The municipal primary elections have concluded.
For residents of Houston, a General Election will be held to determine two alderman positions. In Okolona, a run-off is necessary to fill a seat on the city council.
However, for most of the candidates qualified for local elections, the race is over.
The ballots have been counted, winners announced and the dance has come to an end.
Like following most events, some cleanup will be necessary to set the stage for everyday life.
Most people who qualify for election do so because they believe they can affect a change or assist in governing their communities.
We believe for good government and positive change to occur, our representatives must first be good stewards.
Stewardship, as defined by Miriam-Webster Dictonary is clear and straight forward:

* the conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care

Our candidates must be good stewards of our environment and resources. Put more plainly, please remove your political signs from the local landscape once your political race is finished. Every candidate who found time to place signs around our towns and communities must now find time to remove them from our public areas.
Our former candidates must continue to be good stewards in the realm of civic involvement and progress for the good all members of the community. Even in the event that they did not secure an office, as candidates who qualified to run for the purpose of representing their communities, they are expected now to continue to work as a valuable member of society.
It is the responsibility of every citizen to assume accountability for himself, his words and actions and, hopefully, pursue a positive path to community harmony.
Hurt feelings can lead to harmful words and actions, but neither has a place in growing or progressing our towns or communities.
It is the duty of our citizens, especially those who feel qualified to be leaders, to work together in every instance for a common goal.
Careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care” is vital for our future.

The post EDITORIAL: Good stewardship has many levels appeared first on Chickasaw Journal.

Mother’s Day was Sunday and I got a double whammy as it was my birthday, too.
“And wasn’t that so nice of me to plan it that way for you,” was my own mother’s joking comment.
My son wished me a happy combined birthday/Mother’s day by hanging some mini-blinds and promising more physical labor to come in the near future.
I’ve worked really hard to teach him some skills I think will serve him well in the future. He sees it a slightly different way.
“You just made me learn to do everything you don’t want to do.”
That’s what I just said.
I think it will be very beneficial for him – in his future – to be able to take care of things for me – in my future.
It’s not like I don’t do things around the house – Ok, it really is just like that.
I don’t know how to do anything more taxing than change a light bulb except maybe paint and I really don’t enjoy that. I’m not one of those handy-dandy, crafty, artistic people who can change the complete aura and essence of a room by rearranging three photos and adding a splash of color and fabric.
I do admire them for their vision and ability. I stand in awe of people who can see things as they could be.
My Granny Peg, mama’s mother, was one of those people. She could knock out a wall or hang a new one and recreate living space from a picture in her head. She could also recreate any outfit she saw at her sewing machine.
Me, not so much.
When I was in college at Memphis State University, I sewed drapes for an apartment once. I’m not completely over the trauma yet. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I quickly learned I don’t really want to be involved with the creating process, I just want it to be done.
One day last summer, my best friend of 37 years made the funniest comment.
Ruby Lee and I were talking about what we’d do to improve or renovate our homes if we had time, money or skills. I mentioned that I’d love to knock out the wall between the living room and third bedroom (aka, junk room).
“Well, it couldn’t be that hard,” she said. “People do it all the time. Well, not people like us, but other people that know what they’re doing.”

Play to your strengths
Isn’t it wonderful that God made us all different with specialities and talents in various directions. Some of you can paint and draw and create artistic projects.
Some of you can build and design and make things work.
“And what is it you know how to do?,” asked my son with a gleam in his eye.
I know how to boss him around and I’m pretty darn good at it.
I do have some skills. I have the knowledge and experience to do several different things. It’s just that they all seem to rely on manual labor and I’m not really a big fan.
Knowing how doesn’t necessarily translate into having to do, especially when I have this fabulous, 5-foot, 10-inch, strong young man living in my home. The one I feed, clothe, wash for and support monetarily. The one who has work to do – for his mama.

Happy Mother’s day to me, and also to you!

Lisa Voyles is Managing Editor/Sports for the Chickasaw Journal. She can be reached at 456-3771 or via email to lisa.voyles@journalinc.com.

The post LISA VOYLES: And also to you appeared first on Chickasaw Journal.

