Clay County Times-Democrat: Stories from Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Hoots retires following long career of caring for others (07/08/09)
Jo-Ann Hoots recently retired following a long career of caring for the residents of Northeast Arkansas. Hoots, a native and resident of the Rector area, began her career as a nurse in 1979 and back in June ended the 30-year commitment as she retired as weekend supervisor at Murphy Health and Rehabilitation in Piggott...

A walk on the wild side (07/08/09)
Buying a home for retirement in a quiet corner of the state of Arkansas brings a multitude of surprises. With its one and only Main Street, the town comes with a quaint and somewhat bustling downtown, now listed on the National Historic Register. ...

Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum hosts creative writing retreat (07/08/09)
"From the veranda of the Pfeiffer house, where Patrick and Gregory played, Pauline glanced around the tree-covered lawn." So begins the June 2009 Hemingway-Pfeiffer Creative Writing Retreat anthology, Outside the Lines, penned June 8-12 at the Hemingway Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center in Piggott...

Large crowd enjoys annual Piggott picnic (07/08/09)
Good weather and big crowds were the order of the day for the 82nd annual Piggott Fourth of July Picnic and Homecoming. The event, which is held each year to benefit the Piggott Cemetery Association, benefited from mild weather and the fact that the holiday fell on a Saturday this year. ...

New courthouse flagpole dedicated to Clay County veterans (07/08/09)
A formal dedication ceremony was held Wednesday, July 1, of the new flagpole in front of the Clay County Courthouse in Piggott. The new 41-foot pole was purchased with donations gathered by local veterans, and later this week lighting will be added at the base allowing the flag to be flown 24-hours-a-day...

218th Ambulance Co. holds reunion (07/08/09)
With the Korean War escalating across the Pacific, the call for troops went out in 1950 and the National Guard's 218th Ambulance Company of Piggott responded. By early 1951 over 100 men from around Clay County were set to ship out, with their first destination Fort Sam Houston in Texas. ...

Hoots retires following long career of caring for others (07/08/09)
Jo-Ann Hoots recently retired following a long career of caring for the residents of Northeast Arkansas. Hoots, a native and resident of the Rector area, began her career as a nurse in 1979 and back in June ended the 30-year commitment as she retired as weekend supervisor at Murphy Health and Rehabilitation in Piggott...

It's only a crisis if you are affected (07/08/09)
It continues to amaze us that so many observers of the health care coverage debate in our nation don't seem to see a problem with the current system. In fact, one columnist said something to the effect that President Obama and certain members of Congress are trying to force changes on an American public that supposedly is more than content with the way things are...

That Good Old Summertime (07/08/09)
This past Independence Day brought this ageing observer back a few years into a misty and pleasant past in America. The emotional trip started when a nice lady offered to have me help her pick fresh blackberries from a vine in my back yard. Remembering similar excursions with my late mother started my reminiscences...

It happened, years ago (07/08/09)
1969 The 41st annual Piggott Fourth of July picnic was a record-setter, with a crowd estimated at 20-25 thousand people despite temperatures near 100 all day. Rhonda Wiley was crowned Miss Piggott, and her alternates were Cheryl Haywood and Donna Jo Cluck. ...

Joann Weber (07/08/09)
Funeral services for 61-year-old Joann Weber of Rector, who passed away on Friday, July 3, at her residence after a long illness with cancer, were Monday, July 6, at 2 p.m. in the Rector General Baptist Church with Brother Marston Carpenter officiating. Interment was in Woodland Heights Cemetery with Irby Funeral Home in charge of arrangements...

Robert Earl "Bob" Simmons (07/08/09)
Funeral services for 60-year-old Robert Earl "Bob" Simmons of Rector, who passed away on July 3 at his residence, were Monday, July 6, at 10 a.m. in the Irby Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Marston Carpenter officiating...

Gerald Wayne McDonald (07/08/09)
Cmdr. Gerald W. McDonald, PhD., retired, 76, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 13, 2009. Gerry fought a brave, hard battle against Alzheimer's dementia, which was especially frustrating for him as he was an exceptionally brilliant man...

Lyndell Brown (07/08/09)
Lyndell "Linda" Fay (Lack) Brown, 72, of Canon, Ga., died Wednesday, June 10, 2009, at her home. She was born March 25, 1937, in Clay County and was the second of six children born to the late Cecil Lack and Almareda (Haywood) Lack...

Morris responds to recent editorial (07/08/09)
Dear Mr. Kemp: In your editorial last week you seemed to imply that most of us are products of our environment. I too believe this to be true. Most of us are born into whatever segment of society we are born into and most us will stay there. ...

Tate appreciates Camp Fit-n-Fun effort (07/08/09)
Dear Editor: I would like to thank Debbie Baker and Barb Collier for all their hard work to make Camp Fit-n-Fun another success. My children enjoyed their time each day learning how to be fit and active. Some of their favorite activities were making the boats out of noodles and cardboard, swimming and the healthy snacks. My personal favorite was the day they made wheat bread...

Morris responds to recent editorial (07/08/09)
Dear Mr. Kemp: In your editorial last week you seemed to imply that most of us are products of our environment. I too believe this to be true. Most of us are born into whatever segment of society we are born into and most us will stay there. ...