Stories from Friday, February 6, 2009

Massive ice storm hits
Community sticks together, re-emerging from staggering weather event (02/06/09)
A massive ice storm that is being called the worst in state history struck North Arkansas last Tuesday, with Clay County certainly ranking among the areas impacted the most. Gov. Mike Beebe flew into Piggott last Friday after viewing the devastation from the air. ...

Shelter, food provided at Community Center (02/06/09)
When last week's ice storm hit, a response was immediately underway to offer Rector residents a safe, heated shelter in the form of the Rector Community Center. As conditions worsened Tuesday, Jan. 27, city officials began preparation for turning the center into an area offering relief...

Repairs underway for phone, cable (02/06/09)
Last week's ice storm is still affecting the area through power outages, loss of phone and cable services. According to NewWave Communications general manager Ed Gargas, the cable provider is aware of cuts to its fiber optic lines coming into Piggott. ...

Entergy tackles restoration full force (02/06/09)
Current projections indicate portions of Rector may have power restored as early as today (Wednesday), while the remainder of town could have lights back on as early as this weekend...

Clay Co. Electric hit hard (02/06/09)
Work is continuing as efforts to restore power to customers of Clay County Electric is underway. According to manager of member services Nick Manatt, approximately 280 additional workers from Missouri, Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi and Louisiana are in the area lending their assistance in replacing downed power poles and lines...

The Great Storm brings out the best (02/06/09)
There were probably a lot of exchanges similar to this one over the past few days in the Rector area: Rectorite 1: "You holding up okay?" Rectorite 2: "Just barely." Rectorite 1: "We are all tougher than we thought we are."...

Darryl Owen Davis (02/06/09)
Darryl Owen Davis, 50, of Rector, died Jan. 25, 2009. Born Sept. 28, 1958, in Paragould to Elsie Annette (Key) Davis and the late O.W. Davis, he was a lifelong member of the community, an employee of Emerson Electric and a member of Alexander Baptist Church...