Stories from Thursday, March 29, 2012

Mary Alice Bishop, 75, of Rector died Thursday, March 22, 2012, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born May 27, 1936, in San Acacio, Colo., to Fermin and Rosenda Roybal. Mrs. Bishop was a retired beautician and was of the Catholic faith...

Mr. Dustin Ray Brady, 37, of Manila, died Tuesday, March 20, 2012, at his home. Born at Osceola, he was the son of the late Terry Brady, Sr. and had lived most of his life in Manila. He was a longtime employee of Walker Welding of Manila. In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Louie and Maxine Wadley...

Nelda L. McComb, 73, of Piggott, Ark., passed away Saturday, March 24, 2012, at NHC Healthcare in Kennett, Mo. She was born on Aug. 20, 1938, in Qulin, Mo., and was the daughter of the late Garland and Izora Boswell Johnson. She was united in marriage on Jan. 24, 1959, to Ted McComb and to this union three children were born...

Jimmie Maynard Mitchell, 63, of Piggott, Ark., passed away Friday, March 23, 2012. He was born Oct. 2, 1948, near Greenway, Ark., and was the son of the late Maynard and Mary Stidham Mitchell. He is survived by four children; several grandchildren; three sisters, Martha Tucker and husband Gary of Piggott, Ark., Jane Bare and husband Butch of Piggott, Ark., and Addie Meade and husband Jerry of Cherokee Village, Ark.; brother, Junior F. ...

Carl Emery Meade, 91, of Piggott, Ark. passed away Wednesday, March 21, 2012, at his home in Piggott, Ark. He was born Feb. 2, 1921, in Piggott, Ark., the son of the late Robert "Bob" and Anne Mae Meade. He was united in marriage to Dorothy Elaine McGehee on June 17, 1944. To the union seven children was born...

Stephanie (Staples) Jett is the first woman to hold the position of Piggott postmaster. She knows firsthand the importance of working with the community. In fact, working with the people of Piggott and the surrounding communities is the part of her job Jett likes best...

Arkansas State University athletic director Dean Lee will be the speaker for the 2012 Rector Area Chamber of Commerce annual banquet, set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 19, at the Rector Community Center. In his 10 years at the helm of ASU athletics, Lee has molded the ASU Athletic Department into one of the most successful and respected programs in the nation. ...

The Piggott School District will have a new superintendent in the 2012-2013 school year. Charnelsa "Charlie" Powell was hired by the Piggott School Board to fill the position during a series of special meetings held last week. Powell was offered a two-year contract with an annual salary of $80,000...

Children from the James W. Graves Head Start in Rector enjoy a recent spring outing to the Rector Public Library. The children often are seen with their teachers on pretty days walking quietly and in perfect order, taking in the sunshine and happily waving at people they meet along the way. (Photo by Nancy Kemp)...

The Cougars fell to the visiting Walnut Ridge Bobcats, 15-4, in baseball action Monday in Rector. Rector struggled at the plate on the afternoon, managing just three hits. The Cougars did run the basepaths well once reaching though, scoring three runs off three walks and stealing five bases. Rector plated three runs on bad throws and fielding miscues, but was unable to overcome the Walnut Ridge hit parade...

The Lady Mohawks faced a difficult task Tuesday, playing host to the Rivercrest Lady Colts in softball action. Rivercrest notched a 13-0 victory in five innings, thanks in large part to a strong pitching performance by hard throwing Taylor Harston. Kacey Crossfield secured the Lady Mohawks' sole hit of the afternoon, leading off the fourth inning with a single...

The Lady Cougars continued to burn white hot on the softball diamond, blistering the hosting Walnut Ridge Lady Bobcats, 14-0 in six innings Monday. The girls in blue have won all seven of their games this season, most in blowout fashion. Rector dominated every facet of the game, with an overpowering performance on the mound by junior hurler Kelly Fowler and an excellent all-around showing at the plate...

The Mohawks secured their fourth straight win Tuesday, hammering Harrisburg, 11-1, in a six inning blowout at Piggott. Logan Murray hit a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth to end the contest early due to the run-rule. Enoch Richardson finished the day 2-3 at the plate with a pair of RBIs. ...