#1 Kilmichael devastated in April tornadoes
On the morning of April 30, four tornadoes struck Montgomery County, leaving disaster in their wake. The first tornado, which was determined to be an EF2 strength with 115 mile-per-hour winds, began that Sunday morning at 9:58 a.m. in Carroll County near Vaiden and traveled northeast toward Kilmichael 15.75 miles over Highway 407 and up the area of Vaiden Kilmichael Road. The second tornado struck the heart of Kilmichael at 10:11 a.m. and was determined by the National Weather Service as an EF1 with 110 mile-per-hour winds. The tornado was on the ground 6.67 miles, from Vaiden Kilmichael Road into downtown Kilmichael and up Binford Avenue to Highway 82. Two other EF1 tornadoes, one yielding 95 mile-per-hour winds and one with 100 mile-per-hour winds, touched down north of Kilmichael heading northeast to the Webster County line. One crossed into Webster County and stayed on the ground to near Alva Road. Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Allan Pratt said that approximately 80 homes in Montgomery County were damaged, and 14 residences received major damage. Four homes and a church were destroyed. “One hundred people were affected in the storm [with damage],” Pratt said. Kilmichael Mayor Howell said the devastation in the town of Kilmichael was widespread in addition to the damaged houses, with downed trees littering yards and streets. “We had huge trees that fell,” Howell said. “Some were four foot across.” Not only did trees fall on powerlines, but heavy winds snapped utility poles, leaving powerlines lying in the streets and tangled in vegetation along the town streets and on Highway 82. Nearly 3,000 homes were without power after the initial storm, with hundreds still in the dark several days later. Due to the extensive damage across the east side of Montgomery County, the board of supervisors declared a state of emergency, and Governor Phil Bryant also declared the tornado-affected communities a disaster. Eight months after the storm, many homes are still in disrepair following the storm. Government entities are limited as to how much assistance they can provide on private property, however the county and town helped dispose of vegetative materials gathered in the cleanup, and a disposal site was designated east of Montgomery County Elementary School on School road. After Montgomery County was denied assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for individual homeowners with no means to repair or rebuild their homes following the tornadoes, the board approved the county’s application for the Disaster Assistance Housing Grant, a state facilitated grant pilot program through the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). According to Dan Magee, director of Individual Assistance with MEMA, the grant can pay out up to $250,000 to be used to purchase building materials needed to repair or rebuild homes that received tornado damage. The cost of the labor needed will have to be raised by faith-based or community organizations or provided through volunteers. Within a few months after the storm, the Montgomery DREAM organization was formed to facilitate the grant and help people affected by the disaster. She said the purpose of DREAM is to target groups in need of assistance such as single parents, elderly people, impoverished people, those with disabilities, people with language barriers and “people that don’t normally get help.” The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency will provide up $250,000 to address the cost of materials to rebuild and repair homes affected by tornadoes that struck the area on April 30, and Montgomery DREAM applied for a 5013C, which is required to receive grant funding to dole out to those in need and to help in assisting people in the event of future tragedies. Currently, Montgomery DREAM’s tax status is still awaiting Internal Revenue Service approval, but MEMA is allowing the county to use a Holmes County non-profit to expedite work to move forward with repairs on private homes.
