Stories from Wednesday, December 18, 2002

The holiday spirit was in the air as contestants competed for the crowns of Miss Crowley's Ridge Byway and Miss Teen Crowley's Ridge Byway Saturday night at the Piggott Community Center. Abby Houseworth of Blytheville was crowned as Miss Crowley's Ridge Byway with Stephanie DeClerk of Pocahontas as first runner-up and Sarah Moody of Pollard as second runner-up...

One of Arkansas' top high school basketball tournaments starts this week, as teams from Northeast Arkansas gather for the NEA Invitational Tournament at ASU. The 10-day tournament features teams competing in two separate divisions, A-AA and AAA-AAAA-AAAAA, with the championships being held Dec. 28 at the Convocation Center...

PIGGOTT The Piggott senior high boys basketball team saw their season record dip to 1-7 (0-2, 3AAA-North) this past week with losses to Corning and Greene County Tech. Friday night in Paragould, the Mohawks fell to the Eagles of Greene County Tech, 59-40...

Irene Cox, 88, of Campbell died Sunday, Dec. 15, 2002, at the Piggott Community Hospital. She was born June 26, 1914, in St. Francis, the daughter of the late Benjamin Harrison and Ethel McFarlin Benson. She was married to Paul Cox on Dec. 22, 1933, in Piggott. He preceded her in death on Sept. 25, 1972. She later married Curtis Bevill on Dec. 16, 1986. He preceded her in death on Nov. 9, 1994...

Aggie Wright, 95, of Piggott died Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002, at the Beverly Health Care in Heber Springs. She was born April 15, 1907, in Searcy, the daughter of the late Anderson and Ida Bell Hughes Smith. She was united in marriage to Daniel L. Wright on April 6, 1927. He preceded her in death in 1981...

Junior Lee Holifield, 61, of Kennett died Friday, Dec. 13, 2002, at NHC Healthcare in Kennett. He was born June 6, 1941, in Kennett, the son of the late Odis and Audry Louise Gargus Holifield. He was a member of the Church of Christ in Kennett. He was preceded in death by one sister, Shirley Holifield...

Bob Glen Johnson, 66, died Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2002, at St. Mary's Samaritan Health Center in Mount Vernon, Ill. He was born Aug. 8, 1936, in Qulin, Mo., the son of the late Garland and Izora Boswell Johnson of Piggott. He was a retired superintendent of the Christopher Elementary Schools in Illinois and a member of the First Baptist Church in Christ in Christopher...

Theresa M. "Terri" Baker, 52, of St. Quincy, Ill., died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2002, at Blessing Hospital in Quincy. She was born July 5, 1950, in Racine, Wisc., the daughter of Donald and the late Sally Spencer Baker. She was a minister at Bethel Assembly of God and a graduate of St. Joseph High School in Kenosha, Wisc. She also attended Gateway Technical College for Nursing in Kenosha...

Along with the approaching Christmas holiday, clean-up and debris removal are high on the "to do" list following the Dec. 3 storm that encased the area in a thick layer of ice. The weight of the ice, coupled with strong winds, toppled tree branches and limbs and utility wires throughout Clay County, resulting in a widespread power outage...

The Clay County Quorum Court agreed Monday night to connect the two courthouses via computer network. Randy Lamp of Apprentice Information Systems said the courthouses can be interconnected through a Citrix-based long distance network, allowing all data could be stored in one file server instead of two, reducing maintenance, product and long distance costs and travel time...

Alltel has upgraded its service in the Piggott area as part of the expansion of its digital wireless network that includes a new cell site on Highway 49. "It will provide digital coverage that was previously analog," said Lesa Handly, who is the new Alltel vice president/general manager for Northeast Arkansas...

Lydia Huffstutler, 87, formerly of the Rector area, died Dec. 6, 2002, in St. Louis. She was preceded in death by her parents, Monroe and Lillie (Lee) Miller; two brothers; Granvel Miller and Milo Miller; one sister, Flora Abney; and one grandson, Mark Slattery...

Hope Matthews, 76, of Collierville, Tenn., a native of Rector and formerly of Kennett, Mo., died Friday, Dec. 13, 2002, in Collierville. She had worked as a claims technician with an employment agency. Mrs. Matthews was born March 7, 1926, in Rector to Harrison and Zoe (Hardin) Bateman. She was married Oct. 16, 1943, in Rector to Clyde H. Matthews, who survives...

The Rector Lady Cougars journeyed to Campbell, MO last Monday evening and won their second successive game as they defeated Campbell High School 41-38 in a come form behind win. Campbell led after the first three quarters 12-10, 17-16 and 29-26. Deadly freethrow shooting in the fourth quarter was the key to victory in this game as the Lady Cougars connected on 10 out of 10 freethrows in the pivotal quarter. Tylee Tracer hit two, Angelia Tucker hit two and Jessica Hill netted six freethrows...

