Stories from Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Mayor Gerald Morris delivered his annual "State of the City" address at the Piggott City Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Mayor Gerald Morris, aldermen Tommy Risinger, Carl Birmingham, Jim Poole and Mike Patterson, city attorney John Lingle and city clerk Judy Parker were present...

Members of the Job Stimulus Funding Board met with mayor Gerald Morris at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning to discuss the 3.2 acres the Board controls, which a retail outlet has expressed interest in purchasing. Morris, Board chairman Mike Scott, secretary Larry Davis and members Terry Pollard and H.A. Wellman were present. Bill Irby, chairman of the local Economic Development Committee, was also on hand for the discussion...

Peggy Johnson of Piggott recalls vividly the day her world turned abruptly upside down. Valentine's Day 1987 came and went without even a notice. Her high school sweetheart, the first boy she had ever kissed, the boy who taught her to drive, and husband of 35 years, died with a massive heart attack in early February...

"Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt" is the Special Olympics oath. This oath sums up the courageous spirit of the 128 athletes who took part Friday morning, Feb. 24, in the third annual Area I Basketball Skills Competition at Piggott High School...

It was a tough way to end the season for the Piggott Lady Mohawks as the team fell 56-38 to East Poinsett County in the semifinals of the regional tournament at Earle this past Friday. Piggott found themselves trailing early, falling behind EPC 19-5 after the opening quarter. The Lady Mohawks trailed 30-13 at halftime and 45-24 heading into the fourth...

Janet McNeely Kriner, 56, of Jonesboro died Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006. Born Feb. 11, 1950, in Piggott, she was a Registered Nurse for over thirty years. She was preceded in death by her father, James D. McNeely. She is survived by her husband, David Kriner; daughter, Jeri Rhein Seabaugh; son, Jason Rhein; daughters, Christie Ollis and Kimberly Kriner; granddaughter, Skylar; mother, Faye McNeely; sister, Carol Rhein; and brother, Don McNeely...

Carl Lucille Casey, 81, formerly of the Rector and Pollard areas, died Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Manor Nursing Home in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Born Feb. 18, 1925 in Clay County to the late Samuel Cagle and May (Creed) Cagle, she was a fancy stitcher for the Brown Shoe Company and a member of Trailers Chapel General Baptist Church...

Thelda Carleene Pemberton, 92, died on Monday, Feb. 13, 2006, at Piggott Community Hospital. She was born on July 25, 1912, the daughter of Andrew and Millie Ellen Parrish. She married Ora Pemberton on Oct. 6, 1928. He preceded her in death in 1989...

Riley "Bill" Purdom, 84, of Toledo died on Monday, Feb. 6, 2006, in his home of emphysema. He was born May 4, 1921, in Piggott, the son of the late Corbett and Della (Rodden) Purdom. He served in the Army during World War II. He worked in Detroit, Mich., for a time, then went back to farming in Arkansas...

Jackie Don Vaughn Sr., 47, of Piggott died on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006, at his home. He was born July 24, 1958, in Newport, Ore., the son of Donald Lou and Opal Mabelene Hart Vaughn. He was united in marriage to Sheila Holifield on Feb. 21, 1978. He was preceded in death by his father, Donald Lou on Jan. 11, 1968; and his mother, Opal on Feb. 23, 1996...

Vaughn Gene Bomar, 71, of Piggott died Sunday morning, Feb. 19, 2006, at Murphy Health and Rehabilitation Center in Piggott. He was born Nov. 9, 1934, in Blytheville, the son of Enloe Donaldson Bomar and Milie Hatley Bomar. Mr. Bomar retired from the Piggott Police Department in 1996 after 24 years of service as a police officer in Missouri and Arkansas. ...

Baseball season was scheduled to begin Tuesday for the Piggott Mohawks. There are currently 22 athletes signed up to play for the Mohawks during the 2006 season. Seniors on the team are Drew Brown, Dillan Cate, Craig Dollins, Brandon Mann and Desra Yudhira. Juniors include Lance Conley, Cody Burris and Trey Sutfin...