Piggott Times: News

Community pep rally held at Parker Field (09/01/10)
The home side of Parker Field was packed to near-capacity Monday night, as Mohawk faithful gathered for a community pep rally in support of the fall sports teams. After the pep rally, the Mohawk Booster Club sponsored a powder puff football game and handed-out the "Scratch and Claw Trophy" to the winning team...

Longtime local practice sold (09/01/10)
For just the second time since it was began in the late 1940's, the local eye clinic practice has changed hands. Recently, Dr. Angela Howell announced she was leaving the practice that she acquired from Dr. B.B. Layle nearly 20 years ago to take a teaching position in Memphis. Taking over the practice are Dr. Jerry H. Ellis, O.D., and Dr. Elizabeth Kilgore, O.D., of the Progressive Eye Center of Cherokee Village...

Kemp named regional VP for Rust Comm. (09/01/10)
Ron Kemp of Rector is one of three Rust Communications veteran group publishers elevated this week into roles as regional vice-presidents, working with Rust newspaper publishers in different regions of the country. Kemp, longtime publisher of the Clay County Democrat and Piggott Times, as well as the Town Crier in Manila and the Democrat-Tribune in Trumann, has added the responsibilities of papers in southwest Missouri, central Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Idaho...

Suspect sought in local strong-arm robbery (08/25/10)
Piggott Police Chief Bill Alstadt reports that the investigation into a strong-arm robbery that occurred Tuesday evening is continuing. Officers were called to the Open Roads Motel, on Highway 62 at the east edge of Piggott, around 9 p.m. Tuesday night after an individual took an undetermined amount of cash from the business...

Firefighters battle huge grass fire near Nimmons (08/25/10)
Firefighters from several area departments responded to a location along the St. Francis River levee southeast of Nimmons Tuesday afternoon, to battle a grass fire of undetermined origin. The blaze, which apparently began in an abandoned building between the levee and river, was compounded by dry conditions and a prevailing north wind. By the time the fire was extinguished, well after sunset, it had spread nearly a mile...

The hazy, lazy days of summer (08/25/10)
With the dog days of summer in full swing, sleepy scenes like this barn lot east of Pollard are not hard to find. But, with Labor Day just around the corner it's nice to know that fall cannot be far behind. (Times photo/Tim Blair)

Back to school time (08/25/10)
Gage Patterson is greeted by Piggott Elementary School assistant principal Amber Harrell as he arrives for the first day of school Thursday, Aug. 19. With the exception of kindergarten students, who had their first day Friday, all Piggott classes convened last Thursday as they marked the start of the new school year...

Piggott mayor, alderman races to be contested (08/25/10)
Piggott voters will have three contested municipal races to decide in the upcoming General Election, as the period for candidates to file ended at noon Tuesday, Aug. 24. In the past few weeks all the incumbent city officials facing re-election filed to seek another term. That included Mayor Gerald Morris, city clerk Ramona Magee, city attorney John Lingle and incumbent aldermen Carl Birmingham and Tommy Risinger...

Rust Communication COO dies in accident in Maine (08/25/10)
Wally Lage, vice president and chief operating officer of Rust Communications, died Thursday night, Aug. 19, in Maine, after slipping off a wharf. He was 66. Rust Communications is the parent company of the Clay County Democrat, as well as a number of other newspapers in Arkansas and around the country...

Civil suit over crop damage set for trial in Piggott (08/18/10)
After more than 13 months of preparation, in which thousands of pages of paperwork have been filed, jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday, Aug. 30, in what has become a massive civil suit in Clay County Circuit Court. The civil action involves dozens of Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri farmers and stems from damage sustained to the 2006 cotton crop by the "off-drift" of herbicide products containing the chemical dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, or 2, 4-D...

Books named Special Olympics Parents of the Year for Arkansas (08/18/10)
Mike and Theresa Book of Piggott were honored earlier this year for their work with Special Olympics, as they were chosen as the parents of the year for the state of Arkansas. The couple received the recognition at the state Special Olympics games in Searcy in June...