Last Tuesday the senior Rector Cougars fell to Trumann 55-32 in the Pre Holiday Tournament at Brookland. James Hemphill and Kyle Souder each scored 9 points for the Cougars. Alex Hatcher had 5 points, Ryan Carpenter scored 4 points, Jonathan Pratt had 2 and Jay Beacham added 1 point...

WALNUT RIDGE -- Last Saturday night was threepeat time for the Marmaduke Lady Greyhounds as they won their third successive Williams Baptist College Invitational High School Tournament at Walnut Ridge by upending Batesville Southside High School 60-46...

MARMADUKE -- At Marmaduke last Friday night the Greyhounds beat Walnut Ridge 73-64. Josh Bateman scored 33 points and had 12 assists. Shane Jordan had 18 points. John Clark and Kyle Richey each scored 8 points. Kenneth Barnham had 4 points and Nick Boggs scored 2 points. The win left the Hounds 15-2 (6-1) for the year...

One of Arkansas' top high school basketball tournaments starts this week, as teams from Northeast Arkansas gather for the NEA Invitational Tournament at ASU. The 10-day tournament features teams competing in two separate divisions, A-AA and AAA-AAAA-AAAAA, with the championships being held Dec. 28 at the Convocation Center...

Alta Beatrice Settlemire Duckworth, 63, of Kerrville, Texas, died Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2002 at Twin River Medical Center in Kennett. She was born Oct. 11, 1939, in Birdeye, Ark. She was a waitress and a member of the ladies Auxiliary of Kerrville, and she was of the Methodist faith...

Gertrude Pruett, 80, of Batesville, formerly of Rector, died Sunday Dec. 15, 2002, at White River Medical Center in Batesville. She was born Aug. 27, 1922, in Boydsville, the daughter of the late William Thomas Shannon and Laura Mae (Clayton) Shannon...

Betty Joyce Young, 69, of Rector died Sunday, Dec. 8, 2002, at her home. She was born Aug. 10, 1933, in the Blue Cane Community, the daughter of Cecil Pearl Hicks and the late John Wesley Hicks Sr. She was retired from Emerson Electric in Kennett and was of the General Baptist faith...

James Walter Johnson, 68, of Rector died Wednesday Dec. 11, 2002 at Elvis Presley Trauma Center in Memphis. He was born Aug. 20, 1934, in Pettit, Texas, the son of the late James L. Johnson and Fern Rochester Johnson. He was retired from the Air Force, was a farmer, and of the Baptist faith...

Along with the approaching Christmas holiday, clean-up and debris removal are high on the "to do" list following the Dec. 3 storm that encased the area in a thick layer of ice. The weight of the ice, coupled with strong winds, toppled tree branches and limbs and utility wires throughout Clay County, resulting in a widespread power outage...

Two Rector High School students placed in the annual Miss Teen Crowley's Ridge Byway pageant Saturday evening at the Piggott Community Center. Tylee Tracer , daughter of Tim and Teresa Tracer, placed second, and Tara Robertson, daughter of Terry and Barbara Robertson, placed third...

Two Rector men had the opportunity to attend a special state capitol reception honoring outgoing Secretary of State Sharon Priest. She will leave office on term limits at the end of the month. Tony Gunn and his friend, Aaron Vowell, traveled to Little Rock to attend the reception in the capitol's rotunda on Nov. 14 at the personal invitation of Priest...

A Rector-area man injured in a construction accident last month has died. James Johnson, 68, of County Road 406 sustained internal injuries when he attempted to adjust the height of a lift on a tractor that became disengaged and rolled over him. He was airlifted to the Presley Trauma Center in Memphis, where he was continued to be treated at the time of his death...

Country music star Barbara Fairchild hold a "Star Spangled Christmas" concert to benefit Rector Healthcare. Fairchild's husband, Roy Morris, will be joining her. The event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Rector Community Center...

It's Christmas parade time in Rector. The sixth annual Rector parade will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, in downtown Rector and will feature beautiful floats, clowns, horses, antique cars, school bands and lots more. Rector Chamer of Commerce president Ron Benson said the Rector High School and Clarkton High School bands are among the participants...

3/4th girls:Mercury 22-Liberty 2 . Allison Duncan had 12 points for Mercury and Misty Gilbee had 2 points for Liberty .Sting beat The Rockers 20-4. Brittany Lockhart had 10 points for Sting and Emily Cornelison and Hollie Wilkes each scored 2 points for the Rockers...