Stories from Thursday, January 13, 2005

After 14 years with the Piggott School District, superintendent Barry Scott has decided it is time to move on. During Monday evening's regular meeting of the Piggott School District Board of Education, Scott informed the Board of his plans to leave when his contract expires on June 30 of this year...

The City of Piggott Parks and Recreation Department has been awarded a $25,000 matching grant for improvements to the parks within the city and a project local teens have dreamed about, a skate park. Mayor Gerald Morris received a letter from the office of Governor Mike Huckabee stating that the Department of Parks and Tourism's Outdoor Recreation Grants Advisory Committee had recommended that the department be awarded the grant for 2005...

Clay County has been chosen to receive $12,705 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the area. The selection was made by a National Board that is chaired by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and consists of representatives from the Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Council of Jewish Federations, Catholic Charities, USA National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. ...

A Piggott School District bus driver addressed the Piggott School Board during its regular meeting Monday night about a serious problem on her bus. Rena Rard told the board of ongoing problems with a special needs student on her route. Piggott School District superintendent Barry Scott told the board the student was pulled from the bus and said Mike Book, transportation director and dean of students, now is taking him to and from school. ...

Sister Henrietta Hockle will present a reading of her book, On High Ground, in the Hemingway Barn Studio at the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center in Piggott at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 16, and will be available for book signing until 3:30 p.m...

Keith Martin Samples, 30, of Greenway died Friday, Jan. 7, 2005, at the Piggott Community Hospital. He enjoyed sports, fishing, riding his four-wheeler and spending time with his children. He was of the Baptist faith. Survivors include his wife, Rachel Brannon Samples of Greenway; two sons, Bryan Martin and Jeremy Keith of the home; one daughter, Halyee Danielle of the home; his parents, Judy and Larry Martin of Piggott, and Lannie and Kathy Samples of Holcomb; four brothers, Bryan (Shelly) Samples of Piggott, Sean (Amy) Martin of Piggott, Mark Samples of Greenway and Kyle Samples of Holcomb; grandparents Lucille York of Campbell, Bob (Imogene) Martin of Piggott and Narciadean Hickson of Campbell; and many other relatives and friends.. ...

Lauren Hickson led the Piggott Lady Mohawks with 27 points during a resounding 73-46 victory over the Lady Bearcats of Brookland on Thursday, Jan. 6. "This was a big win for the girls," assistant coach Melissa Williams said. The Lady Mohawks almost doubled the Lady Bearcats' score all the way throughout the game, with scores of 27-12, 50-27 and 70-37 at each quarter...

Despite low scoring by both teams, the Piggott Junior Lady Mohawks managed to roll past the Junior Lady Bearcats of Brookland on Thursday, Jan. 6, with a final of 24-10. The score was tied 4-4 at the end of the first quarter, but the Junior Mohawks poured on the pressure during the second quarter, taking it to 17-4 by the half. The Junior Bearcats were unable to score during the second quarter...

The Piggott Mohawks participated in the 41st annual Senath-Hornersville Invitational Tournament which began Wednesday, Jan. 5, at Senath. With only six teams in the tournament this year, the format was changed to pool play, with three teams comprising each pool. The first pool consisted of Kennett, Hayti and Gosnell, while the second had Senath-Hornersville, Piggott and Rivercrest...

Despite having two players with a scoring total of 44 points, the Marmaduke Lady Greyhounds were outscored by the Lady Mohawks of Piggott on Monday, Jan. 10, with a final score of 70-55. "I thought we played really hard tonight," coach Jeff Priest said of the victory. ...

"I thought we played hard tonight, but we just ran out of gas toward the end," coach Jeff Priest said of the Piggott Junior Lady Mohawks' loss to the Junior Lady Greyhounds of Marmaduke on Monday, Jan. 10. The final score was 50-32 in favor of the Junior Lady Greyhounds. The Greyhounds led the Mohawks all the way through the night, with scores by quarter of 16-11, 23-19, and 37-25...

The Piggott Junior Mohawks had a decisive victory over the Junior Bobcats of Walnut Ridge on Monday, Jan. 4, with a final score of 46-29. The win takes the Junior Mohawks to fourth in the conference and to an overall record of 7-4 for the season so far...

With four players with double digits scoring, the Piggott Mohawks outscored the Walnut Ridge Bobcats, 66-56, for a conference victory at home on Tuesday, Jan. 4. "This Mohawk team put in lots of effort to win this game and they deserved it by how well they played," coach Matt Sutfin said of the victory...

