Stories from Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Lowering the lights at the city ball park will be safer and more economical, according to Bruce Swan, electric distribution superintendent. The lights are currently on 80 to 90 foot poles and the city doesn't have the equipment to reach them for maintenance. ...

Long-time Piggott resident Mrs. Mildred Smith died on Tuesday, July 20, 2004, at the Piggott Community Hospital. Mrs. Smith was 106-years-old. She was born March 9, 1898, in Clay City, Ill., the daughter of the late Charles Henry and Hannah Blessing Brissenden. The Brissendens moved to Piggott in 1905 when she was just seven-years-old...

Bringing joy to patients and making their stay at Piggott Community Hospital more comfortable are the goals of the teens in the Piggott Community Hospital Junior Auxiliary. According to PCH Senior Auxiliary member Anita Allman, the PCH Junior Auxiliary began about three years ago...

People from as far away as Ash Flat and Pocahontas descended on Piggott Sunday afternoon to view the first exhibit at the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center (HPMEC). The premiere of the exhibit, "Celebrating The Hemingways: Best Wishes from Piggott", was held from 2 to 4 p.m. ...

Dianne Cluck will be missed at the Piggott School District this coming year. She has been a part of the district for 23 years as the school nurse, but has decided it is time to pass the torch and enjoy a more relaxing life for a while. "When I started, I was one of few school nurses in Arkansas," Cluck said. The state has since mandated that all school districts have a nurse...

The 2004 Clay County Farm Family of the Year is the Bauschlicher Brothers of Corning. Bauschlicher Brothers Farms is an equal partnership between Wayne Bauschlicher and his sons, Steve and Tim. Wayne Bauschlicher was born in a small house on the corner of a 160 acre farm in Corning, which was owned by his grandfather. ...

During a special meeting Monday night, members of the Piggott School Board heard a request from coach Ken Shumate to increase the proposed budget for the football program. Board members Shawn Parker and Cliff Winberry were absent. Shumate said he has inventoried all of the equipment and provided the board with a prioritized list of items needed by the program. The number of players has increased and due to size, shoulder pads cannot be passed down from the senior high to the junior high...

Terry Crawford and Jo Billings of Kennett took first place in the Championship Flight of the annual Mixed Pairs Tournament held last weekend at Sugar Creek Country Club in Piggott. The winners shot a 61 on Saturday and came back with a 62 on Sunday for a 36-hole score of 123...

It just would not seem like summer without baseball. Local residents had lots of games to choose from as the Piggott Little League had 17 teams competing this summer. There were five tee-ball teams in the Piggott league. The teams included Arkansas Gas, coached by Chuck Sawyer; ADI, coached by Tony Stallings; Country Mart, coached by Jeff Brewer; Piggott Lodge, coached by Jerry Don Johnson, and American Legion, coached by Chad Reeves. Tee-ball includes children ages 5 and 6...

It may be July, but the Piggott Mohawk football teams have begun working towards a winning season. On July 6, athletes from grades seven through 12 began their summer conditioning program at Parker Field. The young men have been lifting weights and working on agility drills, as well as offensive and defensive sets. These workouts have been held two evenings a week from 6 until 8 p.m...

With a state title under their belts, the Tri-County All-Stars 13-14 Little League team is planning a trip to Grand Junction, Colo., for regional action. The team avenged some earlier close losses to Newport by defeating the host team 24-8 and 22-9 to advance to the regionals...

Seven local teens have been chosen to be a part of the Tri-County Senior League All-Star Team. These talented 15 and 16 year-olds are Brad Graves, Craig Dollins and Lance Conley of Piggott, Jake Holcomb and Tyler Small of Rector and Justin Wright and Nathan Tuberville of Marmaduke...

The word "hometown" seems to take on a special meaning for people who grew up or have lived in Rector. In fact, many might say that Rector perfectly defines what a hometown should be. That's the reason thousands return each year to this little corner of Arkansas for the community's annual Labor Day Picnic. And it's the reason this year's picnic theme is so perfect - "Hometown Memories - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow."...

Long-time Piggott resident Mrs. Mildred Smith died on Tuesday, July 20, 2004, at the Piggott Community Hospital. Mrs. Smith was 106-years-old. She was born March 9, 1898, in Clay City, Ill., the daughter of the late Charles Henry and Hannah Blessing Brissenden. The Brissendens moved to Piggott in 1905 when she was just seven-years-old...

