2009 – A Year In Review

A Month By Month Look At 2009 News Events

January

Police started the New Year with an attempted armed robbery of the Water Valley Package Store on Blackmur Drive around 8:30 p.m. Jan. 1, when a lone black male entered the store and pointed a gun at the clerk.

School officials wanted to get Water Valley High School students off to a good start for the New Year, so they offered a cash prize drawing for perfect attendance for the month.

The Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Department urged drivers to buckle up during 2009. “The mere seconds it takes to buckle up can mean the difference between life and death,” Deputy Eddie Foster reported.

Residents got a chance to help shape the future of the city during a town hall style meeting Jan. 12 that was part of an intense three-day community development exercise called a charrette.

Supervisors voted to rehire John Crow as the board’s attorney at the first meeting of the year. The vote marked three decades of employing Crow as the board’s legal counsel.

Foreshadowing an issue that would be revisited at the end of the year, Supervisors voted 3-2 to allow justice court clerks Doris Shaw and Carol Wilbourn to attend the state justice court clerks mid winter conference. Supervisors Vaughn and Surrette voted against the request. “I don’t have a problem with them going, I have a problem with closing the offices so much,” Vaughn explained.

Supervisors also announced that they would purchase new pick-up trucks under the state contract price, which is considerably less that the public’s purchase price for a new vehicle.

The 2009 American Cancer Relay Kickoff was held Jan. 13.

A break-in at Hopewell Baptist Church on County Road 95 Jan. 9 had county law enforcement speculating if there was a connection to the summer 2008 crime spree where churches in a 15-county area became targeted for electronic equipment.

Then Mayor Bill Norris became the first candidate to file his qualifying fee and statement of intent for the upcoming city election.

The Mississippi Association of Supervisors (MAS) named Derrick Surrette as its new executive director.

R. V. “Little Joe” Hervey, 45, of Water Valley was killed Jan. 6 when he collided with another vehicle at the Hwy. 7/9 split between Water Valley and Oxford.

Lack of a quorum cancelled the regular monthly City Board meeting on Jan. 6.

Hospital Administrator Terry Varner (left) and Kevin Clanton, project superintendent for D. Carroll Construction, were pictured looking over the site of the new medical clinic adjacent to the Yalobusha General Hospital.

Corps of Engineers officials announced Enid Lake’s Annual Habitat Day would take place on Saturday, Feb. 7.  

The Mississippi State Legislature began its 2009 Legislative Session on January 6 when the Legislature was called to order in the historic Old Capitol Building.

City employees received a three-percent raise effective Feb. 1 after a vote by aldermen at a rescheduled meeting of a rescheduled meeting of the city board Jan 16. At the same meeting Aldermen voted to lower water and sewer rates for industrial customers.

County law enforcement asked for help from citizens to help solve a rash of break-ins at area churches. Officials asked that anyone with information contact CrimeStoppers.

The issue that just won’t go away popped up again when former Mississippi Beef Plant LLC owner Richard Hall filed a lawsuit against a Georgia company who served as project manager for the now-defunct beef processing facility in Oakland.

The Water Valley Arts Council was established, to nurture, advocate, and celebrate the arts in the Water Valley area.

A bridge on County Road 2 near Tillatoba was ordered closed after the Office of State Aid Road Inspection 2009 inspection report presented to County Supervisors on Jan. 26 cited numerous safety  deficiencies with the structure.

Mayor Bill Norris vetoed an amendment to an amendment to the Water Resources Management Ordinance that would have lowered water and sewer rates for industrial customers.

The North Mississippi Fish Hatchery and Visitor Education Center in Enid announced in the Jan. 29 Herald that it was seeking volunteers.

February

Mississippi celebrated Arbor Day on February 1 and the Yalobusha County Homemaker Volunteers were pictured planting an American Redbud tree at the Yalobusha County Multipurpose Building in honor of this day.  

Herald graphic artist Melody Smith received five awards in the advertising division of the Better Newspaper Contest at the Mississippi Press Association’s Mid-Winter Conference in Jackson.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Enid Lake reminded outdoor enthusiasts that their Annual Habitat Day would be on Feb. 7.  

Mississippi State University specialists announced training sessions for the next wave of Master Gardeners from Feb. 24 through March 31.

United Blood Services held a blood drive at the Water Valley High School gym on Feb. 9, after UBS officials declared a state of emergency as Mississippi’s blood supply was at a dangerously low level.

Surly spring was just around the corner as the Magnolia Youth League began signing up youngsters for the softball-baseball program on Feb. 21.

Everdale M.B. Church announced its Valentine Ball to be held in the Christian Life Center Feb. 7.

Coffeeville Police handled 29 cases of driving under suspension making that offense the most common during 2008, according to case log statistics from the town’s municipal court presented in the Feb 5 Herald.

J Bar B Rodeo Company presented the Deep South Championship Rodeo Feb. 7/

Community volunteer Levert Hawkins was pictured working on the Baker Street Park project in 40 degree weather.

Firefighters got an early start on the brush fire season with at least five blazes reported between Feb. 5 and Feb 10.

Water Valley Aldermen voted Feb 3 to override a veto by Mayor Bill Norris of their amendment to an amendment that will lower water rates for industrial customers.

Mrs. Lottie Mae Glass Fox, 104 years old, died February 6, 2009, in Yalobusha County Nursing Home.

Hospital Administrator Terry Varner told the Herald that local doctors reported “a ton of flu” Monday, Feb 9.

Coffeeville Aldermen voted 3-0 to allow beer sales on Sunday after 1 p.m. according to a Herald report on Feb. 12.

Water Valley High School Baseball Coach Doug Robbins told Herald Sports Reporter Reid Bankston that he expected to launch a serious challenge on a region title in 2009.

Water Valley’s J.J. Woodard got a football scholarship to Delta State and Blue Devil Antonio Hoskins was headed to the University of Louisiana-Monroe.  

The Oakland City Council approved a motion supporting a health survey of local residents in February. Mayor James Swearengen and the board took this action after discussing the possibility of a community health center locating in Oakland.

