The Charleston Sun-Sentinel from Charleston, Mississippi • 1

TLiftvikr Clinic in Clz Celebrate Tallahatchie County youth in pictures. See page 8. Vyatt Emmerich says lot is at stake in szttlement Bags 4 The Charleston in2698 3 nFPT ARn MISS DEF' n-057l P.OX 3' US PO JACKSON "Serving Tallahatchie County" Charleston, Thursday, July 31, 1997 Volume 74 Number 31 50 cents School bells to ring out start of 1997-98 session iM 7 7r7V 'j it Students mnort for first West Tallahatchie: Monday, Aug. 11 East Tallahatchie: Wednesday, Aug. 13 Strider Academy: Thursday, Aug.

14 I OCA- 1 I I The summers get shorter and shorter for school-age children, who soon will be asked to stop their unlimited warm-weather frolicking and return to the daily scheduling of classes at local educational institutions. The first school bells of the 1997-98 fall session ring in less than two weeks for Tallahatchie County students. Staff development for school personnel in the West Tallahatchie School District will be held Aug. 6-8, according to school Superintendent Reggie Barnes. West Tallahatchie students report for their first full day of classes on Monday, Aug.

11. In the East Tallahatchie School District, staff development for school personnel will be Aug. 11-12, with students reporting for their first full day on Wednesday, Aug. 13, according to school Superintendent David Hargett. The private Strider Academy will be the last to open its doors.

A faculty meeting will be held Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 11 a.m., followed by class scheduling, late registration andor finalizing of student application contracts on Wednesday, Aug. 13, at 9 a.m., according to Strider principal Berry Allison. Strider students report for their first full day of classes on Thursday, Aug. 14, Allison added.

These administrators reported the following changes and facility improvements have taken place over the summer months: East Tallahatchie Schools: The interiors of the Charleston Elementary and Charleston Upper Elementary schools have been repainted, Hargett said. A landscaping project at Charleston Junior High School has been completed. The school district is awaiting the start of construction on a new addition to the elementary school. Hargett said Jackson Construction Co. of Grenada has the $336,000 contract to build a (Pkase see SCHOOL, page 12) These Strider Academy varsity cheerleaders recently attended NCA Cheerleading Camp at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, receiving aO superior ribbons and the spirit stick.

Pictured, in front, from left, are Candace Martin, Julie Hobson (mascot) and Rayanne Kent. In back, from left, are Summers Rowland (co-captain), Jennifer Roberson (co-captain), Lauren Baker, Emily Flautt (alternate), Tasha Evans, Jami Cook and Lindsay Taylor. Hobson was judged best mascot, earning a spirit stick for enthusiasm, superior ribbons for pantomiming, mascot rules and performance, and was selected for the All-American mascot team, entitling her to represent Strider at the Aloha Bowl in Honolulu this Christmas. Cook, Kent, Martin, Roberson, Rowland and Taylor also received recognition for outstanding abilities in leadership, cheer and chant technique and dance and stunt skills. They were named All-American nominees, making them eligible to represent Strider at several national events including the Hula Bowl in Hawaii and the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla.

(Photo by Williams Photography) Strider cheerleaders attend recent camp, earning honors Jobless rate rises to 10.7 JUNE 1997 UNEMPLOYMENT RATES DeSoto 'j I Marshall Tunica 6.7 55 fl rJ Panola I )l ic I Lafayette eat higher utility bills I 2.8 --'Coahoma Quitman 105 12.0 I Yalobusha Tallahatchie I 1fl I Bolivar L4t- 4-6 Grenada ffj 6.3 J. a 1 wlbiter 9.5 Tallahatchie County's June unemployment rate rose to 10.7 percent, an increase of 1.9 percent from May's 8.8 percent, the Mississippi Employment Security Commission announced this week. The MESC, which compiles the state's employment data, reported that 590 of the county's 5,520 eligible workers were unemployed in June. In May, 470 of 5,320 were jobless. Despite the monthly increase, the county's June rate of joblessness remained eight-tenths of a percent below the June 19 rate of 11.5 percent, when 660 of 5,740 laborers could not find work.

Statewide, Mississippi's unemployment rate rose by nearly a full percentage point, from 52 percent in May to 6.1 percent in June, the MESC reported. However, the rate was 1.1 percent below the 7.2 percent rate recorded in June 19. MESC Executive Director Tom Lord said the unemployment increase in June is a "normal seasonal occurrence and no cause for concern." The influx of students into the summer job market continued to impact the unemployment picture. Seventeen counties suffered double-digit joblessness rates in June due to layoffs, recalls, increased agricultural slowdowns or inclement weather. Lord said.

