Stories from Wednesday, March 4, 2009

The PHS gym hosted the Area One Special Olympics basketball skills competition last week, with athletes from across the region taking part. The Piggott Mohawk team served as hosts for the event, with volunteers from PHS and the local Christian Motorcycle Club helping throughout the morning. Here the Piggott team is shown making their entrance to the gym...

We live in a different time. It wasn't complicated back then. We didn't lock our doors at night because we didn't think we had to. No one ever broke down the front door. Mom had a day for washing clothes which she hung out to dry, and a day for ironing. Both jobs took nearly all day. She used a wringer washer and a scrub board. Mom wore housedresses; dad wore khaki workclothes. We kids had school clothes and play clothes. When we got in from school, we straightaway donned our play clothes...

1969 A tragic single-vehicle crash in Jonesboro 40 years ago last week claimed the lives of three ASU students, two of which were Clay County natives and one a local man. Killed in the accident were Floyd Alan (Sonny) Rodery, 19, of Greenway and Danny Watson, 23, of Corning along with Larry Davidson, 21, of Marvell...

Sarah Hester, scoring her only points of the night, hit a trey to open the 2A North Regional Tournament at Newark for Rector Thursday night as the Lady Cougars met the Lady Timber Wolves of Cedar Ridge. The score seemed to set the tone of the game as the two teams ran neck and neck for three quarters before the Lady Wolves took over for good with 6:43 going in the final period to push out to a 56-46 victory...

Goldfinches and purple finches line a fence at a local home as heavy snowfall Saturday, Feb. 28, sent the tiny creatures in search of food and a place to huddle against the wind and large falling flakes. Most of the area received six to eight inches of snow, with some areas recording eight to 10 inches. (Democrat photo/Nancy Kemp)

The winter weather wasn't enough to stop Rector High School's sixth annual FFA Fish Dinner and Auction, held Saturday night at the Rector Community Center. An estimated 125 to 150 people attended the event, which has become one of the organization's biggest yearly activities...

There are few professions which have an impact on the lives of so many people as that of a nurse. Traditionally, nurses hold the position of being the first line in helping others overcome their medical challenges. People trust nurses with their very lives and those of their family...

Severe weather has been making its presence known in northeast Arkansas over the past several months. From strong winds and heavy rains brought by the remnants of tropical depression Ike in September to the disastrous ice storm at the end of January and the six to eight inches of snow which fell on the area in a matter of hours this past weekend, this region has known full well the fury of Mother Nature...

Rector city officials and concerned citizens held a special meeting Thursday, Feb. 26, to discuss ways the entire community can work together to improve the city's level of preparedness in an emergency situation much like the recent ice storm. Mayor Ron Kemp, police chief Glenn Leach, recorder/treasurer Lowell McKenney and city council members David Freeman, Teresa Roofe and Cam Cate were joined by community members Nate Henderson, Kim Romine, Ken Roden, Ardell Polk, Betty Benson, Steven Sigsby, Judy Leach, Velda Bell and Joel Hayes.. ...

Mildred (Mills) Layer of Rector passed away February 26, 2009 at her residence. She was seventy-nine years old. Mildred was born to the late William and Ida (Kriegle) Mills in Clay County. She was a member of the Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church for fifty plus years...

Jerry Ryan Vangilder, 26, of Marmaduke died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009, at his home. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Mary Vangilder, and his great-grandparents. Survivors include his parents, Doyne and Charlotte (Watson) Vangilder of the home; a daughter, Kaylee Vangilder of Paragould; a brother and sister-in-law, Mitch and Amy Vangilder of Rector; a sister, Brittany McClung of Marmaduke and friend, Tony Parker; nephew and niece, Landon McClung and Mattie McClung; grandparents, James and Darla Watson of Rector, Jim Vangilder of Marmaduke and Ann Vangilder of Paragould; great-grandmother, Reba Clayton of Paragould; uncles and aunts, Cary and Jennifer Vangilder, Todd and Sandra Watson, Anthony and Cindy Buck, Mark and Jodie Watson and Donna Pinkerton; cousins,. ...

Tribe beat Ridgefield Christian and Pocahontas to start season.

The Piggott Lady Mohawk softball team will begin the 2009 season at home next Monday, March 9, as they play host to the Lady Bulldogs of Tuckerman. The following day the Tribe will host Corning for a doubleheader, and on Thursday, March 12, the Lady Lions of Manila will visit Independence Park...

Edith Wright Graddy, 94, died Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009, at the General Baptist Nursing Home in Campbell, where she had been a resident for a number of years. She was born March 3, 1914, near Piggott and was the fifth child in a family of 14 children of Valley and Rhoda Wright. She was married to Troy Graddy on Nov. 11, 1933, and for over 61 years they enjoyed life and worked together in the home, the fields, the community and the church...

The State's request for the addition of Individual Assistance (IA) from FEMA in light of the late-January ice storm has been denied, according to Clay County OEM coordinator Travis Boyd. "I received a copy of the letter to Governor Beebe late Friday afternoon," he noted...

The Piggott City Council met in special session Friday afternoon to hear an update on the aftermath of the late-January ice storm and to approve two measures related to the weather emergency. Council members also reviewed the mounting costs of the clean-up and were informed that NRCS will be handling the effort along Sugar Creek...