Stories from Wednesday, July 22, 2009

70th annual St. Francis picnic held (07/22/09)
The community of St. Francis hosted its 70th annual picnic Saturday with the proceeds to benefit both the Hall and Gravel Hill cemeteries. The annual event enjoyed mild weather for mid-July, and as a result the crowd was fairly large and the picnic grounds remained active throughout the day...

Crash claims life of area man (07/22/09)
Rector firemen worked Friday afternoon, July 17, at the scene of a one-vehicle accident near the St. Francis River bridge which took the life of a Clay County man. According to a report by the Arkansas State Police, Ronald Rigdon, 52, of McDougal was traveling south on Highway 90 between the Trammelville curve and the river when the grain truck he was driving left the road at about 1:18 p.m., crashing into a ditch running parallel to the highway. ...

Quorum Court member Rex Smart dead at 74 (07/22/09)
Clay County is in mourning following the death of one of its leaders. Justice of the Peace Rex Smart, 74, died Saturday, July 18, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. Smart had served as a JP for McDougal since 1999, representing the small community as a member of the Clay County Quorum Court. ...

New Lions Club officers (07/22/09)
The Piggott Lions Club elected new officers for the coming year at a recent meeting of the group.

Diamond dandies (07/22/09)
Four members of the Piggott Mohawk baseball team were among the starters for the Glen Sain Junior American Legion team from Paragould this season, helping lead the squad to a district championship and a trip to the state tournament. ...

Finals approach for tennis league (07/22/09)
The Piggott Boy's Summer Tennis League will conclude this Thursday, July 23, with their annual tournament. The league, which is under the direction of PHS tennis coach Paul Seegraves, has been going on the past several weeks at the municipal tennis courts in Piggott...

Our pampered pets (07/22/09)
The subject is dogs. The latest addition to the family is my son's pup, Boss Man. He doesn't look like a boss. He's white, small, frisky and energetic. He has a bobbed tail and ears that stand upright...

It happened, years ago (07/22/09)
1969 Residents of the Piggott area joined the remainder of the world Sunday, July 20 of 1969 as Neil Armstrong and "Buzz" Aldrin of Apollo 11 landed on the moon. Armstrong made his famous "first step" around 9:56 p.m. local time..with Aldrin joining him on the lunar surface around 10:30...

Rex Blair Smart (07/22/09)
Rex Blair Smart, 74, of McDougal, died July 18, 2009, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born February 4, 1935, near Crockett to the late Dan and Thronie (Blair) Smart. He was retired from the Delta Asphalt Company and currently serving as a member of the Clay County Quorum Court. He also enjoyed quail hunting and listening to bluegrass gospel music...

Ronald Earl Rigdon (07/22/09)
Ronald Earl Rigdon, 52, of Corning, passed away Friday, July 17, 2009. He was born November 30, 1956, in Piggott, and was the son of the late J.V. and Janice (Robinson) Rigdon. He was also preceded in death by his grandparents, Jesse and Alice Rigdon and Jewell and Edith Robinson...