Jean Dendy

by Jean Dendy

Special to the Chickasaw Journal

I would like to extend a big “thank you” to everyone who helped make this year’s Relay for Life such a great success. The committee, team captains and team members all did an exceptional job this year.
Carol Koutroulis and those who assisted her again provided a delicious meal for survivors and Linda Dendy, along with the Woodland ladies, handled the survivor’s registration.
Ladies, we appreciate all of you.
Due to weather conditions, we had to secure an inside location and were blessed to be able to use our Chickasaw County Coliseum. Our heartfelt thanks go out to Angie Abrams, Ricky Burgess, the Agri-Center committee, Chickasaw County and the City of Houston for their willingness to help us get the coliseum ready under such short notice.
Everyone involved with this year’s Relay, including our survivors and our many visitors during Friday night’s activities, appreciate all your help.
With such great participation from all our citizens, we raised around $38,500 for the American Cancer Society. This surpassed our $30,000 goal and we are grateful for each one who contributed in any way to help us the fight against cancer.
We are indeed blessed to live in a community where people are so willing to pitch in and help with the hopes of making life better for all cancer survivors and hopefully, one day, finding the cure for cancer.

Jean Dendy is 2013 Chairperson for Chickasaw County Relay for Life.

The post JEAN DENDY: Thanks for the effort appeared first on Chickasaw Journal.

Special to the Chickasaw Journal

Due to the elections Tuesday,  some home delivery and newsstand delivery may delayed this morning.

The Chickasaw Journal strives to bring you the most updated information possible and reporters worked last night to get results so they could be included in today’s May 8 edition.

Subscribers who do not have their Chickasaw Journal by noon today should call our office at 456-3771 and we will bring you a newspaper.

Thank you for your patience.

-30-

The post Election news may delay paper delivery appeared first on Chickasaw Journal.

HOUSTON – With races for Mayor, Chief of Police and two aldermen up for grabs, there was a steady turnout at the polls for city elections Tuesday.

Races saw eight candidates busy yesterday making last minute pleas for votes and handing out campaign cards at the Chickasaw Development Foundation community center, the city’s lone voting precinct for municipal elections.

“The turnout was better than I expected but it was still light,” said Houston City Clerk Bobby Sanderson, who helped direct the count Tuesday night. “There were no flashpoint issues this year.

Sanderson pointed out there are 2,555 eligible voters in Houston and 817 voted in Tuesday Democratic Primary and 16 voted in the Republican Primary for a total of 833 ballots cast.

Houston hand-counted ballots which slowed election totals Tuesday night

Tuesday’s races had incumbent Mayor Stacey Parker running against challenger Terry Taylor. Both candidates ran as Democrats and since there are no Republicans running in this race, Tuesday’s election settled the matter.

Parker defeated Taylor, 665 to 157.

“We’ve done some things in Houston over the last four years,” said Parker. “We did a $1.5 million bond issue that paved 10-plus streets. We leased property at the airport and made $12,000 and a mill of taxes raises $18,000. We’ve done a lot to strengthen our parks and recreation program and paved the walking track at Joe Brigance. We also refinanced some bonds and will save the city $600,000.

Parker said if relected he hopes to develop a soccer field for Parks and Recreation. He wants to see more streets paved and more hidden infrastructure such as water and sewer pipes upgraded.

“And we need to be creative and make economic opportunity happen,” Parker added. “We are working with existing industry to keep jobs here and we stand ready to bring new jobs to Houston, too.”

Terry Taylor said this was his first campaign for public office and was glad for the support he garnered.

“My campaign was all about jobs,” said Taylor. “We look around and West Point getting a car factory and Pontotoc growing with their car factory and we need something like that, too.”

Taylor said the campaign opened his eyes to many needs in Houston.

“I want to thank those who encouraged me and I especially want to thank those who voted for me,” said Taylor. “It’s been a good experience.”

In another hotly contested race, voters saw Democrats Billy Voyles and Robert “Preacher” Ivy squaring off at the polls for the post of City Marshal. Voyles is a second term incumbent and Ivy is a veteran officer with the Houston Police Department and defeated Ivy 676 to 149

“We worked to put ankle bracelets on offenders and I stayed within my budget,” said Voyles. “I won’t say we don’t have crime but I think people feel safe in Houston.”

“I want to thank people who voted for me,” said Voyles. “If anybody every needs the Houston Police Department to do something, I want them to call me.”

Ivy said he ran to give people a choice and a chance to vote for change.

“I said I would be tough on crime,” said Ivy. “I want to see us enforce curfews, traffic violations and patrol more. People don’t commit crimes if the police are visible in their neighborhood.”

The city also elected an Alderman-At-Large with incumbent Barry Springer facing Amy Simmons Gardner. Both were Democrats and the winner of Tuesday’s election does not have any opposition in the June 4 General Election.

Springer won with 591 votes to Gardner’s 228 ballots.

“I pay more than $60,000 in taxes every year with my business and I am a businessman,” said Springer. “I’ve rented to a lot of people over the years and if Houston prospers, my business prospers.”

This was Springer’s third campaign for Alderman-at-Large.

Gardner said her focus was jobs.

