Look Back In Yalobusha History
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The Herald reported near record accumulation of snow and ice at the start of February, 1985. The Feb. 14 edition still had pictures of the winter storm including sledders in Church Street (above) who worked out a tow routine to avoid have to climb back up the slippery incline. Two or three sledders would slide down the hill, then a friend with a three-wheeler would tow them up, train fashion, to make the run again.
15 Years Ago – Feb. 11, 2010 – Water Valley aldermen declared May 8 as Main Street Market Festival Day in the city. The festival would include local arts, crafts, food, entertainment and local market produce.
The Garden Club of Water Valley selected the home of Dale and Bob Tyler as the yard of the month. Dale reported that the yard work was therapy.
Herald columnist Charles Cooper wrote about the Methodist Orphans Home that opened in Water Valley in 1898. The building had been erected in 1897 and was capable of housing 125 children.
Yalobusha County Supervisors were contemplating enrolling in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Yalobusha County was the only county in Mississippi not enrolled in the program. Enrollment would come at a cost, as the county would have to implement a permitting process and check all construction and some renovations to see if the structures were located in at-risk areas for flooding. The benefits would be eligibility for flood insurance, allowing borrowers to use conventional mortgages for property located in the flood zone.
20 Years Ago – Feb. 10, 2005 – A list of military personnel with Water Valley connections who were serving in Iraq was listed in the paper. The service members were Ben Jones of Tupelo, son of Bob Jones of Water Valley and Ann Black Petrucelli of Tupelo; Mitchell Schmitz of Brookhaven, son of Paul and Shirley Schmitz of Water Valley; Cassandra Daniels of Water Valley, daughter of Eugene and Sandra Daniels; Barry Caulfield of Water Valley, son of Barron and Elizabeth Caulfield; Bryon Surrette of Water Valley, son of Morris and Helen Surrette; Michael Hughes of Water Valley, son of Randy and Wanda Hughes.
The article also stated that Water Valley would briefly have two Michael Hughes in Iraq, but Marine Cpl. Michael L. Hughes, son of Ronald and Martha Hughes, was scheduled to be back in the states later that month. Also included were the mailing addresses.
Yalobusha General Hospital Administrator Terry Varner reported renovations and an expansion was underway at the Yalobusha Nursing Home. The expansion would create room for 50 more residents and add approximately 50 new jobs. The nursing home project would cost around $2 million and would be completed by June.
Varner also said the outlook for the hospital and nursing home was strong, with recent investments that included the purchase of a cat scan, ultrasound and X-ray along with new ambulances and increased staff.
30 Years Ago, February 9, 1995 – Yalobusha County Sheriff Lloyd Defer released the criminal report for the previous year. Sheriff Defer reported that 663 men and women and six youth were incarcerated in the county jail in 1994. There were 39 men and women sentenced to Parchman. Out of this 39, 11 received a suspended sentence or were put on probation. Defer also shared that deputies served 116 justice court warrants, seven out-of-state warrants, eight Chancery Court warrants, nine Circuit Court warrants, 20 out-of-county warrants and 78 capais.
Charles Rakeshaw wrote a letter to the editor in support of a letter to the editor published in the previous edition. The letters were about implementing a 911 system in the county to number or name the county roads to make it easier to locate houses during emergency calls.
Guy Dale Shaw announced that he would seek re-election for Tax Assessor-Collector. Shaw wrote that he was 58 years young and ambitious, capable and willing to work.
Under another picture the Herald reported scenes like this were common over the weekend as a combination of freezing rain, sleet and snow made driving very difficult. The State Highway Department and City of Water Valley had opened up main streets, but at presstime Wednesday (Feb. 13), the secondary roads and streets still had a good coating of the slippery stuff.
40 Years Ago, February 14, 1985 – Mary Lucia Holloway was one of five IDS/American Express representatives in the nation to receive an expense-paid trip to Cancun, Mexico. She was among 519 reps who had sales of least one million dollars during the last six months of 1984. Of the 519, five names were drawn for the trip including Holloway.
The Second Annual Water Valley Womanless Beauty Pageant sponsored by the Water Valley Jaycees was scheduled March 23. Buddy and Kay Baine of the “Morning” show on Channel 9, Tupelo, would be the Master of Ceremonies.
50 Years Ago, February 13, 1975 – The Valley Jamboree at Country Music World was scheduled Feb. 15 and billed as a “really fabulous show” according to Mayor Garlon Maynor. Performers booked for the show included the Valley Echoes,
Davis Threadgill and the Sundowners; Lewis Kilgore and Blue Country, The Sound of Country and the Magnolia Blue Grass Boys. The show was sponsored by the Oddfellows.
Water Valley High School band members selected to participate in the Northeast District Band Clinic were Anthony Steele, Elizabeth Chinault and Cindi Pittman.
Representatives from all churches in the area interested in having softball teams (men and women) this summer were invited to a planning session at O’Tuckalofa Baptist Church.
60 Years Ago, Feb. 11, 1965 – Melvin Ford, County Superintendent of Education, was named “Outstanding Young Man of Water Valley” by the Junior Chamber of Commerce. Born in Oakland, the 32-year-old educator graduated from Oakland High School and received his B.S. degree from Delta State College.
70 Years Ago, February 10, 1955 – David Green, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.T. Green, and Bill Quinn, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Quinn, all of Water Valley, served as pages in the Mississippi House of Representatives.
Guy Shaw was a candidate for re-election as Yalobusha County Tax Assessor.
80 Years Ago, February 15, 1945 – Charles T. Doyle, a former Yalobusha County sheriff, died at a Biloxi hospital. Services were held in Water Valley and he was buried in the Scobey Cemetery.
An interesting story in this edition told of an “All Star” Bomber Crew’s participation in a near fatal bombing mission over Germany. One member of that crew was Sgt. Charles M. Few of Water Valley.
