Look Back In Yalobusha History

• 5 years ago, Feb. 5, 2009 – Unemployment jumped to 12 percent in Yalobusha County, according to figures released by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. It put the county in the “top ten” for unemployment in the state.
School board members looked for ways to salvage several jobs and sports programs during their February meeting. Programs on the chopping block included volleyball, 7th and 8th grade baseball and 7th and 8th grade track. The reductions were to offset a 3.23 percent cut to schools statewide.
The most common offense during 2008 in Coffeeville was driving under suspension, according to Police Chief Mark Martin. There were 29 cases, the chief reported.
The Herald racked up five awards in the advertising division of the Mississippi Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest.
• 10 years ago, Feb. 5, 2004 – The first Enid Lake Cleanup Day was set for Saturday, Feb. 7. Mechanics Bank contributed $1000 to help with the effort.
John Lewis was named project oversight manager for the renovation projects at the courthouses in Water Valley and Coffeeville.
A second well was to be drilled at the Oakland Mississippi Beef Producers Plant after the first proved to be a dry hole.
Faith Christian Academy “A” Honor Roll students included Marquis Pomerlee, Bobby Bell, Corey Reid, Caitlin Reid, Miriam Hill, Rebekah Hill, Daniel Hill, Samantha Allred, Mary Hill, Korah White and Markyta Pomerlee.
The Yalobusha NAACP scheduled their Black History Month program for Feb. 7 at the Philadelphia M. B. Church near Oakland.
Jimmy Dale Story, 37, of Coffeeville was charged in the murder of Laurel A. Koll, 39, whose body was discovered near County Road 84.
• 20 years ago, Feb. 3, 1994 – County Supervisors voted to construct a Class I rubbish disposal site near the Beat One barn.
New Bondafoam officials Larry Foster, General Manager and Vice-President, and Mike Thomas, Sales Manager, spoke to the Water Valley Ambassadors.
Water Valley High School Band members Leah Ann Norris and Melanie Goodwin were selected by audition to attend the Northeast Mississippi Bandmasters’ Association Clinic at Itawamba Community College.
WVHS Band members honored at the Solo & Ensemble competition at Lafayette High School included Amanda Thomas, Laci Brashier, Emily Gurner, Rhea Brown, Eric Inman, Brent Hollister, Heidi Wilder and Robin Keisling.
Mott’s/Blue Coach employees were recognized for participation in a recent blood drive. Accepting the plaque were Stacy Benson, Kenneth Poole, Tina Smith and Martha Potts, plant nurse.
• 30 years ago, Feb. 9, 1984 – The WV Junior High basketball teams finished their season with wins against Pope. The girls won, 30-17, while the boys won a close one, 52-50.
Alan Berry of Water Valley was a member of the newly formed Chamber Singers at Delta State University.
Firefighters kept a grease fire in the apartment of Ollie Chandler from spreading saving several apartments on either side of the unit.
Two Vallians, Kathy Johnson Williams and Joyce R. Moody, were included in the 1993 edition of Outstanding Young Women of America.
Randy Terry and J. C. Womble of the New Water Valley Jaycees were pictured with a $300 check for the Muscular Dystrophy Association raised by the local club.
Letters continued to come to the Herald protesting the demolishing of the old Bank of Water Valley building. One letter contained the signatures of more than 50 distinguished citizens of the city.
Two WVHS students Tracy Baggett and Eric E. Riley were named winners in the business education category of the United States Achievement Academy.
• 40 years ago, Feb. 7, 1974 – J. Watson Hunt was pictured on the front page being administered the oath of office as Mayor of Water Valley by Chancellor Kermit R. Cofer. Hunt was elected to the office to replace the late Tolbert Maddux.
City officials were studying the possibility of building a Little League baseball park. Sites being considered wee the old high school grounds on North Main Street and the old grammar school grounds on Wagner Street.
Eddie Aune, senior at WVHS, was selected STAR Student and Tom Edwards, STAR Teacher.
