Private Funds to Boost SPSD
Will Be Sought
|
By Jason C. Mattox
Senior Staff Writer
In an effort to be one of the top 10 school districts in the state, South Panola has begun the South Panola Foundation for Public Education.
Over 80 people were in attendance for Thursday night’s meeting and all showed interest in what three speakers – Dr. C.L. Stevenson, Louis Whitfield of Merchant’s and Farmer’s Bank and State Superintendent of Education Dr. Henry Johnson – had to say about what a foundation can do for the students of South Panola and the community around it.
Whitfield, who is involved with the Tupelo Foundation for Public Education, was the first to offer his thoughts on the foundation.
"Public education is an important part of any community," he said. "A good school district can factor into whether or not major companies pick Batesville when they are looking to expand."
Whitfield said to be successful the foundation will have to follow a set of beliefs. Those are:
| – |
Know the value of a good public education |
| – |
Believe that every student should reach their fullest potential |
| – |
Greatness is the responsibility of everyone involved |
| – |
Everyone makes a difference in the quality of public education.
|
|
|
City Properties Make
Historic Register Listing
|
|
By Kate B. Dickson
Editor
Now that the downtown and an area surrounding it are on the National Register of Historic Places it’s hoped the designation will spur preservation projects and tourism.
That’s according to Colleen Clark, Main Street manager, who said more than 200 properties qualify as historic within the Batesville Historic District.
"We hope to encourage people to rehabilitate their buildings of historic significance," Clark said in an interview. "We also want to appeal to tourists … those who enjoy taking heritage tours."
To be considered historic, she said structures must be over 50 years old and have had no work that significantly altered it.
For those with property inside the district, Clark said there are federal tax incentives for completing rehabilitation projects.
|
|
Panola Will Get Emergency Food,
Shelter Assistance Funds
|
|
| Panola County has been chosen to receive $28,071 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county.
The money will go to local agencies that are required to submit applications for the funds by the Feb. 6 deadline, said Lynda Bradford of Mid-State Opportunity, Inc.
The funds are not expected to be available until late March.
Panola County has distributed Emergency Food and Shelter funds in the past several years through Mid-State Opportunity, Inc. who was responsible for providing utility assistance, rental/mortgage assistance and food to residents. Funds are not expected to be available until late March.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
| Enid resident Kevin Nendza and dozens of other anglers are lining the banks of the Sardis Lake spillway this week catching their share of crappie, which school in the pooling area just below the spillway every January and February. The fishermen are using both live and artificial baits to lure the fish.
Remember, the daily limit is 30 crappie and the minimum length is 10 inches. If you are 16 or older you must have a license to fish in public waters. Game wardens are checking for licenses and also remind anglers that a "foul-hooked" fish (hooked behind the gills) must be returned back in the water. Several citations have been issued throughout the area lakes.
|
|
Miss Hospitality Pageant Entrants May Sign Up Now
|
|
| The Panola Partnership is seeking sponsors for the annual Panola County Miss Hospitality Tea Pageant which will be Sunday, March 28 at 2 p.m.
The mission of the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Pageant is to identify, honor and utilize young women between the ages of 18 and 24 for the purpose of promoting Mississippi’s tourism, industry and economic development internally and externally by serving as the state’s goodwill ambassador.
The local Miss Hospitality Pageant is looking for young women from our community to become involved with spreading Mississippi hospitality. Not only will women learn to promote their community, they will make new friends and future contacts.
Last year 42 contestants from across Mississippi competed for scholarships and prizes totaling nearly $100,000. Monica Minter, representing Jackson, won the title and will have traveled over 30,000 miles to promote economic development and tourism for the state.
If your business or organization would like to sponsor someone in the local Miss Hospitality Pageant, please contact the Panola Partnership at 563-3126 by Feb. 23.
|
|
Readiness Center Needs
Civil Defense Entrance
|
|
BY Jason Maddox
Senior Staff Writer
As construction of the new National Guard Readiness Center on Keating Road nears completion, county officials are considering building an access road.
County Administrator David Chandler said the readiness center will have two gated entrances that will require a key card if a person is not available to open the gates from the inside.
Chandler said there will be at least two days a week the guard will not have a person on duty.
"With the Civil Defense office being out there, we are going to need a way for people to get to [Civil Defense Coordinator] Son [Hudson]’s office," he said. "There isn’t a direct entrance to his office as of now."
"To avoid problems we could build a road that would go directly to Civil Defense," he said.
Board of Supervisors President Jerry Perkins said the City of Batesville agreed to help with construction of a road when plans for the facility were first released, but nothing has been done.
|
|
| |
|
|
