Headlines – 5/4/2004

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, May 4, 2004

Panolian Headlines: May 4, 2004

For complete stories, pick up the 5/4/04  issue of The Panolian

Panola Partnership Bestows Annual Awards at Banquet
    
Leonard Morris (third from left) presents Casey Lipe a token of appreciation for his year of service as board president. Looking on are Lipe’s wife Amy (l) and Gov. Haley Barbour.
  
The new Como Banquet Hall on Main Street was the setting for the Panola Partnership eighth Annual Meeting and Dinner.

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour was the keynote speaker for the evening and he was introduced by incoming Partnership president State Representative Leonard Morris.

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The steak and potato dinner was consumed by the sold out crowd as Panola Partnership outgoing president Casey Lipe directed the program.

Connie Waldrup announced the 2004 Miss Hospitality Whitney Prather who was crowned by 2003 Miss Hospitality Brooke Carmichael. First Alternate was Jessica Boggan. Second alternates were tied Amy Claire Smith and Christina Flint.

Different Partnership board members presented the coveted annual awards. Board member Lygunnah Bean awarded Robert Hyde the James Hal Moore Excellence in Education Award.

Patsy Keating was awarded the Citizenship Award by past president David Lavergne. Flint Hardware was named Business of the Year by board member Brad Robison. Chosen as the Ambassador of the year was Bobbie Jean Pounders.

After the governor’s talk, members of the Main Street organization were recognized for their hard work in making the program work.

Awarded the Main Street Volunteer of the Year was Jan Williams. Recognized for Outstanding Design on Main Street was Bailey and Draper Law Firm. Receiving the past president Award was Peggy Walker.

The new board of directors was introduced. Members include Leonard Morris, president; Casey Lipe, past president; David Lavergne, Rupert Howell, Brad Robison, Lygunnah Bean, David Chandler and Carey Mettetal.

Closing out the evening was the changing of the guard as Morris took the reigns of the presidency from Lipe.
    


County Tax ID Used for Grant
     by Bynum FD
By Jason C. Mattox
News Editor

A grant received by the Bynum Volunteer Fire Department has resulted in an audit for Panola County.

According to County Administrator David Chandler, a $40,000 discrepancy in the budget stems from a grant the department received last year to purchase equipment.

"The money was wire transferred to Bynum’s account rather than us," Chandler said. "If it had gone to us, we would have administered the funds accordingly."

Chandler said the problem caused by the one grant will cause the Fire Department’s budget to be scrutinized.

When applying for the grant, Bynum used the county’s tax ID number and gave out their own bank information, he said.

"If Bynum was going to do something like this, they should have their own tax ID number, but they don’t," he said. "That would require them to do a lot of additional paperwork and accounting."
    


   

Calvary Baptist Will Be Born Again
    
Members of the building committee include: (Left to right) Ken Bloodworth, Glenn McCain, Marcia Kilpatrick, Brady McMillen, Paul Middleton (pastor), Joe Havens, Sherry Elmore, Wanda Hartley, and Janice Dulany. Not pictured is Larry Pratt.
    
By Angie Ledbetter
Contributing Writer

BATESVILLE – Members of Calvary Baptist Church met on Sunday night, April 18, 2004 at 305 Keating Road, the grounds where the other worship center was destroyed by fire following a severe lighting strike in April 2003. Six different places were staked off to give an idea of where the future church would be and the church family read scriptures and prayed over each spot.

The following Sunday night, April 25, the church family returned again to 305 Keating Road for a very special service. On this night, members of the Calvary Baptist Church building committee broke ground on a new facility. They anticipate the 50,000 square foot building to be ready for use in early 2005. Currently, Calvary Baptist Church is meeting at the Lee Chapel of First Baptist Church, Batesville. They are also using the Civitan building for Sunday School classes and other functions. Two homes owned by the First United Methodist Church are being used for the youth, children’s church, and the nursery. William Polk and Company has allowed Calvary to use their building for a church office also.

The Calvary Baptist Church family is very grateful for the outpouring of support that this community has given them since tragedy struck their building a year ago. This past week marked the holiday version of the anniversary of the fire.
    


Resident Wants New House;
Tired of Living with Water
   
Panola County resident Georgia Wilson asked the Board of Supervisors for assistance with a water problem on Monday.
    
By Jason C. Mattox
News Editor

One Panola County resident said she is through begging the Board of Supervisors for help with a water problem at her home.

During the first Monday meeting in Sardis, Georgia Wilson plead for assistance with water and the damage it continues to cause at her home.

"I had to swim out of my house twice last week and I don’t swim," she said.

Wilson said her floors are rotting because the water around her home will not drain.

"I have begged the board for seven years to get this water off my house, but it gets worse every time it rains," she said. "I’m through begging this time."

Wilson said the road, bushes and ditches are no longer maintained properly.

"It used to be that the bushes and road were taken care of, now its like nobody cares anymore," she said. "Well, I care and something has got to be done.

"We are all human people," she said. "Everyone of us, no matter where we live, should be treated fairly."

Wilson said the problems caused by the rain are also happening at Greenhill Elementary School.

"We have about 600 children playing out there everyday, and the ditches flow right by the schoolyard," she said.

Wilson said the standing water is causing a lot more rats, snakes and insects.

"It’s nothing more than a breeding area for vermin," she said. "Well, I’m tired of living in water, urine and the other stuff with the rats and snakes.
"It’s just not safe right now."

Wilson told Supervisor Robert Avant she felt like she should get her house rebuilt as result of the conditions she lives in.

"I know you have gotten other people’s houses rebuilt," she said. "Well, I feel like it should be my turn."

Road Department Manager Lygunnah Bean said the pipes at the home will be replaced to allow water to drain better, but a dry stretch of weather is needed.

"We have already spoken to the City of Sardis," he said. "They have agreed to repair the water line we are going to have to cut to get the property to drain.

"The city will take care of repairing the water line," Bean said.

Wilson said she would not count on the city to assist with the project.

"All Sardis is trying to do is get us in the city limits," she said referring to the proposed annexation of Greenhill. "Well, that ain’t gonna happen."

Bean said as soon as the weather allowed, the road department would get to work resolving Wilson’s problem.

"Common sense and mother’s learning would show you how to fix the problem without having to wait any longer," Wilson said as she left the meeting.