Familiar Face …
"Miss Emma" now retiree
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Piggly Wiggly Manager Mark Cole (left) presented "Miss Emma" Hadorn with a plaque and cake to commemorate her retirement after 40-plus years with the grocery store.
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By Jason C. Mattox
Senior Staff Writer
After more than 40 years after starting as a part-time employee, Emma Hadorn recently said her goodbyes to her friends and co-workers at Piggly Wiggly.
Known as "Miss Emma," Hadorn said she couldn’t remember the exact date she started with Piggly Wiggly, but did say it was some time in the mid- 1950s.
"Back when I started working for Pig, the store was still on the downtown square," she said. "I don’t know what it was, but something about the job kept me at it."
Hadorn said she did leave Piggly Wiggly briefly after high school to try her hand at factory work, but quickly found herself back in the grocery store.
"To tell the truth, I missed it a lot more than I thought I would," she said. "I really liked getting to see the people every day."
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Re-Inspection Fee Plan
Fails to Get Support
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By Kate B. Dickson
Editor
A proposed $100 reinspection fee for those in the building trades who call for city inspectors then aren’t prepared for the review when officials arrive has been put on the back burner.
By consensus, The Mayor and Board of Aldermen turned down the proposal put forth by the code enforcement office. The issue may, or may not, be revisited.
"It just worries me to have so many fees," said Alderman James Yelton.
Pam Comer, code enforcement office administrator, said, "It isn’t so much that we’re trying to bring in a bunch of money, it’s that we are trying to cut back on reinspections."
Comer said the situation has gotten better recently as word has filtered out the additional charges were possible.
The initial inspection is provided for through the building permit fee, Comer said.
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Autopsy Results Awaited
in Deaths of Mom, Baby Boy
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By Kate B. Dickson
Editor
Autopsy results are pending in the Jan. 13, deaths of a Batesville woman who died after giving birth at Tri-Lakes Medical Center to a son who died.
Services for Lisa Wright, 21, and Quartez Wright, were Saturday at Eureka A.M.E. Zion Church in Batesville with burial in the church cemetery. Hodges Funeral Home, was in charge of services.
After the birth, Ms. Wright, a student, was transferred to The Med in Memphis.
Panola County Coroner Gracie Gulledge said she ordered an autopsy of the baby and, on Monday, was still awaiting a preliminary report from Mississippi Mortuary Services in Jackson.
Gulledge said she could not release more information to The Panolian and said once complete, a copy of the autopsy report will be given to a family member.
Ray Shoemaker, chief operating officer at Tri-Lakes, would not comment on the deaths when contacted Monday by The Panolian.
According to a spokesman in the Shelby County Medical Examiner’s Office in Memphis, an autopsy was performed on Ms. Wright at "the request of the hospital."
She said a "hospital" autopsy differs from those sought at the request of law enforcement.
The spokesman said while hospital autopsies are conducted in facilities at the medical examiner’s office, they are not performed by medical examiner personnel.
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Tight Finances Put Police Grant
on Hold
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By Kate B. Dickson
Editor
Some hoped-for electronic equipment that was to have been paid for with matching grant dollars won’t be purchased this year due to tight city revenues.
That was what Police Chief Roger Vanlandingham recently told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
"We worked on it and worked on it," Vanlandingham said of the grant proposal in order to pare down the list and subsequent request.
"The police department has its needs but we have listened to the city’s needs," the chief said recently. "We are inclined to let the grant [application period] expire. There’s nothing that says we can’t reapply later."
Alderman Rufus Manley moved and the board accepted the chief’s recommendation’s "with gratitude."
The motion was unanimously approved.
"I think it’s bighearted of the police department to realize the situation the city is in … this isn’t the first time they’ve done that," Manley said.
The alderman was making reference to the current year budget in which Vanlandingham cut his request voluntarily.
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MLK Tribute
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Members of the Mt. Level M.B. Church carried their sign in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day march from Mt. Zion Church on Panola Avenue to Batesville Intermediate School. Over 30 churches were represented with more than 200 people participating in the Monday event.
