Stories from Wednesday, April 5, 2006

The Cougars played host to the Marmaduke Greyhounds in a doubleheader last Tuesday in a series that saw each team pick up a victory. In the first game, Marmaduke earned a 6-1 win behind Nathan Haynes. Haynes threw all five innings, allowing one run on six hits while striking out two and walking three...

In addition to the devastating damage within the city limits of Marmaduke, Sunday's massive tornado struck rural areas as well, such as the Neighbors Corner community to the east. After the twister roared through Marmaduke, it headed straight east along Highway 34 and destroyed several homes, while also causing damage to the Morris Farm Center Gin on Highway 139...

Rena Dollie (Guthrie) Eagle, a native of Rector, died Monday, Feb. 27, 2006, in Bakersfield, Calif. She was born March 22, 1920, to the late T.F. and Lela (Sanders) Guthrie. She was raised in the White Oak Community, where she met and married Deward Eagle in 1943. ...

Robert H. Breeden, 97, of Russellville, who co-owned the Clay County Democrat for 20 years with Ron and Nancy Kemp, died Saturday, March 25, 2006, at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center in Russellville. In addition to the Clay County Democrat, Breeden and the Kemps also owned the Piggott Times, the Northeast Arkansas Town Crier in Manila, the Campbell (Mo.) Citizen and the Dunklin County Press in Senath, Mo...

An accident recently claimed the life of Kenneth Smith, 48, of Paragould, pastor of East Side (Holly Island) Baptist Church in Rector. Smith, who also was a painter, fell from a scissor lift while working. He died Tuesday, March 21, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis...

A three-run homer in the sixth inning by Hillary Calhoun followed immediately by an Eileen Mathis solo shot put an exclamation point on the Lady Cougars' 16-0 dismantling of the Lady Bobcats at Walnut Ridge this past Monday. Tara Shepard was all but untouchable in her six innings of work, allowing just one hit while striking out seven. Shepard has not given up a run in her last four games, further cementing her place among the area's best...

A day before tragedy struck Marmaduke, there was cause for celebration, as the Greyhound baseball team took home first place at the annual Glen Sain Duel on the Diamond tournament in Paragould on Saturday. In the face of Sunday's traumatic events, even a little joy can go a long way to a community struggling through devastation...

The Lady Greyhounds used a scorer's mentality to post a 22-11 win over Weiner in Marmaduke last Wednesday. Several walks hurt the Lady Hounds early as Weiner jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the top half of the first. Marmaduke would respond, putting up five runs in their half of the first...

The Rector Cougars took home third place in the annual Duel on the Diamond tournament at Paragould this past Saturday with an 8-2 win over Sloan-Hendrix. The story of the game was consistency at the plate for Rector. In total, there were 10 Cougar hits in the game...

Gov. Mike Huckabee arrived in Marmaduke late Tuesday morning to assess the tornado damage and meet with local officials to focus on relief and reconstruction efforts. "The level of destruction is just staggering," the governor said. Huckabee said he had seen photos supplied earlier by the Arkansas State Police, but he was not completely prepared for what he saw in a flyover and on the ground in Marmaduke...

There are many similarities between the Marmaduke tornadoes of March 1, 1997, and April 2, 2006, but there is one major difference -- the latest one was much larger in scope. Clocks stopped at the Marmaduke School at 6:16 p.m. Sunday as a huge tornado roared into town and left a battered community in its wake...

Heather O'Dell, a 16-year-old sophomore at Piggott High, was recently selected as an All-State Band standout. O'Dell, who plays the clarinet, first qualified for All-Region at her instrument in January. From there, the top performers per instrument were asked to audition for All-State...

Robert H. Breeden, 97, of Russellville, who co-owned the Clay County Democrat for 20 years with Ron and Nancy Kemp, died Saturday, March 25, 2006, at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center in Russellville. In addition to the Clay County Democrat, Breeden and the Kemps also owned the Piggott Times, the Northeast Arkansas Town Crier in Manila, the Campbell (Mo.) Citizen and the Dunklin County Press in Senath, Mo...

After numerous rainouts, the Lady Mohawks softball team was finally able to get back onto the field. On Thursday, March 30, the Lady Mohawks took on the Lady Mustangs of BIC. The Lady Mohawks outscored the Lady Mustangs by a final score of 12-2. Jessica Ingram was the winning pitcher for the game, notching eight strikeouts for her efforts. Natalie Branscum was 5-5 in batting, while Lauren Hickson went 3-3...

It's a special type of player who gets the opportunity to play the game they they love at a competitive level beyond high school. Though it's not unheard of for an athlete from a small school such as Piggott to have the opportunity to make the leap to collegiate competition, it does seem like the deck is certainly stacked against it...

The Piggott Mohawks suffered a loss to the Mustangs of BIC on Tuesday, March 28, with a final score of 11-1. Craig Dollins was the starting pitcher for the Mohawks and took the loss. Dollins threw nine strikeouts and had no walks. He allowed nine hits and only four earned runs...

Veteran and former Piggott fire chief John W. "Bill" Hogue of Piggott died suddenly at age 64 on Wednesday, March 29, 2006, at the Piggott Community Hospital. Mr. Hogue worked over 30 years as an insurance agent with Gregory Insurance in Piggott and Walnut Ridge. His love for others and his desire to serve and work for his community and country were evident throughout his life...

While many residents of Clay County enjoy hearing country music of the 1960's, one Piggott resident had a part in making it. E. L. "Buck" Roberts, a Piggott native, organized his own band at age 18, in St. Louis, and went on to appear in one of the nation's leading venues of country music, the "Big D Jamboree" in Dallas, Texas...

There are many similarities between the Marmaduke tornadoes of March 1, 1997, and April 2, 2006, but there is one major difference -- the latest one was much larger in scope. Clocks stopped at the Marmaduke School at 6:16 p.m. Sunday as a huge tornado roared into town and left a battered community in its wake...

Piggott's annual city-wide yard sale will be held Saturday, April 8. The yard sale permit fee will be waived for the day. Persons who wish to register an address should call the Piggott Area Chamber of Commerce at 870-598-3167 and leave a message on the answering machine...