The annual Lions Club Golf Tournament will be held Wednesday, Aug. 4, at Sugar Creek Country Club in Piggott. For the second year in a row, the event is a joint project between the Rector and Piggott Lions Clubs. All proceeds from the event go to sight conservation projects and other local charitable efforts of the two clubs...

Rector senior boys basketball team is participating this week in its second summer camp. The Cougars of coach Mark Manchester are heading to Manila on Wedneday (today) to participate in a three-day camp involving larger schools than Rector. Among those in the competition are Valley View, Manila, Gosnell and Greene County Tech...

Seven local teens have been chosen to be a part of the Tri-County Senior League All-Star Team. These talented 15 and 16 year-olds are Brad Graves, Craig Dollins and Lance Conley of Piggott, Jake Holcomb and Tyler Small of Rector and Justin Wright and Nathan Tuberville of Marmaduke...

With a state title under their belts, the Tri-County All-Stars 13-14 Little League team is planning a trip to Grand Junction, Colo., for regional action. The team avenged some earlier close losses to Newport by defeating the host team 24-8 and 22-9 to advance to the regionals...

Marmaduke High School will host a 5-on-5 men's basketball tournament Friday and Saturday, Aug. 6-7. Director of the tournament is coach Spencer Hoffman. He may be contacted at 597-1233 (home). Cost is $100 per team and each team is guaranteed three games, with the possibility of four...

Ann Benson, 83, of Rector died Thursday, July 22, 2004, in Senath, Mo. She was born Nov. 22, 1920, in Gibson, Mo., to the late John Eaton and Emma Melvina Piercy. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist faith. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Glessner Benson; one son, David Benson; two brothers, Johnny Piercy and Raybourn Wright, and one sister, Minnie Kroeker...

Mildred F. Morrisett, 82, of Rector died Friday, July 23, 2004, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born April 8, 1922, in Nevada County, Ark., to the late Richard Stone and Priscilla Walker Stone. She was a homemaker and a member of Leonard United Methodist Church...

People from as far away as Ash Flat and Pocahontas descended on Piggott Sunday afternoon to view the first exhibit at the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center (HPMEC). The premiere of the exhibit, "Celebrating The Hemingways: Best Wishes from Piggott", was held from 2 to 4 p.m. ...

Ten members of Theatre Troupe 4089 from Rector recently attended the International Theatre Festival on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Enroute to Lincoln, the troupe stopped off in Kansas City to spend the night. The next afternoon the students arrived on the campus of the University of Nebraska...

Rector native Melva Cooper, a writer now of Jonesboro, has been published in a new book entitled Living By Faith, published by Obadiah Press, a Christian publishing house located in Merrill, Wisc. Cooper's entry, entitled "For All I Trust Him," was given an Honorable Mention in the 2002 Obadiah Press Annual Writing Contest and selected for inclusion in the book, along with other award-winning entries. Living By Faith will be officially released Aug. 1...

Tickets now are available for the Rector Labor Day Picnic $1,000 giveaway. The $1,000 drawing will follow the Miss Rector Pageant and close the day's events. The winner does not have to be present. Ticket prices are $1 each, six for $5 or 25 for $20. All proceeds go to Woodland Heights Cemetery. Those who want more information may contact April Lindsey or Russ Gamblin at 870-595-3551 or Leah Ford at 573-717-7777...

The 2004 Clay County Farm Family of the Year is the Bauschlicher Brothers of Corning. Bauschlicher Brothers Farms is an equal partnership between Wayne Bauschlicher and his sons, Steve and Tim. Wayne Bauschlicher was born in a small house on the corner of a 160 acre farm in Corning, which was owned by his grandfather. ...

Contestants are needed for pageants to be held Saturday, Aug. 7, at the annual Greenway Picnic. A baby contest for children birth through 12 months will be held at 9:30 a.m. the day of the picnic. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. the day of the picnic. Persons may call Sandy Hill at 870-529-3325 for more information. Entry fee is $15...

Terry Crawford and Jo Billings of Kennett took first place in the Championship Flight of the annual Mixed Pairs Tournament held last weekend at Sugar Creek Country Club in Piggott. The winners shot a 61 on Saturday and came back with a 62 on Sunday for a 36-hole score of 123...