Headlines – 1/27/2004

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 27, 2004

Panolian Headlines: January 27, 2004

For complete stories, pick up the 1/27/04  issue of The Panolian

Top Honor Goes to Stevenson
He’s Superintendent of the Year …
    
Some first grade students got a surprise when South Panola Superintendent Dr. C.L. Stevenson stopped by for a visit. Under Stevenson’s watchful eye, Jarien Barksdale and Shaniquaw Towns look over some work.
    
By Jason C. Mattox
Senior Staff Writer

Superintendent of the Year.

Sign up for our daily email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

That’s just one of the honors bestowed recently on South Panola School District Superintendent Dr. C. L. Stevenson from the Mississippi Association of School Administrators (MASA).

Stevenson and Ocean Springs School District Superintendent Anna Hurt tied, according to outside judges, and were both named as Mississippi’s Superintendent of the Year.

Stevenson started his career as a superintendent in the Houston School District in 1988 and moved to the Greenwood School District before landing in the South Panola School District in July of 1996

"We had some characters come through when we were trying to select a superintendent back then," South Panola School District Board of Trustees President Lygunnah Bean said. "There was one who promised me I could hunt on his land and said he would get me my first pair of cowboy boots.
    


Panolian Takes Home 13
MPA Advertising Awards
   
The Panolian has more hardware for its office walls today after staffers brought home 13 awards from the 2003 Better Newspaper Contest, Advertising Division.

Sponsored by the Mississippi Press Association, the awards luncheon was Saturday at the Hilton hotel in Jackson.

In addition to some awards that went to the newspaper, the individual winners were graphic artists Diane Parker and Margaret Buntin. Most of the ads were sold by Tracy Goforth and Michelle Sanders.

"I’m extremely proud of the winners and of the entire advertising staff at The Panolian," said publisher Jim Beaver. "The staff’s ability enables us to better serve our advertisers in promoting their businesses and helping them meet their goals."

The awards were given by division (weekly or daily) and/or by circulation categories. The Panolian competes in the over 4,000 circulation group.

The awards and the winners were:
? Best political advertisement – second place, Diane Parker. This ad was for candidate Dennis Baker
? Best Automobile advertisement – honorable mention, Margaret Buntin. This ad was for Pride Limo Service
? Best automobile advertisement with spot color – second place and third place, Margaret Buntin. These ads were for Belk Ford and Chandler Nissan, respectively
? Best use of process color – political – third place, Margaret Buntin. This ad was for candidate Vicki Cobb
? Best small space ad – second place, Margaret Buntin. This ad was for Dale’s Smokehouse
? Best section or edition – second place, Diane Parker and Margaret Buntin. This was for the back to school section
? Best classified page or section – first place, Diane Parker
? Best display classified ad – second place, Diane Parker. This ad was for Reeves-Williams
? Best house ad – first place, Margaret Buntin. This ad was for a remembrance of the 9-11 attacks
? Best overall newspaper promotion – first place, Margaret Buntin. This ad was for Newspaper In Education
? Best print quality award – second place
? Advertising excellence award – second place.
 


   

Supervisors Give No Public Notice
     Prior to Meeting

    
By Kate B. Dickson
Editor

The Panola County Board of Supervisors held a meeting Friday at the Panola County Airport in apparent violation of the state open meetings law.

Four supervisors and County Administrator David Chandler met with representatives of The Hangar, Inc., to discuss possible site and lease expansions, Chandler confirmed Monday.

Not at the meeting was Supervisor Bubba Waldrup, Chandler said.

Told by The Panolian the meeting was not legal because a quorum had gathered to discuss county business, Chandler said, "I was always under the impression it was only [a meeting subject to state law] if we were going to make a decision."

According to the open meetings law, written advance notice of the time and place of meetings are to be given. The notice "shall be posted within one hour after the meeting is called" at the building where the public body regularly meets…

According to the law, a meeting is an "assemblage of members at which official acts may be taken upon any matter over which the public body has supervision, control jurisdiction, or advisory power …"

Also, the Mississippi Supreme Court, according to published reports on the Mississippi Open Meetings law, has taken a very broad view of what constitutes a meeting and what sorts of organizations are covered by the act.
    


Teen May Face Adult Charges
     in Burglary
    
Batesville police are working to charge a city youth as an adult in connection with a burglary last week, said BPD Major Tony Jones.

"He’s been in trouble before," Jones said when asked why officers are seeking to charge the teen as an adult. "I don’t have the paperwork in front of me but he’s 16 or 17," Jones said.

The youth is accused in connection with the break-in last Wednesday of a home on Garson Street in which a door was kicked open to gain entry, Jones said.

Items stolen included 32 DVDs, a Play Station II, 10 games and a digital camera, Jones said. The value of the items is $1,100.
    


Grant Plan’s Red Tape Cut
   
By Jason C. Mattox
Senior Staff Writer

Some funding for the expansion of United Plastics is ready and a grant application for up to $1.5 million will be submitted now that some red tape issues are resolved, said Trey Hambry of North Delta Planning and Development District.

Hambry said an application for funding from the state’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is ready for signatures, but certain things need to be taken care of first.

The biggest issue involved is having ownership of the proposed expansion site transferred from The Panola Partnership to the county.

In order to receive CDBG funding, the property cannot be owned by a private entity.

"Basically, the application is ready, but I am not going to sign it until the property concern is resolved," Hambry said. "The property is private and it cannot qualify for CDBG money."

District Two Supervisor Robert Avant said if something were to happen and United Plastics leaves the location, it would make it more difficult for the county to receive other CDBG grants.

"This is an issue that really needs to be resolved before the county moves forward on this project," Avant said.

Board President Jerry Perkins said he had received a letter stating that the Panola Partnership was ready to transfer the property to the county.