Stories from Wednesday, August 18, 2010

After more than 13 months of preparation, in which thousands of pages of paperwork have been filed, jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday, Aug. 30, in what has become a massive civil suit in Clay County Circuit Court. The civil action involves dozens of Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri farmers and stems from damage sustained to the 2006 cotton crop by the "off-drift" of herbicide products containing the chemical dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, or 2, 4-D...

Mike and Theresa Book of Piggott were honored earlier this year for their work with Special Olympics, as they were chosen as the parents of the year for the state of Arkansas. The couple received the recognition at the state Special Olympics games in Searcy in June...

Clay County Clerk Pat Poole reports that one local race will be contested in November, as the deadline for candidates to file for the municipal election draws near. The deadline for candidates to file for the Nov. 2, election is noon, Tuesday, Aug. 24. ...

Austin Hartsfield, a 2010 graduate of Piggott High School, has been chosen to receive the annual $500 scholarship awarded by Eastern Star Lodge #207, F&AM, at St. Francis. Austin, the son of Freddie and Lucille Hartsfield, plans to attend the University of Central Arkansas at Conway and major in pre-medicine. On hand to make the scholarship presentation last week was Dr. Greg Mallard, Worshipful Master of the lodge.(Times photo/Tim Blair)...

Two heads are better than one..PHS band director Brian Pearson (on the ground) and assistant director Nathan Evans (on the platform) instruct members of the Marching Mohawk band during practice last week as Drum Major Jessica Davis looks on. Band and colorguard members have been braving the hot August weather to prepare for the upcoming competitive marching season. (Times photo/Tim Blair)...

Last Friday did you observe paraskevidekatriaphobia day? It's also called Friggatriskaidekaphobia. That's another name for irrational fear of Friday the thirteenth. That infamous day occurs once, at most three times a year. However, last year was an exception. There were nine Friday the 13ths in 2009.. Most unusual occurrence due to the way time is marked on the calendar...

1970 Construction is underway on the new H.W. Gossard plant on the east edge of Piggott, with the work being done by contractor Earl Kirk of Paragould. Also in the news, Ida Mills, 75, of Rector was killed in a crash in that city in the past week when the car driven by her husband, William, pulled into the path of a car driven by a Lafe man. The mishap occurred at the intersection of Fifth and Woodland Heights...

Ninnie Jewell Irby, 105, of Sallisaw, Okla., formerly of Piggott, passed away on Aug. 14, 2010. She was born Feb. 4, 1905, in Rector, Ark., to the late James D. and Ricky Bateman. She was united in marriage to Ralph Irby on June 27, 1929. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Sallisaw and a former member of the First Baptist Church in Piggott, Ark...

The Piggott Lady Mohawk volleyball team will begin the 2010 campaign on the road Thursday evening, as they travel to Westside for a jamboree involving some of the top teams in NEARK. Their first game will be at 5:30 p.m. as they take on Paragould, at 6:30 they'll meet the host Lady Warriors and at 7 p.m. they'll play Jonesboro...

The Piggott Mohawk and Lady Mohawk golf teams got their season underway Monday, Aug. 16 as both squads beat the Corning Bobcats at Sugar Creek Country Club. This year's teams, under the leadership of Coach Nikki Speer, return a good deal of young talent after posting district and regional championship in the past two years...

Members of the junior Mohawks work on hitting drills in practice Monday afternoon at Parker Field as former Mohawk standout Daniel Baldwin looks on. The junior team will visit Westside Sept. 9 and will play their home and conference opener Thursday, Sept. 16 as they host the Hoxie Mustangs. The complete season preview may be found in our annual football section, coming up in the Aug. 25 print edition. (Times photo/Tim Blair)...