Water Valley Police were investigating a grand larceny after a South Street resident reported on Feb. 6 that a Golden Horse youth all-terrain vehicle (ATV) was missing.

In the county, a house burglary on Hwy. 51, near Tillatoba was under investigation. A washing machine motor was removed from a washing machine.

St. Andrew M.B. Church in Oakland held its annual black history program Feb.15, following their 11 a.m. service.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Enid Lake thanked the 210  volunteers who participated in Enid Lake’s Annual Habitat Day.

Ward Three Alderman Thomas S. “Tommy” Swearengen died Feb. 11.

Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley, who is known for his two-fisted approach, held a ratepayers’ forum Feb. 12 at the Yalobusha County Courthouse.

A Coffeeville man was gunned down in his car Friday night, Feb 13, while driving down Kennedy Street in Coffeeville.

Former Mayor Larry Hart qualified Feb. 17 to run for Mayor against incumbent Bill Norris.

Ashley Harris, M.D., accepted an offer for a fellowship in geriatrics at Harvard University. A native of Water Valley, Dr. Harris was in his second year of residency at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo.

With less than than two months before it was set to go to trial, a federal lawsuit filed by Fletcher Fly against Yalobusha County seeking to resolve ownership of a county road was tossed out of federal court.

Attorney Ben Horan packed boxes at his office on Main Street during February in preparation for closing his firm March 1 after half a century.

March

Water Valley School District Superintendent Sammy Higdon announced at the Mar. 2 school board meeting that he would be retiring at the end of the 2009-2010 school year.

At the same meeting, Board President Ray Hawkins announced he would not seek re-election.

Testimony began Monday, Mar 2, in the sexual battery and rape of children trial of Curtis Leonard Sea who is alleged to have molested four young sisters ranging in age from two to eight. Sea was found guilty Tuesday, Mar. 3, of five counts of child molestation. The verdict came late in the afternoon after the jury had deliberated for one hour and 12 minutes.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Vicksburg District announced that four lakes in North Mississippi will participate in a three-year mandatory life jacket wear test program.  Enid was one of the four selected.

Four members of the Water Valley High School Band attended the Mid-South Honors Band Clinic held on the Ole Miss campus.

Water Valley High School sophomores Dillon Dickey and Danny Smith attended the Mississippi Lions Leadership Training Conference at Roosevelt State Park near Morton the first weekend in March.

New officers for the Water Valley Ambassadors were pictured in the Mar. 5 Herald. Those pictured included Melvin Ford, treasurer; Mary Sue Stevens, vice president; Lucia Holloway, president; Mim Carpenter, recording secretary; and Nelly Gardner, corresponding secretary.

For a second consecutive quarter, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) board announced a decrease in its fuel cost adjustment.

Aldermen raised the price to rent the civic auditorium at their regular “first Tuesday” meeting, Mar. 3.

At the same meeting, Water and Sewer Department Superintendent Morris Surrette asked  aldermen to review the pay rate for the water and sewer department employees and consider bringing them in line with the pay scale of the city electric department.

The unemployment figures for January 2009 as reported in the Mar. 12 Herald had risen to 14.6 percent, the 12th highest in the state. At the local BorgWarner plant the number of employees was expected to level out at 283 by the end of March. That’s down from 514 in January 2007.

Rubye L. Carr was the last candidate to qualify for the upcoming Water Valley city election. Carr, who is running for Ward Three Alderman, brought her paperwork to city hall at around 4:45 Mar 6, just 15 minutes before the deadline.

Sylva Rena Community Relay for Life Team held a bake sale Mar. 14.

The Water Valley High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) opening and closing team won the North District.

It will be illegal to sell children in Mississippi under a provision of the Uniform Child Abduction Prevention Act that was awaiting the signature of Gov. Haley Barbour in March. The amendment to the bill that covers buying and selling children was prompted by an incident last August, 2008,  near Enid Lake in Yalobusha County.

Gentleman farmer Mike Williamson displayed a Marmota monax (ground hog) in a front page photo in the Mar. 19 Herald. Williamson was assisted by Steve Holloway in capturing the critter in neighboring Lafayette County.

Charles Cameron, of 99 County Road 3, was charged with two counts of burglary and two counts of grand larceny after two houses near Tillatoba were broken into Mar 12. Only a month had passed since Cameron had been released from a Florida prison and returned home to Yalobusha County.

Delta State University (DSU) graduate students in the School of Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner track, Cinnamon Foster, Donna Hill, Ronnie Tritt, Pam Upchurch, and Amanda Wilbourn, held a community health fair, along with the Coffeeville Women’s League on Mar 28.

April

Firefighters from Water Valley and Velma worked for over three hours April 1 at a home on Hwy. 315 West owned by Johnny Holloway. Two pumpers and one tanker were called to the scene of the fire around 11:30 p.m.

The Water Valley Blue Devils finished second in the New Albany Track Meet held April 3. The girls finished in 6th place.

The Magnolia Youth League hosted a fundraising tennis tournament while the Tillatoba Volunteer Fire Department had a fish fry. Both fund raising events were held on April 4.

Isabella Kelly of Water Valley was second place winner in Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s (MPB) first annual Holiday Card Contest.

Water Valley Blue Devil baseballers defeated Grenada, 14-9, and  South Pontotoc, 15-10, on Apr. 4.

The Lady Blue Devils advanced to the second round of the playoffs after winning two games against the undefeated East Union Lady Urchins in the first round of Class 2A action. The team won 10 – 6 in the first game and 6 – 4 in the second, recording its first playoff game victories in school history.

Charlie Harris was honored at a gathering of friends and employees of Seven Oaks Funeral Home with a scholarship named in his honor.  

Water Valley City Board members welcomed Alderman Betty Ruth Swearengen to her first meeting Apr. 7. She was appointed in March to fill the remainder of the term of her husband, Thomas S. “Tommy” Swearengen, who died Feb. 11.

A grand opening was held Apr. 8 for the North Mississippi Fish Hatchery and Visitor Education Center at Enid Lake.

Chamber of Commerce President Ron Hart was pictured presenting Binnie Turnage with the 2009 Braswell Hatcher Award at the April 9 Chamber banquet.    

