Stories from Wednesday, April 19, 2006

The Lady Cougars powered their way to a 12-0 dismantling of Crowley's Ridge Academy in Rector on Tuesday in the second of two games the hosts played on the afternoon. The Lady Cougars were outstanding in the batter's box, collecting a total of 14 hits in five innings before the run-rule came into effect...

Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! The circus is coming to town! There will be lions and tigers, performing dogs, aerial artists and lots more to provide fun for the whole family when the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus stakes its huge tent in Rector for two performances Sunday, April 23...

Harvey Cleveland Faries, 79, of Rector died Sunday, April 16, 2006, at The Med in Memphis. A farmer and longtime resident of this area, he was born July 8, 1926, in Tallapoosa, Mo., to O.C. Faries, who died in April 1993, and Berta Regina Underwood Faries, who died in June 1988...

Arthur Allen Presson, 93, of Rector, died Friday, April 14, 2006, at Rector Healthcare. Born Oct. 13, 1912, in Lemoresville, Tenn., to the late G.B. and Willie Presson, he was retired from Pacific Pipeline and of the Baptist faith. He also was preceded in death by three brothers, James, Russell and William Presson...

Christene Tucker, 71, of Southaven, Miss., a native of Rector, died Saturday, April 1, 2006, at her home. Born Oct. 13, 1934, in Rector, to the late Vivian Presson and Oreor (Oliver) Presson, she was a retired school teacher and of the Methodist faith. She was married June 4, 1955, in Marmaduke to Larry Tucker...

Betty Sue (Roden) Bailey, 76, of Greenway died Friday, April 14, 2006, at Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Sept. 5, 1929, the daughter of William and Hallie (Pugh) Roden in Brilliant, Ala. On Jan. 28, 1948, she was united in marriage to Leslie Bailey in Piggott. He preceded her in death on June 8, 2004...

A championship series that seemed destined to go one forever and a dominant Glen Sain team highlighted the tournaments held in Rector over the weekend. Two of the tourneys, scheduled to be held at Marmaduke, were moved to the Jeremy McDaniel Memorial Sports Complex due to the damage sustained at ballfields after the April 2 tornado...

Trent Smith put together one of those storybook days in Paragould on Monday as the Marmaduke Greyhounds pounded Crowley's Ridge Academy 16-4. Smith earned the win on the mound, going all seven innings. He allowed two earned runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking three...

The Rector Cougars were victorious on Tuesday as they journeyed to Pocahontas to face the Maynard Tigers in conference play. Rector picked up the 6-2 win, moving their overall record to 9-14 and 5-5 in conference matchups. Three pitchers took turns on the mound for the Cougars. ...

Desha County Judge Mark McElroy displayed his unique brand of "down-home" humor before a crowd of about 200 at Thursday's annual banquet of the Rector Area Chamber of Commerce. McElroy hails from McGehee in the extreme southeastern part of the state and his popularity in his home area is apparent since he has not received an opponent since his initial election to the position 14 years ago...

The wait for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) return to Marmaduke following an evaluation inspection two weeks ago has ended. FEMA opened its Disaster Recovery Center at noon Monday at Smoot Mobile Homes on Highway 49 North. The center, housed in Reagan's Factory Direct Furniture store (which is part of the Smoot office) has been teeming with personnel from FEMA, the Arkansas Department of Emergeny Management (ADEM) and the Small Business Administration (SBA). ...

The Piggott Lady Mohawks suffered two losses at the hands of the Lady Cougars of Rector in conference action. On Tuesday, April 11, the Lady Mohawks were defeated by a final score of 6-3. "We didn't play very well today," coach Nikki Speer said. "The Lady Cougars scored on our errors and we could not answer back on what we were letting them have."...

The Piggott Mohawks baseball team traveled to Senath on Monday, April 10, for nonconference action and were defeated 10-0. Tyler Grubb pitched the entire game for the Mohawks, which was four and one-third innings. Grubb had four strikeouts, five walks, five hits and gave up 10 runs. Only one run was earned by Senath...

