Stories from Thursday, January 21, 2010

67 meeting, bridge project, bring top highway man to Clay County (01/21/10)
The top official from the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department visited Northeast Arkansas Friday. At the urging of regional lawmakers, Dan Flowers first spoke at Corning concerning the future plans for U.S. ...

PHS gets good report on grade inflation (01/21/10)
The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) recently released to members of the Arkansas General Assembly a report on grade inflation. That report identified 58 high schools in the state with a 20 percent or more inflation of grades...

Thompson looks ahead to historic fiscal session (01/21/10)
"We're breaking new ground," State Sen. Robert Thompson of Paragould noted of the upcoming fiscal session of the Arkansas State Legislature. "The amendment approved by voters in 2008 provides for up to a 30-day fiscal session, which can be extended by 15 days with a two-third vote by both the House and Senate."...

Ext. Service hosts annual cotton meeting for Clay County producers (01/21/10)
Several Clay County cotton growers gathered Monday at the Rector Community Center to meet with University of Arkansas Agriculture Extension specialists and agents to discuss what lies ahead for the important crop...

Mohawks top Corning, downed at Manila (01/21/10)
The Piggott Mohawks continued their recent domination of the Corning Bobcats last Tuesday night, beating their cross-county conference rivals 71-65 in boys basketball action. Friday night the Tribe visited the tough Manila Lions and dropped a conference decision by a final of 57-79...

Lady Mohawks fall in league play (01/21/10)
The Piggott Lady Mohawks are finally back to full strength these days, and have been playing better basketball as the season progresses. In the past week the Tribe split three games, with a win over Tuckerman and losses to Corning and Rivercrest...

PeeWee girls (01/21/10)
The Piggott Elementary Lady Mohawk fourth and fifth grade traveling team has been enjoying a productive season, and is coached this year by Paul Seegraves. Last Saturday, Jan. 16 the team took third place in a tournament at Walnut Ridge by defeating the local girls team. ...

Humorous friends (01/21/10)
Some of my best friends are those who make me laugh. They have a good sense of humor and laugh easily. I've also noticed that most of my friends are younger than I am. I think they keep me young by keeping me in touch with a younger way of thinking. They aren't stodgy and they like to go and do. So I tag along shopping or dining out or running around with them...

It happened here, years ago (01/21/10)
1970 Kindergarten Headstart graduation for the first session was held in the past week, with speaker Virginia Adkinson of Corning. Meanwhile, the Clay County Farm Bureau board of directors met with vice president Lloyd Vangilder presiding and secretary G.C. Flanigan presenting the budget...

Anne Pendergraph (01/21/10)
Anne M. Pendergraph, 76, a resident of Piggott for two years, passed away Jan. 12, 2010, at the Piggott Community Hospital. She was the daughter of the late Maxwell and Florance Morton and was born July 29, 1933, in Jacksonville, N.C...

Aaron Earl Garis (01/21/10)
Aaron Earl Garis, 83, of Piggott, passed away Friday, January 15, 2010 at the St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born April 1, 1926 the son of the late John Franklin and Freddie May (Lincon) Garis...

Chester Clifford Risener (01/21/10)
Chester Clifford Risener, lovingly known as "Cliff", 97, of Piggott, passed away Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010. Cliff was born in Waveland, Ark., July 18, 1912, to Solomon Porter and Lula (Hood) Risener. He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Mildred (Eubanks) Risener; his parents; two sisters, Erma Ralaford and Lula Frye; three brothers, Herman, Outher and Joe Risener; three children, Doris Jean, Barbara and Jimmy; three granddaughters, Laurie, Shawna and Kellye, along with a host of friends.. ...