Look Back In Yalobusha History

• 5 years ago, June 12, 2008 – The city had a new tool to fight summer mosquitoes, a $7500 sprayer. It replaced a decades old unit that was purchased used for $50. Generations of Water Valley youth ran behind or rode their bicycles through a haze of oil-and-who-knows-what-else spray put out by the old fogger, referred to affectionately as the “foggin’ machine.” Did it have an effect on those kids? How many goofy adults do you know it Water Valley?
Coffeeville cowboy Ross Burney was on his way to Casper, Wyo., to participate in the week-long College National Finals Rodeo.
Declines in U.S. auto sales contributed to a layoff of 40 employees at the BorgWarner plant.
• 10 years ago, June 12, 2003 – Carol Ross, Ole Miss women’s head basketball coach, spoke to the Rotary Club. Over the years “the little girl from Oakland” would take her teams to the top.
Kellie Jean Magee, daughter of Cathy and Eddie Magee, was named Miss Casey Jones for the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum.
• 20 years ago, June 10, 1993 – Former Mayor Larry Hart defeated incumbent Garlon Maynor to become the city’s new mayor. All incumbent aldermen were reelected including Lawrence Hale, Charles Harris, Fred White, Lowell Edwards and Sherry Johnson.
The annual St. Jude Bike-A-Thon sponsored by the Anchor Club raised $1,126 for the children’s hospital. Participants included Lee Ann Holt, Ashley Wilbourn, Donnie Hovis, Curtis Godwin, John Bennett and Joshua Burrowes. Anchor Club helpers were Callie Cox, Kerry Aston, Michelle Anthony, Kari Smith, Melanie Goodwin, Heather Horan, Brandy Thomas and Leah Ann Norris.
• 30 years ago, June 16, 1983 – The Mayor and Board of Aldermen discussed rate changes by TVA that reduced rates on small customers and increased rates for large customers. Although the board members were reluctant to agree to the changes, they had to adopt them.
The Villa group home, part of the Baptist Children’s Village, was under construction in Yalobusha County.
• 40 years ago, June 14, 1973 – New officers for the Water Valley Jaycees were Jodie Burks, president; Jimmy Maynor, external vice-president; Richard Flowers, internal vice-president; Dan Hollister, director; and Bartes Guarr, treasurer. Jaycette officers were Bettie Davis, Donna Guarr, Sandra Goodwin, Linda Maynor, Alice Williams, Linda Massey and Gayle Ashford.
Pete Brown pled guilty to income tax evasion for the year 1967 before Federal District Judge William Keady in Greenville. Brown was president of Pete Brown Enterprises, a poultry processing firm.
A “tasting tea” for National Dairy Month was to be held at the Farm Bureau Building. A photo of Cynthia Darnell and Mary Ann Fair dressed in cute little milkmaid outfits accompanied the story.
• 50 years ago, June 13, 1963 – Rev. Dorsey McCay, pastor of North Main Street Methodist Church, entered the race for Lt. Governor of Mississippi.
Sheriff Forest Barber was injured while breaking up a fight and making an arrest at the home of Barlow Brown.
Jeannie Barron, Elsie Davis and Kay Tyler were attending Girls’ State in Jackson.
• 60 years ago, June 11, 1953 – Jennette Terrell and Ann Camp were awarded the State Homemakers Degree of Achievement.
Members of Troop 14 of the Boy Scouts were at camp including Ersel King, David Lee Hale, Ronald Pass, Bill Quinn, Lon Harding, Charlie Goode, Sambo Hart, Bobby Gore, Binnie Turnage, Bennie Taylor, Paul Shearer, James Knox Baddley, Tom Bell, Larry Cox, Allen Jenkins, Joe Larson, Don Blackwood, Robert Turnage and Bobby Edwards. They were accompanied by assistant Scoutmaster Jim Allen.
Winning first place at the annual State Short Course at Alcorn College were Yalobusha contestants Ora May Jones of Smith Chapel Club and Marjorie Grace Jones of the Coffeeville Club. Others attending were Annie Rachael Martin of the Bryant Club and Martha Brown of the Rocky Mount Club.
• An increased appropriation from the state gave Yalobusha County teachers a raise in pay to $105 per month. Superintendent Herman White said that the county school budget for the next year was  $113,673.13.
Water Valley girls were guests of the Grenada Army Air Base for the first formal dance, which attracted over 500 enlisted men, officers and friends. The girls were invited through the USO and Mrs. Robert McLarty of Water Valley, Mrs. Margaret Armstrong of Coffeeville and Mrs. D. K. Ross of Grenada.