Stories from Thursday, August 2, 2007

If you've passed Independence Park in Piggott in the past week, you may have been surprised to see a large tractor and dirt-buggy making laps around an infield. Or, you may have seen a dump truck carrying loads of topsoil onto the ball diamonds. It's all an effort by the Piggott Parks and Recreation Department to improve drainage at the facility...

When Mick Thompson left Oregon on his horse Hawkeye, he did so to prove he was a real cowboy and to prove he could do it the old way. Now, four years later, he's got something different in mind. Born in Oregon, Thompson had been living in Wyoming, the life of a modern cowboy. ...

This week marks the start of football practice for the coming season, as two-a-days were slated to begin on Wednesday morning. So we continue our preview of the coming year. At first glance the Piggott Mohawks' football schedule for 2007 appears to favor the Tribe, with the majority of the toughest opponents forced to visit the friendly confines of Parker Field. ...

If you noticed a lot of young men, and their families, scrambling around the Piggott area late last week, it was probably the members of the Tri-County Junior baseball team. In the week since the team, which includes seven Piggott-area athletes, won their state tournament, they have worked to raise the money to attend the National- Southwest Regionals in Colorado. ...

As you read this column, at least one of the Mohawk's two-a-day practices has been completed, the first of dozens. The Tribe, coming off a 6-4 season, return a boat-load of talent for second-year coach David Hendrix, but are once again picked to finish fifth in the talented 3A-3 conference...

Times Sports Staff Following a second-place-finish in the state tournament last week, the Tri-County Senior All-Stars will be taking part in regional play this coming weekend at Blytheville. The team, which features players from Piggott, Rector, Marmaduke and Corning, will take part in pool play against teams from Louisiana, Colorado, Mississippi and New Mexico. The winner of the Southwest Regional Tournament will then advance to the Senior Little League World Series...

The Arkansas Heat, a Paragould-based fast pitch softball team, recently won the USSSA Nine and Under World Series in Muskogee, Okla., and the Class C "Ten and Under" State Championship in Jacksonville. The girls went undefeated in both tournaments, winning their last 12 ball games of the season...

Joseph N. Somers, 64, of Ozark, Mo., died Sunday, July 22, 2007, in Alaska, doing what he loved best. Joe was a renowned hunter and fisherman, who loved and respected nature and the outdoors. An entrepreneur from his early 20s, he developed corporations and companies while staying true to his love of lumber, and maintaining the highest industry standards...

Wilma Dean Shelby, 76, died on Thursday, June 21, 2007, at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. Shelby was a long time resident of Ferndale, Mich., residing recently in Madison Heights, Mich. She was born in Piggott, to Ted and Alma Johnson on February 27, 1931...

Lee Ora Raspberry, 87, of Blytheville, died Saturday, July 21, 2007 at her home. She was born to Newt and Lillie Thetford McLeod on Feb. 13, 1920 in Blytheville. She graduated from Blytheville High School in 1938, attended UCA in Conway, and graduated with a degree in dietary supervision in 1980 at the age of 60. She was employed by the Blytheville public school system for 24-years, and retired as lunchroom manager at Fairview Elementary...

William Harold Poe, 72, of Greenway, died Wednesday, July 25, 2007, at the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born July 7, 1935, in Leachville, Ark., and was the son of the late Mannie and Maudie Youngblood Poe. He was married to Juanita Roberts on July 2, 1965, and they had one son...

Terry Dewayne Karnes, 55, of Corning died Friday, July 27, 2007, at Piggott Community Hospital. He was born Aug. 11, 1951 in Piggott, the son of Denzil Roy and Ethel (Nixon) Karnes-Guthry, who preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife Penny (Cullins); three sons: Tommy Ray Karnes and Amanda and Scott Allen Karnes all of St Louis, and Terry Dewayne "T.J." Karnes Jr. ...

1967 Debbie Pollard was crowned Little Miss St. Francis 1967; first alternate was Susan Winchester and second alternate was Tracy Wheeler. Treasurer Junior Ray Luff reported that the picnic grossed over $3,100 and netted just over $2,150. Meanwhile, the annual Greenway picnic was set for Aug. 7...

I'm going to have to stop leaving the windows of my truck open…and I'll tell you why, but not before I ramble on a bit. As you've heard me say in this space before, I came to Piggott so many times before actually moving here, that I'd come to think of it as my home away from home. Mom and Dad, both being from here, talked about things, places, people, events so often that I knew many of the stories better than they did, especially after the dozenth or so telling...

