Looking Back: Ten Years Ago: Lions claim third straight Region 23 hoops crown

Here are the 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. 21 2021)

— Kemper County’s unemployment rate continued to drop as January 2021’s rate fell to 7.3 percent, down .3 points from the previous month.

— According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, every day, about 2,000 people under age 18 try their first cigarette. Adolescence is when the developing brain is most vulnerable to nicotine addiction.

FIVE YEARS AGO

(MARCH 16, 2017)

— During its March 6 meeting, the Kemper County Board of Supervisors agreed to apply for a Recreational Trail Grant through the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks in the amount of $100K, with a 20 percent match to be paid by the county.

— The East Mississippi Community College softball team successfully opened MACJC conference play with a run-rule home sweep, 11-2 and 12-3, over Mississippi Delta Community College Wednesday afternoon at the EMCC Softball Field.

10 YEARS AGO

(MARCH 15, 2012)

— East Mississippi Community Col­lege held its second straight tourna­ment opponent to less than 30 percent shooting, as the 15th-ranked Lions claimed their third consecutive NJCAA Region 23 Men’s Basketball Tournament championship with a 63-49 win over Southern University at Shreveport in a game held at A.E. Wood Coliseum in Clinton.

— Kemper County’s results form the 2012 Presidential and Congres­sional election primaries Tuesday were much like those across Missis­sippi: The turnout was low, Rick San­torum was the slight favorite for President among Republicans; and in­cumbents Roger Wicker and Gregg Harper won in a landslide.

25 YEARS AGO

(MARCH 13, 1997)

— After serving Kemper County with emergency services for just a few months, Geiger Ambulance Service has been sold to a Colorado company, al­though Geiger officials as­sure its customer that no changes in service will be upcoming.

— Nikki Jackson of Pre­ston was among 743 stu­dents named to the 1996 fall semester honor roll at Alcorn State University.

— Seven-year-old Jake Rush recently killed his first deer, a 100-pound doe back in January in the sec­ond deer season.

50 YEARS AGO

(MARCH 16, 1972)

— Karen Gordy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. I.D. Gordy Jr. of Porterville recently re­ceived a BS degree in Phys­ical Therapy from the University of Tennessee Medial Center in Memphis. Karen graduated from DeKalb High School and East Mississippi Junior Col­lege.

— Kemper Jaycee offi­cers elected Monday night are: Lamar Barnett, secre­tary; John Fletcher Perry, internal Vice President; Jimmy Spinks, president; David Sorrels, external vice president, and Cecil Gilmore, treasurer. The Board of Directors are Billy Cade, Bubba, Aust, Harold Kitchens, and Phil Luke.

80 YEARS AGO

(MARCH 12, 1942)

— The reader’s attention is directed to an advertise­ment on the back page of this paper in which Sheriff McDonald, acting for the Kemper County War Board, is asking that all ri­fles above .22 caliber be sent to the sheriff’s office. These rifles will be used to arm the home guard. Any­one failing to turn in his rifle as asked faces the prospect of having it taken from him. The public is requested to inform the sheriff’s office of the names and addresses of anyone who has such a rifle if he fails or refuses to turn it in.

— On the night of Friday, March 20, at 8:15 the sen­ior class of the Dekalb High School will present their senior play, “You’re the Doctor,” a three-act com­edy.

— Little Mary Petunia Sennett, 5-year-old daugh­ter of Mr. and Mrs. C.O. Sennett of DeKalb, was the cause of much excitement when her dress caught fire and was burned completely off. Examination proved that the little lady had miraculously escaped being burned herself, but Mrs. Sennett, who in the excite­ment tried to extinguish the blaze with her hands, had both of them seriously and painfully burned.