Look Back In Yalobusha History

• 5 years ago, Aug. 7, 2008 – Jerry Vaughn had the largest watermelon at the carnival with a 141.3 pound green monster. Marty Bost placed second and third in the competition.
Excessive heat was the theme of the Watermelon Carnival as temps reached over 100 degrees and prompted the National Weather Service to issue an excessive heat warning.
Beat Three Supervisor Butch Surrette told fellow supervisors he was ready to issue a notice of intent to issue another general obligation bond.
BorgWarner cut 11 jobs locally as part of a downsizing of its North American workforce due to declines in the auto industry.
A lost WVHS class ring belonging to Mary Alyce Edgar Hyde from the class of 1942 found its way home. The ring was brought to Frank Hyde, son of Mary Alyce, by the man who found it, Tom Bush.
Participants in the Blackmur Memorial Library Summer Reading Program included Eli Sartor, Amanda Sartor, Christian Cook, Zharia Harris, Jake Wilkinson, Mary Grace Wilkinson, Annie Kate Sartor, Evonna Scott, Alexis McMullen, Brittany Gooch, Tamarius Barnes, Bailey Claire Wilkinson, Austin McMullen and Annissa Wilkinson.
• 10 years ago, Aug. 7, 2003 – Steve Ford won the biggest melon contest at the carnival with a 91.5 pound Carolina Cross. Charles Mills was second with a 84.5 pound Carolina Giant and Mary Ford was third with a 79.5 pound Carolina Cross.
Challenger Steve Shuffield upset longtime incumbent Sheriff Lloyd Defer in the Democratic Primary election. Ray Hawkins was the top vote getter in the Circuit Clerk’s race with Daryl Burney edging out Michael Stevens for the run-off spot.
The BellSouth Telephone Pioneers were among the former telephone company employees who were on hand at the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum special exhibit of telecommunications history.
Top female walker in the Watermelon Classic 2-mile Walk was Julie Jones.
Skylar Defer and Leanndra Telford received top reader certificates in the Blackmur Memorial Library Summer Reading Program.
Yalobusha General Hospital and Nursing Home was issued a certificate of need for the addition of 48 nursing home beds.
• 20 years ago, Aug. 5, 1993 – Watermelon Queen Carrie Washington was to greet guests and reign over the 14th annual carnival beginning Aug. 7.
Resurfacing was being done of several city streets. Mayor Larry Hart was pictured with Street Department Supervisor Mike Scroggins and Street Commissioner Sherry Johnson on North Main at Wise Street.
Water Valley’s Junior High cheerleaders attended UCA camp at Ole Miss and received several awards. Members included Ashley Aldy, Bethany Caulfield, Nancy Margaret Ray, Amanda Langdon, Tracey Sutherland, Amanda York, Courtney Patterson, Tonya Odom, Jill Hyde, Jennifer Jones and Leigh Ann Black.
Young brothers Stephen and Johnathan Sansom wrote a sad letter to the editor asking for the return of their bikes which were stolen from their yard.
Joeli Williamson, daughter of Mike and Lori Williamson, was 1st Alternate Princess at the Northwest District 4-H Horse Show in Senatobia.
WVHS winners in the Mississippi Future Problem Solving competition at Ole Miss were Heather Horan, Elizabeth Goodwin, Karen Person, Yoshia Hence, Mandy Holt and Tina Stewart.
First place winners in the Watermelon Decorating Contest were Snooty Snippers in the business category and Lettie Blackwood in the residential category.
Water Valley Coach Butler McLeod was honored by the Mississippi Association of Coaches in recognition of his 30 years of service as coach and educator in Mississippi.
• 30 years ago, Aug. 11, 1983 – The first two $100 Jesse Ostrander Scholarships were presented to Chris Ostrander and Dean Cummings by Shelly Howell of the Junior Auxiliary.
Buck Henricks, who was second-leading vote getter in the First Democratic Primary, withdrew from the race for Sheriff.
Mississippi Watermelon Queen Patricia Keith of Water Valley was pictured being introduced by Master of Ceremonies Jim Martin during the carnival Saturday. Local queen Trina Riley and Miss Hospitality Ginger White followed Keith on stage at the City Park gazebo.
Pictured cooking burgers at the carnival were Water Valley Lions Bennie Cole Taylor, Mike Whitehead and Larry Carr.
• 40 years ago, Aug. 9, 1973 – Water Valley students were registering for the new school year that was to begin August 20. Officials at WVHS adopted their first dress code because of changes in student appearance that brought long hair and short skirts into the classroom.
Jennifer Cofer completed medical record administration training at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
Water Valley’s National Guard unit was in summer training at Fort Sill, Okla., and several members of the unit were pictured including First Sgt. Jodie Burks, Capt. James Lipscomb III, SP4 Jerry Morris, SFC Danny Forsyth, Lt. Roger Shields, SP5 Gene Thorton, SP4 Hilliard Griffin, SP4 Darrell Taylor, SGT Terry Anthony, SP4 Phillip Sides, CPL Gary Walker,  PFC Ronald Bailey, SGT Bill Harris, PFC Luther Gray, PFC Cornelius Eubanks and PFC Gary Pinkerton.
Former resident Dean Wright was named head football coach and athletic director at Shaw High School.
• 50 years ago, Aug. 8, 1963 – Former Sheriffs Buster Treloar and W. W. Frost would face each other in the Democratic Finale. Others in the first primary included Melvin Ford winner of the County Superintendent of Education position, and Guy Dale Shaw who would face opponent J. Watson Hunt for Tax Assessor.
Farm Bureau royalty included Queen Lou McCormick of Coffeeville and alternates Alice Johnsey and Betty Woods of Water Valley and Nell Fancher of Coffeeville. Junior Royalty was Queen Holley Peeples of Coffeeville and alternates Grace Ann McMinn of Water Valley and Sue Shaw of Coffeeville.
• 60 years ago, Aug 13, 1953 – Grocer W. B. Crews was beaten with an iron pipe by three men who robbed his store on north Central Street. An undetermined amount of money was taken by the trio who made their getaway in a red Oldsmobile with a black top.
Ruby Lee Mays gained her third state title when she won the Mississippi Delta Junior Girls Singles title by defeating Frances Pitcher of Baton Rouge, La.
The Hwy. 32 bridge over Johnson Creek was in the process of being rebuilt and traffic was expected to move again over the weekend.
Kenneth Gordon Vaughn had a tonsillectomy at the Water Valley Hospital.
• 70 years ago, Aug. 5, 1942 – Sergeant Edward L. Dickey, USMC, was promoted to staff sergeant. Pfc. Howard True was in training at Fort Jackson, S.C., Cpl. John Sayles couldn’t say were he was stationed, but noted that it was “130 to 140 degrees in the shade.”
A heat wave in Dallas, Texas, was responsible for the death by heat stroke of former resident Howard Montgomery Gean, brother of W. D. Gean.
Another death of a former resident reported was that of “Curly” Kopp, who was killed when the airplane in which he was flying hit a windmill and crashed into the Mississippi River in Minnesota.