Look Back In Yalobusha History

• 5 years ago, April 30, 2009 – Kyle Jones and Josh Sullivan were pictured on the front page because they made perfect scores of 500 on subject area testing at WVHS.
Yalobusha Beer Sales totaled $1,729,885.57 from distributors during 2008 making for an estimated $1,989,368 in retail sales. Water Valley alone sold over a million dollars worth.
Steve Cummings published a map of kudzu growth areas in his column. Actually, the growth areas weren’t in his column, they were all over the U.S. from the largest concentrations in the south to small areas in the far northeast and northwest.
Harold Hamby of the street department was pictured with a powered wheelchair found by a crew in a ditch on Lee Street. There was no rider nor identification on the chair and no one has reported it missing. The chairs are expensive items often supplied at no charge by Medicare.
Meredith Burrell of Water Valley was named to the 2009-2010 Northwest Mississippi Community College cheerleading squad.
Jeffrey Vance of Water Valley was pitchered (that’s a play on pitcher vs. picture) on the mound during the Northwest Community College baseball team win over Northeast, 6-5.
Meanwhile, the WVHS Blue Devil baseball team was entering the third round of playoffs.
• 10 years ago, April 29, 2004 – The Yalobusha Economic Development Foundation awarded a $7,200 grant to Valley Tool, Inc. to facilitate its expansion at the old city laundry building. Note the amount is only seven thousand dollars as opposed to the millions often granted by the state to out of state companies.
Ole Miss Lady Rebel Basketball fans gathered at the annual awards banquet on campus including representatives of the Yalobusha County Lady Rebel Roundballers Dee Cox, Bobby Cox, Margaret Ross, Quay Hudson, James Hudson, Coach Carol Ross, Dot Lowe and Mary Alice Moorman, who were pictured with Coach Carol Ross, a native of Oakland.
Two national Hobo Kings, Karl “Redbird Express” Teller from 2008 and Charles “Hobo Spike” Gill from 2009, attended the second annual Hobo Gathering at the Water Valley Casey Jones Railroad Museum. With Spike was his queen, Jo “Mama Jo” LeCount.
During a talk to the Yalobusha Historical Society, Betty Miller noted that the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) had a kudzu nursery at Coffeeville to nurture the plants in hopes of having enough to stop erosion in the area. It worked.
• 20 years ago, April 28, 1994 – Secretary of State Dick Molpus was the featured speaker at the Chamber of Commerce Banquet. Also at the banquet, C of C President Dr. Barry Weeks recognized the work of outgoing President W. G. Griffin.
Water Valley High School Head Football Coach Terry Allen resigned to become Head Coach and Athletic Director at Neshoba Central High School near Philadelphia. Gary Drewery was promoted to the Head Coach position at WVHS.
Dr. Gerald Turner, Ole Miss Chancellor, was the principal speaker at the Water Valley High School Academic Banquet. Among the awards was the Scholastic Endeavor Award to Annie Covington, who is confined to a wheelchair but still manages to be active in school activities and academics.
Mrs. Jimmie Frierson, Consumer and Homemaking Teacher at WVHS, was awarded the FHA Outstanding Service Award, the highest honor given by the FHA, at the state FHA/HERO meeting in Jackson.
Mrs. Joan Porter McMinn was the new WVHS Guidance Counselor replacing Bobby Cox who retired.
Eric Allen and Jordan White served as pages for District 33 Representative Tommy Reynolds.
• 30 years ago, May 3, 1984 – State and Federal officials opened a “one-stop” disaster assistance center at the Water Valley High School to aid victims of the tornado.
The American Red Cross opened a service center to provide a wide variety of services to victims. The Red Cross had already served more than 30,000 meals since beginning operations April 22.
The ladies of the Water Valley Pilot Club coordinated meals for both local and visiting electrical workers in the city. Pictured were Mary Sue Stevens handing a meal to City Electrician Vernon Chambers.
Stanley True, Civil Defense Director for the Water Valley Unit and Patsy Upchurch, Yalobusha County Civil Defense Director, were shown with donated food for tornado victims.
