Look Back In Yalobusha History
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Joe Newman (in bucket), Earl McMinn (left) and Thomas Scroggins work to restore power to the Yalobusha County Jail on Calhoun Street in 1994.
Friday marks the 30th anniversary of the 1994 Ice Storm, one of the most talked about weather events in north Mississippi in generations. The freezing rain starting falling early on a Wednesday night, Feb. 9, and in the hours that followed the accumulated weight caused trees to break or uproot across a wide area.
The falling limbs and trees took out many electric, cable and telephone lines and residents noted the crack of breaking trees sounded like a war zone. Also complicating the situation, the weight of the ice on the lines caused many to sag and collapse, even without a tree falling on them. When the lines came down, utility poles would also snap.
Brownie Crawford (right) helped a crew from West Point repair the line behind his business on South Main Street. Crews from several locations were in town to help Water Valley personnel restore service.
In the City of Water Valley, workers began restoring services to electrical customers and telephone subscribers almost before the storm was over. Much of the Water Valley business district had both services restored by Thursday afternoon. But with massive damage, the restoration efforts would continue for weeks, according to the story in the Feb. 17 edition of the Herald.
By the following Thursday’s edition, Feb 24, electricity had been restored to all Water Valley Electric Department customers. In the county, workers with Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association (TVEPA) were working non-stop to restore services. TVEPA reported 7,500 customers across their coverage area were still without power. An estimated 240 workers had been brought in to assist TVEPA workers who were battling non-stop to restore services.
By the March 3 edition, it was evident that life was returning to normal as Betty Shearer was sharing tidbits about all the good food she enjoyed eating. Folks brought treats by the newspaper office to help as Betty and Ed provided coverage in the aftermath of the storm.
There was one lingering problem, all the trees down created a lot of work. Betty reported all the Shearers had been busy cutting wood and pulling brush.
John Avant and his son, Johnny Avant, cleaned up a yard next to his warehouse on North Main Street. The whine of chain saws were heard throughout Water Valley for weeks after the 1994 ice storm.
• 15 years ago, Feb. 12, 2009 – Brush fires plagued the county with five reported over as many days.
City aldermen voted to overturn a veto by Mayor Bill Norris of their amendment to an amendment that would lower water rates for industrial customers.
J. J. Woodard and Antonio Hoskins made college commitments, Woodard to Delta State and Hoskins to the University of Louisiana-Monroe.
Katie Naron, fourth grade language arts teacher at DES, was selected Teacher of the Month for January.
• 20 years ago, Feb. 12, 2004 – Valley Tool was expanding to the laundry area of the old city-owned Big Yank Building.
Water Valley native Gaylon Booker was honored as the recipient of the 2004 Harry S. Baker Distinguished Service Award for Cotton at the National Cotton Council’s meeting in New Orleans. Booker was formerly president and chief executive officer of the NCC.
WVHS seniors Matt Jackson and Russell Phillips signed with Northeast Mississippi Community College as defensive linemen for the Tigers.
• 30 years ago, Feb. 10, 1994 – Five Water Valley High School Band members were selected for membership in the Interstate-55 Band Clinic at NWCC in Senatobia. They were Leah Ann Norris, Emily Gurner, Chad Inman, Traci Davis and Karen Person. Junior high band members attending were Bethany Caulfield, Kelley Pullen, Kellie Burns, Courtney Parsons and Deon Hence.
• 40 years ago, Feb. 16, 1984 – Ronnie Stark was presented the Eagle Scout award by Scoutmaster Jerry Foster during the annual Boy Scout banquet. Mayor Hamric Henry also proclaimed Scouting Week with scouts James Clayton, Stewart Spence, Lance Humphreys, Stephen Spence and Scott Spence present for the ceremony.
• 50 years ago, Feb. 14, 1974 – WVHS band members who were accepted at the district band clinic in Tupelo were William White, Elizabeth Chinault, Anthony Steele, Cindi Pittman, Lynda Sartain and Mary Beth Knight. The WVHS Band also participated in the state solo and ensemble contest. Taking superior honors were the woodwind quintet Jan Lollar, William White, Lorrine Wilbourne, Nancy Shafer and Mary Beth Knight and the clarinet quartet Lori Hardy, Suzanne Davis, Missy Davis and Elizabeth Chinault.
• 60 years ago, Feb. 13, 1964 – Two children died in a house fire on East Lee Street. The victims were Henry Johnson’s son, five-year-old Bobby Johnson, and grand-son, Emmett Booker.
Dwight Clark, 17, was granted a junior membership in the American Angus Association.
Girl Scout Troop 110 held a party celebrating their first anniversary. Members included Nell Edwards, Libby Hardy, Paula Bratton, Teresa Campbell, Kathy McMillan, Jeannie Moxley, Rebecca Reid, Becky Bland, Camille Fly, Susan Hart, Ruth Throop, Ginger Allen, Lou Ann Reed and Cindy Ashford. Leaders were Mrs. Nancy McMillan and Mrs. Polly Reed. Mascot was Al Reed.
• 70 years ago, Feb 11, 1954 – Bennie Cole Taylor and Binford Turnage, local youths, were to be pages in the state House of Representatives under Yalobusha Representative Hubert Edwards.
Boots Carpenter, a sophomore at Millsaps College, was elected president of Phi Mu at the school.
• 80 years ago, Feb. 10, 1944 – Private Earl F. Cook, 25, of Water Valley is one of a group of soldiers sent to England to train troops preparing for the invasion of occupied Europe.
Four Boy Scouts attained the rank of Star Scout including Henry Baggett, Jack Powell, Bill Powell and Jack Gurner.
Brothers-in-law Pfc. William E. Rushing and Pfc. Sherman “Buck” Coker met recently in Italy while serving there. Rushing was married to Coker’s sister, Marion.
In the Want Ads: LOST – Studebaker hubcap. Reward if returned to Will Tarver.
• 90 years ago, Feb. 16, 1934 – The McCullar-Suratt store was burglarized of $300 to $500 in merchandise between 10 and 11 p.m. on Feb. 10. The front door was broken out by the thieves to gain entry. Two Marshall County deputies took two men from a freight train who had several hundred dollars of the store’s merchandise in their possession.