Connie Bell Easterwood, 75, of Piggott died Friday, Jan. 7, 2005, at Murphy Health and Rehabilitation Center in Piggott. Mrs. Easterwood was born Jan. 22, 1929, the daughter of the late Labron Franklin Keller and Lilly Francis Thompson. She was united in marriage to Joseph Fields, who preceded her in death, and later to Floyd Kenneth Easterwood, who now resides at Murphy Health and Rehabilitation Center in Piggott...

Nancy Hall, 56, of Piggott died Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, in the Baptist East Hospital in Memphis. She was born Oct. 1, 1948, in McDougal, the daughter of Emett and Geneva Trammell Gunnels. She was united in marriage to Bruce Hall on Feb. 14, 1987. She is survived by her husband, Bruce Hall of Piggott; father, Emett Gunnels and wife, Jennine, of Knobel; mother, Geneva Schebor and husband, Chet, of Mio, Mich.; three children, Candy Sivaris and husband, Kevin, of Whittemore, Mich., Tommy Corbin and wife, Michelle, of St. ...

Lora Wagster, 56, of Russellville, formerly of Piggott, died Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, at her home in Russellville. She was born Oct. 22, 1948, in Piggott, the daughter of the late John Greene and Lora R. Jackson Thrasher. She married Robert Wagster on Aug. 11, 1968. They had two children...

Lavern Rodery, 79, of Campbell, died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005, at the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born May 12, 1925, in Piggott, the son of the late Joe Rodery and Ethel George Rodery. He married Neoma Gurlen on Dec. 27, 1946, in Piggott. He was a retired farmer and a United States Army Veteran having served during World War II. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Campbell...

Nell Brown, 93, of Rector died Thursday, Dec. 30, 2004, at Twin Rivers Medical Center in Kennett. She was born Dec. 28, 1911, in Greenville, Mo., the daughter of the late Henry Lovins and Margaret Scritchfield Lovins. She was united in marriage to Earl T. Brown on March 29, 1930. He preceded her in death on July 3, 1980...

Carl E. Causey, 63, of Piggott died Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, in the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born Aug. 19, 1941, in St. Louis, the son of Doyle Edward and Virginia Book Causey. He was united in marriage to Janice Outland on Nov. 23, 1961. They had three children...

Opal Overton Ward, 85, of Gibson, Mo., died Wednesday, Jan 5, 2005, at St. Joseph Medical Center in St. Charles, Mo. Born April 16, 1919, in Parkin to the late Carter and Daisy Overton, she was a medical technician at St. Francis Nursing Home and a member of South Canaan General Baptist Church...

Mrs. Clyde Elizabeth Cook, 86, of Thayer, Mo., formerly of Rector and Jonesboro, died Sunday, Jan. 9, 2005, at Shadow Oaks Care Center in Thayer. She was born Aug. 5, 1918, at Wilmar, Ark., to the late Phillip Edmonson Schell and Mima Jane Edmonston Schell and was married Dec. 23, 1936, to Allen Cook, who preceded her in death May 25, 1985...

Rudy Earl McCord, 93, of Rector died Monday, Jan. 10, 2005, at Lead Hill, Ark. A retired farmer and Darling Store Fixtures employee, he was born Aug. 21, 1911, in Rector to the late Charles M. and Lucy Bookout McCord. He also was preceded in death by one brother, Amzie McCord...

A daunting task stood before the Rector Cougars as they hosted the number three ranked team in the state in Class AA, the Buffalo Island Central Mustangs on Friday, Jan. 7. Rector gave the visitors all they wanted on the night, falling by the respectable score of 69-58...

The Lady Cougars were outgunned by the Lady Mustangs of Buffalo Island Central in action on Thursday, Jan. 6. BIC won the game by the score of 63-33. The Lady Mustangs were in control the whole way, leading at every break -- 21-4, 41-16 and 57-27. BIC went on a 14-0 run to open the game. ...

The Lady Cougars journeyed to Riverside to face the Lady Rebels of Riverside on Monday, Jan. 10. Rector lost game, 50-39. The Lady Cougars held a small lead during the first half -- 12-11 and 24-23, but were unable to hold off the home team's surge in the second half...

The Marmaduke Greyhounds blasted the Indians of Delaplaine, 75-35, in the opening round of the Kell Classic at Swifton on Monday, Jan. 10. The Hounds jumped out to a 21-8 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. Marmaduke led 43-14 and 66-24 after the second and third quarters...