“I want to help local business and industry expand,” said Gardner. “We’ve just seen Okolona open their industrial park and Houston needs to work to bring jobs to Chickasaw County. If a factory goes in over there, people will drive from Houston to work there. That will help Houston.”

The only other race settled Tuesday was in the Republican Primary that saw Alderman District 3 incumbent Frank Thomas and challenger Richard Cooper on the ballot. The winner of this race will now face Democrat Patricia Burgess Southerland in the June 4 General Election. Southerland was unopposed in her race and automatically advances to this summer’s final city election.

Thomas garnered eight votes and will assume his third term after defeating Richard Cooper who had two votes.

“The things that Houston has accomplished over the past few years are not my accomplishments but our accomplishments,” said Thomas. “A lot of people worked to get our streets paved.

“I am also proud of the direction we are going with improving our infrastructure – water and sewer,” Thomas added. “I want to thank people for voting for me and I need your continued support.”

Houston saw incumbent District 1 Alderman Tony Uhiren and challenger and Democrat Bobby Mooneyham unopposed in their respective primaries. Both men will advance to the June 4 General Election that will determine the winner for this post.

The June General Election will once again see voters turn up at the Chickasaw Development Foundation community center on Starkville Road to cast their ballots.

The post Mayor Parker, Chief Voyles re-elected in Houston appeared first on Chickasaw Journal.

I can’t help but notice that when we have programs for our Lower Elementary children what great attendance we have from the parents.
These little ones are cute and cuddly and certainly need our care and guidance. But what happens as these precious children begin to go forward in their growth?
As children move into the Upper Elementary, we still stay pretty close as they are now at that great time when they still express their love to us and provide us joy in activities such as T-ball, dance contests, birthday partie, and family outings.
Then, strange things begin to happen to our little darlings.
About sixth grade for girls and seventh grade for boys, hormones, chemistry and puberty erupt in such a way as for us to profess total stupor and frustration as to what is happening to our children. It starts with the musi, and the closing of the door to their rooms
From there everything seems to go to “Hades in a hand basket.”
Suddenly, clothes, hair and make-up are issues. Cell phones ring all hours of the day and night and school grades plummet giving way to uncharted moodiness and angry outburst.
Welcome to middle school!
This is the point where many parents give up. The confrontations and effort it takes to maintain control and supervision is totally exhausting to parents who have spent a hard day at work. Do not give up the ship, hold on to the rope, demand accountability for their actions. This storm will pass. But not for a while. Your supervision is needed now more than ever.
Then we move into the high school years. Here parents do need to provide their young adolescent children some space but they are not grown yet!
If their feet are under your table, they owe you accountability. Many times this is when parents totally give up their supervisory roles. Often we hear that parents can’t control or manage these semi-adult children, yet they provide cars, gas, cell phones, clothes, food and shelter.
That’s leverage and should be utilized.
As kids get into high school, they have “be all, do all, know all syndrome.” The boys are all going to be famous athletes or music superstars and girls are all going to be Whitney Houston and Britney Spears.
And as they turn sixteen, we see drop out numbers soar, teen pregnancy and drug issues.
Where are the parents?
Are those not the same special children from six, eight, and ten years ago? Hold on, we’re still not done.
As they move into college, the world of work, marriage and parenting, they still need you. Parenting is a life-long commitment.
Some of us are perplexed at why it seems to take so long for our children to mature and move from one development stage to another these days. They are bombarded with so many complex choices and influences.
Consider that thirty years ago most of us had one radio station and two television channels compared to 230 radio and 185 satellite television and Internet selections.
Probably, the only real voices we heard growing up were Mother, Dad, teacher and preacher and maybe Granny and Papa. Now there are voices from all over the world, in various dialects with numerous social agendas.
And of course, there’s transportation and communication which has quadrupled in the last thirty years.
Yes, it’s going to take our children longer to develop coping skills in such a fast paced complex world, and we need to be there to guide them.

A few things that you as a caring parent can do:
1. Read to your children and let them see you read.
2. Provide safe, comfortable places in which students can study and grow.
3. Embrace technology, but monitor it.
4. Remind them always that education is very important and that they will finish school and go further.
5. Help them learn to manage money, save it, invest it, and give it.
6. See that they attend a faith-based organization and participate with them.
7. Provide structure, rules and consequences. After all, this is the way the world works.
8. Above all, give them yourself. They don’t care what you know until they know you care.

