By David Howell Editor WATER VALLEY – At presstime Tuesday night Joe Fratesi and Jeremy Murdock from the Stennis Institute at Mississippi State University were hosting a meeting to provide insight about how zoning works in Mississippi. The meeting is the first of four public meetings as supervisors push toward the implementation of a long-range…

By David Howell Editor WATER VALLEY – Deep cuts from state funding were cited by top school officials in the decision to cut sixth grade band from the Water Valley School District this year following a passionate plea from Becky Crow to reinstate the beginner band class. “This problem needs to be fixed tonight. I…

Staff Report JACKSON – Yalobusha County’s unemployment rate increased slightly from June to July, from 6.6 to 7.1, according to the latest report from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, even as the state’s rate held steady at 6.1 percent. The national rate for July was 4.6 percent, up from 4.5 percent in June.  Yalobusha…

By David Howell Editor WATER VALLEY – The county’s narcotics investigator continues to take the fight against drugs to the streets after returning to work following a near-death experience while on the job back in June. Narcotics deputy Thomas West was off for a couple of weeks after he was shot on June 16 during…

Oil paintings by Rufus Ross are featured in Renasant Bank as the latest rotating art show highlighting local talent. “Never would I have thought I would come close to painting anything, but the afro-haired man on PBS changed all of that for me,” Rufus Ross explained, citing the show of American painting, art instructor and…