Other photos showed City Electric Department worker Eddie Magee restoring power at Big Yank, Gerald Harris preparing take-out food plates at the Church of Christ, Brad VanWinkle and his crew rebuilding a home on Panola Extended and Paul Roberson being interviewed by a TV crew from Memphis.
In non-storm related news, Water Valley Watermelon Queen Trina Riley took second place at the State Watermelon Queen Contest at Magee.
• 40 years ago, April May 2, 1974 – WVHS Band members honored during the Spring Concert were Larry Steele and Laurence Perkins, who jointly received the John Phillip Sousa Award, and Jan Lollar who received the Director’s Award from Band Director Stanley Crow.
Twenty-one people had signed up to furnish a room at Yalobusha General Hospital at a cost of $500 each.
Kathy Williams was named Most Valuable Player for basketball at the annual athletics award banquet at Yalobusha Academy.
Susan Brower and Cynthia Darnell represented Yalobusha County at the North Mississippi Recreational Development Association booth at the Mid-South Sports Show in Memphis.
Mrs. E. O. Boyle of Coffeeville received a 25-year pin in recognition to her years of service to the Yalobusha Homemaker’s Association.
Karen Rotenberry was one of 21 University of Mississippi students receiving the Taylor Medal, the highest award presented by Ole Miss for academic excellence.
Linda Doolin displayed a four pound, two ounce bass she pulled from a pond on the family place.
• 50 years ago, April 30, 1964 – Recognition of Enid Lake as “Home of the World’s Largest Crappie” was given to the Yalobusha Sportsmen’s Club by Memphis Navy Rod and Gun Club. The sign was placed in Magnolia Park.
Mrs. Bob Walker of Yalobusha County placed tops in her district at the cotton style show at Clarksdale.
Tom Q. Ellis, who served as Clerk of the Mississippi Supreme Court, retired and returned home to Water Valley.
The WVHS senior play, “Too Young, Too Old,” was presented April 30 with cast members Ethelyn Turnage, Patsy Poe, Rosa Ruth Burns, Bena Lou Kendrick, Elsie Davis, Claudine Rogers, Kay Tyler, Bonnie Cox, Eleanor Nelson, Jeannie Barron, Ronny Scarbrough, Richard Haney, Tommy White, Larry Edwards and Raymond Steele.
Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association customers were paying less for electricity than the national average.
• 60 years ago, April 29, 1954 – Wagner Lake was the site of the Mayala District Jamboree of the Boy Scouts of America. Troops from Oxford, Coffeeville and Troop 14 of Water Valley fielded 75 to 100 scouts for the Friday through Sunday event.
The Tri-Lake Fair for 1954 was set to begin Aug. 24 and run through Aug. 28.
Heading up the Junior Auxiliary for the coming year was Mrs. Hamric Henry, president; Mrs. Clyde Ray, vice-president; Mrs. John Wright, recording secretary; Mrs. Oliver Wiley, corresponding secretary; Mrs. James Brown, secretary; Mrs. Howard Holloway, Parliamentarian; and Mrs. John Throop, historian.
• 70 years ago, April 27, 1944 – Kermit Cofer, popular attorney in civil life, was promoted to Lieutenant and was stationed in England.
A hailstorm north of town and into Oxford broke windows and did other damage totaling about $10,000.
Water Valley was to have a watermelon shipping center. Growers were urged to plant Black Diamond, Tom Watson and Cuban Queen melons as soon as possible.
• 80 years ago, May 4, 1934 – Edward Coleman, a student at State A & M College, has developed into a “star” pitcher and is rated one of the best in southern colleges and universities. Pitching for A & M, he defeated the University of Louisiana, University of Mississippi and just recently defeated the University of Alabama by a score of 4 to 3.
Mayor DeShon announced that Cemetery Street (Blackmur Drive) from the Depot up the hill was to receive major improvements in the form of proper drainage and a roadbed 18 feet wide with six inches of gravel.
The Mayor also announced that he had received an invite – engraved, no less – to attend a reception at the White House. The Mayor had gained political favor by acting as local chairman for the President’s Birthday Dance.