Stories from Thursday, August 16, 2012

Clifton "Cupie" Mack is the 2012 posthumous selection to the Rector High School Sports Hall of Fame. Mack, a 1934 RHS graduate, had a long, storied career in the area. At RHS, he lettered in football, basketball and baseball, showcasing his outstanding athletic prowess...

Pre-season practice continues for the Piggott Mohawks, as the seventh grade, junior and senior high football squads all prep for their season openers. The seventh grade squad got their practices underway at 6 p.m. Monday, and they'll continue working out evenings this final week before classes begin...

Joe Wells, 59, of Greenway passed from this life on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012 at his residence. He was born on Sept. 21, 1952 in Greenway to Newton Sr. and Dorothy (Hill) Wells. Joe was a farm laborer and attended the Church of Christ in Greenway. Preceding Joe in death was his father, Newton Wells Sr...

Delilah Ethel Thomas, 50, of Jonesboro, Ark., passed away Tuesday, August 7, 2012, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro. She was born April 22, 1962, in New Madrid, Mo, and is the daughter of Oliver Thomas and Lola (Vaughn) Brandon. She is survived by her mother, Lola Brandon of Piggott, Ark.; father, Oliver Thomas of Parson, Tenn.; two sons, A.J. ...

Riley C. McClure, 90, of Keyesport, Ill., was born March 23, 1922, in Lunsford, Ark., and passed away, Friday Aug. 3, 2012, in Greenville, Ill. He was formerly from Marmaduke. Mr. McClure loved to tend to his garden and go fishing. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather, who will truly be missed by all who knew him...

After almost a century of life, Ray Lee Crowson left this world quietly in his sleep in the early hours of Friday morning, August 10, 2012, at his home. He was born October 28, 1912, at his home in the Call's Chapel Community, where he attended the Call's Chapel School and played on the Call's Chapel Baseball Team. He was the son of the late Joseph Hightower "Hite" and Ida Dixon (Moore) Crowson...

Recently, Magness Oil Company, of Gassville, Ark., secured a building permit for a new structure on East Main Street in Piggott. The plans submitted to the city call for the construction of a convenience store, and a McDonald's Restaurant, to be built on the vacant lot between Country Mart and Aerial Bouquets...

The 2011-12 school year is at hand, with classes at Rector slated to begin Monday, Aug. 20. Students and teachers have been making preparations in recent weeks, as the days of summer vacation are rapidly drawing to a close. Classes will begin at both elementary and high school at 8 a.m. Monday. Classes will dismiss at 3 p.m. In the elementary grades, students who walk or are picked up by car will be dismissed at 2:52 p.m., while those who ride the bus will be dismissed at 2:55 p.m...

The first day of classes in the Piggott School District is Monday, Aug. 20, but returning students won't notice much change from last year. Although several teachers retired following the 2011-12 school year, through attrition and the shuffling of responsibilities, there is only one new staff member. The new face at the high school campus, David Reynolds, has been hired as the new boy's head basketball coach...

A standing-room-only crowd was on hand Wednesday, Aug. 8, for the inaugural Piggott Area Chamber of Commerce Power Breakfast. The featured speaker for the event was Gary Adams, a former Mohawk and Razorback football standout and member of the Arkansas Razorback Hall of Honor. The capacity crowd included chamber members, former teammates and friends along with the players, coaches and managers of the 2012 Mohawk senior high football team...

Though classes won't resume until next week, the Rector High School marching band has been working hard the past few weeks in preparation of its upcoming schedule of events. Under the director of Daniel Van Aalsburg, the Marching Cougars have been learning new music and formations in preparation for competition and performances set for halftime of the home Junior Cougar football games...

Time is not the same for youngsters and older people. It goes slowly when you're young and speeds up as you get older. Think back to the time you were traveling with a youngster. "Are we there yet?" the child asks persistently. For him, time drags before he reaches the destination, whether it be McDonald's or cross country...