Stories from Thursday, April 16, 2009

The Piggott Mohawks are hosting the 3A-3 district baseball tournament this week at Independence Park, and will be in action Thursday evening in the first round. This marks the first time in eight years that the Tribe has hosted the district tourney, and local baseball fans are encouraged to come out and enjoy the action...

The Piggott Mohawks lost a couple of close conference games last week, as they closed out the regular season and prepared for this week's district tournament. The Tribe is scheduled to take on the Brookland Bearcats at 6:30 Thursday evening in their first round game. ...

1969 A local man and his son escaped serious injury when their pickup was struck by a Cotton Belt freight train 40 years ago last Friday at the Terminal Road crossing in Piggott. Vernon Dixon, 39, and his son John, 6, were okay despite the fact the train knocked their truck over 80 feet. ...

I like sayings, especially old timey ones. When we say, "I wash my hands of the whole affair," we declare that we will have nothing to do with a certain matter. It alludes to the time when Pontias Pilate was forced to make a decision about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. ...

Patsy Yvonne Garner was born April 3, 1942 in Pollard, the daughter of the late Roy Elmer and Beedie Savannah (Carter) Blocker. She left this life on April 4, 2009 at the General Baptist Nursing Home, where she had been a resident since Jan. of 2007...

Members of the Piggott RodRun and SuperCruise group recently recognized Clay County Judge Gary Howell for his work following this year's ice storm. Sherry Schulte (left) and Yvonne Settlemoir presented Howell with a photo compilation of pictures from the ice storm that was put together by Tony Pace. The group plans to recognize a number of local leaders for their work during recovery from the storm. (Times photo/Tim Blair)...

Final planning is underway for the 11th annual Piggott Heritage Park Car Show, which is coming up next month. The car show, which draws hundreds of entries from across the Southeastern United States, will be held May 16 and is presented by the Piggott Area Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Clay County Relay For Life teams...

Members of the Aerial Bouquet Relay For Life team continued their tradition of selling carnations on Good Friday last week, as they worked a roadblock at the four-way-stop in Piggott. Here team members Gloria Crittenden (right) and Kim Coyle are shown selling a carnation to Marlin Wright. (Times photo/Tim Blair)...

Members of the Piggott School board handled a variety of matters in a meeting Monday night, including approval of the school audit for 2007-08, the rehiring of non-certified staff members at both campuses and approval of the school calendar for the coming year...

The 2009 Clay County Relay For Life will officially kick off at 6 p.m. Monday, April 20, with the annual Survivors Dinner at the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Piggott. The dinner also will include the introduction of this year's honored survivors, Nancy and Tommy Hardcastle of Piggott...

Cleo Ingram, 93, of Rector died on April 9, 2009, at Evergreen Health Care of Rector. She was born on November 20, 1915, at Rector, Arkansas to Charles and Emma Barker. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, James K. Ingram; son, Bob Ingram; daughter, EuJana Ingram; four brothers, Everett, Frank, Roscoe and Eddo Barker, and a sister, Ethel Parker...

Raymond David Wyatt, 81, of Marmaduke, died Sunday, April 12, 2009, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center. He was a retired iron worker and was born November 6, 1927, in Greene County. Mr. Wyatt is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, David and Bonnie Wyatt of Mishawaka, Indiana, and Tim and Ana Wyatt of Farmer's Branch, Texas; two daughters and a son-in-law, Brenda and Dave Smith of Mishawaka and Laura Steggert of Buford, Georgia. ...

I like sayings, especially old timey ones. When we say, "I wash my hands of the whole affair," we declare that we will have nothing to do with a certain matter. It alludes to the time when Pontias Pilate was forced to make a decision about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. ...

"No man ever made a bigger mistake than he who could do only a little and did nothing." Edmund Burke. One of the greatest persons of the 20th Century is largely unknown in this country...

The Cougars broke out the big sticks in the third inning to claim a 16-1 win over host Riverside Thursday at Caraway. Logan Buck led the game-breaking charge, sending a three-run shot into the Land of No Return during the crucial inning to spark a 12-run third inning. ...

The Lady Cougars posted a pair of important conference wins last week. On Thursday, the girls in blue rocked, socked and clocked host Riverside 15-0 in a shortened contest at Caraway...

It has been truly said the only certainties in this life are death and taxes. The big red date seems to project itself form the plane calendar surface and others have seen it as an on-off switch reminding us that we must file and pay up or run into a peck of problems...

The Rector City Council voted unanimously at a special meeting Monday night to award a bid to Delta Asphalt of Paragould for resurfacing the municipal airport. Delta bid $333,800 on the project. The only other bidder, Drummond Asphalt of Wynne, submitted a total of $390,785...

Students and faculty at the Rector School District can finally make note of the final day of the school year, as the school board approved an adjusted calendar for the district during Monday night's regular meeting. Classes for the 2008-09 school year will officially end on May 28. The announcement, however, did not come without a price...

As a student at Clay County Central High School in Rector, Brandon Lawrence was active both at school and in the community. Lawrence, a 1996 CCC grad, was an Honor Student, a member of numerous clubs and organizations, as well as a three sport star for the Cougars, standing out in football, basketball and baseball...

The hard work which has gone into making the Northeast Arkansas Innovative Training Center (NEAITC) a reality is rapidly coming to fruition, as the Rector site prepares to begin offering classes during the first week of May...

Rector High School art students have gathered their finest work for a special art show this week sponsored by the Rector High School Helping Hands Foundation. The event will take place all day Friday, April 17, at the Crockett building on South Main Street and is open to the public...