Clay County Farm Bureau members attended the 59th annual Arkansas Farm Bureau Officers and Leaders Conference July 16-17 in Hot Springs. County president Keith Woolverton and wife Sabrina of Pollard and Debbie and Terry Pollard of Piggott represented Clay County. The theme for this year's conference was "Farm Bureau … Counting on You."...

Worthington explains how the diamonds were formed in the diamond mines of Murfreesboro, Ark., how they got to the surface of the earth, the history of when the diamonds were first discovered in Arkansas on up to the present day Crater of Diamonds State Park. Matilda & Karl Pfeiffer Museum & Study Center has copies of the book available for purchase in the museum store...

The 77th annual Greenway Picnic and Homecoming is this Saturday, August 4. The event is used to raise money for the upkeep and maintenance of the Mitchell Cemetery in Greenway. The day will kick off bright and early with the opening at 9 a.m. At 9:30, the first of the day's beauty contests and pageants begins with the Baby Contest for children birth through 12 months. Registration for this contest begins promptly at 9...

Two new kindergarten teachers will be joining the staff of Rector Elementary for the upcoming school year, as faculty and students alike prepare for the Aug. 20 return date. Lynette Trail and Mandy Isom currently are working at the campus to prepare their classrooms for their first group of students...

An area employer is bringing approximately 300 jobs to Northeast Arkansas. American Railcar Industries (ARI) has added to its strong dedication to the area, investing $51 million in planned expansions in both Marmaduke and Paragould. The company also is building a new facility in Marmaduke to go along with the established plant already in production...

Rector will host the prestigious United States Air Force Reserve Concert Band for a special performance at the 2007 Labor Day Picnic. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 3, at Memorial Park. "The concert by the Air Force Reserve Band promises to be one of the most exciting events we have had at the Labor Day Picnic in many years," said mayor Ron Kemp, who has been in contact with band officials over recent weeks concerning the concert...

The 2007 Rector Labor Day Picnic already is drawing near, and registration has opened for the picnic's many popular beauty pageants. Girls ages 5 through 8 may register with Tiffany Kirklin, (870) 522-3957, for the Petite Miss Rector pageant, to be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 2, on stage at Rector Memorial Park. Entry fee is $20...

Chloe Grace Slaven, infant daughter of Ken and Michelle Slaven, died Wednesday, June 20, 2007, in Knoxville, Tenn. She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Fred C. Warwick. Survivors include her parents, Ken and Michelle Slaven of Knoxville; brothers, Zachary and Jeremiah; sister, Whitney, all of Knoxville; grandparents, J.G. ...

Virginia Faye Dowdy Jones, 72, of Rector, died Wednesday, July, 25, 2007. Born Sept. 1, 1934, in Indiana to the late Woodrow Wilson and Thelia Ozbun Newton, she was a homemaker and a member of the Church of Christ. Also preceding her in death were her first husband, T.J. Dowdy; her second husband, Clifton Jones, and two brothers, Jim and Robert Newton...

William Harold Poe, 72, of Greenway died Wednesday, July 25, 2007, at Piggott Community Hospital. He was born July 7, 1935, in Leachville to the late Mannie and Maudie Youngblood Poe and was married July 2, 1965, to Juanita Roberts. They had one son...

Times Sports Staff Following a second-place-finish in their state tournament last week, the Tri-County Senior All-Stars will be taking part in regional play this coming weekend at Blytheville. The team, which features players from Piggott, Rector, Marmaduke and Corning, will take part in pool play against teams from Louisiana, Colorado, Mississippi and New Mexico. The winner of the Southwest Regional Rournament will then advance to the Senior Little League World Series...

If you noticed a lot of young men, and their families, scrambling around the area late last week it was probably just the members of the Tri-County Junior baseball team. In the week since the team, which includes Mason Knight of Rector, won their state tournament they have worked to raise the money to attend the National- Southwest Regionals in Colorado. ...

The Cougar football team is currently gearing up for the 2007 season. New head coach Elliott Jacobs and assistant coaches Nate Henderson and Matt Mills are putting their squad through the paces for the upcoming season. Numbers have been a problem for the Cougars in the past and look to remain an issue for, at least, the next season...