Look Back In Yalobusha History

• 5 years ago, April 9, 2009 – Firefighters from Water Valley backed up by Velma volunteers worked for over three hours to put out a fire at a home on Hwy 315 west.
Congressman Travis Childers was set to speak at the annual Chamber of Commerce banquet.
Louisa Tatum was pictured on the front page sorting Easter eggs with the help of her Mom, Becky, during the egg hunt in City Park.
City aldermen were set to discuss a water rate reduction after the State Attorney General issued an opinion that a municipality may not charge less for services than the cost to supply them. At issue was a rate reduction for local industries that would lower their costs to less than the amount required to pump the water to the service. The rates for residential customers were raised and were going to be left at the higher cost.
Charlie Harris was honored with a scholarship named in his honor for his 40-plus years of service in the funeral industry.
Deshea Townsend of the World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers visited with youngsters at Davidson Elementary School.
Courtney Mills was awarded the Mississippi Dental Hygienists’ Leadership Award at Delta State University.
• 10 years ago, April 8, 2004 – Two men fled the scene of a rollover accident on I-55 after being helped out of the car by Oakland Police Chief Summer Jones and Assistant Chief Art Woodall. The reason was 475 pounds of marijuana found in trunk and on the back seat. The men were described as Hispanic and one was later arrested at a Grenada truck stop.
Supervisors discussed the festering issue of loggers’ bonds at their meeting April 4. Supervisors were trying to protect county roads and public property from damage by loggers while trying to be fair to landowners.
Ludie Appleton received the Water Valley Junior Auxiliary Community Inspiration Award. Hostesses for the JA “Puttin on the Ritz” event included Jill Hill, Tasha Higdon, Sasha Hyde, Andi Epes, Cathey Wrenn, Jill Olmstead, Tonya Eubanks, Glenda Gordon, Jo Lewis and Leah Anne Wrenn.
School Trustees approved eight percent raises for administrative and non-certified personnel.
The unemployment rate for February was 9.7 percent, close to the current rate.
• 20 years ago, April 7, 1994 – The Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce and the Yalobusha Economic Development Foundation have been realigned into one organization to be called the Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development.
Tina Hill was selected as the new Miss Hospitality by a panel of three out-of-town judges.
Three Water Valley High FHA/HERO students, Darcus Horton, Wednesday Elliott and James Hall, were winners in the state competition in Jackson.
Tim Ford, Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives, was to be the guest speaker at the Rotary luncheon.
Secretary of State Dick Molpus was to be the principal at the upcoming Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce banquet.
Callie Cox wasa a member of the newly-formed Pom Pom Squad at Northeast Mississippi Community College. She was also a member of the Tiger Dancers.
Lynn Walker was the Holley Automotive Employee of the Month for March.
John Ashford was honored with a plaque celebrating his 40 years of service with the Yalobusha Farm Bureau. He was pictured with Daryl Burney, president of the board.
• 30 years ago, April 12, 1984 – Winners in the Soil Conservation Service Essay Contest were Cassey McCoy, first place; Latausha Campbell, second; and Katina Brown, third.
The Bank of Water Valley downtown branch at Main and Wood Streets was moving to temporary quarters in the building formerly occupied by Cook’s Bargain Store (currently the Herald office).
The Water Valley High School Band received all “Excellent” scores at the Mississippi State Band Festival. The band was under the direction of Band Director Stanley Crow and Drum Major Kim Herring.
The Junior Auxiliary of Water Valley presented $150 to WVHS for purchasing Pre-vocational special educations project materials. Jeani Black of the JA presented the check to Leslie Woodard of WVHS.
James Spence, Cubmaster of Pack 250, received the “Outstanding Cub Leader” award and Jerry Foster, Scoutmaster of Troop 250, was presented the “District Award of Merit” at the Awards Banquet in Oxford.
The Board of Directors for the newly-organized Yalobusha County Unit, American Cancer Society are Julia Morgan, Coffeeville; Bernice Minor, Water Valley; President Mamie Shields, Coffeeville; Treasurer Audrey Ross, Oakland; Secretary Barron Caulfield Sr., Water Valley; Lincoln Shields, Coffeeville; Elsie Harrison, Coffeeville; Christine Harbour, Coffeeville; Ora Lee Phillips, Water Valley; Juanita Upchurch, Coffeeville; Madlen Pitts, Oakland; Cathy Fielder, Coffeeville; Gloria King, Water Valley; Hazel Frost, Oakland; Carol Brown, Water Valley; and Floyd McGehee, Water Valley.
