Two Charged in Beating Case
Men Free on $25,000 Bond
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By Kate B. Dickson
Editor
A dispute over a barbecue grill may be at the root of an incident that left one Batesville man beaten and hospitalized and two others charged with a felony.
That’s according to BPD Major Tony Jones who said the arrested men, Chris Brocato, 37, 316 Hickory Lane, and Steve Gregory, 51, 129 Trianon, are free on $25,000 bond each. They are charged with aggravated assault.
It’s alleged that the two beat Bobby Pitcock Saturday night outside on the carport at Pitcock’s home at 119 Hillcrest Drive.
The arrests were Monday.
Pitcock was taken to Tri-Lakes Medical Center by ambulance and was released on Tuesday, Jones said. He was treated for lacerations that included damage to his face, one ear and left an eye swollen shut.
Shortly before the incident, Jones said Pitcock and Brocato’s girlfriend, identified as Debbie Smith, 47, had talked on the telephone about the grill.
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County Garbage Pickup
Running Behind Schedule
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| Problems with the county’s garbage trucks could cause collection to run a day behind, County Administrator David Chandler said.
Chandler told the Board of Supervisors during a recent meeting that a pair of the county’s garbage trucks are down for repairs.
"We have one that is waiting on a new transmission and one waiting for a new head," he said. "That leaves us with only two trucks running routes."
Despite being at half fleet, Chandler said all of the garbage in the county would be picked up, but it could be later than normal.
"At the latest, we should have everyone collected by Saturday," he said. "People just need to understand there is going to be a delay.
"Everyone should get their cans to the road on the usual day, but if it is not collected on time, they should just leave it.
"Our crews will get to it," Chandler said. "We realize it is an inconvenience, but we are doing the best we can."
Chandler said once all of the county’s garbage trucks are up and running, he plans to redraw the routes to provide a more efficient pick up schedule.
"Right now, the crews are starting at the nearest point and working to the farthest point," he said. "That means when they get to the last few points, they will have to go unload before making anymore stops.
"With the routes redrawn, everyone would work from the farther point to a central location," he said.
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Popular "Fight Night" Returning
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| The popular "Fight for a Cure" event will be back this year with action next week on tap at 7 p.m. Friday and 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Batesville’s livestock arena.
And to make sure all is well for spectators, City Street Supt. Randy Collins said Monday, "We’re working on the road and cleaning up the arena."
Citgo Petroleum and the Alpha Upsilon Chapter of Kappa Alpha at the University of Mississippi are again sponsoring the event with the help of Huron Smith Oil Company.
The "Fight for the Cure" to benefit MDA is a boxing tournament that consists of students and locals. As a special added attraction, the Cover Girls will appear at 9 p.m. during the Friday matches.
Don and Rhandy Smith at Huron Oil Company said sponsors and ticket buyers alike " … are making a difference in the lives of those affected by muscular dystrophy."
All proceeds benefit ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and help fund local support groups, annual clinic visits, funding for wheelchairs, communication devices and research.
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Washed Up…
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Taking advantage of some warmer weather Thursday, Gregory Henderson cleaned up his car. For more weather details, see Page 2.
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Shiloh Road May Get
Asphalt Plant
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by Jason C. Mattox
Senior Staff Writer
Memphis Stone and Gravel could open a new asphalt plant on Shiloh Road if a proposal is approved by the Panola County Board of Supervisors.
An earlier proposal from Memphis Stone and Gravel to construct a facility on Highway 35 was rejected earlier this year. Many area residents complained they did not want the facility near their homes.
The Panola County Land Use Commission voted unanimously this week to recommend approval by the supervisors pending a road change.
That involves widening Shiloh Road to a pair of 12 foot-wide lanes with three-foot shoulders. That recommendation came in writing from commission chairman Danny Walker who was absent from the meeting last Monday.
According to Walker’s report, presented to the commission by its consultant Bob Barber, he does not see any major health risks in allowing the construction of a new asphalt plant on 75 acres on Shiloh Road.
Commission members had tabled the matter following a public hearing last month until some of them had the opportunity to tour a newer asphalt plant operated by Memphis Stone and Gravel.
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Lacy Hentz to be Extradited
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| Lacy Elizabeth Hentz will leave sunny California for a Sunflower County, Mississippi jail cell sometime between now and March 16.
Hentz, who is charged with aiding her husband, Larry Hentz, to escape Parchman prison, faces charges in Sunflower County due to the prison’s location.
Sunflower County Sheriff James Haywood told The Panolian he can not give the exact date of her return "due to security reasons" but says she’ll leave California by mid month.
A prisoner air transport service will be used, he said.
Asked if he has money in his budget to spend about $1,800 for Lacy Hentz to be returned, the sheriff laughed and said, "I’m scraping for it … we’ll have to go on the cheap for a while."
Lacy Hentz was in Panola County in the Courtland area when she left the elderly woman with whom she was living saying she was going to visit her sister.
Hentz escaped from the prison using saw blades and wire cutters that authorities say Lacy Hentz smuggled to him during visits.
She was out on bond at the time for trying to get blades into him while he was in another state prison facility last summer where he was getting a psychiatric evaluation, authorities said previously.
The pair was the object of a nationwide manhunt and were featured on the television show "America’s Most Wanted" before their capture in San Diego.
Larry Hentz was returned to Parchman last week.
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