Look Back In Yalobusha History

• 5 years ago, Dec 25, 2008 – Kagan Coughlin was pictured on the front page removing a window glass from the front of the Parker Building on Main Street with the help of Cliff Lawson. Coughlin was in the process of restoring the building. A “developer” from Lafayette County had shown an interest in demolishing the structure for the brick.
School Board Trustee Cayce Washington asked at the December meeting if the school could be included in a proposed water rate decrease by the city. City officials were considering dropping the industrial water rate after it had been raised to put less of a burden on the local poultry plant. Residential customers would not be included in the drop.
Members of the Class of 1967 from Davidson High School were pictured handing out gifts at the Yalobusha Nursing Home.
Water Valley High School accounting students Kenyetta Alexander, Quashadra Hervey, Tatianna Doss and Courtney Phillips created the best portfolio in a stock market game.
Cole Bailey, 11, killed an 11-point buck with a muzzleloader.
• 10 years ago, Dec. 25, 2003 – Winners in the Chamber of Commerce Christmas Decorating Contest were (business category) The Little Professionals Daycare, first; Turnage Drug Store, second; and H & S Signs, third. In the residential category Lettie Blackwood, first; Mike and Lori Williamson, second; and Margaret Higdon, third.
Brittany Foxx and Miranda Kuykendall of Water Valley participated in the Mississippi Outreach for Scholastic Talent (MOST) Conference at Ole Miss.
Salley McCullar was inducted by Phi Kappa Phi at Ole Miss.
Among the folks pictured in the Herald’s Christmas Section were Sara Nell Champion and Clay Ashford entertaining from the band stand; Preston Franklin and his son Steve driving Lannon Franklin’s pristine ’57 Chevy; Beverly Goolsby and daughter, Jessica, on her bright yellow trike; Sara Rayburn drove her John Deere Gator accompanied by Cordell and daughter, Paula; Bobby and Lila Schmitz were shown with their ’37 Chevy and riding with their dad, Police Chief Mike King, were Garrett and Austin.
• 20 years ago, Dec. 23, 1993 – Kerri Darrow, a member of the fourth grade Wings of Wonder class at Water Valley Elementary School and one of its young authors, had her book selected among 100 finalists in the National “Written and Illustrated By…” awards. She was chosen from among 2500 entries which had been distilled from some 250,000 submitted from around the country.
Denise Clement Tate received her BSN/RN degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
Tracey McMinn and Cathey Maynor were pictured preparing presents purchased by Anchor Club members to be given to a needy family.
Among the local kids writing to Santa were: Debra Caldwell, Lakiesha Hervey, David Jenkins, Crystal Woodard, Justin Thomas, Tony Hervey, Ashley Avant, Larry Harris, Kevin West, Daniel Reynolds, Tripp Edwards and Ingrid Reed.
• 30 years ago, Dec. 29, 1983 – Ice was the topic of conversation in Water Valley after freezing rain caused slipping and sliding in the area.
Marty Hardy was pictured with an eight point buck, his first deer, killed near Taylor. Marty is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Hardy of Biloxi.
Cheryl Odom Harris was named a President’s Scholar at Mississippi State University.
Valerie Herod of Mississippi University for Women and Sylvester Pomerlee of Alcorn State University were among college students selected for the 1984 Who’s Who Among Students In American Universities and Colleges.
Master Sergeant Albert Wilbourn was presented the Air Force Commendation Medal at Keesler Air Force Base. The sergeant and his family spent the holidays with his parents Mr. and Mrs. Otis Wilbourn.
• 40 years ago, Dec. 27, 1973 – The WVHS Band was in concert and Drum Major Jan Lollar was shown giving the downbeat and the Rifle Team members – Linda Keen, Paula Mills, Sherry Swearengen, Cindy Moxley and Lee Ann Berry were handing out programs.
• 50 years ago, Dec. 26, 1963 – Burglars stole a number of rifles and shotguns and a few dollars from Blu-Buck Mercantile Company early Sunday morning, Dec. 22. The theft was discovered about 8 a.m. that morning by  store employee Bill Hum-phries.
Winners in the decorating contest were: Inside Tree, Mr. and Mrs. Carey Holloway; Outside Tree, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Latham; Picture Window, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Ray, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Smith, 2nd; Door, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Joel Edgar and Dr. and Mrs. Rayford Edgar, tied for second; House Front, Mrs. Loyd White, Mr. and Mrs. Dalton Hyde and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Fair, tied for second; and Unique, Mr. W. S. Tyson, Mr. and Mrs. Don Holloway, 2nd.
Among the many youngsters writing to Santa were Malinda Hill, Craig Hart, Harriet Fair, Mary Anne Fair, Ronald Kelly Hill, Lynne Walls, Jackie Wilkey, Jayne Edgar, Alan Berry, Laura Parsons, Ruth Throop, Sandra Kaye Farmer, Glynn Shelton, Beverly Anne Burns and Karen Young.
• 60 years ago, Dec. 24, 1953 – Winners in the lighting contest sponsored by the Garden Club of Water Valley were: Windows, Mr. and Mrs. Doyle Sartain; House Front, Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Gholson; Outdoor Tree, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Myers; Doorways, Rev. and Mrs. J. F. Regis; Inside Tree, Mr. and Mrs. John Hunsicker; Honorable Mention, Mr. and Mrs. O. J. Gregory, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Parker; Mr. and Mrs. Buddy Hart and the tree in Railroad Park between Throop’s Service Station (now the Crawdad Hole) and Carter’s Service Station (corner of Main and Blount).
• 70 years ago, Dec. 23, 1943 – Service members featured during this wartime Christmas were J. E. Hale Jr., stationed in the Pacific with an engineers combat battalion; Pvt. Marvin N. Burt, in basic training with an anti-aircraft division; Pvt. Roy R. Bratton, also in anti-aircraft training; Musician Second Class Billie Frank Mathis, somewhere in the Atlantic; Walter W. Gean, aviation cadet in the pre-flight school at Maxwell Field, Ala., Sgt. Luther Wilson Anderson, aerial gunner; and James D. Sizemore, Dean’s List at Columbia Military Institute.