The Conservative from Carrollton, Mississippi • 1

2- '-200C THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2006 50 CENTS CARROLL COUNTY COPYRIGHT 2006 THE CONSERVATIVE Vol. 121, No. 15 Officials blame death on heatstroke an emergency room physician at Grenada Lake Hospital on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2005, following an altercation with another woman, Pat McChristian, also of Carrollton, earlier that iffs office in Carrollton where she was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. She was then transferred to the patrol car of a third officer, Charles Jones, just coming on dayshift duty.

Jones transported Loggins to the Grenada jail. "Deputy Jones went up to Highway 82 to Winona and up to (Interstate) 55 to make better time," Gray said, "and Deputy Jones said she was still fighting her restraints and being verbally abusive." Jones told Gray that Loggins began to 'settle down' as he neared the Duck Hill By Monica Land Staff Writer CARROLLTON Nearly six months after she died in police custody, authorities issued a press release this week saying Debbie Denise Loggins died of hyperthermia a condition commonly known as heatstroke. According to the state pathologist's findings, Loggins became "overheated due to excessive exertional activity with changes of physical exhaustion." Her death was ruled an "accident." Loggins, 33, was pronounced dead by two women were under their carport fighting. When Chief Deputy Michael Spellman arrived between 5:30 and 6 a.m., Spellman personally witnessed the exchange. "Deputy Spellman observed that Loggins had another girl in a choke hold or head lock Sheriff Don Gray said earlier.

"Deputy Spellman attempted to intervene and break up the fight and that's when his confrontation with Ms. Loggins began." Gray said Loggins became "resistive and both verbally and physically combat ive with the officer." "She was finally handcuffed," Gray said, "but had to be further restrained by her feet. By this time, a second officer and attempted to place Ms. Loggins into the patrol car but was unsuccessful by her resisting with her feet against the vehicle." Gray said additional restraints were placed on Loggins' hands to her feet in order for officers to transport her. "Even in these restraints, officers reported that Ms.

Loggins continued to fight against her restraints," Gray said. Loggins was transported to the sher Loggins morning. Initially, Carroll County deputies were summoned to a residence about two miles north of Carrollton, where it was reported by the homeowners, Bill and Brenda Wood, that exit. See LOGGINS, Page 5 L. a' 'jj Blues Gala pays tribute to local legend John Hurt in I Hi ii lb 7i 8 ij I ,1 4 I.

,,,.5 Officols plana welcome for troops .9 UVJCA U.ND Vaiden Mayor George Turbeville pictured in front of the now closed Vaiden High School. The mayor opposes the closing of Hathbrn Elementary which is to be discussed tonight at the Carroll County School Board meeting. Mayor critical of proposed closure By Monica Land Staff Writer CARROLLTON Local and area musicians will come together Saturday as they celebrate the music of legendary bluesman John Hurt in the fifth annual Valentine's Day Gala in his honor. According to Hurt's granddaughter, Mary Hurt Wright of Illinois, the gala commemorates the first recordings Hurt made, "Avalon, My Home Town," and 14,1928. "It's more of a celebration," Wright said, "and a show of appreciation to those people who have been instrumental in helping us here at the foundation.

And the whole gist of this affair is to expose Ate musical talents of local Carroll Countians and other local musicians to the world," The gala will kick off with an awards' ceremony recognizing musicians that have contributed to the Mississippi John Hurt Foundation as well as a special presentation to Wright from a rare record collector from Oregon. "This year is especially exciting because John Tefteller will present us with one of my grandfather's albums," Wright said. "Other people have his records and my family doesn't have any, and Mr. Tefteller will present this recording to the museum and the foundation." Wright said the Tefteller presentation is also exciting in that her search for original recordings of her grandfather's music have been fruitless. "I had written on my web site for anyone with any information about my grandfather to contact me," Wright said, "hoping to find at least one of his older 78's.

And Mr. Tefteller contacted me." The event, including dinner, will begin at 6 p.m. at the Carrollton Community House. Tickets are available for $20 throughout the county including People's Bank in Carrollton, Rayburn's Furniture store in Carrollton, Carrollton City Hall and the Chancery Clerk's Office. Other artists slated to perform include: Tonya Goss, The Old See GALA, Page 6 1 the county to have a big spacious high school and an elementary school," Turbeville said.

