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Look Back In Yalobusha History

Three Feet Of Water Covered Main St. in 1983

Through The Years From The Herald
 

• 5 years ago, May 22, 2008 – Steffi River, daughter of Jayne and Keith River, was Valedictorian and Victoria Kilpatrick, daughter of Karen and Tim Kilpatrick, was Salutatorian of the 67 member Class of 2008. River was also STAR Student. She selected Donna Lane, French instructor, as STAR Teacher.
The Mt. Moriah Union District Missionary and Educational Association building was severely damaged by an early morning fire May 16.
Hospital officials were ready to spend $2 million on a new state-of-the-art doctor’s clinic near the Yalobusha General Hospital.
Frank Hyde was appointed as the county’s arson investigator by county supervisors.
Blue Devils Codie Shuffield and Antonio Hoskins received recognition at the annual WVHS athletic banquet for their performance on the field. Getting cheerleading awards at the athletic banquet were squad members Austin Mills, Steffi River, Ashley Haas, Terilynn Harris and Marli Carven. Volleyball standouts included Keke Fondon, Haley Vance and Brittney Taylor.
Keke Fondon signed a letter of intent to play basketball with Northwest Mississippi Community College.
• 10 years ago, May 22, 2003 – Megan Edwards was Valedictorian and Ashley Wilbourn was Salutatorian of the Class of 2003.
Members of the Yalobusha Economic Development Foundation pictured on the front page were Rex Howell, president; Andi Epes, director; Pierce Epes, director; and Pat Ray, former president.
D. R. Ingram was named to the board at the 2003 Mississippi Angus Associational Meeting.
Kimberly Wilks, a senior at Coffeeville High School, was awarded the Gertrude H. Turner Council’s Scholarship at Ole Miss.
A portion of Highway 315 south, just east of Water Valley, was named in honor of Dr. Dewitt C. French, an early advocate of good roads.
• 20 years ago, May 20, 1993 – Water Valley and Batesville were eliminated as possible sites for a state veterans home.
Tina Stewart and Jinny Fachman won a first place in the State Problem Solving Competition and will represent Mississippi at the 19th annual international conference at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Receiving Most Valuable trophies at the WVHS sports banquet were Derrick Pomerlee, track; Kim Carothers, track; Keith Woodard, baseball; Jackie Gaston, basketball; Michael Harrelson, tennis; and Kim Vaughn, tennis. Recognized for participating in the state tournament along with Harrelson and Vaughn were Stacey Avant, Tyler Hill, Ty Edwards and Mandy Holt.
Basketball trophy winners at the banquet were Stephanie Stokes, Jackie Gaston, Rochelle Polk, Keith Turner and Anthony Rockett.
New officers for the Yalobusha Economic Development Foundation were Eddie Ray, president; Eddie Foster, v.p.; Harry Sunderland, secretary; and Snooky Williams, treasurer.
Tammy Foster received the Gertrude H. Turner Council’s Scholarship at Ole Miss.
Eleven-year-old Alison Black was pictured selling her craft jewelry at the recent May Day celebration.
Seniors receiving awards at the recent WVHS Band spring concert were April Moore, Callie Cox, Kari Smith, Louise Davis, Felecia Carothers, Kerry Aston, Teresa Myrick and Ron Hart.
Stephanie Boyd received a BA in marketing from Harding University.
• 30 years ago, May 26, 1983 – Heavy flooding damaged some 30 businesses and washed out several county roads and bridges early Thursday, May 19. At one point more than three feet of water was on a portion of Main Street.
Members of the Junior Auxiliary named to the Watermelon Pageant committee were Kim Pullen, chairman, Jeanette Whiteside, Linda Maynor, Cindy Pullen, Jane Crow, Lori Williamson, Shelly Howell and Holly Edwards.
• 40 years ago, May 24, 1973 – Attending Girl’s State at Belhaven College in Jackson were Nancy Cook, Carolyn Karr, Becky Pullen, Cindy Sanders, Kathy Alexander, Joy Samuels and Patty Scroggins.
New Jaycette officers were Donna Guarr, president; Sandra Goodwin, first v.p.; Alice Johnsey, second v.p.; Linda Maynor, recording secretary; Bobbye Fay Baham, corresponding secretary; Toni Hill, treasurer; and Sandra Quinn, scrap book chairman.
• 50 years ago, May 23, 1963 – Peggy Ashmore was Valedictorian and Bill Gafford was Salutatorian for the WVHS Class of 1963. Honor students were Elizabeth Ann Gore, Steve Hedges, Lucy Kendrick, Freddy Benz, Marjorie Fortinberry, Karen Dickey, Mickey Pierce, Albert Wil-bourn and Carrie Hosney.
Ninth graders Paula Scarbrough and Donald Henderson were pictured on the front page as Miss and Mr. Junior High School.
Don Harding was selected to attend American Legion Boy’s State.
The Youth Baseball Season opened with a “Night For Baseball” featuring a speech by Judge Kermit R. Cofer.
Renovation work was completed on the auditorium at First Baptist Church.
• 60 years ago, May 21, 1953 – Forest Barber was elected city marshal, Tom Myers was elected alderman at large and Bill Robinson was elected alderman for ward one in the runoff.
Master Sergeant William H. Burns, formerly of Oakland, was getting hand-to-hand combat training at Camp Desert Rock, Nev., proving ground for the atomic bomb. Sgt. Burns was crouched in a trench with other soldiers about 9800 yards from ground zero for the ninth nuclear blast in the spring series. After the blast he and the other soldiers climbed out and charged the devastated area.
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Peacock observed their 50th wedding anniversary.
Ruby Lee Mays won the North Mississippi girls singles tennis championship.
• 70 years ago, May 20, 1943 – Water Valley was to have two practice blackouts, May 25 and  June 1.
The Boy Scouts of Yocona Council were about to have summer camp at the Forest Service Camp in the Holly Springs National Forest.         There were 360,000 Victory Gardens being grown in Mississippi.
Miss Martha LeClaire Parsons was a member of the graduating class at Wood Junior College.

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