#2 Veterans cemetery opens
The long-awaited dedication of the new North Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery was held on August 16 at 10 a.m., with hundreds attending the ceremony. The North Mississippi Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery is a 50-acre cemetery in Kilmichael, serving veterans within a 75-mile radius. The development was funded by a $6.6 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Cemetery Grants Program. “This facility is one of the best examples of federal, state, and local cooperation I’ve ever seen,” said Randy Reeves, then-executive director of the Mississippi Veterans Affairs Board. “The real investment is the investment in America’s heroes.” Gov. Phil Bryant was the keynote speaker at the dedication, along with several other state and federal officials. Members of the Army National Guard’s Magnolia Brass Band were on hand playing ceremonial music, while members of the Columbus Airforce 14th training wing’s color guard marched in unison while doing a flag display. Gov. Bryant noted the beautiful green hills of the cemetery as a fitting place for veterans to be laid to rest. “I’ve cut a lot of ribbons in the last six years and broken a lot of ground on industries and commercial businesses, but nothing has been as important as my opportunity and blessing of opening these cemeteries and being involved in their creation,” Bryant said. Mississippi’s other Veterans Memorial Cemetery is in Newton. “We give thanks to almighty God who has bestowed upon us this great opportunity to reward those veterans who have served, giving the last measure of devotion a place of final resting,” Bryant said. Montgomery County was named the location of the cemetery in 2014, with funding coming through in the summer of 2015. The official groundbreaking was held September 2015. According to Reeves, many people played a part in bringing the cemetery to Mississippi and Montgomery County, praising the Mississippi’s national leaders, the Mississippi Legislature, Montgomery County, Town of Kilmichael, and the members of the American Legion Post 52 in Winona for their outstanding efforts in the development of the cemetery. Ronald Walters, the acting under secretary for memorial affairs, was also a part of the dedication ceremony. “Today wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of so many people who have made this place special,” Walters said. Chairman of the Mississippi Veterans Affairs Board James Garner said the V.A. and the state of Mississippi continue a long and proud tradition of providing a dignified resting place to those who have worn the cloth of this nation. Garner said. “The price of freedom will be forever visible here engraved on headstones for generations to come and in our hearts today. In the years ahead let us honor the memories of the brave men and women that will be lied to rest in the sacred grounds we dedicate today by pledging to serve our veterans and their families as well as they have served us and to ensure peace and dignity are the rewards for their sacrifice.” Cemetery Director Mark Lawson said with the opening of the North Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 99 percent of Mississippi veterans will have a veterans cemetery within 75 miles of their home. According to Lawson, the North Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery will serve veterans, their spouses, and their minor children within a 75-mile radius of Kilmichael. It will provide a burial site, opening and closing of the burial site, a committal ceremony, head stone, and perpetual care of the burial site at no charge. The family is still responsible for funeral home services, a casket, and off-site funeral services.
#3 Winona Christian Stars win state championship
The Winona Christian Stars took home the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AA State Championship after two wins over the Wayne Academy Jaguars on May 18. The Stars won 7-4 during their first game of the day against the Jaguars. Winona jumped out on Wayne, scoring three runs in the first inning, and they scored another four runs in the third to bring the score to 7-0. The Jaguars scored their first run of the night in fourth inning, and they batted in another three in the fifth. Head Coach Shannon Self said the Stars had an exceptional offensive performance. Austin Huggins had two RBIs; Brett Burnley had one hit and two RBIs; and Hunter Haggerty had two hits and one RBI, Self said. Parker Morgan had one RBI; Tanner Kyle had two hits, and Zack Castille had one RBI, with Blake Marlow and Treyton Whitten each getting an RBI, Self said. Defensively, Morgan led the Stars from the mound, striking out four and allowing seven hits. Blake Marlow also had a good defensive showing, pitching three innings and allowing two hits and no runs. During their second game of the day, the Stars won 11-5 against the Jaguars. The Jaguars took a two-run lead in the first inning, but the Stars stepped up in the second, scoring their first run. Winona scored another three runs in the third inning with Wayne scoring one, going into the fourth 4-3, with Winona leading. The Stars got another five runs in that inning to the Jaguars one, bringing the score to 9-4. Winona scored a final two runs in the fifth inning to Wayne’s final one. Offensively, the Stars had 14 hits for the night, Self said. Burnley had four hits and one RBI, and Huggins had two hits, one double, and three RBIs, Self said. Blake Marlow got two hits, one double and one RBI, and Morgan had two hits and two RBIs with Kyle getting two RBIs, Self said. Defensively, Treyton Whitton led from the mound for two and 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and striking out four. Walker Pearson threw for three and a third innings, striking out six batters and allowing no hits, Self said. The Stars lost 6-5 to Wayne in the first round of the championship. On the road to the championship, the Stars won two out of three games against Tri-County Academy, Marshall Academy, Canton Academy, along with Wayne Academy. “Since March 28, we were 16-2; that’s the playoffs,” said Self. “We got hot at the right time. You’ve got to have that to accomplish this.” Self and the Stars, along with their eight seniors were elated about their accomplishment. Self said the look on the players’ faces made his living the dream of winning the state championship special. “It’s been my dream since I was about 20 to win a state championship here. It’s special winning here; I graduated from here,” said Self. “God’s blessed me beyond anything I certainly deserve.” Winona Headmaster Jimmy Pittman said Thursday’s win was a first for the school. “This is the fourth [championship] they’ve played for and the first they’ve won,” said Pittman. “I’m so proud of those kids. They play with so much heart and effort.”
