Virus changes graduation

By Steve Swogetinsky

The Kemper Messenger


Kemper County's two high schools have held very different graduation services as they have sought to stay within the guide lines concerning the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Kemper Academy held its graduation service in the school gym Saturday. There was a limit number of family members and friends allowed. The event was streamed live.

Kemper County students graduated in stagger numbers Monday at the school gym. A limited number of family members were able to be present. A combined video of the graduates is being put together and will be shown Friday night on Facebook, making it appear they graduated together,

The Kemper Messenger will publish graduation lists and class photos in next week's edition,



Kemper County supervisors

The Kemper County supervisors held their regular board meeting Monday

In actions taken, supervisors voted to:

-Approve the minutes from the last meeting and to pay the claims docket;

-Move money to two different accounts. They moved $45,647 from the Volunteer Fire Fund to the Building Fund; and, $3,100 from the County Fire fund to the Vehicles R&M Fund;

-Accept the bid of $2,439 for the repair of an air conditioning unit at a county building;
-Approve the reimbursement of $1,274 for three years of back taxes;

-Approve the acceptances of grant money through the SMODD National Dislocated Worker Program; and,

-Renewed a service contract for $7,980 for quarterly HVAC service on units in eight different county buildings.

Supervisors tabled a matter concerning the hiring of a Washington D.C. consultant.





COVID-19 update

The Mississippi Department of Health reported 102 cases of the coronavirus in Kemper County with nine deaths as of Monday.

That's an increase of nine cases since last and three deaths since last Monday.

Residents are reminded to wear masks and to practice social distancing when they are out in public.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 has not gone away. The state Health Department reported Monday that Mississippi — with a population of about 3 million — had at least 11,432 confirmed cases and 528 deaths from the coronavirus as of Sunday evening. That was an increase of 136 cases and seven deaths from the numbers reported a day earlier; two of the seven deaths occurred before Sunday but were in the new report because of a delay in the Health Department receiving information from death certificates.

While that might seem like a small number, remember this, A small percentage of people are killed by tornadoes or lightning strikes. But when it comes your way, it's dangerous.

The department said Monday that at least 7,681 people in the state are presumed to have recovered from the virus, either because it's been at least 14 days since a person was confirmed with the virus and not hospitalized or because it's been at least 21 days since a person was confirmed with the virus and was hospitalized or the person's hospital status was not known.

The number of coronavirus infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick. For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause severe symptoms and be fatal.