• 40 years ago, April 11, 1974 – Members of the local National Guard assisted with the Clean-up, Fix-up, Paint-up campaign. Working in Community Park were SP4 Larry Hughes, PFC Dwight Rhyme, SP5 James Tidwell and SGT Dwight Tatum.
The city was in the process of constructing a sanitary landfill for disposal of garbage.
The Water Valley Jaycees and Jaycettes were preparing for the annual Easter egg hunt to be held at the Tri-Lake Fairgrounds. Pictured were Jaycette Chairman Jessie Ostrander and Jaycee Chairman Skip Wottowa.
Promoted from PFC to SP4 at the local National Guard unit were Roy Cobern, Troy Cobern, James Stacy, Barron Caulfield, Luther Gray and Bill Gurner.
Army Private David C. Frizzell, 18, of Oakland completed eight weeks of Military Police training at Fort Gordon, Georgia.
Dr. Durward Blakey was reminding Mississippians that tattooing can be a disease carrier.
Jerry Roberts was pictured with a seven-pound, one-ounce bass he caught fishing on the north side of Enid Lake.
• 50 years ago, April 9, 1964 – The Yalobusha Health Department moved into their new quarters on Simmons Street, announced Mrs. Quay Jones, county health nurse.
Members of the Junior Garden Club participating in the daffodil show were Mary Jane Harding, Susan Hunsicker, Jane Henry, Jennifer Cofer, Nancy Tyler, Carol Sartain, Patti Sue Peacock, Toni Trusty, Pam Mathis, Margie Dell Mayo, Patsy Cooper and Debbie Edwards.
Linda Wilbourn won the annual Yalobusha County Spelling Bee at Oakland and would represent Yalobusha at the run-off in Memphis. Other participants included Rebecca Pruitt and Kenneth Carvan of Oakland, Jeanette Huckaby of Water Valley and Veeneena Frith and Mike Ayers from Coffeeville.
Barron Caulfield was presented a certificate of membership in the Illinois Central Alumni Association by ICRR President Wayne Johnson. Mr. Caulfield had worked for the IC briefly as a young man before entering the banking profession.
Water Valley High School Band members, Norman Jones, Harriett Samuels, Aubrey Inman and Eleanor Nelson, were pictured in the Jackson Daily News at the State Band Festival April 6.
• 60 years ago, April 8, 1954 – Police arrested a New Jersey woman for attempting to pass a forged check at Ray’s Dry Goods Store. Mrs. Charlotte Gloria Dost Bothers and her husband, Howard Bothers, were taken into custody by Marshal Forest Barber and Sheriff Loyd Farmer. The husband was charged with being an accessory. Traveling with them were four-month-old daughter and a girl serving as a nurse named Doris with a long list of aliases. The Bothers woman presented a check bearing the signature C. D. French, M. D. to Warren Ray, who recognized the forgery since Dr. French’s initials are D. C.
The Watson Hunt home at 1203 North Main Street was damaged by fire April 5.
Outside work was completed on the new skating rink in Community Park. Lacking were a hardwood floor, lighting fixtures and restroom fixtures.
Members of the 4-H dairy judging team were Horris and Morris Holloway, twins of Coffeeville; Robert Williams of Water Valley, Billy Morgan of Coffeeville and coach Jack Troutt, assistant county agent of Coffeevlle. Members of the 4-H poultry judging team were Bobby Brower, P. C. Person III, Virginia Ann Wilbourn, Horace Redwine and Coach Troutt.
Named to the 1954 varsity basketball team at Mississippi State College for Women was Dale White (Tyler) of Water Valley.
• 70 years ago, April 6, 1944 – Frank Tucker was back in town to serve as assistant County Agent.
Paul Parker was also back in Water Valley. But, in his case, he was back on furlough after three months training in the Army.
Robert Gholson was promoted to sergeant in the Army’s 733rd Railroad Operations unit.
Local grocers were competing to buys eggs with several advertising prices from 24 cents to 25 cents per dozen or 27 cents in trade.
• 80 years ago, April 13, 1934 – The Water Valley Melon Growers Association was to meet to discuss some “all important” issues, such as this being the last meeting before planting. Over 400 farmers had joined and another 100 members were being sought.
In the “Odd But True” feature it was noted that science had not discovered the cause of love. They still haven’t discovered the cure, either.