Stories from Wednesday, March 22, 2006

The Piggott City Council accepted bids for the city's paving projects for the year during its meeting at city hall Monday evening. Mayor Gerald Morris, aldermen Tommy Risinger and Jim Poole, city attorney John Lingle and city clerk Judy Parker were present. Aldermen Carl Birmingham and Mike Patterson were absent...

The Piggott Mohawks baseball team took two conference losses this week. On Tuesday, March 14, the team traveled to Walnut Ridge to face the Bobcats. The Mohawks were holding the Bobcats to a two-run lead, 5-3, when during the bottom of the fifth inning, the Bobcats exploded. The Mohawks allowed two Bobcats to get on base with an error, then the next batter hit a grand slam. The Mohawks were unable to come back out of the hole. The final score was 13-3...

Lady Mohawks senior foward Lauren Hickson was named All-State for the 2005-06 basketball season. Hickson received All-Conference, All-District, All-Region and All-State nods for the second year in a row. "I was really excited when I found out," Hickson said. "It means a lot when people think you're good enough to be picked as All-State."...

Charles Gallina, 94, of St. Louis died on Sunday, March 12, 2006, in St. Louis. He was born Jan. 31, 1912, in Milwaukee, Wisc., the son of the late Gieuseppi and Susanna Lafatta Gallina. He is survived by his wife, Geraldine Smith Gallina; one son, Raymond Gallina and wife, Sally; one daughter, Sanna Clark; three grandchildren, Cassandra Clark, Lisa Gallina and Christine Gallina; four great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends...

Agnes E. Atkison, 90, of White Lake, Mich., died Monday, March 20, 2006. She was the wife of the late Edward Atkison; mother of Peggy (William) Main and Judy (Don) Holland; grandmother of nine; great-grandmother of 24; great-great-grandmother of three. She was a dedicated member of the Oxbow Lake Baptist Church...

Danny Ray Dixon, 54, died Tuesday, March 7, 2006, at his home in Riverside, Calif. He was born April 10, 1951, at Camp Polk, La., the son of Vernon and Sadine Dixon. He was a graduate of Piggott High School. He attended the University of Arkansas where he was a Razorback band member. Dixon joined the U.S. Air Force and received training to become an X-ray technician while in the service. After leaving the Air Force, he continued to work as an X-ray technician in the private sector in California...

Regina Lynn Benson, 47, of Holcomb died on Wednesday, March 15, 2006, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born on Nov. 18, 1958, in Searcy, the daughter of Homer and Carolyn Harrison Elliott. She was united in marriage to Randy Don Benson on June 30, 1995, in Piggott...

The Clay County Chalk Bluff Re-enactment Committee will sponsor a chili and stew supper on Friday, March 31, at the Clay County Fairgrounds Kitchen, located at 648 East North Street in Piggott. Chili and stew will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The meal will be all-you-can-eat and include drink and dessert. The cost will be $5 per adult and $3 per child six and under. Carry-outs will be available and deliveries will be available on request...

A new walk-through metal detector is now in place at the entrances of the main courtroom at the courthouse in Piggott. The metal detectors are among the first additions to help increase security in Clay County courthouses. As part of a plan set in motion by the Quorum Court's security committee several months back, the increased safety measures are also expected to include bulletproof glass as well as extra security personnel...

Piggott Parks and Recreation and the Piggott Police Department joined forces from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 18, to provide a very important item - a photo identification kit. Approximately 32 children and their parents attended the event. This was the second annual "Photo I.D. Day" and the items collected will help local authorities if a child is missing or has been abducted...

Hunger is a problem that faces many families not just in America, but in Northeast Arkansas, as well. According to a recent report published by the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance (AHRA), approximately 32,900 citizens served by the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas receive emergency food assistance on a yearly basis. This report was a sub-set of a national study released in February as a part of the Hunger In America 2006 study...

