Enid Resident Named
NWCC Alumnus of the Year
 Dr. James E. Smith, president and founder of Delta Rice Services, is Northwest Mississippi Community College’s 2003 Alumnus of the Year.
Delta Rice, based in Webb and Cleveland, markets some 20 million bushels of rice annually about 60 percent of Mississippi’s rice crop. Smith’s company is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
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Democrats Only… May Vote in Chandler-Pitcock Race
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BY KATE B DICKSON
EDITOR
You must be a Democrat to cast a ballot in the Oct. 28 Special Democratic Election for Chancery Clerk of Panola County.
That’s according to the county’s Democrat Party Co-chair David Walker.
"No Republicans are legally eligible to cast a vote in this election," he said.
Democrats will vote for either David Chandler or Jim Pitcock. Each are seeking the seat to be vacated by retiring Chancery Clerk Sally Fisher.
There is no Republican or Independent opposition so the winner of the election will go on the Nov. 4 general election ballot and presumably will be the new clerk.
However, it was an election contest, filed by Chandler that resulted in a second runoff being ordered by the Democratic Executive Committee.
After some votes were disallowed, it wound up with Pitcock ahead by three votes. Before Chandler’s challenge, Pitcock won by 10 votes.
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Women Charged in Car Theft
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| A pair of Panola County women have been charged in an auto theft in the Tocowa community last week.
According to Investigator Barry Thompson of the Panola County Sheriff’s Department, Theresa Deere and Tammy Redwine each face charges of burglary and automobile theft from an incident on Thursday, Oct. 8.
"It appears the two women broke into a residence in Tocowa, took the keys from the house, and then left the scene in the owner’s ?96 Nissan Pathfinder," Thompson said.
Both women were apprehended in Coles Point later the same day and the vehicle was recovered.
Thompson said Deere and Redwine are out of jail on $10,000 bond each.
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Lots of Love …
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 Allie Craig of Batesville is pictured on her 94th birthday this week with only a small portion of the 94 roses she received from her granddaughter Lynn Gray of Austin, Texas. Gray is traveling in Europe but didn’t forget the special occasion.
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Giving girls …
Twins Give Up Presents; Help Food Pantry Instead
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Anne Allen and Caroline Hodge had their fourth birthday party on Sunday, Oct. 12 and collected a pick-up load of food for the Panola County Food Pantry.
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BY JASON C MATTOX
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Even little children can make a difference.
And one set of Batesville twins did just that when they used their fourth birthday party to better the lives of the needy.
Anne Allen and Caroline Hodge, daughters of Dr. Thomas and Sharon Hodge, held a birthday party, and, instead of gifts, requested guests bring items for the Panola County Food Pantry.
Sharon Hodge said the idea came about as result of a story-time session at the Batesville Public Library.
"The kids are allowed to get books off of the shelf and one that was brought home was about the first Thanksgiving," she said.
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Hospital Board Invites Supervisors, Aldermen, Doctors to Tues. Meet
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BY KATE B DICKSON
EDITOR
The agenda of the Tri-Lakes Medical Center board has a lengthy guest list attached for its Tuesday meeting.
Invited to the open meeting at 6:30 in the hospital cafeteria are the Panola County Board of Supervisors, the Batesville Mayor and Board of Aldermen and all physicians associated with the hospital.
Hospital board vice chairman Larry Pratt said the board requested the joint meeting in order to discuss the hospital’s future and what’s best for health care in Panola County.
On Oct. 23 the hospital’s owners, the city and county, are due to receive proposals from entities who are interested in buying or leasing the facility. Proposals are to be submitted to Assistant City Attorney Colmon Mitchell.
Pratt said it’s a meeting "we’ve been intending to have all along" but conceded the timing is connected with the fact proposals are due Oct. 23.
While no vote has been taken, Pratt says it "is the consensus" of the board and of physicians who use the hospital that the owners allow Dr. Bob Corkern "a chance" by continuing under that physician’s management.
Corkern, who owns Emergent Health in Jackson, was hired as administrator in July and replaced former administrator Richard Manning.
Corkern also operates the hospitalist program which employs himself and another internist. His company also contracts to operate the emergency room.
Pratt said the owners "should look at all" the proposals but said the board and doctors are behind Corkern.
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