News Briefs From Across The State
Former Greenville mayor to challenge
Democratic U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson filed qualifying papers Tuesday to seek re-election in Mississippi’s 2nd District. Thompson has served the district since 1993.
Candidates have until Jan. 13 to qualify for the March 13 Democratic and Republican primaries for the state’s four U.S. House seats and one of two Senate seats.
Former Greenville Mayor Heather McTeer has said she’ll challenge Thompson in the Democratic primary. Cobby Mondale Williams of Canton plans to run in the 2nd District as an independent.
The state Democratic Party says Hattiesburg resident Michael Herrington filed Tuesday to run in 4th District, a seat held by Republican Steven Palazzo.
Albert N. Gore Jr. of Starkville filed to run as a Democrat for U.S. Senate, a seat held by Republican Roger Wicker.
A Republican list of first-day qualifiers was not immediately available.
3 killed in holiday accidents in Miss.
Three people died on state highways during the three-day New Year’s holiday travel period, according to the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
The patrol counts holiday traffic deaths on roads traveled by state troopers.
The holiday period ran from 6 p.m. Friday through midnight Sunday.
The patrol says 21-year-old Jacob R. Bryant of Ripley was killed Friday in an accident on Mississippi Highway 2 in Tippah County.
Forty-year-old Tanya Huacuja of Picayune was killed Saturday on Mississippi Highway 11 just north of Ozona.
The patrol says 59-year-old Stanley Iles of Sardis died Sunday of injuries in an accident on Mississippi Highway 315.
Noise to be addressed in Lee County
Lee County officials will hold a public hearing on Feb. 21 on a proposed new ordinance to control noise.
WTVA-TV reports that the board of supervisors set the date at its meeting Tuesday.
Supervisors and other county officials have been tossing the idea around for several months and have looked at similar noise ordinances in other places.
Supervisors say they’ve been cautious about what the possible ordinance may or may not do.
Supervisor Phil Morgan says what might be excessive noise to one person might not be excessive to another.
He says the county is hoping to draft something that everyone can live with.
45 soldiers headed to Afghanistan
The Mississippi National Guard recently held a send-off ceremony for 45 members of the Foxtrot Company, 1st Battalion, 171st General Support Aviation Battalion.
The ceremony was held on Jan. 3 at Christ United Methodist Church in Jackson.
The soldiers will deploy to Afghanistan for a year. The unit will provide medical evacuation support to UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter groups operating in the country.
Following the ceremony, the company will travel to Fort Hood, Texas to complete its post mobilization training.
Coldwater cop to be new chief in Hollandale
Hollandale’s Board of Aldermen has voted to hire Officer James Hammer of the Coldwater Police Department as Hollandale’s new police chief. The Delta Democrat-Times reports that Hammer will take office Jan. 15.
He has 22 years of law enforcement experience, starting as an Arkansas state trooper and including stints as a police chief in Ashland and as an assistant chief in Sardis.
Hammer will replace interim chief James Spand, who was among six people considered for the job. Former Chief Jimmy Taylor retired Nov. 1.
Tennessee man gets time for being “deadbeat dad”
A Tennessee man has answered in court for his failure to support his children who live in Mississippi, Attorney General Jim Hood said. James Hockman, 43, of Mason, Tenn., pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two counts of Felony Non-Support of his children before Madison County Circuit Court Judge John Emfinger.
Judge Emfinger sentenced the defendant concurrently as to each count: five years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, suspended, supervised probation, non-adjudication.
During the five year sentence, Hockman is to pay an additional $200 a month until his child support obligation is paid in full. His total arrearage amount is $11,000.
“Our primary goal is always to get our deadbeats to pay up or go to jail,” said Attorney General Hood. “Since being indicted, this defendant has paid $5,000 toward his back child support. Now he will pay the rest or pay up behind bars.”
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