Staff Report BILOXI – The North Mississippi Herald won seven awards – including two for first place – in the 2008 Better Newspaper Contest sponsored by the Mississippi Press Association. The awards were announced this weekend at the 143rd annual MPA convention in Biloxi. The Herald staff took first place in the Special Section category…

By David HowellEditor WATER VALLEY – Supervisors have adopted a job description defining the duties of the now vacant civil defense director post but postponed a decision on how to proceed with the hiring process. The discussion came during a recessed meeting held Monday in Water Valley.     The position was vacated June 12 after…

By Jack GurnerReporter WATER VALLEY – It’s so hot and so dry a fisherman complained of finding a tick on a catfish. The seasons changed this past weekend. But, with temperatures already in the high 90s, not many people seem to notice the summer solstice. Most were too busy sweating. Saturday at the Crawford Sports…

By David HowellEditor WATER VALLEY – Although a month earlier than usual, supervisors began budget talk at Monday’s recessed board meeting after Chancery Clerk Amy McMinn painted a bleak picture for millage projections in the coming fiscal year which begins October 1.     Pointing to a $1 million less in the assessed value of automobiles…

By Jack GurnerReporter OAKLAND – A line of strong thunderstorms brought damaging straight-line winds to Yalobusha County just before 5 p.m. Friday toppling tress and bringing down power lines. The storms developed in Kansas, according to the National Weather Service, and caused heavy damage in Arkansas before moving across the Mississippi River. Sustained winds were…

By Jack GurnerReporter WATER VALLEY – Rumors of giant lizards roaming the streets of the city hopefully will come to an end after what is said to be the last of the escaped reptiles was captured Monday. It was the final scene in a story that reads like the script from a bad 1950’s science…

By David HowellEditor WATER VALLEY – 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 during…

By David HowellEditor WATER VALLEY – Yalobusha supervisors voted unanimously to terminate the county’s Civil Defense Director, Cecil Harrison, during a recessed meeting held last Friday in Water Valley.     The vote came after an hour-long executive session, which was held after supervisors cruised through a number of other items on their meeting agenda. Harrison…

YALOBUSHA COUNTY – Deputies worked long hours after Friday’s storm created damage in the county, according to Sheriff Lance Humphreys.     “Most of the debris from the storm was removed by midnight,” Humphreys told the Herald.     Humphreys reported the following additional activity during the law week.     • Took a report for harassing phone…

Here are some photos taken by Herald reader’s in the aftermath of Friday’s storm.