Stories from Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Veterans memorial moving forward (04/22/09)
The creation of an exciting new veterans memorial park in Rector is a step closer to reality following a committee meeting on the project held Friday at city hall. The project is off to a tremendous start with major contributions from committee co-chairman George Barker and committee member Melvin Bridges...

Sheriff seeks grants for new cars, deputy (04/22/09)
The Clay County Sheriff's Department currently is seeking grants in order to add a new deputy and help with the cost of purchasing new vehicles. Sheriff Gerald McClung told the Clay County Quorum Court during Monday night's meeting at the courthouse in Corning the main reason he has not yet made arrangements to purchase new vehicles to replace those currently operating with high mileage is due to the possible availability of grants which will cover 45 percent of the cost for new patrol cars. ...

Hartsfield winning big with heifers (04/22/09)
It's been a very active spring for Rector seventh grader Kaylee Hartsfield. The Cougar 4H Club member has been busy competing in a number of shows with her two Red Angus heifers, Harmony and Sunflower, as part of her 4H project...

Joe Lynn Sanders dies in house fire (04/22/09)
A fire just north of Rector claimed the life of a local man Friday afternoon, April 17. According to a report based on information gathered by the Rector Fire Department, Clay County Sheriff's Department and the county coroner's office, Joe Lynn Sanders, 54, likely died from smoke inhalation at his 9486 Highway 90 residence...

Getting a helping hand (04/22/09)
Rector High School Helping Hands Foundation president Sherland Hamilton (left) of Rector and board member Gloria Reed (right) of Chicago, chair of the Foundation scholarship committee, congratulate RHS seniors Joabou Mitchell (second from left) and Bethany Sisneros, who each will receive $5,000 college scholarships through the Foundation for 2009-2010. ...

Rector FFA host fourth annual lawnmower races (04/22/09)
An estimated 150 spectators visited the Boydsville Arena Sunday for the fourth annual Rector FFA Lawnmower Races. The day included numerous races in both open and professional divisions...

Lady Cougars downed in district heartbreaker (04/22/09)
It was a tough finish to a strong season for the Lady Cougar softball team in their first game of the district tournament at Monette on Friday, as the girls fell to rival Marmaduke in a late-game surge, 9-8...

Cougars fall in duel at district tournament at district tournament (04/22/09)
The Cougars met the hosting Buffalo Island Central Mustangs in the first round of the 2A-3 District Tournament at Monette Friday in a classic baseball struggle. The result of the game was a disappointing one for Rector fans, as the Cougars fell 2-1 in the hard-fought contest...

Life and death (04/22/09)
I wrote two poems this week, dealing with the emotions associated with life and death. The first one displays the stages that describe the grief we all feel at the loss of a loved one. (The writer's beloved wife of 32 years died suddenly just under three months ago.) A major part of dealing with such a tremendous loss is recognizing these emotions to let one prevent the deterioration of unresolved grieving as a way of everyday living.. ...

Copycat television (04/22/09)
While flipping through the TV channels last night, I couldn't help but notice the copycats. Well, I guess we've all been copycats at some time or other. I know in high school the girls did a lot of copycatting, me included. ...

Your community has deep qualities (04/22/09)
Many times those of us in smaller communities look with longing eyes at some of the advantages enjoyed by our brethren living in larger towns. We see the job opportunities, the wider selection for shopping and just the overall greater commerce and wish we could have a "bigger piece of the pie" ourselves...

Joe Lynn Sanders (04/22/09)
Joe Lynn Sanders, 54, of Rector died Friday, April 17, 2009, at his residence. Mr. Sanders was born on June 2, 1954, in Rector, Arkansas. He was a former factory worker. Survivors include one daughter, Summer Sanders of Kennett, Missouri; his mother, Roma Nell Sanders of Rector; one sister, Gwyn Fry of Florrisant, Missouri, and one nephew, Dustin Graves of Mountain Home, Arkansas...

Clarence Edward Moore (04/22/09)
Clarence Edward Moore, 86, of Charlotte, Tenn., formerly of Rector, died Wednesday, April 15, at National Health Care Center in Dickson, Tenn. Born Feb. 13, 1923, in Knob to the late Tommy and Tolie Moore, he was retired from Uniroyal, was a WWII Navy Veteran, retired from Emerson Electric in Kennett after working there 17 years and was a member of Boydsville Baptist Church and also attended the Grace Baptist Church in Dickson, Tenn.. ...

Myrtle Mae Ferguson (04/22/09)
Myrtle Mae Ferguson, 94, of Paragould, formerly of Rector, died Tuesday, April 14, in Paragould. Born May 20, 1914, in El Paso, Arkansas, to the late Charlie and Lula Talley, she was a homemaker and attended the Pentecostal Church. Also preceding her in death were four brothers, Dewey, Bill, Richard and Charles Talley, and five sisters, Pauline, Annie, Charlene, Lottie and Mamie...

Ollie Mae Dodd (04/22/09)
Ollie Mae Dodd, 94, of Lafe died Tuesday, April 14, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. Born Jan. 13, 1915, in Knob to the late Edward and Mary Burns, she was a housewife and of the Baptist faith...

Henrilee Dale (04/22/09)
Henrilee Dale, 97, of Rector died Tuesday, April 14, 2009, at the Evergreen Nursing Home in Rector. She was born June 1, 1911, in Clay County to the late W.O and Delilah (Trantham) Hill. Also preceding her in death was her husband, Carl Dale; one son, Max Dale; one brother, Raymond Hill, and five sisters, Lois Parks, Cleva Robinson, Veda Dale, Freeda Taylor and Quara Todd...

Christeen Arnold (04/22/09)
Christeen Arnold, 86, of Rector, died suddenly Tuesday, April 14, in Rector. She was born October 27, 1922, in Clay County to the late Thomas and Ada (Patton) Meredith. In 1939, Christeen married Roy Wilcoxson. To this union three daughters were born, Shirley, Elaine and Peggy, who died at the age of two months...