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Senator Nolan Mettetal
Senators Elect Session Leaders
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 This being the first year of a new term of state government dictated that the beginning days of this 2004 Legislative Session were utilized to properly swear-in state elected officials including legislators.
Of course the President of the Senate (Lt. Governor Amy Tuck) administered the oath of office to Senators following a very warm reunion of this body. I again humbly thank each of you for your confidence and your allowing me this great opportunity to serve as your State Senator, certainly realizing that with this honor there exists an awesome responsibility as we pass laws that affect the lives of all Mississippians. You, the people of this Senate District are so very special.
Anyway, following swearing-in ceremonies, Senators elected officers for various duties within the Senate. The newly elected Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, David Huggins, has ties to this Senate District. He worked here as a highway patrolman in the early 1970s and lived in Senatobia. In fact, he kept his home in Senatobia for 13 years with the intention of making his permanent residence here. He is very highly respected since working up through this agency to the very top. In fact, he just finished serving as Commissioner of Public Safety.
I am very grateful and thank fellow Senators for their electing me to the Senate Rules Committee. Only four positions for this very key committee are available based on one Senator from each Congressional district. Senator Travis Little was re-elected as President Pro-Tem.
Statewide elected officials were administered the oath of office during a joint session of the Mississippi Legislature. However, Governor Haley Barbour was the last of such officials being administered oath in a separate such session of the Mississippi Senate and House. In his phenomenal inaugural address, Gov. Barbour placed a lot of emphasis on strong Mississippi families along with values and character.
He will always consider how all proposals will impact our families and he believes that families are often the solution to our problems.
Gov. Barbour truly brings a new sense of enthusiasm when he states that he not only envisions Mississippi in a new and larger dimension, but he expects it. This very polished Mississippi leader doesn’t forget God as he thanks Mississippians for this honor of being elected Governor and the opportunity to help the citizens of our state. He brings excitement with the belief in a can-do spirit and he stated that his first priority is the creation of more and better paying jobs. All of his inaugural events were very exceptional and well attended with such beautiful weather.
The Panola County reception and Open House was again such a huge success with a tremendous participation. We thank every person playing a role in any capacity for this very heart warming event. This is indeed one of the most popular receptions of each legislative session and it is always so great to see so many wonderful home folks present from all over Senate District 10.
The variety and significance of active service roles provided by Mississippi National Guard Troops is absolutely astonishing. In fact, Mississippi National Guardsmen have experienced their largest overseas deployment since the Korean War with more than 5,000 of their soldiers and airmen being called to active service in defense of our nation’s freedom since September 11, 2001. We are so proud of Mississippi’s finest, and the Mississippi Senate passed a Senate Concurrent Resolution recognizing all of these courageous individuals for their active service.
We thank this paper for its interest in informing you. Your concerns are always a priority and very important to me. You can reach me at (601) 359-3267 in Jackson while in Session and (662) 487-1512 in Sardis.
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Representative Warner McBride
Senators Elect Session Leaders
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 It was good to see many of you who were in Jackson to be a part of the various inaugural activities for incoming Gov. Haley Barbour. I also appreciate those of you who sponsored and participated in the Panola County Legislative Open House. Our open house greatly enhances opportunities for our citizens within state government.
At this point in the legislative process, we are continuing to organize under new leadership. Committee assignments were made and I will be serving as a member of the Appropriations, Conservation, County Affairs, Judiciary B, Transportation and Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks Committees. I am proud to be a member of these committees which all represent an area of importance to the citizens of our area.
Traditionally, about 3000 proposals are submitted annually for members to consider. Feb. 23, is the deadline for the introduction of bills and constitutional amendments. March 9, is the deadline for House and Senate committees to approve or reject the proposals originating in our own chamber. Before beginning the budget process in weeks ahead, we had a fiscal briefing this week to analyze the state’s financial conditions.
Our state economist and other financial authorities seem to think the economic outlook is improving. One sign of that improvement is that the unemployment rate is down from where it was most of last year.
Again, I appreciate the opportunity to represent you at the state capitol. Please continue to call me at the capitol during the week at 601-359-3340 or at my home on the weekend at 662-563-9607.
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