Morris, Brown file for Piggott mayor (08/18/10)
Clay County Clerk Pat Poole reports that one local race will be contested in November, as the deadline for candidates to file for the municipal election draws near. The deadline for candidates to file for the Nov. 2, election is noon, Tuesday, Aug. 24. ...

Hartsfield Earns Scholarship (08/18/10)
Austin Hartsfield, a 2010 graduate of Piggott High School, has been chosen to receive the annual $500 scholarship awarded by Eastern Star Lodge #207, F&AM, at St. Francis. Austin, the son of Freddie and Lucille Hartsfield, plans to attend the University of Central Arkansas at Conway and major in pre-medicine. On hand to make the scholarship presentation last week was Dr. Greg Mallard, Worshipful Master of the lodge.(Times photo/Tim Blair)...

Marching Mohawks in action (08/18/10)
Two heads are better than one..PHS band director Brian Pearson (on the ground) and assistant director Nathan Evans (on the platform) instruct members of the Marching Mohawk band during practice last week as Drum Major Jessica Davis looks on. Band and colorguard members have been braving the hot August weather to prepare for the upcoming competitive marching season. (Times photo/Tim Blair)...

Miss Greenway crowned at annual picnic (08/11/10)
Jessica Scheffler (center) was crowned Miss Greenway 2010 during Saturday's 80th Annual Greenway Picnic. She is the 14-year-old daughter of Bradley and Sandy Scheffler of Piggott. First alternate was Allison Crittenden (second from left), the 15-year-old daughter of Jason Crittenden and Stephanie Jett of Piggott. ...

Remembering Patricia Neal, screen legend dies at Massachusetts home (08/11/10)
The city of Piggott lost one of its biggest fans Sunday, with the death of Academy Award winning actress Patricia Neal. She was 84. A veteran of stage and screen, Neal was remembered locally for her role in the 1957 film A Face in the Crowd, parts of which were filmed in Piggott and Paragould the previous year...

New software at Piggott Library designed for younger patrons (08/11/10)
The staff of the Piggott Public Library has a new tool to help guide the educational growth of some of their youngest patrons, with the addition of the Early Literacy Station. The system is fully self-contained in a desktop PC and is the premier all-in-one learning station for young children...

Guest soda jerk visits local parlor (08/11/10)
A special guest soda jerk helped out Thursday, Aug. 5 at The Way It Was Ice Cream Parlor in Piggott. Owner George Forrest welcomed visitors Mr. and Mrs. Al Hamilton, and friends, of North Little Rock as they visited Piggott for a tour of the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum. ...

Heat wave continues to scorch NEARK (08/04/10)
The entire region remained under an excessive heat warning through 9 a.m. Wednesday, and will continue under an excessive heat watch through Thursday evening. The National Weather Service indicated that heat index readings would climb to around 115 Wednesday, and in areas near bodies of water such as the Mississippi River, may reach 120. Similar conditions are also expected Thursday...

C-130 crash remembered, 40 years later (08/04/10)
"They say you always remember exactly what you were doing when certain things happened in your life, like where you were when you heard that JFK had been shot -- that's the way it is with the plane crash, it sure is funny the things you remember years later," Gerald Hoggard reminisced Friday morning...

Piggott Masonic Lodge holds awards dinner (08/04/10)
Piggott Lodge #545 F&AM held its annual awards ceremony Saturday, July 30, at the lodge hall. This year two Master Masons received their 50-year pins. The local lodge also handed out their community service award, Mason of the Year honors and the coveted Pillars of Solomon award...

Project underway at BRAD HeadStart (08/04/10)
Work is now underway on the expansion of the Piggott BRAD HeadStart Center on South Taylor Street. Funding to expand the facility was approved last year and the improvements will include the addition of a nursery to allow for the care of infants and toddlers. The original plans called for the expansion to be on the north side of the building, but due to conflicts the new addition is being built on the south side of the existing structure. (Times photo/Tim Blair)...