#4 Incumbent mayors win re-election in June
In June’s municipal elections, the county’s three incumbent mayors were re-elected, two of them with slim margins. In Winona, Mayor Jerry Flowers was re-elected by 17 votes, defeating challenger Vickie Baskin 581 to 564. The election brought in a low number of voters, with just under 1,200 of the 3,741 voters registered casting their vote. With the mayoral race and the Ward 5 alderman race too close to call election night, City Clerk June Williams and Winona’s Election Commissioners recounted Ward 5’s votes twice more the next day and citywide votes a once again before declaring winners. In the Ward 5 alderman race, Sarah A. Minnieweather, an independent, defeated Democrat Tela Wilson Collins by just two votes. Minnieweather received 141 votes to Collins 139 votes. Independent candidate Robert Fleming received 31 votes. Incumbent Ward 5 Alderman Franklin Seals was unseated in May’s Democratic Primary Election by Collins. In the Ward 2 alderman race, Republican incumbent Travis Johnson defeated Democratic Challenger Danny Woods, 177 votes to 75 votes.
Duck Hill
Incumbent Mayor Joey Cooley was re-elected with just three votes in June’s election. According to Duck Hill Town Clerk LaSonya Sizemore, Cooley received 89 votes; Tyron Harbin received 86 votes; Randy Everette received 49 votes; and Fatima Beck-Young received five votes. Duck Hill voters also elected new aldermen: Linda Bennett received 150 votes; Lula Brown received 181 votes; Lovonda Farmer received 165 votes; Cynthia Brown-Kounz received 160 votes; and Leroy Nash received 127 votes. Candidate Al White received the least amount of votes at 125, which did not secure his spot on the board.
Kilmichael
According to Kilmichael Town Clerk Pauline Hall, incumbent Mayor Bobby Howell defeated challenger Mary Young, a former Kilmichael mayor, 122 votes to 65 votes.
#5 WHS Tigers chase state football championship
The Winona Tigers battled to the bitter end in their quest for a state championship this past football season. The Tigers came up just short of a MHSAA Class 2A State Football Championship, falling to the Taylorsville Tartars 41-26 on December 1 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on the University of Mississippi campus.
The loss ended a magical run through the playoffs by Winona. The Tigers had a one-point win over Newton, a seven-point victory over Scott Central and an eight-point win against defending 2A champion Calhoun City in the North State final. “Our goal was to play 15 games and win the last one,” Tompkins said. “We played 15 games, but we just didn't win the last one.” Winona was not among the 2A favorites entering the playoffs, but the team's success was not a surprise to Tompkins. “All I'm surprised about is that we didn't win.” Winona finished 11-4, with the loss to Taylorsville breaking a seven-game winning streak. In winning a sixth state championship, Taylorsville finished 15-1 with a 10-game winning streak. On the game's opening possession, the Tartars faced third and 25 at their 35. Freshman quarterback Ty Keyes threw a perfect long range pass to Perry Keyes, good for 47 yards and a first down at the Winona 18. Three plays later, it was fourth and seven at the 15. This time he found Latreal Jones in the end zone. The Tartars faced another fourth down in the second quarter, fourth and eight at the Winona 29. Keyes connected with Malik Strickland at the one-yard line, setting up a TD run by Tycarius Roberts. The Tigers answered each of these TDs with a score of their own, resulting in a 14-13 Taylorsville halftime lead, the difference being a blocked extra point attempt. D. J. Ringo scored on a six-yard run to cap a 10 play 65 yards drive and quarterback JaTyler Moore on a 10-yard run at the end of an 11-play, 76-yard drive. The first half was evenly played. The second half wasn't. The Tartars put the game away by scoring TDs on their first three possessions and out-gaining Winona 299-66 after intermission to finish with a 512-211 edge. Winona held Taylorsville to 14 rushing yards the first half. But after Keyes' passing opened up the defense, the Tartars had 166 in the final two periods. “We didn't make plays when we had to make them,” Tompkins said. “We played a good team tonight. Whenever you have an opportunity to make a play against a good team, you have to make them. We didn't make enough of them tonight and Taylorsville did.” The week before, Winona Tigers won their first North State Championship, after a roller coaster emotional battle culminating in a 22-14 win over Calhoun City’s Wildcats. As fireworks brightened the night sky over Tiger Stadium, the band played the school fight song as fans stormed their home field, and the