Jimmy D. McLeskey, 70, of Elizabeth, Ark., died Sunday, Feb. 26, 2006, at his daughter's home in Jonesboro. Born in Piggott, he moved to Jonesboro in 1964 and had moved to Elizabeth about five years ago. He was a building contractor and a Navy veteran...

A Corning man is in serious but stable condition in the intensive care unit at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo., following an altercation Saturday night which has resulted in the arrest of three individuals. Sometime between 8 and 8:30 p.m. ...

Concerns about the readiness of Clay County following a disaster were raised at a Quorum Court meeting held Monday night at the Clay County Courthouse in Corning. Justice James Jeffress asked if the county has a plan in place in the event there is massive damage sustained following a natural disaster, much like that which occurred April 2 in Marmaduke...

Opal Thomas, 79, of Piggott died Monday, April 17, 2006, at Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Dec. 31, 1926, in Crockett, the daughter of the late John Henry and Ina Branson Easterwood. She was united in marriage to Clarence "Wimpy" Thomas on Nov. 29, 1947. They had three children...

Betty Sue (Roden) Bailey, 76, of Greenway died Friday, April 14, 2006, at Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Sept. 5, 1929, the daughter of William and Hallie (Pugh) Roden in Brilliant, Ala. On Jan. 28, 1948, she was united in marriage to Leslie Bailey in Piggott. He preceded her in death on June 8, 2004...

Vera Herring, 91, of McDougal died Friday, April 14, 2006, in the Gideon Care Center in Gideon, Mo. She was born Jan. 1, 1915, in Senath, Mo., the daughter of the late John and Frances Barker Sutfin. She was united in marriage to Connride Herring on Oct. 1, 1938. He preceded her in death on Oct. 12, 1989...

James Ray Atkison, 81, of Little Rock, formerly of Piggott, died on Wednesday, April 12, 2006, at the John McClellan V.A. Hospital in Little Rock. He was born Oct. 18, 1924, the son of the late Benjamin Percy and Mable Beatrice (Hill) Atkison. While serving as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II, he received eight Bronze Stars. During his time in the Army he served as a small engine mechanic...

Martha Marie Blurton, 62, of Ellsinore, Mo., died Saturday, April 15, 2006, at her residence. She was born on Feb. 22, 1944, in Wardell, Mo., the daughter of the late Cecil Hampton and Ruth Cheshire Hampton. She was united in marriage to Limuel Blurton on July 16, 1966, in Wardell, Mo...

Johnnie Lee McCullough, 75, of Hot Springs died on Tuesday, April 11, 2006, in a Hot Springs hospital. He was born on Aug. 7, 1930, in Webb, Miss., the son of the late Wilson W. McCullough and Jewell (Scott) McCullough. He attended Sulphur Springs Missionary Baptist Church...

Roland Ervin Thornton, 84, of Poplar Bluff, formerly of Piggott, died Saturday, April 15, 2006, in the Veterans Hospital in Poplar Bluff. He was born April 28, 1921, in Roby, Mo., the son of the late D.D. and Mary Adeline Davenport Thornton. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother and five sisters...

For the second year in a row, members of the Piggott High School Future Business Leaders of America Chapter are bound for the FBLA National Leadership Conference this summer due to their success at the Arkansas FBLA Convention, which was held March 31-April 1 in Little Rock...

Students at Piggott Elementary School worked together in two separate fundraisers to collect more than $2,325 to help children affected by tornado damage in Greene County, dedicating their work to PES Principal Kevin Reddick, who taught at Marmaduke until this school year...

Utility superintendent Ted Bellers addressed how drought conditions will affect the city's power purchases during the Piggott City Council meeting Monday evening at city hall. Mayor Gerald Morris, city clerk Judy Parker, aldermen Tommy Risinger, Carl Birmingham and Mike Patterson and city attorney John Lingle were present. Alderman Jim Poole was absent...