On April 13, the Family Readiness Group held a “soldier send off” for the Mississippi National Guard Delta Company 2-198 at the Batesville Civic Center. Six soldiers from Water Valley are in the unit including Staff Sergeant Tony Hernandez, Jr., Sergeant John Hernandez, Corporal Jason Brown, Private First Class Tracy Woods, Private Christopher Bishop and Private Randall Perkins.

The Water Valley Blue Devils Track Team won the Division 2-2A Championship and set a school record with 218 points during district competition Apr. 16 at Coldwater High School. The Lady Devils finished in second place behind H. W. Byars.

The 25th anniversary of the devastating 1984 tornado was observed on Apr 21.

PopWarner football team organizers held their first practice and a registration day Apr. 25 at the high school practice football field.

The 2009 Yalobusha County Relay For Life raised $65,501.03 and was a very successful event even if it didn’t make quite as much money as last year, Glenda Gordon, event chairperson, said in the Apr. 30 Herald.

Beer and light wine sales in Yalobusha County nudged $2 million in 2008, according to figures provided by the State Tax Commission and reported on Apr. 30.

A Coffeeville man was injured just after 10:30 Apr. 23 in a vehicle crash on County Road 436. A number of vehicles were using the road because of construction on Hwy. 7.

The Water Valley Blue Devils Track Team finished second, with 184 points, in the Region Meet at Coldwater on Apr. 25, behind J. Z. George, who garnered 235 points.

The Water Valley Lady Devils also finished in second place, with 85 points, behind J. Z. George, with 246 points.

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) alerted its statewide flu surveillance system to increase its testing of patients with influenza-like illness, it was reported Apr. 30.

May

The Mississippi Army National Guard’s 155th Brigade Combat Team, which includes 12 soldiers from Yalobusha County, mobilized in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on Friday, May 1.

The first Chamber of Commerce Music in the Park Programs program for the spring was held May 1 featuring the Sharecroppers.

First Christian Church held a blood drive on May 5 at the Mississippi Blood donor coach in the parking lot.

Former mayor Larry Hart defeated incumbent Bill Norris in the Democratic Primary May 5 to take back the city’s top elected position. Hart received 551 votes to 269 for Norris. A third mayoral candidate, Robbie Ashford only got 113 votes.

In the Alderman’s races the winners were Donald Gray, At Large; Bobby Cox, Ward One; Fred White, Ward Two; Phillip Tallant, Ward Three; and Larry Bell, Ward Four.

Coffeeville Police Chief Mark Martin reported that Quadero Crump, age 17, of Hwy. 51 in Oakland and Clifford Jackson, age 23, of Frank Street in Coffeeville, have each been charged with armed robbery and aggravated assault. The arrests were the result of an October 7 incident when G.H. Fly was assaulted and robbed at his home on Tennessee Street.

The Davidson High School Class of 1967 hosted their annual bake sale on May 9 .

The annual trail ride held at the Pine Valley School was held May 9.

The MSU Extension Service held a kudzu program and tour of a kudzu demonstration plot on May 13.  

A stalled bridge replacement project located on County Road 2 near Tillatoba remained in the limelight after a landowner demanded public apology from supervisors May 4.

The Water Valley Blue Devils upset Hamilton, Region 2-2A’s top seed in baseball action.

The Main Street Market Festival was held May 9, but rain cut the activities short.

Two men robbed a homeowner at gunpoint the night of May 10 in what Sheriff Lance Humphreys said was not a random act of violence. “They knew exactly what they were looking for and where it was located.”

Stanley Crow, long time band director and music educator, was presented the first Ed Shearer III Memorial Award for Artistic Achievement on May 11.

 The Water Valley Blue Devils and Lady Devils Track Teams competed at the State Track Meet May 9 in Jackson. V.V. Woodard became the first girl in WVHS history to win the state champion title in Shot Put.

BorgWarner Plant Manager Hans said May 15 that layoffs at the plant should be the last significant cuts for 2009 leaving 228 employees at the plant as of June 1.

Seventy-nine Water Valley High School seniors were candidates for diplomas during graduation ceremonies May 21.

New Corps of Engineers life jacket regulations took effect May 22 at area lakes including Enid.

Thompson-Ward held a benefit concert May 29, to benefit the Lady Devils Softball Field currently under construction west of Water Valley High School.

It was back to the drawing board for formulating a dress code for teachers in the Water Valley School District after school board members rejected a proposal from elementary school teachers during a May 18 meeting.

About 50 people gathered on Main Street May 25 to honor the memory of those who have given their lives in the service of their country.

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said May 21 during a visit to Water Valley that the number of absentee ballots cast during the recent city election was higher than it should be and the voter turnout was disappointing low.

Valedictorian Adrian Tallant was pictured in the Herald speaking at the graduation.

Retiring Athletic Director Chick Drewery was pictured in the May 28 Herald being honored by Blue Devil coaches at the conclusion of the school year for his 25 years of service in the school’s athletics.

June

Supervisors voted June 1 to take court action on two property owners delaying a bridge replacement on County Road Two that has been stalled for months. They also approved ad valorem tax exemptions for BorgWarner Emissions System and for Windsor Quality Food Company, Ltd.

Starting with the coming school year, Water Valley students will be allowed an option to opt out of new course requirements if they do not plan to immediately attend a four-year college after graduating. The change, which was adopted by the Water Valley School District board members June 1 meeting, comes after the State Department of Education increased curriculum requirements for freshman students starting with the 2009/2010 school.

Proper school attire, both for teachers and students, was addressed by the Water Valley School Board in their June 1 meeting. The changes were formalized, both with the adoption of a district-wide dress code for employees and with handbook changes at the elementary and high school.

Incumbent Coffeeville Mayor Mack Burns was reelected June 2 for another term by a margin of more than 56 percent.

Americans are going to have to take a close look at the way we elect our leaders, former Mississippi Insurance Commissioner George Dale told the Water Valley Rotary June 2.

Among other transgressions, Dale said that many candidates make contributions to black preachers who influence their congregations with sample ballots.