Tigers celebrated their first advancement to a state final. The defending state champion Wildcats ended their season with an 11-3 record. For Winona, the second oldest football program that played Mississippi’s first high school football game in 1905, this was the Tigers’ first appearance in the state championship by all available accounts. Just one week removed from a 22-15 victory at Scott Central where the Tigers won a three-quarter defensive slugfest that turned into a fourth quarter scoring blitz. “These kids have never been on this stage before. It means a lot to them to be competing for a state title. It means a lot to this town,” Tompkins said, following the Tigers’ North State title win. “Winona has had better players come through before, not taking anything away from these kids now, but there hasn’t been a better team. These kids play together and will play all four quarters. It’s a great day to be a Tiger.” The Tiger faithful did not disappoint on December 1, nor have they throughout the year, as they filled the stands to cheer on their beloved team, and although the Tigers did not bring home the state title, local pride was overwhelming as Winona’s kids excelled in the spotlight of the title chase.
#6 Injunction filed to hault school consolidation
The Montgomery County School District along with four of the district’s parents filed a lawsuit just before Thanksgiving break asking for injunctive relief from the July 1, 2018, district consolidation of Montgomery County Schools and Winona Separate School District. The suit argues that the consolidation statute – Mississippi Code 37-7-104.4 – is unconstitutional and a violation of civil rights to those living outside the Winona city limits. “We are asking injunctive relief in the short term to address the actions the Winona School District is taking on the consolidation,” Chynee A. Bailey, attorney for the Montgomery County School District, said. Defendants in the suit are Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn, Lt. Governor Tate Reeves, State Superintendent Carey M. Wright and the Mississippi state board of education, and, in an amended version of the suit filed Sunday, the Winona Municipal Separate School Board. According to the suit, the defendants claim the Mississippi Legislature’s “failure to give the residents of Montgomery County who reside outside of the city limits any representation on the board of the consolidated school district from the effective date of consolidation which is July 1, 2018, until January 1, 2019.” The suit claims the make-up of the consolidated district’s board by the Legislature – three members appointed by the Winona Board of Aldermen and two positions elected from two county districts -- was decided using an “odd motive-suspicious method.” In addition, the suit questions the consolidation statute’s dictating that the current Winona Separate School District board serve as the board of the consolidated district during that six month span, and that board “will select the superintendent, hire all employees, and prepare a budget for the consolidated school for the 2018-2019 school year.” The suit lists three cause of actions that make the consolidation bill unconstitutional. First, the suit claims the statute violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, “disenfranchises the citizens of Montgomery County who reside outside the Winona city limits from participating in the election process” for the first six months. In addition, the suit claims that the statute causes “vote dilution” in regards to the Voting Rights Act, stating that Winona only has 43 percent of the county’s population but has a majority of members on the consolidated school board. Because Montgomery County School District is still under a Plan of Desegregation, which dictates some mandates in regards to faculty and administrators hired in the district, the suit states that the consolidation bill violates that plan. Bailey said the lawsuit seeks two things – to prove that the consolidation statute is unconstitutional and to provide injunctive relief to stop the Winona School Board from taking any action in the consolidation effort – including the hiring of a new superintendent – until the issues of the suit are resolved. Winona Separate School District Attorney Lane Greenlee stated that the Winona School Board will abide by the instructions given by the state board of education. “The Winona Separate School District Board will continue to follow the directives of the Mississippi State Board of Education until such time as they are ordered to do otherwise,” Greenlee said in a statement. The suit claims that the Winona School Board “without any statutory authority,” began conducting official board