Stories from Friday, August 25, 2006

A taste of the upcoming football season was on display at Temerian Field in Rector Friday. The Senior and Junior Cougars were both in action, as the squads took part in two Blue-White scrimmages. Each team was comprised of a mix of starters and substitutes in an attempt to match both sides up as evenly as possible. With the low numbers in senior high, currently there are 20 players, the use of junior high athletes in the senior game was required...

Neither Westside nor Rector was able to muster much out of last season with the only win for either team coming for Westside. Cougar coach B.J. Applegate hoped to rectify that with the Warriors even though the contest they had Monday night was officially classified as a scrimmage...

Betty Miller, 84, of Kennett, Mo., formerly of Rector, died Friday, Aug. 18, 2006, at Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center in Kennett. Born June 2, 1922, in Mobile, Ala., she was retired from Brown Shoe Company and was of the Baptist faith. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Miller...

Leveeda Whitehorn, 83, of Hot Springs, formerly of Rector, died Saturday, Aug. 19, 2006, in Hot Springs. The daughter of the late Cynthia Nettles and Charlie Williams, she was born Aug. 18, 1923, in Clay County and was married Jan. 12, 1945, to Raymond Whitehorn, who preceded her in death March 1, 1995...

Jessie Clara (Parham) Moore, 91, died Thursday, Aug. 3, 2006, at Curry Good Samaritan Center in Brookings, Ore. She was born Dec. 29, 1914, to the late J.A. (Archie) and Mary E. Parham in Conway. She lived in Rector for years before moving out west...

The economic challenges to rural Arkansas continue to mount and three counties in this region are working together to try to overcome them. Several meetings have been held in recent weeks involving leaders from Clay, Lawrence and Randolph counties, the most recent occurring Thursday of last week at Black River Technical College in Pocahontas...

New Rector attorney Mike Trail is settling into his office here and starting to become familiar with the community. A partner with longtime local attorney C. Joseph Calvin, Trail also is serving as Clay County's new deputy prosecuting attorney. He and his wife, Lynnette, arrived in Rector in early August, along with their sons, Tabor, who will turn 7 on Aug. 27, and Maddox, 2. Mrs. Trail is a pre-kindergarten teacher in the Corning School District...

Organizers and board members of the Rector High School Helping Hands Foundation will roll up their sleeves and get to work Labor Day weekend on plans to kickoff a program which will help meet short-term financial needs of disadvantaged students attending Rector public schools...

Old wounds were reopened as financial matters once again dominated the discussions at the Clay County Quorum Court meeting in Corning Monday night. Early in the meeting, Justice Rex Smart made a motion to restore pay to the justices for a retroactive period dating back to June...

The following is the 2006 Mohawk tennis schedule: Aug. 24 -- CRA at Jonesboro Aug. 29 -- Ridgefield Christian at Jonesboro Sept. 05 -- CRA Sept. 07 -- Walnut Ridge Sept. 11 -- Pocahontas/Highland at Pocahontas Sept. 12 -- Harrisburg/Cave City at Jonesboro...

The Piggott Mohawks Peewee team has been busy getting in condition and learning plays for the 2006 season. The team will board the bus for the first time as a team to travel to Trumann for the 2006 Peewee Football Jamboree. The Jamboree, which is hosted by the Trumann Wildcats, will take place on Saturday...

The following is the Lady Mohawks' 2006 volleyball schedule: Aug. 29 -- at Cave City Aug. 31 -- at Walnut Ridge Sept. 05 -- Brookland Sept. 07 -- Cave City Sept. 10 -- Harrison Tournament Sept. 12 -- at Cedar Ridge Sept. 14 -- Harrisburg Sept. 15-16 -- Valley View Jr. Tournament...

The Piggott Mohawk football teams have putting their skills to the test on the practice fields and are now ready to face their first opponent of the season. At 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, the Piggott Senior Mohawks will face the Cave City Cavemen in a preseason, non-conference scrimmage at Parker Field...

Clarence "Wimpy" Coye Thomas, 83, of Piggott died Thursday, Aug. 17, 2006, at the Veterans' Hospital in Poplar Bluff. He was born July 20, 1923, and was the son of the late Millard and Laura (Lands) Thomas. He was united in marriage to Opal F. Easterwood on Nov. 29, 1947. They had three children...

Clara Bell Grissom Baker, 90, of Piggott, passed away Aug. 17, 2006, in the Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott. She was born Oct. 1, 1915, in Pollard, and was the daughter of the late Pearl and Eva Dovey (Simmons) Grissom. She was united in marriage to Henry Dallas Baker on Sept. 23, 1939. He preceded her in death in 1979...

Uprooting a street sign may seem like harmless fun to some people, but in actuality it's a criminal act that places others in harm's way. Acknowledging this fact, the Piggott City Council voted unanimously Monday night to fine anyone who tampers with a local traffic control device. The fine in question would be between $200 and $600 based on the severity of the crime...

With the deadline passed for filings for the Nov. 7 general election, the candidates for muncipal positions are now firmly set in place. In Piggott, Mayor Gerald Morris is unopposed. Also unopposed are aldermen Lester J. Edwards, north ward, position one; Carl Birmingham, north ward, position two; Jim Poole, south ward, position one; and Tommy Risinger, south ward position two. Ramona Magee is unopposed for city clerk. John Lingle is unopposed for city attorney...

In an effort to facilitate economic growth, local officials are discussing the possibility of forming an economic development coalition with neighboring counties. Talks concerning the proposed umbrella group began approximately eight months ago but have intensified over the last three months, Piggott Mayor Gerald Morris said. Interested counties include Clay, Randolph, Lawrence and Greene...

Old wounds were reopened as financial matters once again dominated the discussions at the Clay County Quorum Court meeting in Corning Monday night. Early in the meeting. Justice Rex Smart made a motion to restore pay to the justices for a retroactive period dating back to June...