Our community is a great place to raise a family. Teachers can know their children’s parents and friends. Most of our children start at a young age with other children that they will grow up with until school graduation. This provides them with a great sense of security and love as well as a family view of school and community. Parents need to embrace their roles as models, providers and caregivers for children and young adolescents, regardless of whether children like it or not.
As a wise old friend used to remind me, “The die is not fully cast yet as there are always opportunities to make adjustments.”
My momma was always in the “adjustment” mode.

Dr. Steve Coker is Superintendent of the Houston School District. He can be reached at 456-3332.

The post Dr. STEVE COKER: It’s never over appeared first on Chickasaw Journal.

News that Clay County and West Point are poised to land a massive automobile tire factory is good news.

A special session last week brought details of the deal to the public and apparently local, state and even national leaders have been working on this project for some time. The Yokohama Tire Company is expected to employ up to 500 by 2015 and could provide up to 2,000 jobs at full capacity. The state is putting up $130 million in incentives and company officials have said jobs at the West Point plant will pay about $35,000 a year.

We are glad to see them land just 30 miles from the Chickasaw County line. We have a good labor force in Chickasaw County and there is no doubt many local workers will be hired and then make the daily drive to West Point. They will bring their paychecks home to spend in local businesses.

Certainly this newspaper would have loved to see this plant locate in Chickasaw County. But we will have to wait our turn.

A wise local economic developer once said attracting factories and jobs to a region is a team sport. His point was, in this global market, it takes a lot of help from a lot of different places to make a company pick your site. We hope someone in this community was influential in helping Yokohama come to Clay County.

Yes, we would like to point to the Okolona Mega Site as the perfect spot for the next major employer in Northeast Mississippi.

The Okolona Mega Site has access to both rail and four-lane highways. It is not far from major electricity transmission lines. It looks like West Point’s site had the edge in water and sewer and this was a tipping point for an industry that uses a lot of both.

Again, with proper development and proper marketing, our time will come. Chickasaw County probably missed being a better spot for the Yokohama deal by about a year.

The hiring of a three-county regional economic developer last fall, funded by city and county governments in Chickasaw, Union and Pontotoc counties seems like a better decision now that Yokohama has made their intentions known.

As Toyota in Blue Springs and Nissan near Jackson continue to attract suppliers to Mississippi, we need to be ready to move as a team when our time comes.

The post EDITORIAL: Waiting Our Turn appeared first on Chickasaw Journal.

Dear Editor,

There are many public uses in the media at this time. However, the failure of our Republican governor to take care of the needs of the needy and his staunch opposition to anything that President Obama stands for is leading us toward a crisis with respect to the funding of Medicaid.

Governor Phil Bryant has from the very beginning opposed the Affordable Care effort in all aspects and has even opposed accepting the additional funding for Medicaid, which would cover additional individuals earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level.

His opposition and his lack of commitment for medical care for the people of the state of Mississippi is leading our state to a crisis.

According to press reports, the 2013 legislative session came to an end last week. The Division of Medicaid for the new fiscal year begins July 1, 2013. The legislature did not reauthorize or re-fund Medicaid. There is no funding for Medicaid. There is no funding for Medicaid. Because of the Governor’s staunch opposition to the Affordable Care Act, which has many valuable provisions, many individuals will not be eligible for the additional individuals entitled to be placed under Medicaid, which is 138% of the federal poverty level. In fact, unless a special session is called by the Governor and the issue is resolved, Medicaid will cease to exist in the state.

I, as the Chairman of the Chickasaw County Democratic Executive Committee, sometimes fail to understand why our people of our state fail to look at the real issues and vote against their best interest. I wonder how many people in North Mississippi have a relative in a nursing home and Medicaid or someone who is not covered by insurance and would be covered under the Affordable Care Act if the additional funds were received. Furthermore with the additional funds coming in and Medicaid operating, many jobs in the healthcare field are creating employment.

Failure to act by the Republican legislature and the Republican governor is leading us to a “doomsday” and a “doomsday clock” is ticking with respect to the issue of Medicaid in our state.

Healthcare for the poor and working poor, which would include many working in fast food restaurants and other jobs which do not provide insurance and the pay is not a whole lot, would be covered. As it stands now, the prospects are there will be no Medicaid and I wonder what the nursing homes and the hospitals are going to do when there is not Medicaid to cover the elderly and the poor.

It is unfortunate that our Republican governor is so opposed to the Affordable Care Act, which provides medical coverage for many that do not have it, that he is willing to risk the entire Division of Medicaid over this issue and is in fact allowing this “doomsday clock” to tick with respect to the issue of Medicaid.

Attorney Gene Barton
Okolona, Miss.

The post LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Gene Barton appeared first on Chickasaw Journal.