Yalobusha County’s 13.7 percent unemployment rate for April, reported in the June 4 Herald, was the highest of any county in the northern third of the state and the 7th highest in Mississippi.

Roy Vance was pictured in the June 4 Herald kneeling behind a seven-foot coach whip snake that was struck by a vehicle June 1 on Hwy. 32 West.

Mayor-elect Larry Hart was pictured in the June 4 Herald soaking wet after having fallen out of his boat while fishing May 28 near Prophet’s Bridge.

The 2009 Water Valley FFA opening and closing team placed fourth in competition at the Mississippi FFA Convention which ended June 5 on the campus of Mississippi State University. Junior High FFA competitor Breanna Faust placed third in the creed speaking contest.

A line of strong thunderstorms brought damaging straight-line winds to Yalobusha County just before 5 p.m. June 12 toppling tress and bringing down power lines. The hardest hit area was the Town of Oakland where falling trees damaged several homes, vehicles and a portion of the town’s electrical infrastructure.

Rumors of giant lizards roaming the streets of the city came to an end after what is said to be the last of the escaped tegu lizards were captured June 15.

WVHS Principal Glenn Kitchen provided a look at updates to the student dress code in the June 18 Herald. First on the list was cleavage, second was hats, third was piercings, and fourth was sagging pants.

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) reported in the June 18 Herald that there were 19 new cases of H1N1 swine flu, bringing the state’s total number of cases to 77. None yet in Yalobusha County.

Temperatures in the area were bumping the 100-degree mark the Herald reported on June 25.

The Water Valley Main Street Association won the Best Public Improvement Project Award for 2008 from the Mississippi Main Street Association for their Better Back Street project.

Ward Two Alderman Fred White was found guilty in City Court June 25 of violating the “junk ordinance” and was fined $500 and given 90 days in jail. Municipal Judge Trent Howell told White that he would suspend the jail time if the alderman would bring his property into compliance within 90 days.

Water Valley Police responded to the Hwy. 7 bypass at 2:12 June 25 after receiving a telephone report of a Blue Oldsmobile traveling south with all four doors open. The officer responding to the call reported that the vehicle passed him and all four doors were closed.

July

Yalobusha County’s unemployment reached 16.4 percent in May, the highest rate in 22 years, according to a story in the July 2 Herald.

A sprawling methamphetamine investigation that led to two arrests, a fugitive hunt and the recovery of two stolen four-wheelers was reported in the same issue.

Travis Burt of Charleston and Brian Rideout were charged with possessing precursors to manufacture methamphetamine. Deputies were also searching for Johnathan Winters.

Ray Hawkins of Water Valley, assistant chief of police at the University of Mississippi, was named Officer of the Year by the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Association.

Calvin Sellers, chief of police at the University of Mississippi and a former Yalobusha County resident, has been named president of the Mississippi Campus Law Enforcement Officers Association.

Some confusion was reported after a story was transmitted over the Associated Press newswire left off the date of Water Valley School District Superintendent Sammy Higdon’s retirement which led readers to believe to it was this year. His last day will be June 30, 2010.

District Congressman Travis Childers spoke of his objections to President Barack Obama’s energy bill at a “Coffee with the Congressman” gathering in the Coffeeville Courthouse during a swing through the district July 2.

Billy B. Williamson was pictured showing off the first official cotton bloom of the season which was picked July 3.

About two dozen Movie on Main Street fans gathered in the parking lot at the corner of Panola and Main for the July 3 presentation of the film “Independence Day.”

Water Valley Police responded to several fireworks related calls over the July 4 holiday weekend starting July 2 when a Blackmur Drive resident reported hearing gunshots which turned out to be several large aerial-burst fireworks. On July 4, police were called to a “bottle rocket war” around 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of Herring and Church Streets. Another call followed at just after 9 p.m. to Wagner Street where youths were reportedly throwing fireworks under the carport of a home. July 5 officers responded to Rolling Hills just after 10 p.m. to investigate reports of fireworks being shot at the houses. The action continued July 6 when a group of youths frightened a motorist on Central at Lee Street around 9:20 by hitting her car with fireworks.

Incoming Mayor Larry Hart challenged citizens to be a part of the development of the community during the installation ceremony for city officials July 6. Mississippi Supreme Court Justice George C. Carlson Jr. administered the oath of office to the new City officials.

Yalobusha County Tax Collector/Assessor Linda Shuffield presented the 2009 tax rolls to supervisors during the July 7 meeting held in Coffeeville. Also during the meeting, Supervisors voted to hire Frank Hyde as director of the county’s civil defense in a move that was described as a cost saving measure for the county.

The new Mayor and Board of Aldermen held their first meeting on July 7, a brief 32-minute session taking care of mostly basic city business.

The Farmers Market on the south end of Railroad Park began Wednesday markets on July 8.

Yalobusha and Panola officials searched Enid Lake near Plum Point July 11 for a submerged car, after a tipster reported a vehicle was involved in a crime. The search was eventually called off and it was believed the tip was a prank.

The Corps of Engineers reported that four lives had been saved as of mid-July after a 3-year mandatory life jacket wear test program began in May.

Betty Shearer reported in her July 16 column that Tommy White’s Local Express self-serve station, located on Highway 315 west in Water Valley, would have gasoline without the ten percent ethanol added.

A Community Census Bureau meeting was held July 14 at the Multipurpose Building in Coffeeville. It featured Alicia Netterville, a partnership specialist with the Census Bureau Dallas Regional Office.

Police and Animal Control were called to the Berkshire Apartments July 16 after a youngster saw what he thought was a big snake. Animal Control Officer William Beard identified the creature as a large lizard, but was unable to catch the fast moving reptile in the tangled underbrush.

The Rotary Club of Water Valley Bass Tournament was held July 18 at the Water Valley Boat Landing.

Martin Street resident Emma Gooch appeared before the Planning Commission July 20 continuing her quest to find someone willing to help after working for ten years to get some properties in her neighborhood cleaned up.

Registration dates were released July 23 for Water Valley Junior High and High School students, kicking off next Tuesday, July 28 and continuing through Thursday, July 30.

