first by taking the opening kickoff and putting together a 60-yard drive. Justin Howell scored on an 18-yard sweep around the left side with 4:17 to play in the first quarter. The try for the two point conversion failed, leaving the score 6-0 in favor of the Mohawks...

Mary Elizabeth Herring, 74, of Dexter, Mich., died Oct. 6, 2004, at her home. She was born on July 12, 1930, in Greenway, the daughter of the late John Frank and Ethel Mae Hodgson Smith. She married Logan Ray Herring on February 12, 1949. She is survived by her husband, Ray; two daughters, Linda (Leo) LeRoy and Retha (Bruce) Hansen; one son, Michael Herring; grandchildren, Lee LeRoy, Monica Hansen Benton and Brett Hansen; three older sisters, Susie Frederick of Arnold, Mo., Nancy Key of South Haven, Mich. ...

Charles A. Mize, 75, of Campbell died Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2004, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. He was born on April 27, 1929, the son of the late Charles Anderson Mize Sr. and Lenora Winberry Mize. He was a United States Army Veteran having served during World War II. He was a retired truck driver and a member of the Sunnyvale General Baptist Church...

Michael Shane Vaughn, 30, of Piggott died Monday, Oct. 11, 2004, at his home in Piggott. He was born on June 7, 1974, in Piggott, the son of Gerald Vaughn and Rita Owen Ward. He was preceded in death by his grandfather, L.H. Owen; and one aunt, Beverly Owen...

Local resident Josephine "Jo" Brissenden King celebrated her 102nd birthday last July 14. She was born to Charles Henry and Hannah Blessing Brissenden in 1902 in Clay City, Clay Co., Ill. Mrs. King moved to Piggott in 1905 when she was three-years-old. Her family lived in a two-story, white house, which was located where Regions Bank now stands...

Enrollment in the Piggott Public Schools has dropped a bit from last year and Piggott Schools Superintendent Barry Scott is disappointed. "I'm disappointed enrollment has dropped some," Scott said when contacted about enrollment figures. At the end of the first quarter of the 2003-2004 school year 1,007 students were enrolled in the Piggott Public Schools. ...

Voters may obtain an absentee ballot through the mail for the Nov. 2 General Election. The first step is a call to the Clay County Clerk's office at the Courthouse in Piggott, 870-598-2813. Voters may request an absentee ballot application or send someone by to pick up an application for them...

"The most important statistic is the history of the program. The program was started in 1946 as a regular class in the school and in that time there have been six senior high band directors and if you think about that - that's stability. For 47 of those years there were only two, Ed White for 25 and myself for 22 and if you count the assistant directors there's only been eight total band directors in the whole town. ...

Rachel Marie Bradshaw, 82, of Rector died Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004, at her home. She was born Aug. 24, 1922, in Clay County to the late Everett E. and Bessie (Bookout) Manning and was married March 28, 1946, to Max Bradshaw, who preceded her in death Sept. 8, 2004...

Donald Gene Akridge, 60, of Campbell died Saturday, Oct. 16, 2004, at him home. He was born on April 22, 1944, in Gideon, Mo., the son of the late Lonzo Howard Akridge Sr. and Dorothy Prentice Akridge. He married Bonnie Jean Ellsworth on July 19, 1989, in Malden...

Mary Lourine White, 87, of Piggott died Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2004, at the Piggott Community Hospital. She was born on Jan. 27, 1917, in Puxico, Mo., the daughter of the late Floyd and Iva Mae Lewis Burge. She was united in marriage to Edward Charles White on Sept. 29, 1937. They had one son...

Fans and players alike are filled with excitement as the Marmaduke Lady Greyhounds prepare to get the 2004-05 season underway. New head coach Spencer Hoffman and assistant Nikki Robinson will face an unfamiliar foe for Marmaduke basketball: the lack of experience...

The Marmaduke senior high boys basketball team is ready to roll into action. Head coach Steve Richey and his squad anxiously await the beginning of the regular season. "We're going to try to move it up and down the floor," Richey said of his offense. "If the guards can move the ball and get it where they want it, it could be a good season for us."...

The Junior Cougars of Rector played host to the Junior Bobcats of Walnut Ridge on Thursday, Oct. 14, in conference football action, with Rector taking an 8-0 decision in a defensive struggle. The two teams not only had to contend with each other, but the elements as well. The cold, rainy night kept all but the most hardcore of fans away...

Rachel Marie Bradshaw, 82, of Rector died Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004, at her home. She was born Aug. 24, 1922, in Clay County to the late Everett E. and Bessie (Bookout) Manning and was married March 28, 1946, to Max Bradshaw, who preceded her in death Sept. 8, 2004...

The sound of "Seventy-six Trombones" will fill the Rector High School Cafetorium on Saturday, Nov. 6, and Sunday, Nov. 7, as the Rector High School Drama Department presents Meredith Willson's "The Music Man." "The Music Man" tells the story of a con man, known as Professor Harold Hill, who will be portrayed by Will Mobley. ...

Rector police chief Tom Baker has announced that Halloween will be observed in Rector on Saturday, Oct. 30, since the actual date this year for the holiday is on a Sunday. He suggests that trick-or-treating for small children be held from 4:30 to 7 p.m. and for larger children from 4:30 to 9 p.m...

"I absolutely love red." That was the sentiment expressed by Mac Callis of Holcomb, Mo., as he looked over the brand new bright red 2005 GMC pickup truck that he won Saturday in a special promotion sponsored by Glen Sain Motor Sales of Rector. The awarding of the truck was the culmination of a major 50th anniversary celebration by the truck dealership, founded in Rector in 1954 by Glen Sain and R.C. Tracer...

A pre-trial hearing for Delwin Mouser of Rector has been scheduled for Monday, Oct. 25, at the Clay County Courthouse in Piggott, according to Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Carla Powell. Mouser's trial will be held in Piggott over the following four days, Oct. 26-29...

Santa Claus is coming to town --- to the Rector Christmas parade, that is. The Rector Area Chamber of Commerce is bringing Rector's Christmas parade back this year, and members hope that, with hard work, the parade can be bigger and better than ever...

The Marmaduke Greyhound and Lady Greyhound basketball teams took part in a jamboree at Manila on Saturday, Oct. 16. Participating teams play for one half at a jamboree, with the results not affecting their regular season records. In action against Valley View, the Senior Lady Greyhounds fell, 30-25...