It happened, years ago

Featured at the 1969 Clay County Fair will be Yung Yu Rides and Concessions, and among the rodeo entrants will be local cowboys Gary Nichols, Barry Kilbreth, Darrell Galyean and Rick Haley. Nichols, ranked 12th in Arkansas in bull riding, also appeared at the state high school rodeo championship the past three years and has made the finals. Also in the news, bids are being sought for the construction of the new Rector Post Office.

At the Carolyn Theater this week the features included--"If It's Tuesday This Must be Belgium" along with "Where Eagles Dare", "They Came to Rob Las Vegas" and Jane Fonda in "Barbarella."

Registration for winter kindergarten at Piggott Central Elementary will be held Sept. 11. Meanwhile, the Piggott Mohawk football schedule was listed. The Tribe will open the season Friday, Sept. 5 against the Manila Lions with an 8 p.m. kickoff.

Also in sports, the Piggott Hospital minor league team took second this year with a record of 3-3. James Wright was the coach and Gerayne Poole the manager. Team members included--Paul Harriman, Dennis Casey, Phillip Daffron, Greg Wright, Tony Gatewood, Steve Brown, Sammy Poole, Fain Dalton, Chris Camp and Darrell Gatewood.

On the lot at Taylor Motor Company, on East Main Street were a '69 Dodge Charger, a '69 Dodge Polara two-door hardtop and a '68 Dodge 440, two-door hardtop with power and air.

1979

In a tragic accident Aug. 28, Flara Willie, 72, was struck and killed by a train near her home on the southwest edge of the city. Willie, who suffered from hearing loss, apparently had her vision blocked by her bonnet. She leaves two sons, Delaine and Vernon. Also in the news, five public hearings have been set on determining the proposed path of the four-lane extension of U.S. 67 between Newport and the Missouri line.

Work is underway on the new St. Francis River Bridge between Holly Island and Kennett, and the state has earmarked $1.8-million for reconstructing six miles of Highway 62 between Piggott and Pollard. This week's paper also included a feature on local magician Tony Pace, and his performance at the AARP meeting. Pace, who goes by the stage name Anthony Baker, became interested in magic after buying a $2 toy for his daughter Carrie.

At the Carolyn Theater this week the feature is "Moonraker" while the late show was "Bad Memories of a Life Guard."

In sports, the Mohawks dropped their season opener to Paragould 7-19 and will host East Prairie in their first home game. The remainder of the schedule is--at Greene County Tech, vs Rector, vs Salem, at Lepanto, at Highland, vs Walnut Ridge, at Hoxie and the season finale would be a home game against the Corning Bobcats.

1984

Construction is underway on the new Piggott Middle School and Piggott Public Library, meanwhile staff at Piggott schools will be implementing a new gifted and talented program to be paid for by a state grant. Also in the news, local native Bruce W. Wiley has been promoted to senior vice president of Dallas Banker's Bank, and an associated trust company.

The Arkansas Municipal League reports that Piggott ranked 64th in population in the state, behind Eudora and ahead of Barling. The city, incorporated in 1891, is among 473 cities of which Little Rock is the largest at 167,400 people and Blue Eye and Gilbert tie for the smallest with 43 residents. The state boasted a total of 1,377,031 people in 1984.

At the Carolyn Theater this week the feature is "Sheena" remember, "She along has the power to save paradise."

A total of 70 people were on hand for the Langley School reunion held Sept. 2 in St. Francis...and Jason Beck brought in the first cotton boll of the year, grown on the Danny Wyatt farm near Nimmons.

The Mohawks edged by Westside 7-6 in the season opener, with Stacey Wade scoring the lone touchdown on an 11 yard run. Kirk Redman's PAT proved to be the difference in the ballgame, while Michael Lewis led the team in rushing. Those three were joined by Greg Mallard and Thad Hinkle as "Players of the Week." Up next will be a trip to Pocahontas. The Redskins lost their season opener to Corning 13-14.

And George Gower was pictured with an unidentified 47-inch long snake he ran over near the Clifford Cole farm.

1989

The Piggott City Council named Charles Wright and Willard Hughes to the planning and zoning commission at their regular meeting. Aldermen were also told that the 16th street addition had been paved, and that the poles, lights and fences were going up at the new ball diamond complex. Meanwhile, GTE has announced a new $1.5-milllion project that will bring a digital switch to the 2,200 customers in the Piggott exchange.

Longtime Piggott band director Ed White was honored at the Mohawk football game Friday night, as Larry Norred presented him with the plaque that dedicates the new band room in his honor. Speaking of longtime Piggott educators, Peggy Johnson profiled William N. "Bill" Holifield and the 35 years he spent in the district as a teacher and administrator...16 of those as principal at Piggott Central.

A total of 57 people turned out for this year's Langley School reunion, which was held Sept. 7 at the St. Francis lunch room. And Neil Cluck won the four-wheeler given away at the Clay County Fair.

In sports, the Mohawks fell to Westside 7-19 in the season opener, and visit unbeaten Gosnell next. Meanwhile, the Lady Mohawks swept CRA in volleyball action. Tory Smith and Liz Sales led the senior girls, while Misti French, Brandee Moore and Brande Chronister paced the junior squad. They're scheduled to host the Ridgecrest Lady Rams and will visit Trumann in the coming weeks.

At the Kennett Cinema, where all seats are $1.50, "Lethal Weapon" and starting Friday, John Candy is "Uncle Buck" And the State Theater at Corning featured Dennis Quaid in "Great Balls of Fire."