MPH Opens New Substation, Lab |
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Local and state officials cut the ribbon during the open house festivities at the new Mississippi Highway Patrol substation. Front (l to r) Ken Winter, Director of the State Crime Lab, Public Safety Commissioner David Huggins, Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, Panola County Sheriff David Bryan, Sen. Nolan Mettetal, Rep. Leonard Morris and Rep. Warner McBride. Back (l to r) Supervisor Dennis Lott, Supervisor Mack Benson and Batesville Alderman L. Hudson Still. |
BY JASON C. MATTOX SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Troop E of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol (MHP) has moved into its new home.
On Friday, city, county and state officials were present to take part in the grand opening of the new substation located on Highway 35 North.
Governor Ronnie Musgrove cut the ribbon on the new facility, then addressed the crowd.
"All of us have priorities," he said. "Safety and the well-being of the citizens of the State of Mississippi is on the top of the priority list for me."
Musgrove said the new building will allow the MHP to better serve the people of Panola County and the state. "The people working here are some of the finest in the United States," he said. "That is just how good our men and women are.
"I feel better knowing the quality of the people we have here in Mississippi."
Musgrove told the audience the state is on the cutting edge with the new facility and it was constructed at a savings of more than $600,000 compared to original estimates. |
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Overdue Payment Concern in Sardis Partners in Action Fall Behind |
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The organization purchasing the old North Panola Hospital building could soon face actions from the Sardis Board of Aldermen and the Panola County Board of Supervisors.
During the last meeting of the Sardis Board of Aldermen, Mayor Richard Darby informed them Partners in Action, the organization purchasing the hospital, had failed to make their last payment.
"The payment was due from Partners in Action of Dec. 30, [2002]," Darby said. "As of now we have still not received their payment."
Darby told the aldermen that because the sale of the building was a joint effort by the city and county, he wants to take the issue to the Board of Supervisors at their next meeting. |
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Library Friends Host Annual Event |
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The Batesville Friends of the Library will host "A Valentine for Chocolate Lovers" on Sun., Feb. 16 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Chocolate and non-chocolate goodies will be available for sampling. Entertainment for the event will be provided by Casey Lipe and Calvin Flint.
Anyone interested in attending can purchase tickets at the Batesville Public Library or from any of the Friends of the Library. Tickets are $3.50 per ticket or 3 for $10. |
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Members of the Mississippi Highway Patrol Color Guard raised new state and national flags for the new Mississippi Highway Patrol substation. |
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Growing Home Building Stats Attributed to New Subdivision |
BY KATE B DIXON EDITOR
Thirty-five new homes were built in Batesville last year – the most City Code Enforcement Administrator Pam Comer has seen in a year during her 12-year tenure.
The housing construction boom was fueled by 13 homes that have been built by Reeves-Williams Builders of Southaven.
The homes, in Keating Grove subdivision off Keating Road near Brewer Road, are to be joined by a second phase of building there to consist of about 40 houses, a company spokesman said recently.
"That’s what did it," Comer said of the Reeves-Williams homes. "They came in and started building houses … before, it was just custom built houses here that went up one at a time."
Carolyn Virga, Reeves-Williams sales associate in Batesville, said some of the to-be-built homes in the new phase "have been sold" and there are four homes going up on Lakewood Drive.
Before Keating Grove, Virga said, "people have not been able to buy anything where they had to have help."
She was making reference to the builder’s promotions that can include pre-paid closing costs and other items as well as "lots of amenities" included in the home’s base price.
In addition to the new homes, 19 houses received renovations and/or additions during 2002. |
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Road Woes Get Attention of Supervisors |
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BY JASON C. MATTOX SENIOR STAFF WRITER
An Enid man asked the Panola County Board of Supervisors to help remedy the conditions of roads in and around the area formerly known as Woodland Acres.
Chris Corcoran explained that the area was formerly a private subdivision, but it has since been taken over by the state.
He told the board the roads are so bad, that public vehicles would receive major damage if they tried to come down the roads.
"If an ambulance or fire truck tried to make it down the road, they would not make it," he said. "The roads have gotten to be that bad.
"It’s like we are living in the 1940s." |
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