Looking Back - 25 Years Ago: Scooba receives $500,000 grant

Here are a few items of interest from issues of The Kemper County Messenger from one, five, 10, 25, 50 and 80 years ago.

ONE YEAR AGO

(JAN. 14, 2021)

— The number of cases of COVID-19 in Kemper County has increased by 80 this past week. Kemper County has 745 cases reported as of Monday.

FIVE YEARS AGO

(JAN. 12, 2017)

— Mississippi Power Co. says its Kemper County power plant will be delayed another month. The latest delay pushed the plant’s price tag over $7 billion of the nearly $52 mil­lion increased caused by the day, the unit of the Atlanta-based Southern Co. says shareholders will pay $34 million. Ratepayers could be asked to pay the rest.

— Kemper County Board of Super­visors president Johnny Whitsett said the new home of the Mississippi Department of Humans Services in DeKalb is just an example of the up­grades to services and families the board is dedicated to bring to the community.

— Kemper County PACES received a $10,000 grant from the Phil Hardin Foundation of Meridian.

10 YEARS AGO

(JAN. 12, 2012)

— The Town of DeKalb and the Town of Scooba both took a big hit in sales-tax collections during the month of November, according to the Mississippi Department of Rev­enue. The latest MDOR figures re­leased last week indicated DeKalb was down 8.4 percent from the pre­vious November, while Scooba was down 10.2 percent.

— From Sprinkles of Life column by Helen Conner Price: I’m sure that I am considered to be nutty or senile because of the number of magazines that I subscribe to, but reading has always been an important part of my life and I clip interesting articles to share with friends and family.

— The Kemper County Wildcats have gotten off to a good start in 2012 as they captured the Sam Dale Tournament championship over the weekend and then picked up a Re­gion 5-3A victory over Newton High school Tuesday night.

25 YEARS AGO

(JAN. 9, 1997)

– The Town of Scooba has received a $500,000 economic development grant. The grant will be used to make improvements in Scooba and to assist Chahta Enterprise in ex­panding its automotive wiring har­nesses facility.

— The Kemper County Board of Supervisors opened the New Year with the regular meeting on Monday and quickly selected James Granger as the board president for 1997.

— Gloria Welch has been named to replace Linnie Bohannon as a mem­ber fo the Board of Directors of East Mississippi Electric Power Associa­tion. Ms. Bohannon, a long time di­rector fo EMEPA, passed away in September. Welch, a native of Kem­per County, moved back to DeKalb after her retirement from Ford Motor Company in Detroit.

50 YEARS AGO

(JAN. 13, 1972)

— The Kemper County Home­maker Council installed the officers for 1972 at the January meeting. They are: Mrs. Guy Campbell, presi­dent; Mrs. J.A. Grace, secretary; Mrs. J.T. Darnell, Vice President,; and Mrs. J.W. Davis, treasurer.

— Miss Kay Darnell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T.E. Darnell of DeKalb, has been notified of her inclusion in the academic honor grouping on the Dean’s List at Clarke College in New­ton.

— Mr. and Mrs. Marvin B. Henley were honored recently on their Golden Wedding Anniversary by their children with a reception in their home.

80 YEARS AGO

(JAN. 8 1942)

— Farmers in the Kem­per County Soil Conserva­tion District will plant 489 acres of kudzu seedlings next spring for soil conver­sation on their farms. The kudzu plant is a plant of many adaptions, being used as means to control erosion, means to improve the soil, a hay crop, a plant for vegetative terrace out­lets, and a plant for road bank protection.

— The DeKalb Pan­therettes lost a hard fought game when Forest Dale of Neshoba County scored a 27-17 victory over them last Friday night in the DeKalb gym. The DeKalb lineup was as fol­lows: Forwards, Myrtle Sue Swearingen, Tommie Gene Key, and Quenton Coal­son; and guards Thelma Hopson, Louis Barfield, and Mable Clark George.

— The prohibition of the sale of new automobile tires was lifted Monday under the new plan of very strict rationing. The Kem­per County rationing com­mittee consists of E.H. Jones, chairman; J.T. Sci­ples and Nace Overstreet. They have taken the oath of federal office and are now federal agents.