Silas Wesley Reed, 95, of Rector, died Wednesday, March, 15, 2006, at Cabot Manor. Born Sept. 24, 1910, in Boydsville to the late William Wesley "Bill" Reed and Rhoda Marahiney Chilcutt, he was a farmer, a lifelong member of the community and was a member of Ebenezer Methodist Church...

A couple of solid performances on the mound by Tara Shepard lifted the Lady Cougars to a pair of 5-0 wins in a softball doubleheader with Harrisburg last Thursday in Rector. Shepard went all five innings in the first game, allowing three hits while striking out four in the shutout...

The Marmaduke Lady Greyhounds picked up their first win on the diamond with a 21-7 shellacking of the hosting Maynard Lady Tigers on Friday. Marmaduke took advantage of shaky Maynard pitching, reaching base on a number of walks. Brooke Smith led the Lady Hounds at the plate, going 3-3 with five RBIs. Also hitting were Taylor Grayham 2-2 with a walk and three RBIs, Brittany Drope 1-1 with two walks and two RBIs and Miranda Boggs 1-1 with two walks and two RBIs...

The Rector Cougars picked up a much-needed win at Paragould this past Friday over the Class AAAA Rams, 7-1. The win ended a two-game slide for the team. Tony Loveless earned the win for Rector, going 5 2/3 innings with four hits, four walks and six strikeouts with one earned run. Jake Holcomb picked up the save, going 1 1/3 innings with four strikeouts, no hits and a walk...

James "Jimmy" Webb McKeel, 64, of Springville, Tenn., formerly of Rector, died Wednesday, March 15, 2006, at his home. Born April 16, 1942, in Paragould, to James Clark McKeel and Willo Mae Webb McKeel, he was married May 6, 1963, to Sunnye June Banister...

Sally Lou Hopper, 72, of Rector, died Wednesday, March 15, 2006, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Denver, Colo. Born March 5, 1934, in Walnut Ridge to the late Albert Long and Audrie (King) Long, she was owner/operator of the Sears Store in Rector and was a member of Rector First United Methodist Church...

Leonard Brummet, 87, of Rector, died Tuesday, March 14, 2006, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. Born Jan. 7, 1919, in Marmaduke to the late Walter Brummet and Annie (Damron) Brummet, he was a farmer, a member of Cappadocia General Baptist Church and a lifelong member of this community. He was married Oct. 12, 1940, to Gerline Weber. He also was preceded in death by one son, Stanley Brummet, on March 15, 2004...

The magnificent flavors, the ambience and the warmth of the proprietors linger in the mind long after a visit to Sissy's Bella Cuisine in Kennett, Mo. Gourmet cooking at its finest came to Kennett last year with the return of native son, Jackie Brooks. Word of his magic in the kitchen spread quickly, and his small restaurant soon was packed with diners anxious to experience his tasteful creations...

While the life of a high school basketball official may indeed involve both positive and negative experiences, overall it's usually a labor of love. That certainly is the case with Kenny Faulkner of Rector, who clearly enjoys remaining active in athletics and working with young people in a part-time profession that does have its rewards, such as his being chosen for the honor of officiating the state Class A basketball championship recently at Alltel Arena in North Little Rock...

The Rector High School drama department will present a dinner theatre show, "The Cemetery Club," at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 8, at the Rector High School cafetorium. Shows for high school groups will be Thursday and Friday, April 6 and 7, at the school...

A new walk-through metal detector is now in place at the entrances of the main courtroom at the courthouse in Piggott. The metal detectors are among the first additions to help increase security in Clay County courthouses. As part of a plan set in motion by the Quorum Court's security committee several months back, the increased safety measures are also expected to include bulletproof glass as well as extra security personnel...

The Greyhounds remained unbeaten this past Thursday as they topped the Tigers from Maynard 6-0 at Marmaduke. Nathan Haynes picked up the win for the 'Hounds, moving to 3-0. Haynes allowed a mere two hits while ringing up 11 in five innings of work...