Steffi River represented Water Valley in the 60th Anniversary Mississippi Miss Hospitality Pageant.

The 101st Annual Session of the Mount Moriah District Baptist Association was held beginning July 27 in the Association Building located at 3657 CR 211, Coffeeville.

August

August was National Catfish Month as well and Immunization Awareness Month.

Brick layer and part-time preacher Jerry Vaughn claimed bragging rights for the second year in a row after winning the Largest Watermelon Contest in the Watermelon Carnival on Aug 1 with a 165.6 pound melon.

Erin McCrory chunked a slice of watermelon 16 feet during the watermelon toss at the 40th Watermelon Carnival Aug. 1.

Supervisors began making cuts in an attempt to offset less revenue expected in the coming fiscal year during the “first Monday” meeting held in Water Valley on Aug. 3.

Industrial water rates changed…once again…when Alderman voted Aug. 4 to amend the already amended amendment to an amendment to a correction to the Water Resources Management Ordinance of 2005. The action came during the regular meeting of the Mayor and Board on Tuesday, Aug. 4. The most current amendment returns the rates to the level of a correction to the 2005 ordinance dated Aug. 2, 2005.

A two-vehicle crash just south of Coffeeville seriously injured a Yalobusha County man Aug. 4. The man was northbound on Hwy 7 attempting to make a left turn on County Road 71 when his vehicle was struck from the rear by a coffee distribution truck. After being removed from his vehicle by emergency workers, the man was transported from the scene by a medical helicopter.

Water Valley police officers Chris Blair and Steve Story were pictured examining the front door of the Subway on South Main Street after an attempted burglary at the business Aug. 4.

Breanna Foust-Scroggins was pictured in the Aug. 6 Herald after having won the Reserve High Point Gaited Award at the State 4-H Horse Show.  

The Corps of Engineers reported in the Aug. 6 edition that the water level at Enid Lake was 253.10 and the water was stable, muddy to clear.

The sounds of children at play were once again heard at Baker Street Park after it reopened Aug. 8. The community park had been closed since Oct. 25, 2008, for renovations under a $97,779 grant.

A 15-year-old girl illegally soliciting money for St. Jude prompted multiple complaints to the sheriff’s department and culminated with her arrest for a home burglary.

Art works by Anissa Wilkinson were on display in the lobby of Renasant Bank on Central Street. Fifteen of Wilkinson’s creations were included in the show, which ran through the end of August.

The Water Valley Main Street Association was awarded $40,000 in grants from Renasant Bank, Mechanics Bank, and the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of Dallas.

Mayor Larry Hart said in an Aug. 13 article that the City would be operating on a tighter budget for the upcoming fiscal year with anticipated revenues down more than $39,000 from last year.

Northwest Mississippi Community College linebackers Antonio Hoskins of Water Valley and Timothy Kirk of Charleston were pictured Aug. 13 showing off the Ranger’s new uniforms for 2009.

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MDH) reported the first suspected case of H1N1 swine influenza in Yalobusha County after a 15 year-old patient was admitted to Yalobusha General Hospital on Aug. 17 with flu-like symptoms.

The Water Valley School Board flip-flopped on the district’s dress code, voting Aug. 17 to return to the recommendations made by Superintendent Sammie Higdon in May. About 40 female teachers brought a petition with 99 signatures asking the Board to revisit the district’s dress code policy.

A small child was struck and killed Aug. 18 just before 4 p.m. in the 700 block of Blackmur Drive.

There was a definite air of optimism at the local BorgWarner plant as the American auto industry began to show new signs of life, Plant Manager Ken Tobin told the Herald for an Aug. 27 article.

Yalobusha County posted a ten percent increase in retail sales during the last fiscal year making it one of the few counties in Mississippi to show an increase as gross retail sales fell 3.5 percent statewide.

The Water Valley Blue Devil football team was preparing for their upcoming season under Head Coach Brad Embry, who was starting his second year. Their first game was Aug. 29 against cross county rival Coffeeville.

A reception honoring Melvin and Cecil Ford and the announcement of the establishment of The Melvin and Cecil Simpson Ford Endowment Scholarship at Northwest Missis-sippi Community College was held Aug. 29.

September

The City’s $2,708,434 budget for the upcoming fiscal year was the topic of a public hearing at the beginning of the regular monthly meeting of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen on Sept. 1.

Coffeeville Aldermen made an exception to the beer ordinance at their meeting on Sept. 1 to allow beer sales on Front Street for the Town’s 175th Anniversary.

On Sept. 1, the Water Valley Junior High 7th Grade Blue Devils started their football careers by defeating the Coffeeville Pirates, 44-0. Not to be outdone, the 8th Grade squad defeated the Pirates, 43-0.

The WVHS  Blue Devils spent the first few days of September preparing for their Sept. 4 game against Calhoun City. They had just lost to Coffeeville the previous week, 34-25.

Yalobusha supervisors voted 4 – 1 to move forward with the construction of a new county jail on Sept 2.

Yalobusha Extension Director Steve Cummings introduced the county’s new Extension 4-H Agent, Mary Mason Furr, at the Sept. 2 supervisor meeting in Coffeeville.

Colorful new banners were being placed in Coffeeville and a new bandstand was being constructed in Coffeeville on Front Street in preparation for the Town’s upcoming 175th birthday celebration in October.

Unemployment was still on the rise putting Yalobusha County at sixth highest in the state. The Herald reported on Sept. 3 that the July rate was 17.4 percent.

Police searched for a vehicle with paint missing and a driver with pants missing after a female drove into the lumberyard of Valley Lumber and Hardware on North Main Street wearing only a bra and panties, according to a report in the Sept. 3 Herald.

In the second game of the season Sept. 4, Water Valley defeated Calhoun City, 35-0.

Mississippi’s county governments are doing a good job of providing services to their citizens with very little funding, Derrick Surrette, Yalobusha County native and Executive Director of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, told Water Valley Rotarians at their meeting, Sept 8.

The Water Valley Junior High football teams continued their winning ways as they traveled to Pope Middle School on Sep. 8, to face the Bulldogs. The two teams won a combined 33-6 as they both improved their records to (2-0) on the young season.

