Look Back In Yalobusha History

• 5 years ago, Oct. 8, 2009 – Dr. Joe Walker retired after 40 years of taking care of the community’s health care needs.
Another casualty of the ill-fated beef processing plant surfaced at the board of supervisors meeting when Oakland Mayor Riley Swearengen reported that the Oakland Yalobusha Natural Gas District was in arrears with one of the two loans with the USDA that financed construction of the project.
The Blue Devils won their first division game by defeating the Nettleton Tigers, 7-0.
Coffeeville’s Front Street was filled with people celebrating the town’s 175th anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 3.
The Redneck Power Tour, a group of classic car enthusiasts, made a stop at the home of Odie and Janice Shuffield.
Eddie Peacock was pictured with a 15-rattle and one button rattlesnake killed on Hwy. 315 near the crossroads area.
Bill Craddock showed off a sweet potato that look like a duck. The tuber was found in a field off Hwy. 32, west of town.
• 10 years ago, Oct. 7, 2004 – Burglars took advantage of a city-wide electrical blackout Saturday night, Oct. 2, to steal drugs from Turnage Drug Store on Main Street.
The blackout also created a discussion about the county jail being without power for five hours with 26 prisoners in lockup.
The Blue Devils defeated Okalona, 28-7, improving their record to 4-2.
The members of the Goshen United Methodist Church completed their third building and were planning a homecoming for Oct. 17.
John and Becky Tatum were featured as they opened two businesses in Water Valley, a restaurant and frame shop.
George Harrison of Coffeeville was recognized as Northwest Mississippi Community College Alumnus of the Year.
Water Valley businessman Steve Thompson honored his former science teacher Mike Edwards by donating funds for a scholarship in his honor at Northwest Mississippi Community College.
• 20 years ago, Oct. 6, 1994 – The Blue Devils were headed to Charleston to begin Division 2, Class 3-A play after having a week off.
Members of the congregation honored Bro. Ferman Anderson Jr. as he began his 30th year at First Christian Church.
Local historian Bruce Gurner was pictured with a railroad car drawhead from the link and pin coupler days just after the Civil War. It was found in Town Creek by a crew working for the Corps of Engineers.
District Attorney Bobby Williams, a former resident, accompanied a child identification fingerprinting team participating in Octoberfest activities downtown. Among others participating in the Octoberfest were Town and Country Garden Club members Luella Fair, Maxyne Baird and Dene Allen who served hamburgers cooked by volunteer Richard Baird.
John Brower III, better known as Trey, was pictured with Junior Heifer Calf Champion North Belle at the Northeast Mississippi Fair and Livestock Show.
• 30 years ago, Oct. 11, 1984 – Denese Phillips was selected Homecoming Queen during the WV vs. Coffeeville game, which the Devils won, 10-0. Other royalty included Deborah Woodard, Joyce Woodard, Tammy Scott, senior maids; Sandy Loper, Sandra Benson, junior maids; and Tish Covington, Amy Fernandez, sophomore maids.
Alabama murder suspect Edward E. Sealy, 60, was captured just west of Water Valley by members of the FBI, Yalobusha Sheriff’s Department and Constable Dwight Tatum.
Yalobusha farmers were credited with growing more pumpkins that in any other county in the state and several were featured on the Mississippi Educational TV program “Farm Week.”
In an interesting coincidence, John Brower III was pictured with his Dad, John Brower, sitting atop the first bale of the season. John (or Trey as he was known) was pictured on the front page with a calf in 1994.
The Pilot Club presented a $100 check to local Girl Scout Troop No. 80. Pictured was Pilot Shelly Howell with Girl Scouts Missy Anthony and Carole Rogers.
Margie Ford was a member of the Ole Miss Committee of 100, a campus inter-faith organization.
 • 40 years ago, Oct. 17, 1974 – The Mississippi Highway Department announced new construction on Hwy. 7 from Coffeeville to just north of Water Valley.
Calhoun City defeated the Blue Devils, 27-12. Al Reed was pictured being carried off the field after a bone-jarring tackle that dislocated his shoulder.
Ole Miss senior Laura Parsons, an education major at Ole Miss, was pictured learning screening procedures to evaluate the vision of elementary students.
Randy Parsons, assistant director of public information at NWJC, moderated a panel at the Mississippi Junior College Press Association meeting in Jackson.
Van Hedges was named to “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.”
Water Valley native James R. Baddley was named assistant dean for associated programs at the University of Mississippi School of Health Related Professions at the Medical Center in Jackson.
• 50 years ago, Oct 15, 1964 – Judge Kermit Cofer and Tom Q. Ellis, former clerk of the Mississippi Supreme Court, were pictured on the front page. Both men held high international offices in their respective lodges; Cofer in the Oddfellows and Ellis in the Masons.
The Blue Devils defeated Lambert, 53-0.
WVHS band students attending a flute clinic included Margie Dell Mayo, Debbie Hill, Debby Edwards, Pam Mathis and Marilyn Sager. Other members participating in the Colonel Rebel All-Star Band on High School Day at Ole Miss were Freddy Wilkey, Harriet Samuels and Janice Dollahite.
Members of the North-west Junior College Singers included Yalobushians Jimmy Dale Sartain, David Bailey of Oakland and Cecil Shaw of Coffeeville.
• 60 years ago, Sept. 30, 1954 – The Blue Devils tied Batesville, 6-6, as they battled through mud and water.
James A. Larson was a recent pledge to Alpha Tau Omega social fraternity at Ole Miss.
Blu McCullar announced that he was quitting business and selling the stock of McCullar-Suratt “lock, stock and barrel from wall-to-wall.”
• 70 years ago, Oct. 5, 1944 – W. S. “Shine” Tyson sold his Grand Theater, which he operated for 24 years, to Leon Roundtree.
Evelyn Gore, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. Gore, was accepted for training as a lab tech in the Medical Women’s Army Corp.
Pvt. Howard True was listed as missing-in-action in southern France.
Pvt. Jessie White lost a leg after being wounded in action during fighting with the Fifth Army in Italy.
Cpl. Thomas Edwards was serving as an aerial gunner in a B-24 Liberator group.
The trial of A. I. Shaw was underway in Sardis. Shaw was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Pvt. James Deskin of Camp McCain.
asoldier from Camp McCain.
Bernice Farris was injured in an auto wreck on Hwy. 51 just south of Memphis and was recovering at St. Joseph Hospital.
• 80 years ago, Oct. 12, 1934 – Water Valley’s finances were “showing well” with just over $8,000 cash on hand.
A notice informed “all women, big, little, old and young,” that an independent basketball team was being organized.
Jack Myers, manly son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Myers, celebrated his 14th birthday with friends Jane Metts, Annie Ruth Tipler, Hazel Henry, Mozelle Elliott, Gladys Howard, Frances Groves, Elizabeth Ringold, Kathleen Hague, Elizabeth Baddly, Evelyn Jones, Estelle Mitchell, Frances Ross, Henry Blackston Metcalf, Bill Vaughn, Frank Harris, Billy Barnes, Sam Dalton, Ray King Jr., Bill Hart, Stanley Edgar, Steve Turner, Halle Crowson and Hervis Hamblett.