All donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and have a valid ID.

"We are proud the Batesville Community Blood Drive has always been one of the largest blood drives held by Mississippi Blood Services," said Dot Watson, MBS Chairperson and President of the Tri-Lakes Hospital Auxiliary. "The goal for this year is 400 units and we need all of Panola County to help us achieve our goal."

Mississippi Blood Services, a non-profit blood center, provides blood and blood components for over half of the hospitals in the state.

MBS offers a "mini physical" before each donation to ensure the donation process is safe for the donor and the recipient. A full round of blood tests is performed after each donation.

A woman pleaded guilty to simple assault in charges stemming from a December 21 altercation at the Panola County Health Department in Batesville. Municipal Court Judge Bill McKenzie on Wednesday accepted the plea of Latasha Cole of 104-C Bradford, Batesville. Melissa Cauthen, the affiant, told the judge she did not have to seek medical treatment after the incident. The judge ordered a $255 fine against Cole.

Kemp Blackmon of 226 Noble St., Batesville, was found guilty of leaving the scene of an accident on Martin Luther King Drive on December 29, and no driver’s license. He was fined $675.

The judge found Ernest Grant of 258 Doc Woody Rd., Coldwater, guilty of petit larceny after employees from Rascal’s Convenience Store testified that Grant drove off without paying for $16.36 worth of gas on November 30. Sheriff’s deputies happened to be in the store and stopped the defendant down the road. Grant said he didn’t have money to pay for the gas and was going to the bank to get some, according to Deputy Barry Thompson, who was on the scene.

Judge McKenzie imposed a $295 fine.

Cases Continued
The case of Ira Lee Anderson II of 228 Henry Harris Rd., Batesville, has been continued until January 19. Anderson is charged with petit larceny.

Bobbie Dover of 104 Jones St., Batesville, pleaded not guilty to DUI, second offense, no driver’s license, and driving on the wrong side of the road. Her case was set for trial on February 16.

The case of Reginald Joiner of 203 Fisher St., Batesville, has been sent to the Panola County grand jury. Joiner is charged with sexual battery.

Also sent to the grand jury was the case of Paul Lang of Tubbs Road, Batesville. Lang is charged with grand larceny. Lang faced unrelated contempt of court charges in city court, resulting in the judge’s order that he pay $300 he owes in old fines by January 19. The old fine was for a traffic violation, and Lang was previously offered the opportunity to go to a driving school in lieu of paying the fine and having the violation on his record. Lang told the judge he never got around to it.

"You could have paid $35 and gone to driving school, but you didn’t, and now you owe $300," the judge told Lang. "Have this paid by January 19 or you will go to jail for 60 days."

Also continued was a trial for forgery. The case of Candace Collins of 304 Jones St., Jonestown, will be tried on February 23.

Judge McKenzie continued the case of Antonio Ellis of 109 Everette St., Batesville. Ellis faces felony charges of fleeing an officer in pursuit, reckless driving, driving while his license is suspended, running a stop sign, and no proof of insurance. No trial date was set.

Traffic Tickets
Shameica McClay of 304 Hubbard Rd., Pope, was fined $1,320 for no driver’s license. The fine is due February 5.

The way the City of Sardis pays its volunteer firemen needs to change in order for the city to stay within its budget, City Clerk Odessa Johnson said during the recent meeting of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.

"Presently we are paying $5 per firemen that responds to a call," she said.

Johnson said one of the biggest reasons she sees a need for change comes from a recent invoice the department presented to the city for $600.

"The present budget for the department’s pay is $4,000," she said. "If we continue getting invoiced for larger amounts, there is no way we will stay within that budget."

Johnson said she felt like the city needed to consider a monthly allotment rather than a per-call pay basis.

"If we go to a monthly allotment, we would be able to know we would stay within the budget," she said.

Mayor Richard Darby said, he understands, firemen are not paid on a monthly basis.

"If I am thinking correctly, the fire department doesn’t pay the firefighters until the end of the year," he said. "We give them the money at the end of the month and they disburse it as they see fit."

Darby said he believed that paying them a set sum each month would definitely help the city with its annual budget.

"There is no question it will be a great relief to the city for us to know how much we will be paying each month," he said.

With a payment earlier this week of $490,012, the present administration of Tri-Lakes Medical Center has retired approximately $2 million of the hospital’s bond debt.