Water Valley residents got a not-so-nostalgic trip into the non-electric past Sept. 9 after a J. R. Dukes Trucking Company dump truck knocked down the north feeder line coming out of the main electrical substation. About 95 percent of the city went without power for just over seven hours after the truck struck the line over Gore Circle just after noon.

The Mayor and Board of Aldermen met briefly by window light on Sept. 9, to adopt the 2009-2010 budget. The two-and-a-half minute meeting took place in the Mayor’s office because of the power outage that had put City Hall and the windowless boardroom in the dark.  

The Main Attraction, a new coffee shop at 405 N. Main serving hot and cold drinks, breakfast and lunch, opened for business on Sept. 11.

The Blue Devils defeated the J.Z. George Jaguars, 21-14, on Sept. 11.

Ross Burney of Coffeeville was among the Northwest Community College alumni who competes in the Ross Motor Bull-A-Rama Sept. 12, at the Northwest Multipurpose Livestock Arena.

Principal’s Link of Water Valley High School was held Sept. 14.

Problems with residential garbage service was one topic discussed during the Sept. 14 Supervisor’s met in Coffeeville Sept. 14 and had a heated debate about permanently designating the conference room in the county-owned Multi-purpose Building for use one day a month for four hours by the Mississippi Food Network. They also heard from G.G. Ferguson, company president of Ferguson and Associates Architects, who wants to handle the dome jail design for Yalobusha County.

The 7th grade Blue Devils moved their mark to (3-0) in 2009 with a 32-0 victory over the visiting Calhoun City Wildcats on Sept. 14. The 8th grade also was victorious and continued their undefeated streak with a 38-8 victory over the Wildcats.

The Yalobusha County Republicans met Sept. 17 in the Mechanics Bank Community Room.

Water Valley’s emerging art scene took center stage Sept 18 with a photography show at Bozarts Gallery and a studio crawl featuring the area’s artists.

The Blue Devils lost to Ecru, 16-14, Sept. 18.

The Pine Valley School Homecoming was held Sept. 19 in the school building.

The sweet potato crop in Yalobusha County was expected to be better than average in 2009 with producers expecting yields above 400 bushels per acre, Bill Alexander  said as he watched harvesting operations Sept. 20.

In a decision designed to curtail politics and provide a quality applicant pool, the Water Valley School board hired the Mississippi School Board Association Sept. 21 to assist in the hiring process to replace retiring superintendent Sammy Higdon.

A motorist was charged with D.U.I. after crashing into a Beat One county pickup and leaving the accident scene on Hwy. 7 between Coffeeville and Water Valley Sept. 21.

The 70th birthday celebration for The Garden Club of Water Valley was held Sept. 21. The Club was organized Feb. 25, 1937, by Mrs. Louis Addington and was federated with The Garden Clubs of Mississippi, Inc. in September 1939.

The Junior Blue Devils hosted their cross-county rivals, the Coffeeville Pirates. The 7th grade team continued their winning streak with a 30-8 victory. The 8th grade squad also  continued theirs with a 36-6 victory over the rival Pirates.

The 2009 Water Valley homecoming queen, Qyleshia Woodard, was crowned Sept. 25 during festivities in the gym prior to the Homecoming game. The Devils were defeated by Independence, 7-6.

October

Unemployment in Yalobusha County dropped by 2.6 percentage points in August, but at 14.7 percent was still the highest in the northern third of the state, according to the latest figures published in the Oct. 1 Herald.

Doug and Rhonda Webb were pictured Oct. 1 at their Fiddlin’ Rooster Farm, a new attraction geared toward family fun in Yalobusha County. The farm sports a giant corn maze and elaborate farm activities and is open to the public.

The Tri-Lake Rural Water Association held its Annual Meeting Oct. 1 in the Farm Bureau Building.

Supervisors accepted bids to replace a bridge on County Road 2 during a recessed meeting held Oct. 2 in Water Valley. The bridge, located near Tillatoba, had been closed since January, after the Office of State Aid Road Inspection 2009 report cited numerous safety deficiencies with the structure.

Emergency responders used a rope to pull Eric Davis from the bridge construction site on Hwy. 32 east just before 11 p.m. Oct. 2. Water Valley firefighters, emergency medical responders, Sheriff’s deputies, and the Highway Patrol had to slog through the mud to pull the apparently uninjured Davis from the pit after his pickup truck had run past a barricade and slammed into the concrete culvert.

The Water Valley Blue Devils toppled the Nettleton Tigers, 7-0, on Oct. 2 to get a crucial division win.

Coffeeville Chamber of Commerce officials were all smiles Oct. 3 as Front Street filled with people enjoying the town’s 175th Anniversary Celebration. “It’s a great turnout,” said Tyler Wortham, Director of the Chamber. Nearly perfect weather contributed to the large crowd, estimated in the thousands over the day-long event.

A benefit trail ride for the First Christian Church Youth Group was held Oct. 3 at Ford’s Well.

Brother Ferman Anderson, who served First Christian Church for thirty-three years, was guest Pastor at the Church’s homecoming on Oct. 4.

The annual Homecoming of Sand Springs Presbyterian Church was held Oct. 4.

Another casualty of the ill-fated beef processing plant surfaced at the Oct. 5 supervisors meeting after Oakland Mayor Riley Swearengen reported that Oakland-Yalobusha Natural Gas District is in arrears with one of the two USDA loans that financed the construction of the gas district.

A milestone was celebrated Oct. 5 as Compassion Ministries’ decade of service providing food to Yalobushians was honored during a luncheon at First Baptist Church in Water Valley.

The county’s former civil defense director filed a federal lawsuit against Yalobusha County, alleging that supervisors and Sheriff William “Lance” Humphreys violated his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, the Herald reported Oct. 8.

Eddie Peacock displayed a rattlesnake in the Oct. 8 Herald that was killed on Hwy. 315 West near the crossroads area. The reptile had 15 rattles and a button.

Bill Craddock was pictured Oct. 8 with a sweet potato that looked like a duck he found in a field off Hwy 32 west of town.