Leflore I O.U Cj 5 Carroll Montgomery Sunflower 13.2 As summertime temperatures rise, many Entergy customers will consume more electricity as they attempt to beat the heat. As a result, some customers win see higher electricity bills, primarily due to increased use of air-conditioning. "Keeping cool is a real challenge here in the deep South, but there are some things you can do to help minimize your costs," said Jim Lylcs, area Entergy customer service manager. "Some customers do see significant increases in their bills during the hottest summer months, but some simple steps can be taken to help keep your energy costs down," Lylcs added. He offered the following summer tips to help conserve energy: Raise the air-conditioner thermostat to 75 degrees or higher.

Use energy-efficient ceiling fans and portable fans to circulate air when thermostat settings are higher. Turn off window or central air- conditioning units if you are leaving on vacation or for a long weekend. Have a professional inspect your air-conditioner and check the refrigerant level every spring; a low level will waste electricity. Keep cooled air inside your home by caulking around doors and windows, closing the fireplace damper, and filling holes and gaps where wiring and pipes enter the house. Use insulation with a high value, preferably R-30 for ceilings, R-18 for outside walls and R-19 for raised floors.

Draw blinds, drapes and curtains to keep direct sunlight from warming the house. Check the filter on air-conditioners at least once each month; change as necessary. Check seals on all refrigerator and freezer doors. Do laundry, wash dishes, bathe and mop floors in the late evening or early morning to decrease humidity during the hottest hours of the day. Wash clothes with cold water, cook foods at lowest possible setting, and keep the oven door closed while baking.

Make sure your clothes dryer and attic are properly ventilated. Use trees and shrubs to shade your htne (but plan for future tree growth to avoid having branches near power lines). "At Entergy, we are constantly looking for ways to operate more efficiently, to help reduce costs to our customers," said Lyles. "Coping with our hot, humid southern summers is a challenge for everyone. We hope our customers use these tips to stretch their energy dollars further." Entergy's energy conservation booklet.

Home Remedies, contains information for consumers on ways to reduce energy costs year-round. For a free copy, call 1-800-ENTERGY. For more energy saving rips, visit Entergy's Internet site at http:www.entergy.com. Lr-! Sources Mnstswppi Efrvtoynunt Security Convniuton Grenada, 63 percent (5.8). Leflore, 9.5 percent (9.0).

Panola, 11.6 percent (1 1.0). Quitman, 12.0 percent (10.5). Sunflower, 13.2 percent (9.9). Yalobusha, 10.6 percent (6.4). Rankin County, at 2.8 percent, had the lowest unemployment rate in the state in June and Jefferson, at 17.7 percent, had the highest.

He noted that the unemployment rate is expected to level off in July and August because many students will return to school and exit the labor force. June unemployment rates for selected area counties, with May rates in parenthesis, are: Carroll, 6.5 percent (5.4). Coahoma, 10.5 percent (9.3). Local 4-H members attend national program 5 2 ur A. 'WPP Focus program included youth delegates from 10 states.

It focused on what being, a citizen means and showed youth how 4-H members practice citizenship in different states and towns. The specific objective of the week-long activity was for 4-H members to develop a greater understanding and appreciation of American heritage. During the week, delegates learned the basic functions of national government, gained an understanding of the international aspects of citizenship and strengthened their commitment to democratic principles. Highlights of the week for the 4-H members attending the national event included tours of such historic Washington, D.C.-area sights as Capitol Hill; Mount Vernon; the Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson memorials; Arlington National Cemetery; the National Cathedral; the Smithsonian Institute; and The Holocaust Museum. The 4-H delegates also were privileged to be able to celebrate Independence Day in the nation's capitoL Special to The Sun-Sentinel Seven Tallahatchie County 4-H members were among 44 Mississippi delegates to attend Citizenship Washington Focus June 28 through July 5 at the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, Md.

Local 4-H members taking part in the national event were Tiffany Early, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Billy Early of Charleston; Natasha Lang, the daughter of Eula Lang of Holcomb; Jamie Mitchell, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Timmy Mitchell of Charleston; Nathan Ross, the son of Mr.

and Mrs. Stanley Ross of Scobey; John Smith, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Smith of Cascilla; Cha-queta Weston, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.

Johnny Weston of Charleston; and Jody Young, the daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Joe Young of Charleston. These seven 4-H members were chosen to attend the event because of their interest and involvement in 4-H and community citizenship activities. The Citizenship Washington 5.

.1 15 1 ll 1 i' Vl Hi inn A i 1 "1 1 I 11 i L-i jl Some of the seven Tallahatchie County 4-H members who attended a were, from Smith, Tiffany Early, Jody Young.Jamie Mitchell recent Citizenship Washington Focus meeting in Chevy Chase, and Nathan Ross. Not pictured are Chaqueta Weston and Natasha Lang..