80 Years of August Headlines: From Hellcat Pilots to Five-Cent Coffee
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Turnage Drug Store employees and owners pictured in a 1985 ad commerating 80 years in business were (left) Mae Livingston, Jo Turnage, Binnie Turnage, Elizabeth Turnage Nelson, Faye Simpson and Bartes Guarr.
10 Years Ago – August 6, 2015 – The North Central Mississippi Regional Railroad Authority (NCMRRA) completed the acquisition of the Grenada Railway line, which extends from Southaven to near Canton. Simultaneously, the authority signed a long-term lease agreement with a subsidiary of Iowa Pacific Holdings to take over operations of the line and partner with the authority to attract new customers. The rail line had been targeted for abandonment by its previous owners in 2011.
Members of the authority included Larry Hart, Tim Climer, Pablo Diaz, Robin McCrory, Bobby Oliver, Sonny Simmons and Sue Stidham.
Water Valley resident James Owens retired from the Oxford Police Department as Deputy Chief. He was pictured with his mother, Helen Caldwell, at a reception held in his honor.
20 Years Ago – August 4, 2005 – A 100-year anniversary sale was held during Carnival weekend at Turnage Drug Store. Coffee was a nickel and ice cream was 50 cents during the sale. Turnage T-shirts were $10, and there were 25-percent-off specials on cash purchases. The ad also featured pictures of multiple generations of the Turnage family.
Third District Circuit Judge Henry Lackey of Calhoun City was the guest speaker for the July 2005 Yalobusha Historical Society meeting. His topic was “The Framing of the U.S. Constitution.”
30 Years Ago – August 3, 1995 – Campaigning was down to the final hours for county races. Incumbent Sheriff Lloyd Defer faced Jimbo Thompson on the primary ballot.
40 Years Ago – August 8, 1985 – Coverage of the 1985 Watermelon Carnival included a photo of Water Valley Lions Club members serving a barbecue supper. Pictured were Elizabeth Caulfield, Ernic Aune, Cecil Ford and Eddie Aune. A sell-out crowd the previous year prompted the Lions to prepare an even bigger meal, feeding an estimated 800 people.
Yalobusha County Bank, then operating as The Sunburst Bank, advertised a drop in interest rates to 11.65% APR on all new car loans. The ad noted that some lenders offered special rates only on selected makes and models. The rate was available for 24-, 36-, or 38-month loans.
Students attending Water Valley Schools during the 1985–1986 session were scheduled to register Friday, August 16. Monday, August 19, would be the first full day of school. Due to hot weather, classes would dismiss daily at 12:44 p.m. for the first two weeks.
Turnage Drug Store also marked its 80th anniversary with a sale held August 1–3. Fountain “specials” included coffee for 5 cents, Cokes for 25 cents, and milkshakes for 80 cents. Double Top Value Stamps were given during the sale, and all “out-front” merchandise was discounted 25 percent for cash purchases.
50 Years Ago – August 7, 1975 – Banner Headline: “Shaw, L.A. Jones Win.” Sheriff L.A. Jones and Tax Assessor-Collector Guy Dale Shaw were easy winners in their reelection bids, each securing a clear majority.
Eddie Defer holds a large bass he caught while fishing in a private pond last Wednesday. Eddie was using a top-water plug when he hooked this fine catch.
Mr. and Mrs. Barron Caulfield were honored by their children at an Open House on Saturday, August 10, in celebration of their 30th wedding anniversary.
Miss Mary Ann Walker, 13-year-old daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Joe Walker, departed New York with a Teen Mission of America group for a tour of Southern England.
A special ceremony was scheduled for August 9 at 10 a.m. at John Kyle State Park (Lower Lake area, Sardis Lake) for the official transfer of three U.S. Corps of Engineers recreation areas to the Mississippi Parks Commission.
Jack Gurner, a staff photographer for the Daily-Sentinel Star in Grenada, won second place in the news photo division of the 1975 Better Newspaper Contest. His award-winning photo showed former President Richard Nixon addressing the Mississippi Economic Council on August 26, 1974. Judges praised the image as “a good action picture with considerable news value, excellent technical quality… a good human interest picture based on an important news event.”
60 Years Ago – August 12, 1965 – Cameron Herman Tyler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Tyler, was born August 7 at Baptist Hospital in Memphis.
Charles William Beene and Alton E. Blaker of Water Valley were among 500 Mississippi State University students scheduled to receive degrees on August 21.
A water association was formed for the area south of Water Valley, according to John Ashford, who chaired the organizational meeting. Other elected officers included Rayford Wilbourn, treasurer; Quay Jones, secretary; and Bill Hall and Earl Carothers, Board of Directors. The association was named Jeff Davis Water Association, Inc.
70 Years Ago – August 4, 1955 – Miss Mary Lou Johnson, 18-year-old brunette beauty, was crowned “Miss Water Valley” during the annual beauty revue at City Auditorium. Ann Gafford was selected first alternate, and Janice Taylor was second alternate. Pam Axelrod was named “Little Miss Water Valley.”
Mr. and Mrs. T. Olin Gore Jr., along with children Tommy and Elizabeth Ann, planned to leave Friday for a three-week vacation in New York and Boston.
80 Years Ago – August 9, 1945 – Pictured was Marine First Lieutenant Bailey L. Baddley, 27, selected to serve as a Hellcat fighter pilot in an all-Marine aircraft carrier group. His squadron was training at Marine Corps Air Station in Santa Barbara, California.
Capt. John S. Throop Jr., QMC, ASFTC, Camp Lee, Va., was attending an advanced school for storage officers at the Utah Army Service Forces Depot in Ogden, Utah.
Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Brewer of Senatobia announced the marriage of their daughter, Elsie Brewer, to Tommie Ashford of Water Valley and Memphis. The wedding was held June 25 at 6 p.m. in Memphis, officiated by Rev. E.P. Woodroof.
Buck Turner and his Buckaroos were scheduled to perform at the City Auditorium on August 15. Admission for the show was 25¢ and 40¢; the dance admission was 50¢.
