Local News
Meeting Minutes
The Meeting:
Council of Governments, in which elected officials from the local and state levels meet to discuss various issues.
Top Story:
• Lauderdale County Superintendent of Schools Randy Hodges said the school district will pass its FY 2010 budget today. He said the district will not raise taxes this year. "When we learned that we would receive the stimulus money for two years we made the decision we will not increase at all," he said. He added that the district was not able to provide raises for administrative or support staff, and that the district has lost a principal and a coach to higher-paying school districts. Meridian Public School Superintendent Charlie Kent said his district is also working on a budget for FY 2010 and will not be able to give raises.
What Happened:
• State Rep. Greg Snowden (R-Meridian) talked about the FY 2012 budget, especially the education budget. He said stimulus funds saved education from severe cuts for the next two years, but that funding education and other state departments will be more difficult when stimulus funds run out. "A tough time is coming for sure," he said.
• County Supervisor Craig Hitt (District 3) said the board of supervisors is beginning the budgeting process and that he is "very concerned" with how it will turn out. "It's not a very encouraging process," he said. "I think what we do with this budget is critical."
• City Councilman George Thomas (Ward 1) said he expects new Mayor Cheri Barry to recommend some new department heads in the coming weeks, adding that Barry has mentioned putting together a regional meeting of elected officials in the fall. Barry also has named a 12-person committee to help her in selecting who will fill vacant school board posts.
• Snowden reminded COG members that Mississippi will have a sales tax holiday on the last Friday of July, during which any clothing or footwear purchases of under $100 per item will not carry a sales tax charge.
- Local News
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Arrest made in attempted robbery
Officers with the Meridian Police Department have a man in custody who allegedly tried to not only make off with cash from a convenience store — but the whole cash register.
In jail and awaiting further legal and/or bonding action is 45-year old Robert Earl Mack. Mack is charged with attempted strong armed robbery. -
Cutting It Up
East Central Community College's Caleb Prozell tries to weave around Northeast Mississippi
Community College's Jeremy Spikner during the Warriors season opener in Decatur Thursday night. -
School bus and car collide
A school bus full of students from Enterprise High School and a car collided Thursday afternoon at about 3:30 in Enterprise.
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Agencies work to stop domestic violence
Lauderdale County Sheriff Billy Sollie joked Thursday that when he first heard about Care Lodge Domestic Violence Shelter's effort to create a CCR, he immediately thought about the classic rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival.
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Council to discuss charitable contribution cuts
The Meridian City Council will hold a work session today to discuss cuts to the contributions they make to charities and other organizations, according to Ward 1 Councilman Dr. George Thomas.
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Crash
Police and emergency personnel work a three-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon that occurred at about 2:10 p.m. at the intersection of 29th Avenue and Eighth Street.
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End of an Era
Any other night, Barbara Sanders would have stood in her front door and surveyed her neighborhood before going to bed.
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September is Library Card Sign-Up Month
The Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library is celebrating Library Card Sign-Up Month with several programs in place throughout September.
- Marriages & Divorces
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County to raise taxes, cut spending
Last year, in hopes of giving their constituents a little break, county supervisors voted to cut ad valorem taxes. Now, it looks like that break will be a short one; the county is expected to push taxes back up for FY2011.
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