November 2022

The following Corning art students won awards for their recycled turkeys at the Art on the Ridge at Piggott. Art on the Ridge is a non-profit organization focused on visual arts around Crowley’s Ridge. They hold an event that occurs on the second Saturday of every month in downtown Piggott. The prizes were Art on the Ridge Bucks to spend in Piggott at cooperating businesses.

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I know a teacher named Gerry who teaches a cross-curricular Physics/Algebra II class. One year, Gerry had a class of very competitive students. All classes have their own flavor or brand to them, and this one could be characterized by their competitiveness. Gerry noticed that he had athletes, video gamers, and even artists who were motivated by trying to be the best at their crafts.

N otes The Corning School Board met at 5:00 p.m. with all members present.

Well, here it is, “turkey day.” Or so termed by many people. Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday, but it wasn’t always so. On Oct 3rd, 1863, after a decisive victory at Gettysburg, President Lincoln announced that the nation will celebrate an official Thanksgiving Holiday on November 26th, 1863, the last Thursday of November. Some years Thanksgiving falls on the 26th again, and when it does, I have a triple memory. Nov 26th is my late father Clavis Murley’s birthday, and also his mother, Minnie Bartlett Murley’s birthday. On that first celebration in 1863, my grandmother Minnie’s father, James K. Bartlett was probably on a train headed for the Union Prisoner of War Camp at Rock Island, IL, a camp in the middle of the Mississippi River. He had been shot and captured on the 24th at the battle of Lookout Mountain, TN. My other grandfather had just reached Dalton, GA, after battling his way off Missionary Ridge on the 25th, and had stopped the Union advance at Ringgold Pass, GA. He would sit there until the following May, then be a part of the 100-day battle of the Battle for Atlanta. That first thanksgiving was not one of peace and fellowship. So many stories are told to us about that first dinner being one of thanksgiving, but that is not exactly true. Before that tiny ship cast off from Europe in 1620, its cargo of 102 Puritans had long left England in pursuit of religious freedom. They spent months almost in bondage in Holland, as farmers working in mills to support their families. When finally they found passage, there were two ships, leaving the continent, a good three months later than they should in the season. Shortly after leaving port the other ship began to take on water, it was leaking. All the passengers had to transfer to the Mayflower. It took two months for the 102 passengers, including three pregnant women and about a dozen children and 30 crewmen - and they were short of crewmen - to make the passage and not to their intended landing ne

Hello everyone, I have been under the weather lately. So I haven’t been out and about much. We are still having work done in the Park and at City Hall. Cold weather has slowed some of the work down. Hopefully it will be done before bad weather sets in. My grandson, Ryan is having his sweet sixteen birthday on Tuesday the 22nd. His Papaw and I spent the whole weekend celebrating with him to make a special early birthday. He was excited and said it was the birthday weekend. Thanksgiving is up on us. We are planning on spending time with both sides of the family, wobble until we gobble and make precious memories. We hope everyone has a blessed, safe and Happy Thanksgiving. That’s all I have for now, until next time . Have a blessed day!

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Each year, the Clay County Cattlemen’s Association meets in November and holds a toy drive to support local youth in the county. All 36 members in attendance for the November 17th meeting held at the Clay County Fairgrounds brought a toy or gift to donate to the local DHS to provide gifts for children and teens for Christmas. The Clay County Cattlemen’s Association is honored to be able to provide something as simple as a toy to bring so much happiness to local youth and help them understand just how special they are.