Stories from Thursday, July 17, 2008

Going way back, we always have been fascinated by the World Almanac. To some that may seem strange, but it always been deemed here as interesting reading. We suppose it has to do with the clarity of facts -- there they are so starkly in black and white -- quite impressive at times in an ambivalent world...

It may well be the case that the long-lamented Iraq War will wind down far sooner than its instigators reckoned. We have been informed violence has abated in Baghdad to the point ordinary people can be abroad in the city until late in the evenings now. ...

I got an email last week from my grandson in Florida. He wanted to know how to make homemade dumplings. Specifically, my homemade dumplings. Since he had never before tackled such an undertaking, he wanted a recipe with detailed instructions...

Agnes Bell, 94, of Rector, died Wednesday, July 9, 2008, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born Oct. 19, 1913, in Rector to the late Tom and Nettie Dowdy. She was a factory worker and a member of the Fifth and Pine Church of Christ...

Frances "Frankie" Evelyn Carpenter, 90, of Marmaduke died Tuesday, July 8, 2008, at her home. She was born Dec. 9, 1917, to the late Dee and Fannie Polsgrove in St. Francis. She also was preceded in death by her husband, W.W. "Adam" Carpenter; one brother, Alan Polsgrove, and three sisters, Joyce Trentham, Crystalline Jordon and Yvonee Kingston...

Ruth Girtman, 80, of Greenway died Monday, July 7, 2008, at the Murphy Health and Rehabilitation Center in Piggott. She was born March 30, 1928, at Greenway, the daughter of the late Edd and Hettie (Haywood) Simpson. She was a member of the General Baptist Church at Greenway, and worked for many years at Brown Shoe Company in Piggot...

The search for the new Cougar football coach officially concluded Monday night, as the Rector school board approved the hiring of Bob Alberson to the vacated position. Alberson, 32, is a 1994 graduate of Marion High School and 2006 graduate of Arkansas State University...

Abigail Dutka, six-year-old daughter of Adam and Bridgett Dutka of St. Francis, authored and illustrated the book, "Sparkles is Lonely." Abigail recently presented a copy of her book to Rector librarian Deana Mills at the Rector Public Library. The book also is in the Piggott and Corning libraries and soon will be in Delta State University Library in Mississippi...

An early morning storm Sunday, July 13, resulted in a loss of power for Rector residents and businesses. A lightning strike at about 3:30 a.m. hit a utility pole located in front of the laundromat on Highway 49, blowing a transformer and knocking down a power line...

A personnel issue was one of the main topics discussed by the Marmaduke City Council in a meeting Monday night, July 14. The concern surrounds the newest member of the city's police department, Matt McClung...

Staff Sgt. Terry Burdin of Rector (right), an Arkansas National Guardsman stationed at Camp Taji north of Baghdad in Iraq, recently had the opportunity to meet Gen. David Petraeus, Commanding General of the Multi-National Force in Iraq. ...

The Rector First United Methodist Church recently welcomed a new pastor. New pastor Velda Bell joined the local church three weeks ago. A native of Charlotte, N.C., Bell said she first felt called to ministry during her teenage years...

Richie McDonald found fame as the lead singer for the award-winning country group Lonestar, but in a new solo career launched last year, he now is singing to share his love for Jesus Christ and to make a difference in the lives of those who come to hear him sing...

The Piggott Mohawk junior league baseball team saw their season end this past weekend, as the squad came up just short of advancing in postseason play. The squad, which was coached by Billy Joe Seal and Tim Gunn, finished with an overall record of 21-9, were conference champs and finished as the runner-up in the NEA area tournament...

Ruth Girtman, 80, of Greenway died Monday, July 7, 2008, at the Murphy Health and Rehabilitation Center in Piggott. She was born March 30, 1928, at Greenway, the daughter of the late Edd and Hettie (Haywood) Simpson. She was a member of the General Baptist Church at Greenway, and worked for many years at Brown Shoe Company in Piggot...

Frieda Young Schlueter, 69, of Corning died Tuesday, July 18, 2008, at Paragould. She was born in Corning, Nov. 17, 1938, the daughter of Frederick H. and Pansy (Purvis) Poynor. A homemaker, her hobbies were reading and watching television...

Frank E. Woolf Jr., 78, of Lincoln Park, Mich., formerly of Piggott, died Monday, July 14, 2008 in Michigan. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Joe Charles Woolf, and a sister, Virginia Searles. ...

1968 The region was preparing for the primary election July 30, this week in 1968. There were several local contested races and six candidates will compete to see who faces Win Rockefeller for governor. ...

I got an email last week from my grandson in Florida. He wanted to know how to make homemade dumplings. Specifically, my homemade dumplings. Since he had never before tackled such an undertaking, he wanted a recipe with detailed instructions...

The annual St. Francis picnic, to benefit the Hall and Gravel Hill cemeteries, will be held Saturday, July 19, in that community. The annual event is scheduled to kick off at 9:45 a.m. with the welcome address by Randy Dalton, youth pastor of the First General Baptist Church in Rector...

The 76th edition of the annual Pollard Picnic was held Saturday in that community and a good crowd gathered in support of the continued upkeep of the New Hope Cemetery and the picnic grounds...

Despite a stray afternoon shower, the city of Piggott put its best foot forward last Tuesday afternoon as the KAIT Good Neighbor Tour visited the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center...

Members of the Piggott Economic Development Commission met in regular session Monday afternoon, and got some good news concerning an on-going construction project in the city. The EDC heard from Jack Cole, with General Baptist Nursing Homes, and learned that HUD has approved funding for the project...