meetings since September to discuss various items about the consolidation, including the advertisement and discussion of a new superintendent of the consolidated district. Greenlee stated that the authority was given by the Mississippi Board of Education’s interpretation of the bill. In March 2017, Mike Kent and Dr. Bill Welch with MDE provided insight on the consolidation process and laid out a brief timeline of dates of importance to assist those in Montgomery County prepare for a smooth transition. At a series of meeting in March, Kent told local officials from the county and both school districts that spring 2018 is when most of the objectives must be completed before the date of consolidation – including hiring a new superintendent and contracting with the faculty and staff in regards to 2018 employment. “On June 30, the state school board will vote to dissolve the Montgomery County and Winona school districts,” Kent said. “And the consolidation will become effective on July 1.” The county will vote for the two elected school board members on November 6, 2018, and the new board members will be sworn in on January 1, 2019. In summer 2016, Kent said met with school officials, but because of some confusion about the consolidation bill itself, he was forced to return to Jackson for clarification. The bill noted that the election of board members for the county seats would be in November 2017, however, the bill used the date November 2018 as well. Kent said because of the error in the bill and the Legislature’s unwillingness to go in and correct the date, the consolidation will go into effect in July 2018 and the election will be held in November 2018. Those elected will not be sworn in until January 1, 2019. That six month period before a joint board is established will likely receive backlash, Kent predicted back in March, as the current board of the Winona Separate School District will be the acting board during that six-month period. That six-month period is at the heart of the Montgomery County School District’s injunction. As of press time Wednesday, no court date or other action has occurred regarding the injunction.
#7 Montgomery County Schools sees leadership changes
On June 30, 2017, Montgomery County Superintendent of Education Michael Hood retired from his elected post. “I have been completely blessed to be here in Montgomery County,” Hood said. “I’ve enjoyed it, and I couldn’t have asked for a better community – from the school board to the faculty to the students. It has really been fun.” Elected to the post in 2011, Hood has served one-and-a-half terms as superintendent of Montgomery County Schools. Prior to that, he served as superintendent of Senatobia Public Schools. On July 1, 2017, James Johnson-Waldington was appointed by the Montgomery County School District as the superintendent of education for the 2017-2018 school year. The district is set to consolidate with Winona Separate School District on July 1, 2018, and a superintendent for the consolidated school district will be named sometime spring 2018, according to state officials. A native of Ruleville, Johnson- Waldington served seven years as principal of Ruleville Central before being named superintendent of the Hollandale School District. He eventually ventured out into the private sector, serving as vice president of marketing and school improvement at Bailey, before returning to education as the superintendent of West Bolivar School District. Montgomery County School Board President Al White said Johnson-Waldington came recommended by the Mississippi School Superintendents Association. In November 2017, the Montgomery County School Board accepted the resignation of Johnson-Waldington, and voted to appoint Dr. Wendy Hubbard as the new superintendent of education. Hubbard, who is in her second year at Montgomery County School District, served as an interventionist and literacy coach with the district prior to the appointment. She also spent four years with Durant School District, where she served as the director of curriculum and federal programs. According to Al White, Montgomery County School Board President, Hubbard was recommended to the board by Johnson-Waldington because of her work with the district’s leadership team where she worked to help design strategies to improve accreditation scores. “We wanted to maintain a seamless transition,” White said. “[Hubbard] knows the policies we have in place and will keep our same standards going forward.” Hubbard officially took the helm on November 20. Johnson-Waldington, according to the Greenwood Commonwealth, was recently appointed as the interim superintendent at Leflore County School District and will take over the post as of November 20.