Dr. Joe Walker retired after 40 years of taking care of the community’s health care needs. Walker was pictured in the Oct. 8 Herald working on patient files. “A whole bunch of doctors are going to retire when this federal plan comes in anyway,” Walker commented on the changes in healthcare being pushed in Washington.

The Water Valley Blue Devils fell to Aberdeen, 42-13, in the second game of division play on Oct 9.

Windsor Foods officials were in the Mechanics Bank Community Room on Oct. 13 to interview and take applications for a new line that is expected to start up Nov. 2.

The Water Valley Main Street Association held its annual open house and general meeting Oct 15.

City workers felled the last of what was believed to be the original oak trees in City Park Oct. 16. The tree, estimated at around 150 years old, was hollow and considered a danger to park goers.

The Water Valley Blue Devil football team toppled South Pontotoc, 33-19, Oct. 16.

Nancy Fachman of Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc., and Brad Holder a Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks wildlife biologist, presented a program at the North Mississippi Fish Hatchery and Visitor Education Center on Oct. 17.

The sun came out the weekend of Oct. 17-18 and county farmers hit the fields trying to save what’s left of their 2009 crop. The National Weather Service reported that the area had been through one of the wettest periods ever.

The Air Division of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) began the installation of Diesel Oxidation Catalysts for Coffeeville School District buses the week of Oct. 18. The Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOCs) will help protect students’ health by reducing tailpipe emissions.

The Yalobusha Baptist Associational Discipleship Rally was held Oct. 19 at O’Tuckolofa Baptist Church.

Yalobusha County Health Department held a special seasonal flu clinic on Oct. 20 focusing solely on providing seasonal flu vaccinations.

On Oct. 20, the Water Valley Junior High Blue Devils traveled to South Pontotoc to take on the Cougars. The 7th grade won, 22 to 14, and the 8th grade Devils’ completed their two-year span of undefeated football as they overcame the Cougars, 36-0. The Junior Varsity Blue Devils fell, 22 to 14.

Halloween scary stories were shared at the Oakland Public Library Oct. 21.

Superintendent Sammy Higdon told school board members at their Oct. 21 meeting that there may be another five to seven percent cut in the budget.

What looked like a promising year for Yalobusha County farmers turned into a major disaster at harvest time with crop losses nearing $5 million dollars, according to an estimate coming from a meeting of the USDA Emergency Board Oct. 22 at the Farm Service Agency in Coffeeville.

The Blue Devils pulled off a playoff clinching 26-20 win over the home standing Winona Tigers on Oct 23.

Calvin Moore, a fugitive wanted by federal authorities out of Davenport, Iowa, was nabbed Oct 29 in Water Valley in a joint operation between Police and Sheriff’s Deputies.

The Davidson Elementary School Fall Festival was held Oct. 30 indoors because of the weather.

Kellen Hart was the first place winner in the 2009 Halloween Costume Contest sponsored by the Herald. Kellen, age 3, decked out as engineer of Thomas the Tank Engine. He is the son of Lane and Chris Hart.

November

About a dozen Sylva Rena, Velma, and Pine Valley firefighters responded to a “well involved” structure fire at 3482 County Road 58 around 1:20 a.m. the morning of Nov. 1.

Supervisors fielded a noise complaint stemming from weekend races at a dirt race track located off  County Road 103 at their “first Monday” meeting held in Coffeeville Nov. 2.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) gave $250 on Nov. 2 to the Blackmur Memorial Library to help with Library programs.

School board members approved a partnership with Yalobusha General Hospital to administer the H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine at no cost to the School District at their meeting on Nov. 2. The program will be voluntary and parents will have to give permission.

Modern Woodmen of America’s local representative Roy Vance presented a check to Fans of Fast Pitch booster club member Cayce Washington Nov. 2. The money matched funds raised for the girls’ softball field. The total raised, including the matching $2500, was over $10,600.

The Boy Scouts are returning to Water Valley on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Scouting movement in America, the Rotary Club was told Nov. 3. First Methodist Church will sponsor Troop 14 and a Cub Scout pack.

Aldermen made the final payment on the Baker Street Park project at their Nov. 3 meeting. They also appointed Eddie Magee to the Planning Commission to replace Bonnie Cox whose term expired.

The Blue Devils defeated the Mooreville Troopers, 31-0, on Nov. 3.

The Blue Devils cruised past the M.S. Palmer Dragons, in playoff action, 21-8, on Nov 6.

The Deep South Rodeo Association kicked off its 2010 Rodeo Season Nov. 7, in the Yalobusha County Multi-purpose Building at Coffeeville.

Dessie Caulfield of Water Valley was one of seven members of the Delta Branch of National League of American Pen Women featured at Cottonlandia Museum Nov. 8,

A Tillatoba man, Freddie Wayne McClanahan, age 41, was arrested Nov. 9 by deputies with the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Department  and officers of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics (MBN) and charged with possession of a controlled substance, to-wit methamphetamine, and three counts of child abuse.

A public forum was held on Nov. 10 conducted by Dr. E Harold Fisher of the Mississippi School Board Association at the Civic Auditorium. It was part of the search process for a new Superintendent to replace retiring Superintendent Sammy Higdon.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4100 held a Veterans Day observance downtown Nov. 11. There were 111 people at the 11 a.m. ceremony at the memorial in Railroad Park.

A University of Southern Mississippi (USM) student who had been missing for a week was found dead in his car on Hwy. 32 in Yalobusha County on Nov. 13. Foul play was not suspected.

Police arrested Jamie Oneal Martin, 22, of Water Valley as the result of an investigation into a burglary that occurred Nov. 15 at the First Christian Church Parsonage.

The Friends of the Coffeeville Public Library  hosted “Deck the Halls, Y’all” Nov. 15 in the First Baptist Family Life Center.  

Yalobusha County was one of 79 counties in Mississippi the U.S. Department of Agriculture designated as primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by the combined effects of severe spring and fall flooding, and summer drought.

Town and Country Garden Club members spent Monday, Nov. 16, decorating the Railroad Park Pavilion for the upcoming holiday season.

