Local Stores Busted for Illegal Sales
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Batesville Police display counterfeit merchandise confiscated at three local stores. From left, animal control officer Benji Caine, Sgt. Kerry Pittman and Lee Martin, inventory and equipment officer hold the purses, caps, shoes and clothes the stores were selling for pennies on the dollar of the name-brand merchandise.
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| Using the skills learned by Lt. Detective Paul Shivers in a recent counterfeit seminar, he and Detective Michael Downs and Officer Jason Butts of the Batesville Police Department confiscated thousands of dollars worth of counterfeit apparel from three Batesville retailers – Xtreme Tan, World Beauty Supply and P&H store.
According to Major Tony Jones, there has been one arrest to date and more on the way.
Arrested was David Rhinehart, owner of Xtreme Tan. Last week Batesville PD confiscated approximately 30 pairs of counterfeit Oakley sunglasses from that store.
After suspecting the local stores were selling the illegal goods, Batesville Police
officers contacted J. Keith Haney, a trademark infringement specialist from Memphis. Haney is contracted by large name-brand companies such as Coach, Gucci, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Roca Wear, Ecko and Fendi to help ward off counterfeit sales.
"The counterfeit merchandise sold by these stores is not only some of the poorest of quality work, but costs the original label manufacturers thousands of dollars in sales," said Haney.
Merchandise confiscated at World Beauty Supply included shirts, shoes, caps, shorts, belts, pocket books and jeans.
Items confiscated from P&H included New York Yankee baseball caps and purses.
If anyone suspects stores are selling counterfeit merchandise call BPD, 565-5653.
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County Road Manager
Pleased with Fuel Savings
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By Fredrick Cosby
Contributing Writer
With the soaring prices of fuel within the last year, Panola County road management still has something to smile about.
Lygunnah Bean, road manager for Panola County, happily explained the substantial savings of gasoline the county saved since May 2003.
Between May 2002 and May 2003 the county spent $27,996 on fuel. From May 2003 to May 2004 the county only spent $24,655 on fuel consumption.
"Even though gas prices have risen twenty to thirty percent since last year, we still had a savings of $3,340," explained Bean.
He further said that the gas savings was contributed by cutting the work week to four days, changing fuel provider from Fuel Man to CFN,
opening a new fuel pit on the north end of the county, and the usage of regular unleaded fuel by all county vehicles.
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William Pride II Earns
2003 ‘Business of the Year’
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By Frederick Cosby
Contributing Writer
William Pride II, owner of Pride Ford, Lincoln and Mercury Dealership in Batesville and Clarksdale, has been presented the 2003 Business of the Year award by the National Republican Congressional Committee’s Business Advisory Council and has been presented the Certificate of Preeminence by Jackson State University.
Pride was one of the five businessmen in the nation nominated for the 2003 Businessman of the year. The Business Advisory Council votes and presents the person whom the committee feels has contributed the most to their community with this prestigious title.
Pride serves on the Republican Congressional Committee’s Business Advisory Council. He travels to Washington D.C. three to four times a year to discuss the issues regarding businesses and businessmen in the state.
The Certificate of Preeminence, presented by Jackson State University, is an award given to him for being the most influential African-American in Mississippi and for his innumerous other contributions to society. Pride, who also participates in the Black Enterprise organization, is recognized as one of the top one hundred businessmen in the United States.
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Using Tunica’s Landfill
Could Save Money
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By Frederick Cosby
Contributing Writer
Waste not, want not was the theme of the Panola County Board meeting held in Batesville at the county courthouse on Monday.
Dean Joyner, solid waste manager for Panola County, is trying to devise a plan to cut cost of wear and tear on the trucks used to transport solid waste and cut back on landfill build-up.
"The trucks may not last another year," stated Joyner.
Solid waste management wants to reduce the amount of travel used by the county vehicles to dispose of waste and at the same time cut down on the amount of waste dumped at the county sites.
"Many of our trucks haven’t been properly maintained as they should have been in the past," said Joyner. "This has caused the department to fall behind on some pick up routes. "
Joyner discussed the usage of Tunica County landfills as a secondary location for the waste trucks to dump.
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