Pull your weight, work for entitlement

Dear Editor,

The long dreaded automatic spending cuts of the sequester have now taken effect. Yet the sky did not fall despite the ominous warnings of Chicken Little and company.

In realty these very modest reductions in government spending are all our elected officials have done to actually address the very real problem of out of control and senseless government spending. Responsible citizens now have an opportunity redefine the ongoing debate regarding the twin issues of the budget deficit and our astounding national debt.

While the fact that the dire warnings from the left regarding the sequester were intentional misrepresentations intended to alarm people is still clear in our national consciousness, responsible citizens have a moral obligation to demand an end to the reporting of misinformation regarding the nature of government spending programs disseminated by liberal groups as factual.

Specifically, we are responsible tax paying citizens should not allow the left to distort the issue of what they wish to group together as so called entitlement programs.

A person who has worked all their life and paid social security taxes is entitled to social security benefits. Veterans who served our country are entitled to military benefits when they return home. However, liberals insult there people by grouping them with those person who have made a career our of social welfare programs.

A person who is drawing their social security benefits after a lifetime of productive work should be insulted by being classed with those who habitually refuse to help themselves and are continually supported by those Americans who actually get up and go to work.

The first successful colony in America was Jamestown, which prospered only after implementing a policy of “He who does not work does not eat.” From that seed grew the most prosperous nation on earth.

Today responsible citizens have a moral duty as stewards of that great nation to demand that our government act responsibly to address our current economic problems by reducing spending and ceasing to reward those members of our society simply refusing to pull their own weight.

This is only the opinion of one Christian American citizen and will mean nothing unless my fellow citizens join me in demanding that our government act with true fiscal responsibility when spending our money. When those persons who are more interested in misrepresenting that true facts of this debate we must also stand together and call them out for the cheats and charlatans they are.

Respectfully,

The post LETTER TO EDITOR: Ray Garrett appeared first on Chickasaw Journal.

The boys have gotten a little too old and too cool for the full-blown Easter thing at my house.

But don’t worry we will still have Peeps, jelly beans and a ham.

We will all get up on Sunday morning and go to church. Then it is off to my mother’s house for lunch and I may hunt for an Easter egg in the refrigerator.

That schedule has been an Easter tradition at my house for as long as I have been on this earth.

Ingram’s don’t make Easter anything that it is not.

Easter is about a risen Savior. Easter is about a Church that is anxiously awaiting the return of the Bridegroom. Easter is about a hope and joy that can only be known through Jesus Christ.

Middle East

In the Bible Belt we often forget that our Easter is linked to Passover.

Passover is a Jewish observance that was a dim glimpse of how a perfect God planned to establish a relationship with an imperfect world.

Jerusalem and the Holy Land have always been the center of the universe and that is no different today.

As I look at headlines of the past few weeks, I notice that things have been strangely quiet in Israel as the rest of the Arab world convulses with riots, revolutions and change.

Whether you believe it or not, events in the Middle East always have a direct impact on events in Houston, Mississippi.

I remember when the first Gulf War erupted and people said the End Times were here. Then it was 9-11, Hurricane Katrina and the stock market crash. Disease, famine, strange weather and a new world order are all indicators of the last days.

As a Christian and newspaperman I try not to get wrapped up in predicting the day and time. Yes, it’s interesting to hear preachers and teachers reveal their ideas of the last days. And, yes, it will be a big news day when it all comes to a glorious end.

But I’ve always felt the bigger story is to be prepared.

And being ready is what Easter is all about.

Good News

If you want to know what a Christian will look like when they are dead, look at them on Easter Sunday.

The clothes we wear on Easter are probably the threads we will be dressed in when it comes time for family and the preacher to tell us good bye.

While you may have grinned at that last statement, I hope you see the seriousness underneath.

I believe in eternity; do you? If you do that means you will spend it one of two places and that choice is probably the most serious decision you will ever make.

I don’t believe there will be an Easter Bunny in either place. I also don’t think we will be worried about the latest Spring fashions. And if you make the wrong choice, what’s on the menu for Sunday dinner will not be your top concern.

I hope those who read this on Wednesday will go ahead and buy an Easter basket for their children, grandchildren or the kids next door. Have fun and make the children smile.

But I also hope as adults you will realize those youngsters are growing up and need to hear the real story of Easter. There are adults around here to need to be told that story, too.

As a newspaperman it is my responsibility to spread the news. As a Christian it is everyone’s responsibility to spread the Good News.

So gather up the kids and sit with Momma in church Sunday. It’s Easter and every church in Chickasaw County will be ready for it and for you. It’s only an hour and you might just receive an Easter gift that lasts an eternity.

The post Easter is always about Good News appeared first on Chickasaw Journal.