Stories from Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Ravaged trees wear their scarred and broken limbs as forlorn witnesses to the recent ice storm, while yet thrusting their proud trunks to the sky. On some of these injured, stalwarts are the first hints of blossoms and the rest of the springtime paraphernalia...

Rector took a big step forward Monday night in its efforts to remove and dispose of the large amount of debris and the large number of hanging limbs left behind by the late January ice storm...

The Marmaduke School District is moving forward with its goal of adding an emergency safe room to its campus. The school began preparations immediately after the April 2006 tornado rocked the small community. ...

Rector received a $328,590 grant for rehabilitation of the Rector Municipal Airport runway in a meeting of the Arkansas Aeronautics Commission held Thursday, March 19, at the IMAX Theater in Little Rock...

The Rector Commercial Historic District and the Rector Waterworks Building (which also formerly housed the city jail) will be considered Wednesday, April 1, by the State Review Board of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places...

To the Editor: The Northeast Arkansas Innovative Training Center (NEAITC) is slowly making progress. We encourage anyone who is looking for work to apply with the Workforce Center in Paragould and ask for Kim Holley. ...

To the Editor: Each day members of the Clay County Humane Society are receiving numerous calls to report stray animals in danger and to request help reporting abuse. We are being asked to pick up animals and to assist in legal issues. We regret that we cannot help with these situations at this time...

Nothing would please us more in the community health arena than to see a significant decline in smoking among young people. It is so tragic seeing our young people take up a habit that is so clearly harmful to their health and their future quality of life...

I heard a tap tap tapping. It seemed to be coming from my workshop. I listened, thinking I was imagining it, but no, there was a tapping. My imagination sprang into action. Perhaps it was a leprechaun and just maybe the leprechaun was making a shoe. Maybe he was hammering a nail into a shoe...

Georgia Ann Cobb, 61, of Paragould died Thursday, March 19, 2009, at Elvis Presley Trauma Center in Memphis. She was a former employee of Darling Store Fixtures and of the Baptist faith. She was preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Eula (Smith) Cobb; a son, Sammy K. Huffman; a brother, Sam Cobb, and a sister, Mary Lou Gibbs...

Jackie Ray Scott Sr., 58, of Rector died Friday, March 20, 2009, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. Born June 12, 1950, in Amory, Miss., he was a factory worker and was of the Pentecostal faith...

Gloyce Mae Dills, 87, of Rector died Saturday, March 21, 2009, at her home. She was born March 12, 1922, in Clay County to the late Luther and Virgie (Myrick) Gardner. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Lavern and James Ray Gardner...

Jess Bucy, beloved Blackcat basketball coach, baseball coach and former superintendent, was honored in a special ceremony during halftime of Friday night's alumni game. A plaque featuring Bucy's photo and list of accomplishments was placed in the Hall of Fame's hand-crafted trophy case, honoring the legendary coach, player and role model...