"This comes down to a point of what's fair and I'm shocked that this would even be considered." If the school board votes in favor of closing Hathorn Elementary, town officials said it will greatly affect future citizenship and industry in Vaiden. "Besides the churches in the community a school is the most important thing a community can possibly have," Turbeville said. "How many people do you think would move to a community that doesn't have any kind of school at all? To tell someone looking to settle in your town they have to See MAYOR, Page 5 Carroll spends more per student than average Mississippi school By Steven Watson Editor Publisher Plans are underway to welcome back the 114th National Guard Unit who have served more than a year in Afghanistan. The Winona-based unit shipped out in January of 2005 and is scheduled to return sometime in the next few months. No official word has been given on their possible arrival date.

Montgomery County Chancery Clerk Tee Golding said he and other county and city leaders have started meeting to plan an event which will likely include a special welcome home ceremony at the Montgomery County Coliseum upon their arrival. Golding said they hope to involve a number of civic and church organizations in the event as well as others who have served with different units in Iraq and Afghanistan. "We want to keep all the focus on the soldiers," he said. "This is going to be their day." Golding said he has already met with all the Mayors in See TROOPS, Page 6 By Monica Land Staff Writer VAIDEN Mayor George Turbeville said closing Hathorn Elementary "Vaiden's last school" is unfair and that he is shocked it is even being considered. The Carroll County School Board will meet tonight at 6 p.m.

in the Vaiden Courthouse to discuss the issue. The possible closing was first brought up late last year after a financial advisor said keeping the school open was draining resources away from other schools in the district. If closed 141 students currently attending the school would be bused to Marshall Elementary in North Carrollton. Turbeville and many others in Vaiden where the school is located have voiced their disapproval and feel the school is one of the last things holding their small community together. "It's not fair for North Carrollton to be the only town in By Steven Watson Editor Publisher Residents in Carroll County are paying less than their neighbors in school taxes, but the school district ranks 43rd in average expenditure per pupil, according to data recently released by the state.

With the possible closing of Hathorn Elementary School officials and residents on both sides of the issue are taking a hard look at the Carroll County School District's financial situation. For the 2005-2006 school year the district levies 29.22 mills locally to generate funds. At this rate the owner of a $100,000 home will pay $292.20 in school taxes (this figure does not factor in possible homestead exemption). By comparison the same $100,000 home would cost a tax payer $525.30 in school taxes in the city of Winona (52.30 mills), $310 in Montgomery County (31 mills), $309.30 in Leflore County (30.93 mills) and $470 in Greenwood (47 mills). According to numbers recently released by the Mississippi Department of Education for the 2004-2005 school year, Carroll County levied 27.73 mills generated a net yield of $1 .7 million in local funds or $1,724 per student.

By comparison Winona's 53.20 mills levied last year generated $1.1 million in local funds or $838 per student Montgomery County's 31 mills generat- See SCHOOL, Page 5 '(. I mm. 'nn I County agrees to; hire park director, looks over new bylaws for new park By Monica Land expansion of the park. The board agreed and stipulated that: Staff Writer VAIDEN The county has agreed to hire a director for the new park at the request of the Carroll County Recreation League and hope to set the position's salary sometime next week. The league presented supervisors a list of bylaws for the new park suggesting they hire a commissioner to oversee it and work with the league committee.

"At the last board meeting you asked us to put together guidelines for the park and that's what we've done," Committee member George Johnson said Monday. "A lot of cities and towns have parks and know what to do. We've never had a park before and so this is new to us." The board was handed three pages of bylaws stipulating the purpose, authority I and management and additions and Article I stated the name of the park: Carroll County Recreation Park. The board agreed the park shall remain so named unless a private citizen comes forth suggesting otherwise. Article II stated the purpose of the park: to provide recreational activities for organized youth groups, church groups, schools and any outside organization that receives permission from the committee.

Johnson suggested the six existing members of the committee stay on to complete the job. The board agreed that a seventh person should be appointed to the committee to break tie votes. Chancery Clerk Sugar Mullins said a member of the Lion's Club needed to be on the committee and agreed to talk with that person and report back to the board next Monday morning. Sugar Mullins, George Johnson, Bonnie Wiggins, Gerald Grant, Barbara Gregg and Cory Blaylock remain as the Carroll County Recreation League Committee. According to Article HI Section 2, the board needs to hire a park director that will have "full power to adopt rules and regulations for governing the affairs and property of the facility." It was also stipulated that all requests for usage of the park from schools or other organizations come through the park director.

The board agreed and will discuss the new position at a special board meeting Monday morning at 9 a.m. at the Carrollton Courthouse. Mullins also stated during the winter months, November through January, the park director could be used for other See PARK, Page 6 Photo By MONICA LAND Carroll County Recreation League Committee Member George Johnson advises supervisors to hire a park director for the new ball park..