Stories from Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Clean-up effort continues across Clay County (02/18/09)
Clay County officials continue to await word from representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following a survey of the area a week ago. According to Clay County Judge Gary Howell, two FEMA representatives toured much of Clay County Tuesday, Feb. ...

Power restored to Piggott (02/18/09)
The flow of outside electricity was restored to Piggott Saturday afternoon, marking the end of more than three weeks of depending on the local power plant. Distribution supervisor Bruce Swan threw the switch around 4 p.m. Saturday as Mayor Gerald Morris looked on, and the city was back on the grid...

Delayed by ice, PHS hosts homecoming and senior night (02/18/09)
Piggott High School celebrated a belated basketball homecoming and observed senior night for 2008-09 Friday night as they hosted the Manila Lions in senior boys action. Following the pomp and circumstance, the Tribe ended the night with a win and in the process senior Rob Rice eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for his high school career...

Local shelter closes (02/18/09)
The local shelter at the Piggott Community Center was closed over the past weekend as the area continues to return to normalcy following the recent ice storm. As of Monday the facility was back in the hands of the city, although the center was closed for the Presidents Day holiday...

Rick's last battle (02/18/09)
Former Piggott High School standout athlete Erica Rickman lost her battle with brain cancer early Tuesday morning. She was 19. Rickman, a 2007 PHS graduate, was a multi-sport star for the Lady Mohawks, excelling in volleyball, basketball and softball...

Rice breaks 1,000 point mark (02/18/09)
Piggott Mohawk senior Rob Rice closed out his home basketball career in style Friday night, as he eclipsed the 1,000 mark for his high school career in his final appearance at PHS. Rice, the son of Debbie LaPierre, needed just 18 points to hit the mark going into Friday night's homecoming/senior night game with the Manila Lions and finished with 26...

Lady Mohawks fall at district (02/18/09)
The Piggott Lady Mohawks closed out the regular season last week, losing a 31-48 decision at Harrisburg on Tuesday, then dropping a 39-77 loss to the Hoxie Lady Mustangs last Thursday night. Monday night the Tribe took on the Hoxie squad again in the first round of the district tournament at Tuckerman, and despite a good showing fell by a final of 59-71...

Mohawks close out regular season (02/18/09)
The Piggott Mohawks closed out their regular season last week, losing a heartbreaker on the road to Harrisburg on Tuesday; winning a decisive victory at Brookland on Thursday and squeaking-out a senior night win over the Manila Lions on Friday. The Tribe was scheduled to take on the Lions again Tuesday evening in the first round of the district tournament at Tuckerman...

Goodbye, ice storm (02/18/09)
Whew! I don't know about you, but I'm tired. I barely knew that Valentine's Day and Presidents Day had arrived. I'm still reeling from the ice storm aftermath. I'm okay, but some of my friends are still in the dark, awaiting power in rural areas northwest of Piggott. After three weeks, they are still coping with the outage...

It happened here, years ago (02/18/09)
1969 Mayor Thomas proclaimed Feb. 28 as "Gary Adams and Tommy Dixon Day" in Piggott, as the two former Mohawk stars, and current Arkansas Razorbacks, were to appear at the annual sports banquet that evening. In other news, M.C. Runnells, with the FBI office in Paragould, was the guest speaker at the Lions Club meeting...

Delbert McArthur Hughes (02/18/09)
Delbert McArthur Hughes, 66, of St. Francis died Friday, Feb. 13, 2009, at his home. He was born June 19, 1942, near Rector and was the son of the late Martin and Hettie (Allman) Hughes. He had a Master's Degree in chemistry and taught high school science for 30 years in the Piggott, Clarkton and Twin Rivers school districts. ...

Lessie M. Culver (02/18/09)
Lessie M. Culver, 76, of Pollard died Friday, Feb. 13, 2009, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born Aug. 23, 1932, in Pollard and was the daughter of the late Roy and Dollie Irene (Matchett) Blackwell...

Ruby Lee Demay (02/18/09)
Ruby Lee Demay, 87, of Piggott died Monday, Feb. 9, 2009, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born May 1, 1921, in Griffithville, Ark., and was the daughter of the late Charles Edward Guinn and Molly Mary (Bell) Miller...

Erica Rickman (02/18/09)
Erica Rickman, 19, of Malden died Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at her home. Visitation is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at Hoggard and Sons Funeral Home of Piggott. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Piggott High School gym. Hoggard and Sons Funeral Home of Piggott is charged with the arrangements. A complete obituary will appear in next week's newspaper...