Stories from Wednesday, November 23, 2005

City residents will incur a small rate increase on their trash pickup at the start of 2006 thanks to the high gas prices, which finally seem to be subsiding, and increased charges for dumping enstated by the landfill the Piggott City Council agreed Monday night. Mayor Gerald Morris, aldermen Tommy Risinger, Carl Birmingham, Mike Patterson and Jim Poole, city clerk Judy Parker, city attorney John Lingle and utility superintendent Ted Bellers were in attendance...

Despite battling into two overtimes, the Senior Lady Mohawks were outscored in their first home game of the season by the Senior Lady Mustangs of BIC, with a final score of 68-60. The game was tight from the beginning until the complete end, with the Senior Lady Mohawks leading at the end of each quarter, except the fourth. ...

The Piggott Junior Mohawks increased their record to 2-0 with a resounding win over county rivals, the Junior Cougars of Rector, on Tuesday, Nov. 15. The Junior Mohawks dominated the game, with quarter scores of 11-5, 31-20, 55-27 and the final of 65-37...

The Piggott Lady Mohawks rolled to a 71-26 win over the Lady Pirates of Gosnell in their Clay County Tournament matchup this past Saturday. Piggott never trailed, leading at each break 16-10, 38-18 and 56-26. Lauren Hickson was a terror in the post for the Lady Mohawks, scoring a game-high 24 points. Hickson came out strong in the early going, scoring Piggott's first 14 points of the game. Gosnell could find no answer inside and the tone of the game was set...

Edna Louise Gill, 60, of Campbell died Sunday, Nov. 20, 2005, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born Dec. 28, 1944, in Beaver, Ohio, the daughter of Charley Bradley and Bertha Stevens Bradley. She was united in marriage to Roy Gill on Dec. 7, 1988, in Lancaster, Ohio...

Heaven Petrice Wofford, five-months-old, of Paragould died Monday, Nov. 14, 2005, in Paragould. She was born June 7, 2005, in Kennett. She is survived by her father, Jerrod Wofford of Paragould; mother, Crystal Quintanilla of Paragould; grandparents, Gabriel Lopez and Patty Lamas, both of Victoria, Texas, and Dale and Tonnie Wofford of Piggott; great-grandparents, Bob and Marsha Burns of Rector and Vada Wofford of Paragould; aunt, Bobbie Jo Lamas; and many other relatives and friends...

Elsie E. Haywood, 90, of West Memphis, Ark., formerly of Malden, died Friday, Oct. 7, 2005, at Crittendon County Memorial Hospital. Born in Oran on July 30, 1915, she was the daughter of the late Robert Henry Mobley and Myrtle Jane Eskridge. She was united in marriage to Ray Haywood, who preceded her in death on May 11, 1967...

Eva Gilbee, 76, of Corning died Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2005, at Rector Healthcare. A homemaker, she was born Feb. 17, 1929, in McDougal to the late George and Ada (Micenhammer) Nixon. She was married Feb. 18, 1946, to Clinton Gilbee, who died June 3, 1989. She also was preceded in death by two sisters, Edna and Ethel, and two brothers, Albert and Arby Nixon...

The sizzle of bacon and sausage on the grill coupled with the flipping of pancakes led to a big payday for the Piggott Lions Club last Saturday as the organization hosted a breakfast as a fundraiser. According to Lions Club secretary Triply Muse, the club sold $619 in tickets for the event as it was held at the new Piggott Community Center for the first time...

Budgetary considerations and purchasing new vehicles for the sheriff's department were major items at Monday's monthly meeting of Clay County Quorum Court at Piggott. Justices of the peace present were Lavern Manchester, Joeann Gleghorn, Dennis Haines, Doyne Holifield, James Jeffress, Triply Muse and Rex Smart. Absent were David Cagle and Jim Woods...

The signs of Christmas are popping up all over town. Santa's house has taken it usual spot on the courtsquare along with the reindeer, the christmas lights have been hung around the square along with the decorations on the poles and on Monday members of the Piggott Area Chamber of Commerce were seen decorating the bandstand on the courtsquare. It all points to one thing, Christmas Fest is drawing near...

