It happened here, years ago

George Gasbarre, president of East-West Industries, spoke to the local Chamber of Commerce meeting about the company's new factory in Piggott. (what is now Print City, next to the community center) The company makes small parts from powdered metals, and expects to make shock absorber parts for the new Monroe plant at Paragould when it's completed.

In other news, Judge Gus Camp explained the workings of the new municipal court system to the Lions Club, after holding his first court day Saturday, April 21. Meanwhile, Greenway High School will host a talent show May 8.

The PHS junior-senior prom was a big hit, and the entertainment included a performance by The Cherry Blossoms, Plus One. The group consisted Francine Hogard, Connie Pobst and Judy Cox with Freddie Mack on the guitar. In other school news, the FHA held their Mother-Daughter Banquet and installation of officers, and the fifth grade class went on their end of year field trip. They visited Johnson's dairy farm, Hitt's Chapel Church, Mr. Holifield's farm, Chalk Bluff (where they got a history lesson on the Civil War battle from Cecil Dalton) then on to Pollard school for a tour of the building and grounds.

At the Carolyn Theater this week the features included--"Three in the Attic" and "The Wild Angels".

And in service news, Sgt. Jimmie Vancil, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ora W. Vancil of Pollard, was named Man of the Month in the PRIDE program at Whitman AFB in Missouri.

1979

May 1-7 was "Respect for the Law" week in Clay County in 1979, and the front page of this week's paper features photos of the personnel form the Sheriff's Department and Piggott P.D. Meanwhile, fire of gutted a shed belonging to Ellis Wood in the past week and little Misti Dawn French marked her fourth birthday with a party April 28.

Piggott FFA judging teams did well at the district, and three teams qualified for state. The land judging team of Byron Williams (first overall), Jimmy Ellis, Timothy Fisk and Barry Magee; along with the meat judging team of Brett Haywood (first overall), Jimmy Mann, Chris Camp and Todd Watson and the Agri-mechanics team of Tony Mann (seventh overall) Marty Hoggard, Mike Gurley and Scott Taylor.

At the Carolyn Theater this week the feature is "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" while the late show was "Moonlighting Wives." And in births to announce, a son was born to Darrell and Joan Gossett April 3 at Piggott Hospital and the new arrival was named Justin Brent.

In sports, PHS grad Greg Bomar was a walk-on to the ASU football team and participated in the annual Spring Red and White game, kicking a field goal and an extra point. Bomar has been invited by Coach Larry Lacewell to return in the fall, and if he makes the team will join Mohawk Donnie Morrison on the roster.

1984

Fire destroyed the Pollard School building the last week of April, 1984. The school building, which was being used for storage, hadn't been used for classes since 1978. In other news, the Piggott School Board voted to adopt the floor plan for the new Middle School (now high school) building. Meanwhile, Greenway High School introduced Lisa Bond was valedictorian and Phyllis Bridgeman salutatorian for their graduating class.

James Magee, Don Roeder and Jerry Sale traveled to Little Rock for an economic development meeting, and heard from keynote speaker Gov. Bill Clinton. And in births to announce, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Kenny Wood April 24 at Piggott Hospital. The new arrival was named Natasha Lynn Wood.

Piggott Middle School honored retiring teacher Dolores Bellers by dedicating their annual to her, with Pam Morris and Angie Binkley making the presentation. Meanwhile, the PHS yearbook staff dedicated theirs to sponsor Vickie Johnson.

At the Carolyn Theater--"Moscow on the Hudson" was the feature and "Confessions" was the late show. And congrats to the Greenway FFA judging teams. The meat judging team of Billy Hardin, Gary Loveless, Matt Hollis and William Midkiff took first in district and 17th in state, while the land judging team of Phyllis Bridgeman, Lisa Bond and Steve Clayton took fifth and 18th.

Todd Doty, of the PHS junior track team, won the long jump at the district meet in Paragould as the Tribe finished seventh out of nine teams. Tim Muse took second in the 440, and the relay team of Doty, Muse, Kenny Smith and Stacy Bradshaw was sixth in the 440 and 880 relays.

1989

The vote on the citywide sale tax issue is set for May 9, and the effort to educate the public on the need for passage continued. Meanwhile, after 42 years Mary Gordon was set to retire June 1 as a Piggott teacher. Gordon, who was raised on a farm between Rector and Boydsville, taught at Nimmons, Boydsville, Austin, Southeast Central at Sand Hill and Central Elementary in Piggott.

After months of construction the new bridge over Sugar Creek on Highway 62 West in Piggott is complete and was opened to traffic in the past week. Meanwhile, the Piggott City Council voted to re-zone the building that housed Discount Furniture on North Front Street from commercial to industrial to accommodate a possible manufacturing business. (The building now houses Master Marketing) And top money raisers in the recent Leukemia Bike-A-Thon were Massiel Espinosa and Matthew Vancil.

Two Piggott FFA judging teams placed in the top ten at district, the meat judging team of Jason Self, Dale Williams, Shawn Morris and Jason Berry took sixth while the livestock judging team of Alan Davis, Brian James, Bryan Allman and Jack Dalton were eighth.

The Mohawk track team took fifth at the district meet and qualified to compete in four events at state. Jeff Henderson qualified for the long jump after a second place finish, while the relay team of Henderson, Craig Beck, Joey Staples and Ricky Shaw won the 800 and 1600 relays and placed second in the 400 relay.