#8 Citizens join to create My Winona initiative
A citizen-created beautification initiative was born in August 2017 with a simple meeting between city officials and civic and business leaders. The mission of My Winona was simple – to keep Winona safe and clean. According to Harrison, around 15 years ago, he had the idea of making Winona “the cleanest little town in America.” “It was a good idea, but it was not a good plan,” Harrison said. “If we are going to make this happen, we are going to have to have a plan.” Harrison said after having a discussion with a patient about citizens fleeing crime-ridden areas in the state for safer communities, he said he immediately thought of ways to lure those looking too relocate to Winona. He said Winona needed to be safe, and Winona needed to be an attractive place to live. “We want the rest of the world to look at us and ask, ‘What are they doing?’” Harrison said. Harrison proposed the Keep Winona Safe and Clean initiative, and asked those in attendance for help. “There needs to be a bunch of people involved,” Harrison said. And a lot more people got involved. In October, the first citywide cleanup was held, pitting ward against ward in which is the cleanest in the city. October16 through 20 was designated to kick off a citywide clean up to transform Winona’s appearance with private citizens taking the time to clean their own property before venturing out onto the streets for a clean sweep of the city’s roadways on October 21. Winona’s residents were encouraged to cut their grass, edge or cut grass growing over the street curb, sweep up all grass clippings and dispose of them properly, and place all limbs and sticks at the side of the street for pickup. On October 21, in a competition between wards, residents were asked to venture into the streets and pick up roadside trash. At the end of the day, the amount of trashed collected was weighed, and the winner, Ward 5 led by Alderwoman Sarah Minnieweather, came out on top as the cleanest ward in the city. A plaque now hangs in the Winona Board of Aldermen’s board room at Winona City Hall in honor of this accomplishment. Harrison said plans are already in the pipeline to hold other cleanup events in the future.
#9 State releases district grades
The Mississippi Department of Education released accountability grades for Mississippi’s school districts in October, based on state testing last spring among other factors. For Winona Separate School District, the district score rose two letter grades from a D to a B. Winona Elementary School improved two grades as well, going from an F to a C, and Winona High School improved from a D to a C. On the district level, Jackson said Winona ranked 15th in the state in college and career readiness, based on the availability of advanced placement classes and duel enrollment with local community colleges. Winona received 52.6 points in this category compared to a state high of 69.5 and a state low of 1.2. In acceleration, which is based on student growth, Winona ranked second in the state in points with a 74.4. The district’s graduation rate ranked 41 out of 106 districts in the state with 84.9 percent. For the Montgomery County School District, the district received a D grade for the second year. Montgomery County Elementary School received a D as did Montgomery County High School. As for the district’s career and student readiness, Montgomery County received 9.4 points, and in acceleration, the district received 48.6 points. The graduation rate is 65 percent.
#10 THMH opens mammography unit
Tyler Holmes Memorial Hospital unveiled its new mammography suite in October, in conjunction with the hospital’s Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, with a reception at the hospital. The celebration was the culmination of more than 16 months of work in bringing mammography testing to Tyler Holmes Memorial Hospital, and it was just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month celebrated each year in October. Pink was the theme of the day, as hospital administration were joined by Senator Lydia Chassaniol (R-Winona), who presented the hospital with a proclamation from the Mississippi Senate in honor of the momentous occasion, and Freddie White Johnson, founder of the Fannie Lou Hamer Cancer Foundation headquartered in Ruleville. Both Chassaniol and Johnson were instrumental in Tyler Holmes receiving a mammography machine. According to Johnson, in working with cancer patients in rural areas, she was helping patients from Montgomery and surrounding counties who needed to be transported to have a mammogram performed to test for breast cancer. “The transportation costs were eating up my budget, so I called [Senator Lydia Chassaniol] and told her Tyler Holmes needed a mammography machine to test patients in the area. Chassaniol accepted the challenge and began looking for funding for the machine. The Appalachian Regional Authority agreed to fund 80 percent of the purchase of the machine at Tyler Holmes. The total cost of the machine, training, and mammography suite creation cost approximately $230,000, according to Tyler Holmes Director of Finance Cori Bailey. Tyler Holmes Administrator Eddie Rutherford said by adding services like mammography testing among its other services like physical therapy, wound care, and others, the hospital continues to grow its patient population. It also helps keep the facility in good financial health. And as of last week, the mammography unit has been put to good use, according to Director of Radiation Ceila Graham, since September 23 when the mammography unit has been in service, she has performed close to 100 mammography tests.
