Stories from Thursday, January 7, 2010

ASU band highlights parade (01/07/10)
This is the second part of the Democrat's year in review recap of the stories from 2009. April The Clay County Democrat releases a special magazine-style publication reflecting on the community's response to the late January ice storm...Abie Petty receives the Arkansas Activities Association Interscholastic Star award for her involvement in both the Rector school and community...The Rector High School Helping Hands Foundation sponsors an art show for RHS art students, resulting in $436 raised for the organization by the sale of students' works...Gifted and Talented students Kristie Hardin, Abie Petty, Chelsea Benson and Amanda Layer represent Rector in the Arkansas Finance Challenge competition, earning third place at the state level...The Rector School District announces classes will end May 28 following several days of closure due to the weather...Hillary Calhoun signs to play basketball with Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Ill...Rector native Mike Randleman serves as the Distinguished Alumni speaker for the ASU College of Fine Arts Honors Luncheon...Sarah Hester receives the first Moses Knight Scholarship awarded through the Helping Hands Foundation...Bethany Sisneros and Joabou Mitchell receive $5,000 scholarships from the Helping Hands Foundation...Plans for a proposed veterans memorial in Rector move forward following the organization of a committee to oversee the project and several generous donations...Blake McCarroll, Justin Duke and Hillary Calhoun represent Rector in the annual Sun Senior Classic at Jonesboro...Softball players Amanda Bradford, Hillary Calhoun, Stephanie DeMent and Bethany Sisneros are named to the All-Conference team, with Bradford and Calhoun also garnering All-State honors...Baseball players James Bradshaw, Justin Duke, Logan Buck and Dalton Shaw are selected to the All-Conference team...A crowd of 150 people gather for the fourth annual FFA Lawnmower Races at Boydsville...Delta Asphalt of Paragould resurfaces the Rector Municipal Airport runway...Clay County raises over $35,000 for cancer research as part of the annual Relay For Life event, with the Rector team, WRECK, raising $4,846...Logan Buck signs to play baseball with Crowley's Ridge College...Bethany Sisneros and Matt Williams are announced as queen and king, respectively, during the 2009 RHS Prom...The annual Rector Area Chamber of Commerce banquet honors the local members of the community who offered their help during the ice storm.. ...

Best Friends (01/07/10)
Rector Preschool buddies Caleb Manning (left) and Trey Green sit close to stay warm on a recent cold day on the preschool playground. The two four-year-olds, bundled up against chilly winds, chose to watch and talk as several others played on the slide and jungle gym, seemingly oblivious to the cold. ...

Haywood retires from PCH (01/07/10)
For longer than she likes to remember, Debby Haywood has been a part of the Piggott Community Hospital family. In fact, she even pre-dates that name as she is one of the few remaining staff members to work at the current hospital and at the old Piggott Hospital which now houses the Piggott Family Medical Clinic...

Artic Blasthits NEARK (01/07/10)
Frigid air blew into the region this week, as indicated by this photo of the Piggott State Bank sign taken Tuesday morning. Single digit temperatures also are forecast for later in the week, along with a chance of snow. (Times photo/Tim Blair)...

Cameras installed at PHS (01/07/10)
Personnel with ArComm Inc. began the process of installing security cameras at the Piggott High School campus during the holiday vacation. This photo was taken Tuesday morning as the crew was busy installing the units in the new gym at the PHS campus. ...

Lady Cougars drop game at Marmaduke (01/07/10)
Democrat Sports Staff The Rector Lady Cougars started the New Year with a visit to Marmaduke Monday night, and despite taking an eight point lead into the fourth quarter, dropped a four point loss to the Lady Hounds...

Four Mohawk football players selected for post season honors (01/07/10)
Four members of the Piggott Mohawk football team were singled-out for post season honors following the regular season. The four, of which all but one will be returning next year, were all named to the All-Conference football squad for 3A-3. One also received an honorable mention for All-State...