Headlines – 8/13/2002

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 13, 2002

Panolian : August 13, 2002

For complete stories, pick up the 08/13/02  issue of The Panolian

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Bogus Bomb Threat Made at Industry
$5,000 Reward Offered

BY KAREN DUNN
EDITOR

BATESVILLE – A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for a bogus bomb threat at a Batesville industry.

Batesville Casket Company received the threat Tuesday morning, August 6.

Plant manager Mike Bell said Batesville Casket Company takes bomb threats very seriously.

"We will take every measure to protect our associates," Bell stressed, "as well as find and prosecute the perpetrator."
 



School Uniforms Debut at Crenshaw School
BY DONNA TAYLOR
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CRENSHAW – History was made in the North Panola School District when Crenshaw Elementary School became the first school in the county to mandate that students and teachers wear school uniforms.

"Crenshaw Elementary is really excited about wearing uniforms this year," said principal Robert Massey. "The students look so nice with uniforms and are taking much more pride in their appearance.

"The uniforms seem to have raised their self-esteem," he said.

Students said they enjoyed the idea of wearing uniforms and the teachers were impressed.

"They seem to have calmed down," said Jesse Norwood, a third grade teacher.

The uniforms are simple, consisting of regular khaki or blue pants and a white polo-type shirt – not the brand name "Polo." Some of the girls were wearing skirts and walking shorts.
 


Vanderbilt Player Dismissed
NASHVILLE – Vanderbilt head football coach Bobby Johnson announced Saturday, August 10, that reserve linebacker Luke Hammond had been dismissed from the team and junior wide receiver Chris Young, of Courtland, suspended for the 2002 season for violating team rules. Young will be allowed to practice and participate on the scout team, but will not play this year.

 
$2 million Gap in Bids
Funding in Place for Project

BY KAREN DUNN
EDITOR

BATESVILLE – A financial consultant working with city officials on the Batesville Civic Center project said the market was good right now for acquiring funding for the project.

Demery Grubbs told the Batesville Board of Aldermen Tuesday, August 6, he would have the city’s loan application ready when they needed it.

"I’ll have the documents ready so that when you award the bid on the project," Grubbs said, "you can be ready to move quickly."

"Interest rates are less than 5 percent right now," he added.
 


$5 Million Too High, Says Company Attorney
BY JIM BEAVER
PUBLISHER

BATESVILLE – Attorneys for The Thermos Company in Batesville approached the Panola County Board of Supervisors Monday, August 12, requesting that supervisors lower the assessed value of the building and property.

J. Cal Mayo Jr., a partner with Mayo Mallette PLLC of Oxford, told supervisors there was no way the 544,000 square foot building and land could be valued at $9.6 million, a figure calculated by independent tax consultant Bill Bryant, who was hired by the county to do the appraisal.

"That equates to about $17 per square foot," Mayo said. "The market value should be about $4.1 million, not $9 million."

Mayo explained the Thermos building, originally built in 1957 and about 180,000 square foot, was now primarily used as a distribution point. There were two other additions to the plant in the years to follow – 50,000 square feet in 1968 and 250,000 square feet in 1974.
 


Buy Shirts to Blackout the Jungle
Season ticket sales are now underway for the South Panola football 2002 season.

Tickets will be on sale at the high school office from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Ticket prices are $45 for the five home games.

No phone calls will be taken to hold tickets.

The South Panola cheerleaders are selling tee shirts using the theme "Welcome To The Jungle" for the upcoming football season. The squad will be selling tee shirts to support the theme. The tee shirts may be purchased for $15 at the high school office.

An order may be placed with any high school cheerleader or coach through August 25.

The tee shirts are black with a tiger and a jungle scene. The squad is asking that all football fans help them "Blackout the Jungle" on August 30 during the game against Moss Point.