Piggott Times: Opinion

Where's the biscuits? (09/01/10)
Yesterday I fixed myself a pimento cheese sandwich on toast. The container says the cheese spread was made from imitation cheese. Sometimes when I'm not too lazy, I will make pimento cheese. You know, grate the American cheese, add a jar of diced pimentoes, some grated onion, and mayonnaise. It tastes a lot better than the store bought imitation cheese spread...

(Untitled) (09/01/10)
1970 Three races in the Democratic run-off Sept. 8, as Dale Bumpers faces Orval Faubus for governor, Jim Harrell and Dr. Bob Riley contend for Lt. Governor and it will be either Frank Carpenter or Doug Batey for Clay County Sheriff. The annual Clay County Fair is at hand, along with the Labor Day picnics in Rector and McDougal. Meanwhile, the annual Piggott Fourth of July Picnic grossed nearly $26,000 according to Kenneth Mowery. Expenses were around $16,500 with a net profit of $9,463...

It happened here, years ago (08/25/10)
1970 Over 4,800 Clay County residents cast ballots in the Democratic Primary Election, Aug. 25 while just over 200 took part in the Republican Primary. Boyce McLeskey was re-elected county clerk, Vaughn Webb was elected assessor and Guy Brinkley, Jr. was tabbed to be municipal judge. Meanwhile, Frank Carpenter and Doug Batey will be in a run-off for sheriff. Also in the news, the annual McDougal Picnic is at hand with the proceeds to benefit the Post Oak Cemetery...

The Alpha and Omega (08/25/10)
(Peggy is taking off this week, so we're featuring one of her award-winning columns from several years ago) Is this how it begins, mama? You lie curled in bed, just the top of your head showing from under the piles of blankets. Your hands, posed as in prayer, cup your face against the pillow...

Friday the Thirtheeth (08/18/10)
Last Friday did you observe paraskevidekatriaphobia day? It's also called Friggatriskaidekaphobia. That's another name for irrational fear of Friday the thirteenth. That infamous day occurs once, at most three times a year. However, last year was an exception. There were nine Friday the 13ths in 2009.. Most unusual occurrence due to the way time is marked on the calendar...

It happened here, years ago (08/18/10)
1970 Construction is underway on the new H.W. Gossard plant on the east edge of Piggott, with the work being done by contractor Earl Kirk of Paragould. Also in the news, Ida Mills, 75, of Rector was killed in a crash in that city in the past week when the car driven by her husband, William, pulled into the path of a car driven by a Lafe man. The mishap occurred at the intersection of Fifth and Woodland Heights...

Back to school days (08/11/10)
I helped my daughter put her third grade classroom back together this week. Well, I helped two days. She worked more days than that to get ready for the opening of school later this month. It takes a lot of time and hard work to move desks in place, unpack boxes of heavy books, sorting and arranging...

It happened (08/11/10)
1970 School was set to start Aug. 31 for local students, with an open house scheduled for the day before. Also on tap, a meeting will be held at the courthouse for merchants, and their wives, concerning the new food stamp program. Also in the news, Jim Seal has been accepted to pharmacy school at Little Rock and 1970 grad William (Bill) Maurice Threet has received an athletic scholarship to play football at Arkansas Tech at Russellville...

Solar Egg Frying (08/04/10)
It's hot enough to fry an egg on a sidewalk. For sure, it's hot out there. Several summers ago, at high noon, I did try frying an egg outside. I found a piece of discarded metal, laid it on a concrete walkway, and proceeded to fry an egg. I cracked the egg and it slid out onto the metal "skillet."...

It happened here, years ago (08/04/10)
1970 Local residents watched in horror the afternoon of Thursday, July 30 as a C-130 transport plane exploded in mid-air and crashed to the ground about a half mile west of Piggott. All six crewmen aboard the plane, which was on a training mission out of Little Rock Air Force Base, were killed leaving a grisly scene on the ground as hundreds rushed to the location. The crash site was just north of what is now West Clay Street, at the bottom of the hill southeast of Kilbreath's riding arena...