Stories from Thursday, October 21, 2010

Education has been a big part of Deanna Dismukes' life. For 21 years she helped shape young minds as a sixth grade teacher at Piggott Elementary School. After retiring from the classroom, Dismukes was able to continue her love of helping others learn, serving as the education coordinator for the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Education Center (HPMEC) for the last nine years, until her most recent retirement this summer...

The holidays may be even brighter for many area families, as soldiers in the 875th who have been serving in Afghanistan are expected to arrive home soon. The troops are expected to arrive at Camp Shelby, Miss., on Nov. 1 or 2, or possibly as early as Oct. 29...

Improving high school test scores is an area of focus for the Piggott School Board. During Monday night's meeting, the board heard a report from high school principal Barry DeHart comparing the high school average over the previous three years to those of other schools in northeast Arkansas. According to the report, Piggott has fared well, for the most part...

The Clay County Sheriff's Department will be more strictly enforcing burn bans. The decision to place a greater focus on burn ban violations followed a discussion during Monday night's Quorum Court meeting at the county courthouse in Corning. Judge Gary Howell told the court he heard complaints from members of the Arkansas Forestry Commission regarding violations of the burn ban during a grant presentation Monday...

Students at Piggott Elementary will join millions of others next week in celebrating positive life choices during the annual Red Ribbon Week. On Monday, Oct. 25, students can take part in Rally Day/Wear Red Day. Participants will wear either a red t-shirt or any kind of drug free t-shirt. The Red Ribbon Rally will be at 1:30 p.m. behind the elementary school. Rob Welborn will be the guest speaker. There will be a red balloon launch with red balloons being donated by Aerial Bouquet...

Liddie Kathrena "Catherine" Cato, 87, of Piggott passed away Sunday, Oct. 13, 2010, at Murphy Health and Rehab in Piggott. She was born Nov. 17, 1922, in Clay County, Haywood Township, and was the daughter of the late Johnson Henry and Ada Lee (Potts) Cato...

Patricia Suzan Crandall, 63, died Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010, at her home in Marshall, Mo., after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Miss Crandall was born July 5, 1947, in Lansing, Mich. She was the oldest of three children. Miss Crandall is survived by her sister, Judy Lynn Watts of Tampa, Fla., and three nieces, Stacie Crandall Swank of Mesa, Ariz., Terri Bears-Nix of Orlando, Fla., and Shawnna Crandall Neely of O'Fallon, Mo...

Jane Janet Clayton, 79, of Jonesboro, formerly of Piggott, passed away Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010, at the Baptist Health Extended Care Hospital in Little Rock, Ark. She was born Jan. 15, 1931, to the late Frank and Lula (Wilkerson) Campbell in Marmaduke, Ark...

I don't like cats. Well, that isn't true. I do like cats but I like dogs better. You can talk to a dog and it knows what you're saying. A cat just looks at you and walks away, aloof. A cat will trip you by rubbing against your legs or winding itself between your ankles. Or walking slow motion in front of you...

The Junior Lady Mohawks completed a magical season Saturday at Harrisburg, coming home with the district championship. Piggott topped a game Walnut Ridge squad in the district finals to earn the crown. The Junior Lady Mohawks waited for their final opponent to be determined for two hours before returning to the court, causing some sluggishness early, as Walnut Ridge won the first game, 25-8. ...

The Peewee Cougars wrapped up their season Saturday in Rector, playing host to Cedar Ridge. In fifth grade action, Rector fell to Cedar Ridge, 28-14. The guests scored twice in the opening frame, leading 14-0 after the first and second quarters. Colby Stokes put the Peewee Cougars on the board in the third, powering the ball in from two yards out to cut it to 14-6...

The Rector High School FFA program is reaching new heights in both participation and competitive success. An amazing 19 students have taken their livestock to events both near and far and many local members left Tuesday for the national FFA convention in Indianapolis, Ind. The excitement is growing for a program that requires dedication, responsibility and discipline -- and offers lots of fun...

Rector Elementary School gifted and talented students will sponsor the school's 25th annual Red Ribbon Week celebration Monday through Friday, Oct. 25-29. Themes for the week are "Say Boo to Drugs" and "Cougars Are PAWS-itively Drug Free." Students are urged to wear red ribbons each day. There also will be special dress-up days as part of the celebration...

The holidays may be even brighter for many area families, as soldiers in the 875th who have been serving in Afghanistan are expected to arrive home soon. The troops are expected to arrive at Camp Shelby, Miss., on Nov. 1 or 2, or possibly as early as Oct. 29...

The Clay County Sheriff's Department will be more strictly enforcing burn bans. The decision to place a greater focus on burn ban violations followed a discussion during Monday night's Quorum Court meeting at the county courthouse in Corning. Judge Gary Howell told the court he heard complaints from members of the Arkansas Forestry Commission regarding violations of the burn ban during a grant presentation Monday...

We all know the many challenges faced in our smaller communities as economic and social trends work against them in so many ways. Job opportunities abound in larger cities and suburbs and, over time, there has been a migration to those locales. There simply are fewer economic, educational, recreational and cultural opportunities in rural communities when compared to our urban areas...

I don't like cats. Well, that isn't true. I do like cats but I like dogs better. You can talk to a dog and it knows what you're saying. A cat just looks at you and walks away, aloof. A cat will trip you by rubbing against your legs or winding itself between your ankles. Or walking slow motion in front of you...

Phillip Allen Green, 54, of Rector passed away Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2010, at his residence. He was born to the late Mabern and Frances (Rogers) Green in White Oak, Ark. In addition to his parents, Phillip was preceded in death by a brother, Roger Green...

Patricia Suzan Crandall, 63, died Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010, at her home in Marshall, Mo., after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Miss Crandall was born July 5, 1947, in Lansing, Mich. She was the oldest of three children. Miss Crandall is survived by her sister, Judy Lynn Watts of Tampa, Fla., and three nieces, Stacie Crandall Swank of Mesa, Ariz., Terri Bears-Nix of Orlando, Fla., and Shawnna Crandall Neely of O'Fallon, Mo...

Christine Shelton, 80, of Searcy, formerly of Rector, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2010. She was born Jan. 19, 1930, to the late Jim and Hattie (Wofford) Parish. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Claybourne Shelton; two brothers, Laverl Parish and Byron Parish, and three sisters, Pauline Dowdy, Freda Gregory and Gladys Miller...