Lucille Poe, 73, of Marmaduke died Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005, at Cave Creek, Ariz. A homemaker, Mrs. Poe was born May 21, 1931, in Arkansas to the late Cleo and Jessie (Hill) Pinkston. She was a member of the Marmaduke First Baptist Church. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Poe, in December 1993, and a brother, Bonnie Pinkston, in 1984...

James C. Taylor, 60, son of the late Glenn Taylor of Rector and brother of the late Gerald Taylor of Michigan, died Saturday, Dec. 18, 2004, in Royal Oak, Mich. He is survived by his wife, Frances Taylor; his mother, Irene Taylor Lankford of Valley Station, Ky.; a brother, Bill Taylor, and a sister, Melbalene Vaughan, both of Michigan; four children, Laura Taylor, Emily Hamilton, Adam J. Taylor and Gretchen Ohman, all of Michigan, and two grandchildren, Jack Hamilton and Trevor Ohman...

Randi Lynn Mooneyhan, infant daughter of Jeremy and Jennifer (Parmenter) Mooneyhan of Rector, was born and died Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, at NEA Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Randy Parmenter. She also is survived by her grandparents, Nick and Susan Watson of Paragould, Lance and Laura Mooneyhan of Rector and Teresa Kilbreath of McDougal; great-grandparents, Harold and Dorothy Tracer of Rector, J.W. ...

James Truman Landrum, 90, of Rector died Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2005, at Piggott Community Hospital. Born June 12, 1914, in Leonard to the late William and Artra Landrum, he was a truck driver and a member of the Rector First General Baptist Church. He also was preceded in death by his first wife, Estelle Williamson Landrum, in 1985...

Connie Bell Easterwood, 75, of Piggott died Friday, Jan. 7, 2005, at Murphy Health and Rehabilitation Center in Piggott. Mrs. Easterwood was born Jan. 22, 1929, the daughter of the late Labron Franklin Keller and Lilly Francis Thompson. She was united in marriage to Joseph Fields, who preceded her in death, and later to Floyd Kenneth Easterwood, who now resides at Murphy Health and Rehabilitation Center in Piggott...

Keith Martin Samples, 30, of Greenway died Friday, Jan. 7, 2005, at the Piggott Community Hospital. He enjoyed sports, fishing, riding his four-wheeler and spending time with his children. He was of the Baptist faith. Survivors include his wife, Rachel Brannon Samples of Greenway; two sons, Bryan Martin and Jeremy Keith of the home; one daughter, Halyee Danielle of the home; his parents, Judy and Larry Martin of Piggott, and Lannie and Kathy Samples of Holcomb; four brothers, Bryan (Shelly) Samples of Piggott, Sean (Amy) Martin of Piggott, Mark Samples of Greenway and Kyle Samples of Holcomb; grandparents Lucille York of Campbell, Bob (Imogene) Martin of Piggott and Narciadean Hickson of Campbell; and many other relatives and friends.. ...

Nell Brown, 93, of Rector, died Thursday, Dec. 30, 2004, at Twin Rivers Medical Center in Kennett, Mo. She was born Dec. 28, 1911, in Greenville, Mo., to the late Henry Lovins and Margaret Scritchfield Lovins and was married March 29, 1930, to Earl T. Brown, who preceded her in death on July 3, 1980...

He has performed at the Vatican and at the World Series, was honored at the Super Bowl and has made countless television appearances. On Sunday evening, Jan. 30, he will perform in Rector. It is sure to be a night no one in attendance will ever forget...

Lori Ray of Newport is the new administrator for Rector Healthcare. Ray, 34, has been employed by Regional Management, the company that operates centers in Rector, Newport and Corning, for eight years. Prior to becoming the adminiatrator in Rector, she had served as the assistant administrator in Newport...

The Rector School Board began consideration Monday night on major issues affecting facilities improvements and the future of the district. The Board specifically is looking at three major components -- a new physical education-classroom facility, a pre-school facility and needed repairs to the existing high school building...

The Lady Greyhounds of Marmaduke were defeated, 72-55, in action against the Piggott Lady Mohawks on Monday, Jan. 10. Piggott was in control throughout the game, leading at each break -- 24-12, 45-29 and 66-40. Piggott used their size and strength advantage on the inside to perfection, pounding the ball inside against the smaller Lady Hounds...