Eva Gilbee, 76, of Corning died Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2005, at Rector Healthcare. A homemaker, she was born Feb. 17, 1929, in McDougal to the late George and Ada (Micenhammer) Nixon. She was married Feb. 18, 1946, to Clinton Gilbee, who died June 3, 1989. She also was preceded in death by two sisters, Edna and Ethel, and two brothers, Albert and Arby Nixon...

The Rector Lady Cougars made three free throws in the final seconds to pull ahead of the Corning Lady Bobcats for a 52-49 overtime victory in the Clay County Tournament this past Saturday. Rector held a 17-9 advantage after the first quarter, but trailed 26-25 at the half and 40-31 going into the fourth. The score was deadlocked at 43 at the end of regulation...

The Marmaduke Junior Lady Greyhounds were 54-38 winners in their Clay County Tournament matchup last Saturday against Corning. Marmaduke led throughout: 16-13, 36-24 and 47-30. The young Lady Hounds benefitted from a strong outing by freshman guard Crissy Crawford. Crawford scored a game-high 23 points to pace Marmaduke, lifting them past the Junior Lady Bobcats...

Sophomore guard Chris Foresythe shot the lights out for Homecoming as the Marmaduke Greyhounds cruised to a 69-29 victory over the Rector Cougars this past Friday. Marmaduke led throughout: 18-5, 40-10 and 61-25. Marmaduke was sparked early by the hot shooting of sophomore guard Chris Foresythe. Foresythe drained five three-pointers in the first quarter, finishing with eight from long range for the game. He led the Hounds with a game-high 28 points...

Heaven Petrice Wofford, five-months-old, of Paragould died Monday, Nov. 14, 2005, in Paragould. She was born June 7, 2005, in Kennett. She is survived by her father, Jerrod Wofford of Paragould; mother, Crystal Quintanilla of Paragould; grandparents, Gabriel Lopez and Patty Lamas, both of Victoria, Texas, and Dale and Tonnie Wofford of Piggott; great-grandparents, Bob and Marsha Burns of Rector and Vada Wofford of Paragould; aunt, Bobbie Jo Lamas; and many other relatives and friends...

Kristie Telani McConnell, 48, of Rector died Sunday, Nov. 20, 2005, at the Med in Memphis following a car accident. She was an organ donor and helped to save three lives. Born Oct. 17, 1957, in Flint, Mich., she lived in Memphis prior to moving to Rector. She was a member of the First General Baptist Church in Rector, a member of the church choir and a guest gospel singer in several area churches. She was employed by Paragould Nursing Center...

Once again the spirit of community was present at Sunday's fifth annual Rector Thanksgiving Service. Phillip LaRue of the New Life Christian Center gave the devotional to some 400 in attendance at the community center, noting "I am proud to live in a city that recognizes the value of events like the one we are participating in tonight."...

Want a recipe sure to make your Thanksgiving dinner truly unique? Rector Elementary School kindergarten students, Marmaduke pre-school students and children at the James W. Graves Head Start Center in Rector submitted these "special" recipes on "how to cook a turkey." Follow these directions and your holiday meal is sure to be memorable!...

A 48-year-old Rector woman was killed in a one-vehicle accident near Halliday last Saturday morning. According to a report filed by Sgt. David Carter of the Greene County Sheriff's Office, Kristie T. McConnell was headed north on U.S. Highway 49 at approximately 7:58 a.m. in her 1996 Nissan Sentra when she ran off the roadway on the east side. The vehicle skidded across the roadway 159 feet into a ditch on the west side and hit an embankment...

Now that the weather has turned colder and winter is really upon us, it's starting to feel more like the holiday season in the Rector area. It will begin to feel a lot like Christmas this week when lights lining buildings around town are turned on Friday, Nov. 25, through a project sponsored jointly by the Rector Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Rector...

The Marmaduke Lady Greyhounds were winners at Valley View last Thursday, outpacing the hosting Lady Blazers, 48-39. Marmaduke trailed early, falling behind 12-9 after the first quarter and 24-17 at the half, before taking control in the third to go up 34-30...