Mrs. Mary Scott Peacock Draughan died as a result of being burned during a fire at her Humes Street home in Memphis. She was the daughter of former Herald editor J. D. Peacock.
The county courthouse was found to be in “bad need of repair” by the Grand Jury of the Second Judicial District. The jury reported that the floors needed cleaning and the restrooms were “deplorable.”
• 50 years ago, Feb. 6, 1964 – Herbert Woods retired after 40 years and three months with the U. S. Post Office Department. He began his career as a substitute city carrier and advanced to regular carrier and then to clerk. At a farewell party, Woods was presented a certificate of service by Postmaster Paul Parker. Special guests were Mrs. Margaret Woods and Neal Woods, wife and son of the honoree. Wood noted that his mother, Mrs. Annie Woods, was born in a post office, referring to the fact that his grandfather, the late George Woods, was Postmaster at Hatton and had the office in his home.
Gov. Paul Johnson named twelve Yalobusha men Colonels on his staff: Harold Williams; John Covington, Coffeeville; Binford (Snooky) Williams; McRae Burns; Bill Hartley, Tillatoba; Vernon Johnson; Dalton Hyde; Eugene Hatchins, Coffeeville; Donald Dorris, Oakland; Dr. W. S. Young; Hershel Howell; and Charles Crenshaw, Scobey.
Clinton Woods was injured when his pick-up truck crashed into a utility pole on North Main Street. Two passengers, Wesley Gooch and Willie Hervey, suffered lacerations.
One of the county’s largest taxpayers for 1964 was Southern Bell with a tax bill of $14,750.
• 60 years ago, Feb 4, 1954 – The county ginned 14,641 bales of cotton during the last season, up more than 1500 from the previous year’s crop.
The Community Council elected C. L. “Buster” Beene president of the group.
The Grand Jury of the Second Judicial District praised Sheriff Lloyd Farmer “for the excellent manner in which he keeps the jail premises” and then said that was in spite of the “unspeakable conditions of the prisoners quarters.”  The presented a long list of unsanitary and inhuman problems and then stated “these conditions should not exist in any civilized community.”
Pvt. James Gordon finished basic training at Fort Gordon, South Carolina.
The Jaycees set the dates for the 1954 Tri-Lake Fair as August 24-28.
Miss Dolores Stewart was the new Home Demonstration Agent for Yalobusha County.
Dr. John Wright of Water Valley was one of 60 doctors registered to attend the review course in cardiology at the University of Mississippi.
• 70 years ago, Feb. 3, 1944 – The cotton report from the census bureau showed that the county ginned 10,875 bales over the past season, up from 9,403 the season before.
Dick Wilhoit of Water Valley, an employee of the IRS, gave his schedule of places he would be to help taxpayers fill out their tax returns.
• 80 years ago, Feb. 9, 1934 – Confederate veteran John A. Norris, 86, died after being ill for several years. He enlisted in the Mississippi Infantry at the age of 15 and was later in Forrest’s Calvary.
A sample of Water Valley butter from the local Kraft-Phenix Cheese Plant was rated the best tasting out of 50 samples examined at Ohio State University’s Depart of Dairy Technology.
Around 300 Mississippi guardsmen were to escort three Memphis criminals accused of assaulting a 17-year-old Holly Springs schoolgirl. The men were first rushed from Memphis to the Hinds County Jail and then they were to be taken from there under escort to Hernando to face trial. After being found guilty they will be returned to Jackson where they will be held until the date of their execution, 30 days after being convicted.
• 100 years ago, Jan. 29, 1914 in the City Itemizer – You will never know corset comfort until you try a SPIRELLO, read he advertisement placed by Miss Laura J. Sigman, corsetiere, phone 428.
Wedding announcement – Mr. Milton Dickey, an esteemed employee of the I. C. Shops, and Miss Olie Kehoe, an attractive young lady of two miles north of the city, were united in marriage last Sunday evening at the Baptist parsonage in this city, Rev A. A. Walker officiating.