School Board members got a basic class in the complex issue of school finances during their regular meeting Nov. 16 by School Finance Officer Suzanne Carter. She presented a list of recommendations to help reduce costs in the district.

Davidson Elementary School hosted the second annual “Cans for a Cause” caned food drive to benefit Water Valley’s Compassion Ministries. Parents sent canned food items to school with their children during the drive that ended Nov. 17.

Jazzlynn Hickman of Water Valley was among 41 Northwest Mississippi Community College students who will compete for the title of “Most Beautiful” on Nov. 17.

Winners in the 2009 Water Valley High School and Junior High Beauty Review were pictured in the Nov. 19 Herald. They were Jillian Harris, first place high school; Kreneice Reid, most beautiful high school; Cienna Olmstead, most beautiful junior high; and Callie Trusty, first runner up junior high.         

The Yalobusha Historical Society Board voted Nov. 19 to proceed with plans to sell the old headquarters at the corner of Depot and Front Streets.

Water Valley Schools were performing at the Academic Watch level under the new accountability ratings released the week of Nov. 22 by the Mississippi Department of Education.

Several hundred friends, family, and former patients gathered at the Family Practice Clinic in Water Valley on Nov. 22 to honor Dr. Joe Wayne Walker upon his recent retirement. For over forty-five years, from 1963-2009, Dr. Walker devoted much of his life to the health care needs of Water Valley and the surrounding community.

Water Valley Rotarian Paul Parker was presented an award for having 74 years of perfect attendance in Rotary, it was announced in the Nov. 26 Herald.

Menu items for a classic Thanksgiving dinner including turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the basic trimmings dropped 4 percent in price for 2009, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation and reported in the Nov. 26 Herald.

Volunteers served about 300 meals during the Compassion Ministries Community Thanksgiving meal held at the White Star Kitchen Nov. 26 for the first time.

Debra Minor, a native of Water Valley, was the speaker at the A. D. Goodman Scholarship Banquet at St. Luke Masonic Lodge in Bruce on Nov. 28.

Timothy Furr, age 22, of Water Valley, was charged Nov. 30 with the theft of two four-wheelers, one taken from Blackmur Drive in Water Valley and the second from the Wildcat area in the county. Timothy Furr’s cousin, Jonathan Furr, age 20, of Somerville, Tenn., has also been charged in connection with the four-wheeler taken from the Wildcat area.

December

The Garden Club of Water Valley selected the home of Jackie and Carla Barnett, 304 Market Street, as December’s yard-of-the-month.

Crime in the city and the investigative methods used by Police were the topic of discussion at the regular monthly meeting of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen on Tuesday, Dec.1.

Police were investigating an attempted burglary at the Martin Street Package Store that occurred sometime late Tuesday, Dec. 1, or early in the morning Wednesday, Dec. 2.

Potentially vicious dogs in Coffeeville are going to have to smile and say cheese under the provisions of a new dog ordinance that took effect Dec. 3. According to the ordinance, owners of potentially vicious dogs are required to provide two color photographs of the dog to the Town Clerk within ten days of the effective date (no later than Dec. 13).

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has awarded Yalobusha County a solid waste assistance grant of $7,664 that will be used by the county for funding assistance for a local solid waste enforcement officer, the Herald reported on Dec. 3.

The Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Office was seeking information about two burglaries that occurred on County Road 224 and County Road 109 sometime during the afternoon hours of Dec. 4, between the hours of 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The Oakland Open House was held Dec. 5.

The annual Water Valley Christmas Parade rolled down Main Street on Saturday, Dec 5. Linda Shuffield and her brother, Charlie, escorted Parade Marshals Lucia and Don Holloway, who were honored for their many years of community service.

The First Chair-ity Auction Dec. 5 gave a big boost to a summer art camp for area youngsters when the Water Valley Arts Council raised $1723.50 during the evening event.

Three people were injured in a crash Dec. 9 when a northbound pickup truck and a westbound auto collided at the intersection of Hwy 7 and Wise Street.

The Herald Office Christmas tree was pictured in the Dec. 12 issue with ornaments made by students of Imagination Station, under the direction of their instructor, Anissa Wilkerson.

The Water Valley Community Band presented its Christmas Concert Dec. 13 in the City Auditorium.

Water Valley farmer John Ingram was pictured talking with Congressman Travis Childers during a meeting Dec. 14. Childers visited with Mississippi farmers making three stops in the First District including one at the Batesville Civic Center.

Mayor Larry Hart called a special meeting of the Board of Aldermen on Dec. 14 to get approval to advertise for four mobile aerators for the sewage treatment plant.

The students of Faith Christian Academy (FCA) presented their annual play, The Pirates’ Christmas Treasure, on Dec. 15.

Valley Tool Inc. was named one of the Top Ten Best Machine Shops for 2009 by American Machinist, a globally-distributed magazine for contract manufacturers and job shop leaders.

Mechanic’s Bank of Water Valley sponsored the Stock Market Game for Challenge Students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades at Davidson Elementary School.  Debbie Rogers of Mechanic’s Bank was pictured Dec. 17 with the fourth grade Challenge Class at Davidson Elementary.

Coley Bailey of Coffeeville was elected to serve a two-year term on the Mississippi Farm Bureau Board of Directors representing District 5 comprised of Calhoun, Panola, Tallahatchie , Tate, and Yalobusha counties.

 Ray Hawkins, President of the Water Valley School Board, was presented a plaque on Dec. 18 in recognition of a decade of service to the Water Valley School District.

The Water Valley Blue Devil Cheerleaders competed in the Class 3A Large Cheer State Championships on Dec. 19 at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson.

Yalobusha Nursing Home employee Courtland Jenkins, who has given blood seven times, was pictured giving again at the hospital challenge blood drive on Dec. 21.

A photo in the Dec. 24 Herald showed the 1959 Christmas parade and the WVHS Band including marchers Betty Brewer, Genny Wiley, John Hunsicker, Keith Hart, Bessie Tubbs, and Eddie Cofer.         

The Yalobusha General Hospital announced the Jan. 10 grand opening for the Rural Health Clinic in the Dec. 24 Herald.