"We want to thank the city for its continued show of support," Partnership president Leonard Morris said. "We would like to request that we keep this organization as a budget item in the coming years."

When asked by Partnership CEO about questions the aldermen might have had about funding, Alderman James Yelton was the first to speak up.

"I asked for the financial information to know what we spent on Springfest and I have gotten those," he said. "When that thing started, we were only supposed to support it for three years.

"After that time frame the festival was supposed to be self-sufficient," Yelton added. "Now we give $20,000 and you get money from sponsors and it doesn’t even get out of the hole."

According to figures from City Hall, Springfest generated profits of $1,607.44 in 2002, $1,918.26 in 2003 and $1,087.09 this year.

In addition to the $20,000 budget provided by the city, the organization generated $12,872.60 in sponsorships. The total income was $50,682.81 against total expenses of $49,595.72.

"From what I see in the figures, you even lost money on T-shirt sales this year," Yelton said.
The cost of printing the Springfest T-shirts for 2004 was $9,876.11. Sales generated $8,832 leaving a loss of $1,044.11.

After hearing the financial information for Springfest, Alderman Bobbie Jean Pounders said she hoped the success of the festival would not jeopardize funding for the Panola Partnership as a whole.

"I am hoping that we will in no way hurt the funding of Main Street or the partnership just because of Springfest," she said.

"I never said anything about the partnership or Main Street," Yelton replied. "But I saw what was spent on entertainers for the festival and the amount of money being made.

"I was working the stack (intersection of I-55 & I-20) and this blue car came whizzing by," said Trooper First Class John Terrell. "Noticed the car had illegal tint and stopped it."

Terrell, whose been a Trooper for six years, asked for permission to search the vehicle and after getting consent to search the 2004 Suzuki, Terrell found the illegal payload.

"Something just did not add up. I could tell this was more than a simple traffic stop after talking to the driver and he acted suspiciously," Terrell added.

The driver and passenger have been charged with possession of more than five kilograms of marijuana, which is punishable by a maximum 30 year prison sentence and fine of up to $1 million.

Arrested were the driver, Anthony Wayne Hutching and the passenger, Ennis Earl Thomas, II. Both of the accused are 23-years-old and from Houston, Texas.

The stop was made in the eastbound lane of I-20 near the Jackson International Airport exit around 11 a.m. Hutching and Thomas are scheduled to make an initial appearance in Rankin County Circuit Court tomorrow.

"Granted our Troopers are trained to enforce the rules of the road, but they are also trained to look for other illegal activities," said MHP Chief, Colonel Marvin Curtis Jr.