Stories from Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Allison Gurley, an eighth grader at Piggott High School, was crowned as Clay County's top speller last Wednesday and will advance to the State Spelling Bee. Gurley, the daughter of Kevin and Tracy Gurley, out-spelled eight other competitors to capture the crown. She'll represent Clay County in the state spelling bee March 8 on the campus of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock...

When the pairings were announced in last week's 3A-3 district tournament at Corning the girl's bracket had one of the most intriguing match-ups. The first-round contest between the sixth-seeded Manila Lady Lions and the seventh-seeded Piggott Lady Mohawks Tuesday afternoon not only featured a coach taking on the team he had left at the end of last year, but also marked the showdown of two high school buddies...

Margaret Whitehorn, 80, of Piggott, died Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008, at her home. She was born March 24, 1927, in Piggott and was the daughter of the late Frank and Millie Warren Causey. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert Whitehorn; two sons, Buiell and Garry Whitehorn; a half-sister, Jan Rose Holcomb, and her step-father, Clifford Smith...

Lester Reynolds, 82, of Corning died Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was a farmer, operated a service station and was a member of the Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Corning. He was born May 26, 1925, in Faulkner County, the son of the late Roy and Zera (French) Reynolds...

Juanita Bell Gibson, 81, of St. Francis died Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008, at the General Baptist Nursing Home in Campbell. She was born Oct. 7, 1926, in Mounds City, Ill., the daughter of the late Scott and Carrie Trammell Craft. She was united in marriage to Dennis F. "Slim" Gibson on Dec. 4, 1943.He preceded her in death in 1998...

Verna Elda Dora Ellis, 87, of Hazelwood, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff and Qulin, died Feb. 11, 2008, at DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, Mo. Mrs. Ellis was born Dec. 5, 1920, at Bethlehem, Mo., and was the daughter of the late August and Maggie Jaeger...

Wanda Brent, 84, of Pollard died Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008, at the General Baptist Nursing Home in Campbell. She was born March 30, 1923, in Pollard, and was the daughter of the late Thomas Clay and Nancy Adeline Baker Permenter. She was united in marriage to Robert Eugene "Bob" Brent on March 9, 1945. The couple had one daughter...

Grover Baker, 74, of Pollard, died Monday, Feb. 11, 2008, at the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born Dec. 3, 1933, in Pollard, and was the son of the late Grover Cleveland and Lula Watson Baker. He was united in marriage to Winona Hale on Oct. 14, 1953...

On a recent Sunday morning I heard a sermon on change. That's a word we are hearing on a daily basis during the presidential campaign. All the candidates are promising change (for the better) as they seek the presidential nomination. We've heard the word a hundred times in recent political days...

1968 It was reported 40 years ago this week that prominent local citizen Ella Gertrude Mowery had died suddenly at Piggott Hospital. Mowery was secretary and director of Piggott Federal Savings and Loan. In light of the request for a millage increase, school officials have offered-up a comparison between Piggott and Corning. ...

The annual tradition of "Sadie Hawkins" day at Piggott High School took on a new meaning, and purpose, this year as the money raised was earmarked to help with the medical bills of Erica Rickman. Rickman, a 2007 graduate of PHS, has been treated for a brain tumor since late last fall and is currently undergoing therapy at St. Jude's in Memphis. The Sadie Hawkins day organizers said this year's event raised $2,500 toward her medical bills...

When the high school baseball season gets underway for the Piggott Mohawks Feb. 28 it will mark the beginning of a new era for the program. This year will mark the first season for new head coach Shawn Hearn, who takes over after serving as assistant to long-time coach Brock Swann. It also marks the first time in nearly two decades that the Tribe will take to the diamond without Swann, who is now the assistant principal at PHS...