According to Tri-Lakes C.O.O. Ray Shoemaker, the hospital has met all of the bond obligations in 2004.

"The next payment on the bonds will be due in July," Shoemaker said. "With current projections, we are on track to make that payment on time as well."

Shoemaker said the $2 million – plus in debt retirement has all happened over the past 18 months.

"We have also made a payment toward another loan the hospital had," he said. "The other loan was taken out so they could make a previous bond payment."

With financial projections on track, Shoemaker said he, Tri-Lakes C.E.O. Dr. Robert Corkern and other staff members were able to start making plans for the hospital.

"I think everyone involved expects the city and county to make a decision about the new hospital ownership soon, but that has not stopped us from trying to plan for the future of healthcare in Panola County," Shoemaker said.

One of the big issues being worked on is expansion of services, he said.

"We have immediate plans to open an acute care hospital," Shoemaker explained. "The program will begin on the main campus until construction could be completed on a permanent home."

Shoemaker said the hospital also has intentions of beginning sleep studies, developing healthcare for north Panola County and a host of other programs.

"We have not been able to handle kidney stone removal at this hospital," he said. "We recently applied for a certificate of need that would allow us to begin offering that service.

"Another big thing we want to see happen in the very near future, should we be awarded the bid for the hospital, is a fast track ER," Shoemaker added. "We have spoken with several new physicians and nurses, and they are excited about our goals here at Tri-Lakes."

Shoemaker said the programs on the West Campus will continue if Physicians and Surgeons Medical Group is awarded the bid.

"We see the programs out there as very important to the community," he said.

"We are also seeing a continued growth of support from local doctors in the area, and we will do whatever we can to nurture that relationship," Shoemaker added. "As an administration, that is our job. We need to go ask them what we can do to help."

As for other major issues facing hospital ownership following the sale include tort liability and dealing with Medicare and Medicaid cuts.

"If we are able to get the sale, we plan to assume all of the hospital’s liabilities," he said. "Should the bid go to someone else, it will be something the city and county will have to negotiate with the buyer."

As for Medicare and Medicaid, Shoemaker said Tri-Lakes has been successful in getting payment for services.

The new era is coming about following Chief Roger Vanlandingham’s decision to retire from the force he has led for over 15 years.

Vanlandingham said he told the Mayor and Board of Aldermen his decision during an executive session Tuesday afternoon.

The decision was made following discussion with his family and friends, the chief said.

"There are a lot of different reasons for my decision, but mostly it just seems like the right time," he said.

Vanlandingham called his 15 years as Chief of Police, "the best of his 36 year career.

"It has been a pleasure to work with a forward-looking board that has been very supportive over the years," he said.

"I would like to wish the city, its administration and its citizens the very best," he said. "This police department is blessed with a number of very well-trained and talented officers who will continue to perform their duties to protect the people of Batesville."

Following his retirement, Vanlandingham said he plans to remain deputized in Panola and Yalobusha Counties and assist them in any way he can.

Nolan West, owner of W & W Contractors, told the aldermen he had been sued in Justice Court by the city for payment of invoices.

The suit stemmed from two separate incidents. In the first, the city claimed West owed for use of the landfill after cleaning property behind the old Liberty Supermarket building on East Lee Street.

The second charge was pertaining to damaging a manhole while doing some work in the industrial park.

"I just wanted to know if the Board of Aldermen knew I had been taken to Justice Court over this and the judge ruled in my favor," he said.

Alderman Mike Wilson said he was under the impression the city had voted down the invoices.

"Did we not all vote that he did not have to pay these?," he asked.

Mayor Richard Darby explained the board voted four to nothing to throw out the claims. (One alderman abstained from voting.)

Following the board’s vote, Darby issued a veto. The board voted 3-2 to overturn the veto, but four votes are required, so the veto stood.

"So this was your act and not ours," Wilson said.

Wilson asked City Attorney Tommy Shuler if legal action could be taken without the board voting first.

"For a city to take legal action, it takes an action by the board," he said.

West said he just wanted the board to know what had been done and what the outcome was.

"I think this board has been with you each step of the way," Wilson said.

"We should have known about this before it happened," Alderman Rusty Dye said.

West said in exchange for a public apology from the mayor, city clerk and public works director, he would withdraw claims he presented to the city that totalled over $17,000.